Download Mediterranean Society: The Greek Phase

Mediterranean Society:
The Greek Phase
Chapter 9
Early development of Greek
Societies
• Minoan and Mycenaean Societies
• Between 2200 and 1450 B.C.E, was
the center of Mediterranean
commerce
• Received early influences from
Phoenicia and Egypt
• By 1100 B.C.E. Crete fell under
foreign domination
• Untranslated form of writing,
Linear A, was used
Minoan snake goddess
bull jumping, plaster
Crete games
Mycenaean society: named after
the important city, Mycenae
• Indo-European immigrants
settled in Greece, 2000 B.C.E.
Adapted Minoan
Linear A into their
script, Linear B
Linear A, script
Linear A, logograms
Stone fortresses in the Peloponnesus
(southern Greece) protected agricultural
settlements
Pyramid in Argos, dates earlier than Egyptian pyramids
Overpowered Minoan society
and expanded to Anatolia, Sicily,
and Italy
Chaos in the eastern
Mediterranean after Trojan War
(1200 B.C.E.)
Excavation of Troy
7th century B.C.E. pottery depicting Trojan
Horse
The world of the polis gradually
emerged in Greece
• Sparta began
to extend
control
during
eighth and
seventh
centuries
B.C.E.
-Reduced the neighboring
peoples to the status of
helots, or
semi-free servants
- maintained domination
by very powerful military
machine
Spartan society:
• Discouraged social distinction,
observed austere life style
• Distinction was drawn by
prowess, discipline, and
military talent
Athens gradually broadened base of
political participation
• Solon sought to
negotiate order by
democratic
principles
• Citizenship was
open to free adult
males, not to
foreigners, slaves,
and women
Athenian society
• Maritime trade brought prosperity
to Attica, region of Athens
• Aristocratic landowners were
primary beneficiaries
• Class tension became intensified
in the sixth century B.C.E.
Pericles (443-429
B.C.E., most
popular
democratic ruler
of Athens
Greece and the larger
world
- Greek colonization
Greeks founded more than four
hundred colonies
• Facilitated trade among Mediterranean
lands and people
• Spread of Greek language and cultural
traditions
• Stimulated development of
surrounding areas
Conflict with Persia and its
results
• The Persian War (500-479B.C.E.)
- Greek cities on the Ionian
coast revolted against Persia,
500 B.C.E.
Battle of Marathon (490B.C.E.)
is decisive victory for Athens
Xerxes tried again to seize
Athens; his navy lost battle of
Salamis (480 B.C.E.)
Persian army retreated back to Anatolia
The Delian League
• Military and financial alliance
among Greek poleis against
Persian threat
• When Persian threat subsided,
poleis, other than Athens, no
longer wanted to make
contributions
The Peloponnesian War (431-404 B.C.E.)
• Tensions led to two
armed camps, under
leadership of Athens
and Sparta
• Unconditional
surrender of Athens ,
404 B.C.E.
The Macedonians and the
coming of empire
• The kingdom of Macedon, a
frontier state north of
peninsular Greece
Phillip of Macedon (reigned 359-336 B.C.E.)
brought Greece under control
Alexander of Macedon succeeds
Philip at age twenty and begins
conquests
• By 331 B..E.,
controlled
Syria, Egypt,
Mesopotamia
• Invaded Persian
homeland and
burned Persepolis,
331 B.C.E.
• Crossed Indus
River by 327
B.C.E., army
refused to go
farther
• Died in 323 B.C.E.
at age of thirtythree
Hellenistic Empires: Alexander’s realm
was divided into Antigonid, Ptolemaic,
Seleucid
Antigonid empire:
Greece and Macedon
• Continuous tension between
the Antigonid rulers and Greek
cities
• Economy of Athens and
Corinth flourished again
through trade
The Ptolemaic empire;
Egypt – the wealthiest
• The rulers did not
interfere in Egyptian
society
• Alexandria, capital
at mouth of the Nile
• Cultural center: the
famous Alexandria
Museum and
Alexandria Library
The Seleucid empire: largest, from
Bactria to Anatolia
• Greek and Macedonian colonists flocked
to Greek cities of the former Persia
• Colonists created a Mediterranean-style
urban society
• Bactria withdrew from Seleucids and
established independent Greek kingdom
The fruits of trade:
Greek economy and society
Trade and the integration of the
Mediterranean Basin
Trade and commerce flourished resulting
in population growth and more colonies
• Production of olive oil and wine, in
exchange for grain and other items
• Led to broader sense of Greek community
Panhellenic
festivals (like
Olympic
Games) became
popular
Family and society
• Greek society in Homer’s
works
- Heroic warriors and outspoken wives in
Homer’s world
- strong-willed human beings clashed
constantly
Patriarchal society was the norm
• Women could not own landed property
but could operate small businesses
• Priestess was the only public position for
women
• Spartan woman enjoyed higher status than
women of other poleis
Sappho: talented female poet wrote poems of
attraction to women
• Instructed young
women in music
and literature at
home
• Critics charged her
with homosexual
activity (not
acceptable for
women)
Slavery: private chattel,
property of their owners
• Worked as cultivators,
domestic servants
• Educated or skilled slaves
worked as craftsman and
business managers
The cultural life of classical Greece
• Rational thought and philosophy
Acropolis at Athens
The formation of Greek cultural traditions:
philosophy based in human reason
SOCRATES (470-399B.C.E.): “an unexamined
life is not worth living”
• Encouraged reflection on
questions of ethics and
morality
• Was condemned to death
on charge of corrupting
Athenian youth
PLATO (430-347 B.C.E.): a zealous
disciple of Socrates
• The Theory of Forms
or Ideas – world of
ideal qualities
• This world is imperfect
reflection of world of
Forms
• His Republic expressed
the idea of
philosophical kings
Aristotle (384-322 B.C.E.): Plato’s
student, but distrusted Theory of
Forms
• Devised rules of
logic to construct
powerful
arguments
• Philosophers
should rely on
senses to provide
accurate
information
Legacy of Greek philosophy
• Intellectual authorities for
European philosophers until
seventeenth century
• Intellectual inspiration for
Christian and Islamic
theologians
Popular religion and Greek drama
• Greek deities: Zeus
and scores of
subordinate deities
Various types of
religious cults:
cult of Dionysus
most popular
Drama was performed at annual theatrical
festivals
• Great tragedians
explored the
possibilities and
limitations of
human action
• Comic drama took
delight in
lampooning the
public figures
Hellenistic philosophy and religion
• Hellenistic philosophers: search for personal
tranquility
Epicureans: identified pleasure as the
greatest good
Skeptics: doubted certainty of
knowledge, sought equanimity
Stoics: taught individuals duty to help
others and lead virtuous lives
Religions of salvation spread
through trade routes
• Mystery religions
promised eternal bliss
for believers; like the
Cult of Osiris
• Speculation about a
single, universal god
emerged