Download Political Changes during the Archaic Period (750

Political Changes during the
Archaic Period (750-500 B.C.)
DeBlois, pp. 81-88
Political Change in Archaic Greece
• The Archaic period saw the rise of new forms of government and of
one of the most important legacies of the ancient world –
• Greek political thought.
• The power of the nobility eroded as the economic and military basis
of that power gradually crumbled. This led to the fall of the
aristocracy in most poleis. This process started a with demands for:
• Written legislation that would put an end to the aristocracy’s arbitrary rule;
• Admission to the offices (demanded by the new rich who could do so due to
their military power as hoplites);
• Cancellation of debts, abolition of debt-bondage, and redistribution of land
(demanded by small farmers and debt bondsmen).
Tyranny
• A tyrant was originally an autocrat who seized authority without
legitimacy (absolute control to which he was not officially entitled).
• Tyrant was originally a neutral term
• Because tyrants were unable to justify their power, their despotism
became unpopular and cruel, and ‘tyrannical’ took on a negative
meaning.
• Greek tyrants were generally aristocrats who were in conflict with
other aristocrats.
• Tyrants rarely ruled beyond two generations, then they were replaced
by an oligarchy or democracy.
• What is a polis? (Describe it. Identify the
meaning of the word, the geographic parts of a
polis, the political features common to most
poleis, and the principle concerns of poleis.)
Sparta
• How was Sparta ruled?
• By co-regent kings
• What was the lineage of the Spartans?
• Dorians
• What name did Homer give to the Spartans?
• Lacedaemonians (Lacedaemon). The term “laconic” comes from this.
• Describe the three classes of people in Sparta.
• The homoioi (equals) were adult male Spartan citizens over the age of 18.
(Also called spartiates – homoioi being a reform)
• The periokoi (dwellers about) were “resident aliens.” They were not citizens,
but had basic protections and rights.
• The helots (state slaves) were mostly the conquered Messenians.
Spartan Military
• How did Sparta solve her need for more land?
• By conquering the adjacent land - Messenia
• What did the Spartans do to the Messenians?
• They made them helots (state slaves).
• Why did the Spartans devote their full attention to military training?
• They had to control a group of helots who outnumbered them and they had a
constant threat from their neighboring polis of Argos.
• Briefly summarize the military training of the Spartans.
• They were enrolled in military brotherhoods and raised by the state starting at
age seven.
• From seven to eighteen they underwent rigorous physical and military training.
• From 18-20 many served in the krypteia (secret police).
• From 20-60 they served in the army.
Sparta’s Reforms
• To who are Sparta’s reforms attributed?
• The law-giver Lycurgus
• Briefly summarize the reforms.
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Afterwards, Spartans were referred to as homoioi (equals).
They had equal position in the hoplite phalanx.
They had equal vote in the apella (assembly).
They may also have been assigned equal lots of land.
• In what ways were all Spartans not equal?
• Many also owned lots of private land.
• Some Spartans neglected their farms.
• Some Spartans made a fortune from bribes, taxes, and booty obtained
abroad.
• Some Spartans married rich heiresses who had no brothers (married money).
The Spartan constitution was a ‘mixed
constitution.’
• Monarchy – the two kings
• Oligarchy – the council (gerousia) which passed laws included
• the two kings, each from different royal families
• the five ephors (overseers), chosen annually by the assembly to conduct day
to day administration
• citizens (men) over sixty years old (30 members)
• Democracy – the assembly (all citizens) which proposed laws
• Why were the Spartans admired?
• Mixed constitution, stable government
• Strict Spartan lifestyle, simplicity
• Strength – most powerful polis during most of the 6th – early 5th centuries BC
Sparta (final points)
• What was the Peloponnesian League?
• An alliance, under Spartan control, of most of the poleis in the Peloponese
• What was the Spartan attitude towards tyrants?
• They generally opposed tyrants.
• How did they demonstrate this attitude?
• They followed a policy of supporting the overthrow of tyrants outside Greece
and among other poleis. The rare exceptions were when they supported
Athenian tyrants.
• What was the basic cultural consequence of Sparta’s preoccupation
with military training?
• They produced virtually no cultural achievements.
Athens
• What made Athens the ultimate standard bearer of Greek culture?
• Democracy
• What happened to Athens during the Dark Ages after the fall of
Mycenaean civilization?
• It remained inhabited and became prosperous.
• How did Athens’ solution to population growth differ from most other
poleis?
• She did not found colonies. Attica was large enough to feed early growth.
• At the end of the Dark Ages, how was Athens ruled?
• By an aristocracy
Archos, Cylon, and Draco
• Who were the archons.
• They were the nine magistrates of Athens who served annual terms.
• They exercised the kingly functions of military leader, high priest, and judge.
• Who were Cylon and Draco?
• They were tyrants in Athens.
• Draco codified the laws and posted them in the agora. The code was very
harsh, thus “draconian,” but it represented a change from the rule of men to
the rule of law.
Solon
• Solon was granted special powers to solve what problems among what
groups?
• Between the nobility and the rest of the population
• Wealthy citizens who demanded a share of power from the nobility
• Peasants who had fallen into debt and demanded debt cancellation and land
redistribution
• Describe Solon’s reforms (there are several, pp. 84-85).
• He abolished many debts and debt slavery.
• He changed the basic qualifications for office holding from birth to wealth.
• He distributed offices and the right to vote widely according to a sliding scale of
wealth.
• He created a Council of 400 that set the agenda for the assembly of all citizens
(opposite of Sparta’s system).
• What demand did Solon not address, which he considered too radical?
• Land redistribution
Peisistratus
• Who was Peisistratus and what was his impact on Athens?
• He was a tyrant from a noble family.
• He reduced the power of the aristocracy by making non-aristocrats hoplites,
by instituting a system of traveling judges , banning many nobles, and
confiscating their property.
• He helped small farmers switch to cultivating more profitable crops such as
olives.
• He embellished the city of Athens by promoting religious festivals.
• He provided work by commissioning public building projects.
• His aim was to strengthen the bonds between the population and
their polis at the expense of local ties and aristocratic traditions.
• Thanks to Solon and Peisistratus, the majority of Athenian citizens
could support themselves as small farmers.
Cleisthenes
• What were Cleisthenes’ contributions to Greek democracy? Describe
his reforms.
• He brought democracy into full force in Athens since he was indebted to the
demos (people) for his power.
• He created a new Council of 500 based on residence, not wealth or birth. He
bound together people of different social and occupational backgrounds.
• He opened almost all offices to almost all men.
• He introduced ostracism.