Western Civilization I HIS-101

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Western Civilization I HIS-101

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Title: Western Civilization I HIS-101

1
Western Civilization IHIS-101

Unit 3 - Archaic and Early Classical Greece
(1150-400 BCE)

2
Greek Dark Age (c. 1150-800 BCE)

After the fall of the Mycenaean kingdoms, Greece
went into a period known as the Greek Dark Ages
It lasted roughly from 1150-800 BCE
This was a period of characterized by
Instability due to the effects of the Sea People
not only in Greece but in the entire eastern
Mediterranean
Failing food supplies
Large migrations both within Greece and out of it
By 1000 BCE, other groups from around the Near
East began to increase their contact with the
Greeks
Greek pottery was in huge demand so trade was
opened up with them

3
Greek Dark Age (c. 1150-800 BCE)

One of the first groups that the Greeks came into
contact with was the Phoenicians
The Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet and
modified it to fit their language better
They also adopted the Phoenician boat designs for
merchant sea vessels
As their economy grew so did their movement
throughout the region
Many traveled between the mainland, the islands,
and Asia Minor, coming into greater contact with
other Greeks
There was also migration into the cities
By 800 BCE, the Dark Age ended

Greece c. 750 BCE

5
Archaic Greece (800-480 BCE)

Greek civilization flourished during this period
Life centered around the polis as the main
institution
The Polis (pl. poleis) is a small but autonomous
political unit
It centered on a city or town and its surrounding
countryside
All major political, social, and religious
activities were held in one central location
The actual origins of the polis started with
synoecism
This is the process of conquering and absorbing,
and/or working together with neighboring
communities
Not all poleis were the same
They varied in size and population
Each polis also had its own patron deity
Rivalries and animosity between poleis would
eventually lead to the ruin of Greece

6
Archaic Greece (800-480 BCE)

Greek colonization began during the 8th and 7th
centuries BCE
By the 6th century Greek colonization spread from
the Black Sea to the western Mediterranean
What were the reasons behind Greek colonization?
Overpopulation
Shortage of land
Establishment of trade routes
Impacts
Colonization also helped spread Greek culture
There was also the creation of a new group of
wealthy elites
They acquired their wealth through trade
They wanted political privileges proportionate to
their wealth

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8

Homer
(c. 8th c. BCE)

9
The Heroic Tradition

In Archaic Greece, wealth as well as trade became
important in Greek society
A small group of aristocrats (aristoi) began to
emerge
They saw their wealth as proof of their
superiority
But wealth was not the only thing the aristocracy
strived for
Rise of the heroic tradition
They needed to be heroes as well they needed
to win battles, travel to distant lands, be
courageous, strong, and wise
Overall, they must be favored by the gods
This was best illustrated in the works of Homer
(8th century BCE)

10
The Heroic Tradition

His two main works were the Iliad and the Odyssey
Writing in the 8th century BCE but were about
events that occurred during the Mycenaean period
They reflect social conditions of 8th century BCE
Both stories illustrate courage, acts of bravery,
and battles the foundations of the Heroic
Tradition
These stories may have originated as oral
traditions
Homers poems were treated as historical facts
They were used as educational texts on how to be
a proper aristocrat

Hoplites

12
Rise of the Hoplites

During the Dark Age, fighting occurred on
horseback amongst aristocrat-warriors
As the dominant military force, they were able to
hold political and social power
During the 7th century BCE, a new military order
emerged hoplite warrior
Heavily armed infantrymen
They carried a round shield, a short sword, and
an 8-10 foot long thrusting spear
To become a hoplite, all you had to do was
provide your own armor
New battle formation phalanx
Broke the monopoly of the aristocrat-warriors

The Greek Symposium

14
Archaic Greek Society

Society was based not only on wealth but status
King was at the top
Warrior-aristocracy dominated the poleis in both
wealth and political power
Everybody else was at the bottom
Roles of men and women reflected the heroic
tradition
Men were to be the heroes
Women helped their men live up to their roles
The aristocrats developed a very distinct culture
and lifestyle
Holding office in the polis
The symposium
Pederasty

The erastes (lover) fondling the genitals of the
eromenos (beloved)

