greek history n complex and sophisticated n motto: all things in moderation n they did nothing in...
TRANSCRIPT
Greek History
Complex and sophisticated motto: all things in moderation they did nothing in moderation
Ancient Greece
importance to Western culture fundamental ideas and categories Individualism and Humanism the rise of Reason
– decline of superstition/religion
Minoan Crete
ca. 2900 B.C. to 1450 B.C.– contemporary with Egypt
major, non-river valley culture highly sophisticated literate
– Linear A and Linear B
Minoan Culture
elaborate towns and villages complex religious ideas sophisticated art sports and leisure high status for women
Mycenaeans
Bonze Age Greeks 2000-1100 B.C. small, warrior states war, trade, piracy literate (Linear B)
Mycenaeans, con’t
the Heroic Age the Age of Myth the development of Greek Religion beginnings of a common culture
Rise of Literacy
the alphabet Homer
– the Iliad, the Odyssey Hesiod
– Works and Days, the Theogony Lyric poetry
– Sappho
Age of Colonization
ca. 750-650 B.C. Spain to Russia spread of Greek culture contact with foreign peoples
Varieties of Constitutions
Plato, Aristotle, Polybius based on observation of types in
Greece thought of organically
– three Good types, three Bad types– the anacyclosis
The Good Ones
monarchy (rule by one) aristocracy (rule by the best) constitutional government (rule by a
body of law)
The Bad Ones
tyranny (extra-legal rule by one man) oligarchy (rule by a faction) democracy (rule by the people, without
law)
Athens and Sparta
most available evidence both are exceptions to the norm both dominate the Greek world
Sparta
no colonization, conquest of neighbors the constitution of Lycurgus a perpetual military state all citizens are subordinated to the state no private property
Rise of Tyrants
many states moved from monarchy to tyranny
rise of disenfranchised classes ? rise of a new military form
– the Hoplite soldier
Athens
evolution from monarchy to democracy aristocracy, with elected rulers Cylon and Draco Solon: reform and timocracy Peisistratus: a tyranny Cleisthenes: the rise of democracy
Draco
first to write and post the laws the homicide courts did not solve social problems threat of violent revolution redistribute the land, cancel all debts
Enter Solon
chosen by all to avoid revolution new constitution beginnings of democracy opened political offices created protections for the people
Peisistratus
three attempts a tyranny the Golden Age of Athens used his own wealth not a modern “tyrant”
Cleisthenes
defeated in “faction fighting” became a “democrat” reorganization of all citizens breakdown of hereditary kinship groups democracy
The Persian Wars, 490-479 B.C. Ionian Revolt invasion of Greece Marathon Thermopylae, Salamis, Plataea the defining moment for Western
culture
The Rise of Athens
war of liberation and revenge against Persia
The Delian League transformation into the Athenian Empire
– burden of fighting: Athens– burden of cost: the Allies
the Periclean Age
The Peloponnesian War
Sparta and her Allies Athens and her Allies devastated Classical Greece devastated both Sparta and Athens
The Fourth Century
power vacuums, struggle for hegemony Thebes Federal leagues military monarchies
– Thessaly– Macedonia
The Rise of Macedonia
Philip of Macedon Alexander the Great
– the turning point of both Ancient and World history
– no Alexander, then it’s a very different world
Conquests of Alexander
the Persian Empire, plus a little extra rapid spread of Hellenism the Successor Kingdoms
– establishment of a permanent link – The West to China– never closed
Greek Culture and Civilization
foundations of Western thought asked the important questions for the
first time gave the answers--that made sense--for
the first time
Greek Religion, con’t
fully humanized gods deorum pax not concerned with morality no regular priests or clergy no “church and state”
Philosophy
some people were not satisfied by “religion”– but were not inclined to turn to non-civic
cults answers the “Big Questions” deals with areas not covered by religion
Philosophy
love of wisdom search for causes search for why things happen application of reason and demonstration
The Pre-Socratics: Natural Sciences Thales: founder of philosophy Xenophanes: the One Empedocles: transmigration of souls Heraclitus: the dialectic Leucippus and Democritus: biological
evolution and atomic theory and so forth…..
Socrates
the turning point movement toward ethics, metaphysics,
etc. away from natural sciences “What is necessary to live the virtuous
life?” Goodness innate in the human mind
Plato
taught in the dialogue form concerned with how one acquires
knowledge chief concern: ethics important for early Christian theology
Aristotle
primary concern: everything organization of human knowledge division of learn into fields and subfields important for medieval Christianity
Books for you to read
Barry Strauss. The Trojan War Paul Cartledge. Thermopylae E. Bradford. Thermopylae: The Battle for the
West A.R. Burns. Persia and the Greeks D. Kagan. The Peloponnesian War N.G. L. Hammond. A History of Greece R. Sealy. The Greek Polis Leonard Cottrell. The Bull of Minos
More Books
E. Gruen. The Hellenistic World E. Gruen. The Hellenistic World and the
Coming of Rome W.W. Tarn. The Hellenistic World W.W. Tarn. Alexander the Great Ulrich Wilken. Alexander the Great N.G.L. Hammond. Alexander of Macedon Mark Munn. The School of Hellas