Download Greece - Lecture 1 Slides

ELIZABETH SWAN
MARCH 2017
•
To be able to understand the social, political and
economic features of Athenian and Spartan
society between 800 and 454BCE
•
To understand the impact of the physical
environment on the development of Greek
society
•
To be able to analyse the importance of the
social classes to the functioning of Athenian and
Spartan society
* Collapse of Mycenaean
civilization c. 12001050 BCE
* Dorian invasion c.
1200-1000 BCE
* Pre-Dorian population
migrates to the islands
& Asia Minor inc. the
Ionians
* Emergence of the polis
c. 800 BCE
*We see the ‘polis’ emerge after the ‘Dark Ages’
*The idea of ‘Greece’, as we know it today, did
not exist at the time. It comprised of several
independent ‘poleis’
*We often refer to the ‘polis’ as a ‘city-state’
which is not entirely accurate
*Literal meaning in Greek – city
*Closer to a body of citizens / a community
* Acropolis – the city
centre, home of
administration of the polis
* A city (sometimes walled –
e.g. Athens) built around
the acropolis home to
many people
* Villages external to the
city extending out to the
countryside
* An autonomous society
with a distinct political,
cultural, religious and
economic structure
* No concrete evidence, but many suggestions as to the
reasons for the development of the polis
* HISTORICAL
* Related to the need to defend the settlement against
potential threats
* GEOGRAPHICAL
* The origin of the Acropolis
* ECONOMIC
* Central markets
* POLITICAL
* Everyone wanted to play a part in the running of the
community
*MOUNTAINOUS
*NUMEROUS
VALLEYS
*LITTLE FLAT LAND
*DEEPLY INDENTED
COASTLINE
*MANY SAFE
HARBOURS
* INLAND & MOUNTAINS
* Cold, severe winters
* Hot, harsh summers
* Little rain in summer
* SOUTH AND EAST
* Sunny
* Moderate
* ATHENS
* SPARTA
* CORINTH
* THEBES
* SYRACUSE
* AEGINA
* RHODES
* ARGOS
* EUPATRIADE
* Nobles and land owners
* Held all high offices
* Sat in the council of the
Aeropagus
* GEORGOI
* Small farmers
* Could sit in assembly and vote
* DEMIOURGOI
* Craftsmen
* Could sit in assembly and vote
* THETES
* Free but landless
* No political rights
* SPARTIATES
* Born into or adopted by a
Spartan family
* Owned land and paid
community fees
* Full time soldiers
* PERIOECI
* No Spartan parents
* Had legal protections
* Could not own land or
vote
* HELOTS
* Born as slaves
* Oppressed by Spartiates
* Worked the land
*DEMOCRATIC
*PUBLIC
PARTICIPATION
*FOCUS ON
RELAXATION
*FOCUS ON POLITICS
*MILITARISTIC
*INCLUSIVE
*RESPECT
*SPARSE
*FOCUS ON BOYS
*BASED UPON
BIRTH/WEALTH
STATUS
*FOCUS ON POLITICAL
TRAINING
*GIRLS GENERALLY
EDUCATED IN THE
HOME
*FOCUS ON BOYS AND
MILITARY
*LIFE IN MILITARY
UNTIL THE AGE OF 30
*GIRLS EDUCATED IN A
SIMILAR WAY, BUT
NOT MILITARY
*IN CHARGE OF
RUNNING THE
HOUSEHOLD
*GENERALLY DID NOT
PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC
LIFE/POLITICS
*CONSIDERED PROPERTY
OF HUSBANDS
*HIGH RELIGIOUS POSTS
FOR SOME
*TREATED MORE
EQUALLY TO THE MEN
THAN ATHENIAN
WOMEN
*ACCESS TO
EDUCATION
*COULD OWN AND
CONTROL PROPERTY
*SOCIETAL FOCUS ON
POLITICS AND
DIPLOMACY AS
OPPOSED TO
MILITARY
*NAVAL PROWESS
*BOYS ONLY HAD TO
DO 2 YEARS MILITARY
SERVICE
*HIGHLY MILITARISTIC
SOCIETY
*SUBSTANSIAL LAND
ARMY
*BOYS BEGAN
MILITARY TRAINING
AT AGE 7 AND WERE
DEDICATED TO THE
STATE UNTIL AGE 30
*DIRECT
DEMOCRACY
*ELECTED
OFFICIALS
*COUNCIL OF 500
*ASSEMBLY
*OLIGARCHY
*SOME ELEMENTS
OF
*MONARCHY
*DEMOCRACY
*ARISTOCRACY
*AGRICULTURE
*TRADE
*HIGHLY
PROSPEROUS
*AGRICULTURE
*NOT ALWAYS
RELIABLE