16
Rise of Greek Tyranny

Not all aristocrats enjoyed power
Small oligarchies controlled the politics in the
cities
Others were left feeling alienated
Some aristocrats turned to hoplites as allies
Both groups felt excluded from politics
With military backing, these aristocrats could
now take power through force
Rise of Tyranny (7th century BCE)
Old oligarchies were overthrown via coup d'état
Those who took control became known tyrants
Lydian term tyrannos - someone who seized power
illegally
They gave the hoplites legal and economic rights
and even in some cases political rights

17
Rise of Greek Tyranny

The term tyrant did not originally have a
negative connotation
Because they had taken power illegally, they had
to justify their rule
Their heirs were corrupt and tended to be cruel
and unjust rulers
By the end of the 6th century, tyranny was
largely eliminated in Greece
It did have a number of long lasting effects
Ended the rule of aristocratic oligarchies
Opened the door for greater participation in
government
Led to the rise of democracy in some poleis and
extended oligarchies in others

The Greek World

19
Archaic Athens

Governed by aristocratic oligarchy
Two main bodies
Archons Magistrates
Areopagus Council High Court
7th century BCE problems
Rise of debt-slavery
Increasing violence among rival aristocratic
groups
First coup detat attempt was in 632 BCE
Cylon tried to seize control over Athens
The Athenians revolted against him
Cylon managed to flee the city but his followers
were executed

20
Archaic Athens

The aristocracy need to stabilize the rivalries
between themselves
They thought clarifying the old laws and put them
in writing would help
In 621 BCE, Draco was selected to write the laws
Draconian punishments
Used harsh punishments by the state to stop
rivalries
Failed to do so
Calls were made for a neutral figure to run the
government
This was to prevent an attempted coup d'état
and/or civil war

21
Archaic Athens

In 594 BCE, the aristocracy selected Solon to be
sole archon of Athens for one year
He brought about sweeping economic reforms
Cancelled all land debts
Outlawed debt slavery and bought the freedom for
those already put into slavery
Encouraged the cultivation of cash-crops (e.g.,
grapes and olives)
He made sweeping political reforms
Divided up the citizen population into four
classes
Every male citizen, except those in the poorest
class, could now hold political office
Even the poorest class were eligible to vote

22
Archaic Athens

He put more control into the hands of the people
The Ecclesia now had the right to elect archons
The Heliaia was created where all four classes
could sit in as jurors and heard
However, he did not fix the main problems
He did not redistribute the land
The aristocracy viewed his reforms as being too
radical
The poorer classes believed that Solon had not
done enough
For the next forty years, internal conflicts
worsened

Solon
(594-593 BCE)

24
Archaic Athens

In 546 BCE, Peisistratus succeeded in seizing
power through a coup detat
He had to justify his illegal takeover
Public works projects that included the
beautification of Athens
He opened up the Black Sea to Athenian traders
and merchants
Strengthened the demos using Solons reforms
Aristotle wrote that his government appeared
more like constitutional government than a
tyranny
He remained in power until his death in 527 BCE

25
Archaic Athens

Hippias (527-510 BCE)
Was Peisistratus son and supposedly co-ruled
with his brother Hipparchus
First half of his reign was good
He was a patron of the arts and he instituted
many building projects
It all changed in 514 BCE
Hipparchus was murdered by Harmodius and
Aristogeiton (Tyrannicides)
Hippias then became a cruel and unjust ruler
Athens sought the aid of Sparta to overthrow
Hippias
Hippias fled to Persia

Harmodius and Aristogeiton
The Tyrannicides

27
Archaic Athens

The aristocrats hoped to control Athens with an
oligarchy
However, the people of Athens like having
political rights
In 508 BCE, the Athenian people revolted and put
Cleisthenes in as archon
Championed the cause of the demos
His main goal was to limit aristocratic power
He reorganized the government based on location
(deme) instead of family or clan ties
Reformed voting practices
Reorganized the population into ten tribes
Introduced ostracism to banish political rivals
for ten years
Based on ostraka, a type of potsherd

Examples of ostraka

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30
Archaic Sparta

Sparta was located at the southern end of the
Peloponnesus peninsula
It originally consisted of four villages that
merged into one polis
Its government consisted of
Two kings
A strong council (gerousia)
An assembly (apella)
It grew in size by conquering neighboring poleis
By 750 BCE, conquered Laconia
By 720 BCE, conquered Messenia
Population was enslaved (helots)

