Download File - Harrer History

Environmental/Economics
The inhabitants of future Greece migrated from Anatolia to Aegean region around 1000 BCE and settled
due in part to the accessibility of the peninsula by boat but also serving as a natural barrier of defense.
Located along the northern Mediterranean Sea in Southeastern Europe, the Greeks adapted to their
new environment by through the use of pastoralism, farming of wheat, barley and grapes, and trade
along the waters of the Mediterranean. The Greeks found themselves lacking metals and timber but
containing an abundance of stone, marble, and clay. The lack of certain goods and abundance of others
attracted the Greeks to trade by sea; a type of travel that was faster and cheaper. To improve their
economic commerce, Greeks developed their own system of coinage
Political: Polis
The political history of Greece can be divided into three periods: Archaic, Democracy, Hellenistic. There
were multiple political systems enabled during this period of time.
The Archaic (Post 1st Dark Ages Renaissance) lasting from 750-490 saw the rise of the Polis (or small citystates of Greece) for three reasons: Increase in food, population, specialization. Once established, these
urban centers developed features unique to them. The Acropolis or hilltop was the center point of the
urban center. Within its fortified walls, the Agora, served as the market square and center of trade and
business. Also included were the government and military centers that oversaw the working of the city.
The military was made up of Hoplites (Greek Athenian warriors) who were made up of community
members. The rest of the city state lay outside the protective walls of the Acropolis. With continued
growth, Greece began to colonize and spread along the Mediterranean west and into Northern Africa.
Each newly conquered land established an Acropolis.
Political: Systems
Greece
Greece saw three major political systems used during its existence: Oligarchy (Aristocracy), Tyrant, and
Democracy. For most of the early archaic period, the Oligarchy (Aristocracy) or small groups of rich-elite
noblemen ruled and made decisions for Greece at the Acropolis. From 600-500BCE Greece saw the rise
of Tyrants, local leaders who seized power and held it in violation of normal rules. The power grab
allowed leaders like Pisistratus in 546 to center all power in Athens, complete massive public works
projects like the Temple of Athena (The goddess of war and wisdom). Tranny comes to an end in 460
with the rise of Pericles and the establishment of Athenian Democracy. This second period of Greek
history “Athenian Democracy” spread power to various groups “councils” who were selected through
election. Males of high and low class could be elected and paid for their service to Greece.
Sparta
Sparta located across the Sardonic Gulf and Gulf of Corinth on the island of Peloponnese was part of
Greece but maintained isolation from Athens. Sparta’s administration was militaristic, they conquered
neighbors when supplies were needed and claimed them as helots (slaves). Their emphasis and focus
was on the military development and lesson culture. They did not participate in the renaissance of
eastern Greece.
Politics: Events
After the unity of Sparta and Athens during the Persian Wars, Athens became the political center of
Greece. Overtime overspending, taxation, public projects like the Parthenon (the governmental center)
became too much for Sparta. These tension resulted in the Peloponnesian war (431-404 BCE) a civil war
between Athens and Sparta. Sparta was too much for Athens and this upheaval within Greece provides
an opportunity for Philip of Macedonian, a northern kingdom of Greece, to invade and claim power of
the southern Greek states; thus ending Athenian Democracy.
Political: Hellenistic Period
The last period of Greek history is due its time as a result of the conquests of Phillip the II of Macedonia.
Macedonia, located to the north was part of the Greek empire. Phillip defeated the southern states of
Greece “Confederacy of Corinth” using advanced iron weaponry and cavalry techniques. His plans for
revenge against Persia were continued by his son Alexander after he was assassinated in 336 BCE.
Alexander follows through on his father’s plans, defeats Xerxes, and ends the Persian Empire. Shortly
after victory, Alexander dies and his empire is divided into three kingdoms: Seleucid, Ptolemaic,
Antigonid. Those that were conquered by Alexander were considered to be “Hellenized” influenced and
controlled by Greek ways and culture. One of the primary cities of trade, education and influence was
Alexandria in Northeast Africa, part of former Egypt. Alexandria (500,000 people) became a
cosmopolitan center for science, art, mathematics and acceptance of religious faiths (Greek, Judaism
and other ethnic groups).
Social: Hierarchy and Religion
The primary social hierarchy of Greece during the Athenian Democracy period was divided into two class
types: 1.Free adult males, who made up only 15 percent of the population 2. Women and Slaves.
Women of Sparta bear children, exercised were publicly visual and outspoken, in contrast, Athenian
women were chosen by men for marriage, confined to the home (men feared cheating), had no political
or legal rights; Athenian women’s primary role was to bear children. Slaves, who made up 1/3 the
population were confined to the home as servants and developed close relationships with the wives.
Religiously, Greece was polytheistic (Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo…) they appeased their gods through
sacrifice at local temples. Many worshiped female deities of nature hoping for good crops.
Social: Education and Philosophy
During the Greek time period, many new educational philosophies and schools of thought developed
that still hold weight today. One of the first developments was the adoption of the Phoenician alphabet
which helped with the development of Greek theatre, philosophy, politics and judicial. Also the
concepts of Humanism and Individualism (which will reemerge during the European Renaissance in the
15th century) starts to question religion through rational explanations. Herodotus becomes known as
the father of history when he begins to seek causes and reason for events that have already occurred.
The most prominent Socrates questioned his students about the use of moral terms: What is goodness?
What is morality and justice? Socrates misunderstood ideas lead to his death in 399BCE when enemies
persuaded the Athenian Council that he was corrupting the youth of Athens.
Plato took Socrates’ method of question a step further. He concluded that values like goodness, beauty,
and justice actually exist as independent ideas that are more real than the changing “appearances” we
see in daily life. In The Republic, Plate described an ideal city-state ruled by philosopher kinds. He
defined justice as the rule of reason over appetite (our desires).
His most famous student, Aristotle, was less concerned with abstract concepts. Aristotle collected and
classified things from animals to city-states constitutions, and studied their relationships. His studies of
psychology, physics, and biology provided the basis for the scientific method today. His most famous
student, Alexander of Macedonia, became his former student when Alexander became “Alexander the
Great” in 336 BCE.