Section Two: The Greek City-States

Section 2 Objectives

• Define city-state & tell how the city-state of Sparta & Athens differed

I. The Polis: Center of Greek Life

• By 750 B.C., the polis (city-state) became the central focus of Greek life

• It was a town, city or village serving as a center where people met for political, economic, social & religious activities

The Polis: Center of Greek Life

• The main gathering place was usually on a hill, topped with a fortified area called the *acropolis

• Below was the agora, an open area for people to assemble & for a market

Acropolis

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Ac.acropolis3.JPG

AcropolisAcropolis

AgoraAgora

The Polis: Center of Greek Life

• Athens was the largest city-state

• Polis was a community of people who shared an identity & goals

The Polis: Center of Greek Life

• Three classes:1. citizens with political rights (adult males)2. citizens without political rights (women & children)3. noncitizens (slaves & resident aliens)

The Polis: Center of Greek Life

• Responsibilities accompanied rights

• Loyalty made the city-states fiercely patriotic & distrustful of one another

• Helped bring Greece to ruin

The Polis: Center of Greek Life

• Military system based on hoplites

• Infantry who carried shield, sword & spear

• The fought shoulder to shoulder in a *phalanx formation

phalanx formation

Spartan Hoplite

Phalanx

II. Greek Colonies

• 750 & 550 B.C. many Greeks settled distant lands

• Trade & good farmland

• Cities of Hellespont, Bosporus & Byzantium

Greek Colonies

• Exports: Pottery, wine & olive oil

• Imports: lumber, grain & slaves

• New wealthy class of merchants

III. Tyranny in the City-states

• New wealth led to the rise of tyrants• Greek tyrants were rulers who

seized power by force from the aristocrats

• Oppressive rules• Aristocrats oppressed them,

peasants supported them

Tyranny in the City-states

• Seized & kept power by using hired soldiers

• Built new walls & temples

• Fall out of favor by the 6th century B.C.

Government in the City-states

• *Democracy – ruled by the many

• Other city-states remained committed to government by an *oligarchy, rule by the few

• Athens & Sparta

IV. Sparta

• Greek city-state

• Gained land through conquest of neighbors

• Captured people were known as helots

• These serfs worked for the Spartans

A. A military State

• 800 & 600 B.C.

• Rigidly controlled & disciplined

• Entered the military at 20 & lived in the barracks until 30

A military State

• Stayed in the army until 60

• Women & men lived apart

• Women expected to remain fit to bear & raise healthy children

• Men expected to be brave in battle, to win or be killed

B. Government of Sparta

• The Spartan government was an oligarchy

• Ephors – were elected each year & were responsible for the education of youth & the conduct of all citizens

• 2 kings & 28 men made up the government

• Did not debate, but only voted

Government of Sparta

• Closed itself off from the outside world

• Travelers & travel discouraged

• Frowned upon new ideas & the arts

V. Athens

• A king ruled early Athens

• By 7th century B.C., oligarchy of aristocrats

• Economic & political troubles

Athens

• Reformist Solon appointed leader in 594 B.C.

• Canceled debts, but did not give land to the poor

• Led to tyranny

Athens

• Appointed the reformer Cleisthenes in 508 B.C.

• Created a new council of five hundred

• Proposed new laws & supervise the treasury & foreign affairs

Athens

• Assembly had final authority to pass laws after free & open debate

• *Reforms of Cleisthenes created the foundation for Athenian democracy

Acropolis

Early Acropolis

Chapter Objectives

• Describe the roles of the Persian & Peloponnesian wars in Greek history

• List the cultural contributions of the Greeks to Western civilization

• Explain how Alexander the Great created his empire