31
Archaic Sparta

The Spartan military state had its origins in the
7th century BCE
In 650 BCE, the helots in Messenia revolted and
almost won
Because of this, the Spartans created a military
state to protect itself
Sparta became literally a perpetual military camp
Examination of child at birth
At age 7, boys would be moved to the state-run
barracks
At 20, were required to join the army for regular
military duty
From 20 to 30, they were required to marry but
they continued to live in the barracks
At 30, the men were considered mature
They remained in military service until they were
60

32
Archaic Sparta

Women were not exempt from duty
Girls would remain at home and receive training
in letters until they were married
Women were encouraged to exercise and stay in
shape in order to have healthy babies
They were expected to be brave and run the
household while their husbands and sons went off
to war
Three social classes
Spartitates Full Spartan citizens and ruling
class
Perioeci Free but did not have citizen rights
Helots These were the people who were forced to
work the land

33
Archaic Sparta

Spartan political structure
Two kings Military and religious leaders
Gerousia - Council of 28 men over the age of 60
who were responsible for most of the policy
making
Apella - Assembly of all the Spartan male
citizens over the age of 30 who voted on
proposals from the gerousia
Other important bodies
Ephors - Highest-ranking Spartan magistrates
Krypteia A secret police force that lived among
the helots and were ordered to kill anyone deemed
dangerous

34
Archaic Sparta

Close-minded society
Were forbidden from participating in outside
trade
Discouraged foreigners from visiting Sparta
Discourage Spartans from traveling
Were not allowed to come into contact with an
persons or material that was dangerous
Greater control of the Peloponnesus
In 6th century BCE, the Spartans organized the
Peloponnesian League
It was a loose alliance of poleis on the
peninsula
It was also created to prevent the helots from
getting outside aid for their revolts

35
End of the Archaic Age (c.500 BCE)

Athens
An economic power as the principle exporter of
wine, olive oils, and pottery in Greece
Developed a new form of government that was more
democratic and participatory
Sparta
A powerful, highly-organized military state
Loss of freedom for both the helots and the
Spartans

Greek hoplite fighting Persian warrior
(c. 5th century BCE)

37
Ionian Revolt (499-494 BCE)

Persian Wars mark the end of the Archaic Period
Ionian Revolt (499-494 BCE)
Ionia did not like being a Persian satrapy
Started by Aristagoras, tyrant of Miletus
He rallied the support of the people against
Persian rule
Calls were made to the other Greeks states for
help
Sparta refused to help
Athens sent 20 ships to help the Ionians
They helped capture and sack Sardis, the capital
of Lydia
After that, the Athenians left the Ionians on
their own
The Ionians were able to hold their own until 494
BCE
Persian fleet defeated the Ionians at the Battle
of Lade

Greco-Persian Wars (492-449 BCE)

39
Greco-Persian Wars (492-449 BCE)

Darius already wanted to attack Greek mainland
Athens participation in Ionian Revolt gave him
the excuse
In 492 BCE, Darius sent the fleet to attack
Athens directly
That fleet was lost in a storm and that plan was
abandoned
In 490 BCE, he sent ground forces to attack
The Persian forces met the Athenians on the plain
of Marathon
Battle of Marathon (490 BCE)
Athenians were outnumbered 11,000 to the Persian
25,000
Sparta showed up late for the battle
Mobile and ranged Persian army versus hoplite,
infantry Greeks
Greeks attacked while Persian horses being
watered
Persians lost over 6,000 while the Athenians only
lost 192

40
Greco-Persian Wars (492-449 BCE)

Pheidippides died after running 25 miles to
Athens to give the city news of victory
Marathon was the only major defeat during Darius
reign
He had planned a third attempt at Greece
Attention was diverted to uprisings in Egypt
He died before he was able to mount another
attack
Building of the Athenian navy
Themistocles knew Persia was coming back
Pushed to build a better, faster navy
By 480 BCE, had a fleet of 200 triremes and new
port facilities
Athens now had a navy to go alongside their
hoplite forces

Xerxes
(486-465 BCE)

