Download Warring City States - Dr. Afxendiou`s Classes

Chapter 5
Section 2
Rule and Order in Greek City States
 750 B.C.E the city-state or polis was the fundamental
political unit in Greece
 Polis:
 Made of city and surrounding countryside
 People would gather in the agora, (market place) or the
acropolis to discuss politics
Political Structure
 City-states did not have all the same government
 Monarchy- ruled by single person- king
 Aristocracy-ruled by small group of noble, wealthy land
owners
 Oligarchy- ruled by a few powerful people
 Democracy- ruled by the people
Political Structure In City-States
Monarchy
Aristocracy
Oligarchy
Direct Democracy
State ruled by a king
State ruled by
nobility
State ruled by a
small group of
citizens
State ruled by its
citizens
Rule is hereditary
Rule is hereditary
and based on
family ties, social
rank, wealth
Rule based on
wealth or ability
Rule is based on
citizenship
Some rulers claim
divine right
Social status and
wealth support
rulers’ authority
Ruling group
controls military
Majority rule
decides vote
Practiced in
Mycenae by 2000
B.C.
Practiced in Athens Practiced in Sparta
prior to 594 B.C.
by 500 B.C.
Practiced in Athens
by 500 B.C.
Tyrants Take Control
 Why did Tyrants take control?
 Who were they?
 Tyrants were not cruel and harsh
 Tyrants came to power by appealing to the common
people
 Actually when they took power tyrants often set up
public works projects in order to give jobs to the poor
Athens builds a LIMITED Democracy
Draco 621 B.C.
• Legal Code= both rich and poor equal under the law
• Dealt very harshly with criminals, making death the
punishment for practically every crime.
• Debt slavery = debtors worked as slaves to repay their
debts.
Solon 594 B.C.
• Solon outlawed debt slavery.
• Four social classes according to wealth.
• Top three social classes could hold political office
• All citizens, could participate in Assembly
• Citizens could bring charges against wrongdoers
Athens Builds a Limited Democracy
 500 B.C.E. Athenian leader Cleisthenes reforms
Athenian law
 He arranged the citizens into groups based on where
they lived, not social class
 Allowed any citizen to submit laws to be debated
 Only citizens were:
 free adult male property owners
Athenian Education
Boys
Girls
 Study: reading, grammar,
 No school
poetry, history, math, and
music
 Trained in debate and public
speaking
 Spent time in athletics
everyday
 Went to military school to
prepare for important citizen
duty------DEFEND ATHENS
 Stay at home
 Learned child rearing,
weaving cloth, preparing
meals, managing the house
 Most women had very little to
do with Athenian life outside
the home
Sparta Builds a Military State
 725 B.C.E Sparta takes over neighboring lands and
turns the Messenians into helots
 650 B.C.E. the Messenians revolt and the Spartans are
just barely able to put down the revolt
 In turn dedicate themselves to becoming strong city-
state
Spartan Daily Life
 600 – 371 B.C.E Sparta had greatest army in Greece
 Came with a high cost
 Spartans did not value the arts or intellectual pursuits
 Valued duty, strength, and discipline
 Men expected to serve in military until 60
 Daily life centered around military training
 From age 7-30 lived in military barracks under harsh
conditions
Spartan Daily Life: Women
 Women would lead a difficult life too
 Running, wrestling, playing sports
 Women also taught to put service to Sparta above all else
 “come back with your shield or on it”
 Given considerable freedom in the house when men
were away at war