42
Greco-Persian Wars (492-449 BCE)

Xerxes (486-465 BCE)
He was the son of Darius
He wanted to attack Greece as well
In 483 BCE, he began preparations for a massive
invasion
The actual invasion began in 480 BCE
He had amassed 200,000 troops and 700 naval ships
Plenty of supplies either on ships or along the
roads to feed his armies
He also had two pontoon bridges built across the
Hellespont for his troops to cross from Persia
into Greece
Many Greek states immediately surrendered to
Xerxes

Battle at Thermopylae

44
Greco-Persian Wars (492-449 BCE)

Creation of the defensive Hellenic League
Sparta headed the military and Athens the Navy
Battle at Thermopylae (480 BCE)
King Leonidas of Sparta met the Persian forces at
the pass at Thermopylae
He had only a small force of roughly 9,000 men
Held the pass for three days, killing
approximately 10,000 Persians a day
The Persians found a mountain path to outflank
the Greeks
Leonidas sent most of his troops away to safety
He stayed behind with 300 Spartans and 1,100
Boeotians to delay the Persians
He succeeded for several days but his entire
force was killed

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Greco-Persian Wars (492-449 BCE)

Persians went on to burn down Athens
The Greeks were able to regroup on Salamis
Easier to defend with the Greek navy
Greeks were outnumbered but used the narrow
Straits to their advantage
They were able to destroy around 200 Persian
ships
Xerxes returned to Persia after this loss
He left most of the army behind to finish the war
Battle of Plataea (479 BCE)
Greeks had the largest Greek army seen to date
The Spartans decimated the Persians
What was left of the Persian forces retreated to
Asia Minor

The Delian League

48
Delian League

With the defeat of Persia, Athens is the main
Greek power
Sparta withdrew from its role in Greek affairs
Many wanted an offensive attack to free Ionia
from Persian control
Delian League (478-404 BCE)
Technically led by Athens
It was a democratic league with each polis
holding one vote
The main function of the League was to battle the
Persians
It held close to 300 ships, most of which were
Athenian
If a polis could not provide ships, it provided
money instead

49
Delian League

By 469 BCE, all of the Greek states in the Aegean
region were freed
Many wanted the dissolution of the League
First Naxos attempted to leave in 470 BCE and
then Thasos in 465 BCE
Athens attacked both poleis and decimated them
Walled fortifications were destroyed
Their navies captured
Their lands confiscated
Residents were all forced to pay tribute to the
Athenians
Athens took on the policy of no succession
The League became the Athenian empire
It was also an instrument of Athenian imperialism

Pericles
(461-429 BCE)

51
Athenian Golden Age

Athenian economic golden age
Money from Delian League was used to finance
building projects
This led to numerous construction jobs
Not everybody was happy as lower classes wanted a
greater role in the government
Strategos A military position (general)
Were responsible for drafting and overseeing
troops and acting as military judges
After 490 BCE, ten were elected each year
Voting was done by popular elections rather than
lots
Popular political path during 5th century BCE
Themistocles was the first example of a strategos
using it for political power

52
Athenian Golden Age

Prior to 462 BCE, the conservatives held power
under strategos Cimon
Cimon led the Delian League against the Persians
He also suppressed the other poleis who had tried
to succeed from the League
Pericles (c.495-429 BCE)
Young, liberal aristocrat
Wanted to see more changes taking place in the
government
Wanted to end the aristocratic power of the
Aeropagus Council
Also wanted to severe ties with Sparta to expand
Athenian power

53
Athenian Golden Age

Pericles was elected strategos in 462 and 461 BCE
In 461 BCE, convinced the Ecclesia to take away
the remaining powers of the Areopagus
That year, he also was able to secure the
ostracism of Cimon
He then pushed through more democratic reforms
He paid the poor to attend the Ecclesia
Ecclesia could now propose or amend legislation
Citizenship required both parents to be citizens
He was heavily involved in public building
projects
Acropolis started in 447 BCE
Parthenon to replace the old Temple of Athena
that was destroyed in 480 BCE

The Acropolis in Athens

55
Great Peloponnesian War

Most of what we know comes from Thucydides
History of the Peloponnesian War (424 BCE)
He had been an Athenian general and politician at
the beginning of the war
Rather accurate account of the war
Long range cause of war the fear the Spartans
held towards Athens and its empire
Others believe the cause of the war was that
Athens had created a tyrannical empire
It began when Athens got involved in the affairs
of the Peloponnesus in 433 BCE
Athens helped Corcyra hold off attack by Corinth
Corinth was a member of the Peloponnesian League

56
Great Peloponnesian War

Sparta issues ultimatum to Athens in 432 BCE
Either back down with Corinth or it would be war
Athens refused to back down as it was admitting
that Sparta was the dominant power in Greece
Neither side had a clear advantage
Athens had good navy but poor army
Sparta had good army but no navy
Athenian Plan
Stay inside the walled city of Athens
The Long Walls gave a path to the port at Piraeus
The navy would then raid the coast of Peloponnesus

57
Great Peloponnesian War

Spartan Plan
Invade Attica and lay siege to Athens
Cut off the city from its supplies in the
countryside
Could only lay siege for a few weeks at a time
Spartans laid siege but could not break through
the walls
Athenian Plague (430-428 BCE)
Over 1/3 of its population was killed, including
Pericles
Even the Spartans temporarily retreated in fear
of the plague
Spartans could not take advantaged of weakened
Athenian state
Peace of Nicias was signed in 421 BCE
All lands would return to their pre-war status

58
Great Peloponnesian War

Peace lasted for six years
In 415 BCE, new plan against Sparta
Athens invades Sicily, cutting off the Spartan
supplies from Syracuse
Athenian traitor informed Sparta of its plan and
told them to turn to Persia for help
In 413 BCE, Athenian forces unable to take
Syracuse
All of the Athenian forces were either killed or
sold into slavery
Athens domestic problems
Many politicians fled in fear of repercussions
from losses
City voted out democracy and created an oligarchy
of 400 men
Army refused to accept it

59
Great Peloponnesian War

Athenian navy went on to defeat the Spartans in a
number of key battles from 410-406 BCE
Sparta turned to Persia for help
Persia provided money and expertise to build a
navy
Starting in 407 BCE, Spartan navy starts winning
Under the command of Lysander
Athens surrendered in 404 BCE
The Long Walls around Athens were destroyed
What was left of the navy was disbanded
New oligarchic government set up by Sparta
(Thirty Tyrants)
Executed roughly 1,500 people and over a thousand
more exiled

Pythagoras
(c.580-c.500 BCE)

61
Early Classical Philosophy

The Milesian School of Thought was picked up by
early Classical Greek philosophers
They were more cynical and pessimistic
What is the truth?
Pythagoras of Samos (c.580-c.500 BCE)
Founded the Pythagorean Brotherhood that focused
on logical thinking
Ignored the desires of the flesh
Were pacifists and vegetarians
Devoted to an ethical lifestyle, mathematics, and
musical theory

62
Early Classical Philosophy

Sophism
Derived from sophia meaning wisdom
Experts in the science of oratory (rhetoric)
Used rhetoric as a skill to persuade others
Done for political motivations or just to argue
their point of view
Protagoras (c.485-c.410 BCE)
Relativism - Man is the measure of all things
of things which are, that they are, and of things
which are not, that they are not
Making the worst case better through use of
rhetoric
Was an agnostic and believed that there is no
proof that the gods in fact did exist

63
Early Classical Philosophy

Later, sophists used their skill to argue unjust
cases
Anyone with enough skill could argue for
anything, no matter how negative or brutal the
thing was
Socrates (469 - 399 BCE)
Wanted to find what was good, just, and virtuous
The unexamined life is not worth living
Unlike the sophists, he did believe in some
certainties including absolute goodness
Used the Socratic Method to find out how much
knowledge his students had and what their beliefs
were
Wrote nothing down
Found guilty of corrupting the youth and
executed

Socrates
(469-399 BCE)

65
Sparta in Charge

After 404 BCE, Sparta was the superior power in
Greece
Took on a policy of what was good for Sparta was
good for everyone else
Very heavy handed to the other Greek poleis
They were overextended so endured helot revolts
Sparta began planning a war against Persia
Hope was to unify Greece again as a way of
maintaining its position
Plan was to recover Ionia which was lost during
the Peloponnesian War
Persians offered economic aid to those who fought
Sparta
Athens, Thebes, Corinth, and Argos all accepted

66
Corinthian War (395-387 BCE)

Corinthian War (395-387 BCE)
Between the Athenian coalition and Sparta
The coalition quickly won key battles because of
their naval superiority
Athens was able to regain old Delian League
territory
Persia did not like this and withdrew its support
in 392 BCE
Persians gave economic aid to Sparta instead
Spartan was then able to easily defeated the
coalition
Athens sued for peace in 387 BCE
Peace of Antalcidas (387 BCE)
Negotiated between Persia, Athens, and Sparta
Athens had to give up control of the Aegean
Persia got to keep Ionia as well as Cyprus

Coin of Artaxerxes II of Persia

68
Trouble for Sparta

After the, Sparta kept up its harsh policies
Dangerous poleis were dismantled into smaller
units
Thebes became a hot spot for Sparta
It started as an ally to Sparta but joined the
Athenian coalition
After the war, they allied with Sparta again
Seizing Thebes (382 BCE)
Spartan general, Phoebidas, was travelling by
Thebes
He placed troops in Thebes citing civil unrest
Seized the acropolis and forced out any
anti-Spartan factions
Exiled Thebans turned to Athens for help
Inside of Thebes, resistance formed under
Epaminondas, politician and military leader

Epaminondas
(c. 404-362 BCE)

70
Theban Dominance

In 379 BCE, the Thebans led a coup against the
Spartans
Drove out the Spartan troops
Executed the pro-Spartan politicians
Sparta tried to retake the city three times over
the next seven years but failed
The Sacred Band of Thebes
This was a fighting force organized of 150
homosexual couples
The logic behind it was that lovers would fight
side by side more fiercely
The inspiration came from Plato who argued that
lovers would not surrender He would be ready to
die a thousand deaths rather than endure this
embarrassment. Or who would desert his beloved
or fail him in the hour of danger?

71
Theban Dominance

Battle of Leuctra (371 BCE)
Key battle between Thebes and Sparta
Thebans cleanly defeated Spartans
Theban troops then traveled to Messenia
There they set the helots free
These were people who had been enslaved for over
200 years
Thebes became the dominant power until 362 BCE
This was when Epaminondas was killed in the
Battle of Mantinea

Extent of Theban Power (c. 362 BCE)

73
Economic Crisis

All the wars led to economic crises in all the
poleis
Many lost their wealth and their homes
Crops and orchards had been destroyed
Damage to the olive trees and grapevines
Standard of living dropped dramatically
Wages were stagnant but prices increased as much
as 50
Taxes were increased to rebuild the city funds
Unemployment was very high
Many soldiers were forced to become mercenaries
while others became bandits

Plato
(429-349 BCE)

75
Philosophy and the Polis

In late Classical Period, philosophers changed
their focus
They turned to the discussion of the ideal form
of government
Two major philosophers Plato and Aristotle
Knew there was something wrong with 4th century
BCE polis
Both attempted to come up with ways to fix it
Plato (429-349 BCE)
Was originally a student of Socrates
Wanted to prove Socrates innocence after his
trial and death
Set up the Academy in 387 BCE
Plato wrote the dialogues the Phaedo, the
Symposium, and the Republic

76
Plato (429-349 BCE)

Doctrine of Ideas
Things were relative but that should not be the
foundation of philosophy
Believed in a higher, spiritual realm where there
are eternal forms, or Ideas, that are unchanging
The Ideas are true reality but only our mind can
grasp the Ideas, not our senses
Therefore you cannot trust the material world
Ideas include objects but also more complex Ideas
such as beauty and justice
The material world is a shadow of the real world
What we see are copies of the Ideas, a shadow of
them
Highest Idea was Good which could be achieved by
leading a virtuous life

77
Plato (429-349 BCE)

In politics social harmony is more important
than liberty or equality
Leadership was based on a meritocracy
Believed that society was divided into three
tiers
The Producers These are the ones who are
responsible for keeping society running
The Guardians These are the ones who are
responsible for protecting society
The Philosopher Kings The one(s) responsible
for ruling the state based on Ideas of virtue and
goodness