Download Cradle of Democracy

Cradle of Democracy
Greek Renaissance
• Return of Maritime Trade
• Importation of Writing: Phoenician Alphabet
– Both have 22 characters
– Both semitic languages
– Similarity with Hebrew
• Greek Poets: Homer, Hesiod
Cultural Identity
• Around 800 BC a growing sense of a single
cultural identity
• “The had no political unity, no common aim,
and not much in the way of shared life. They
had different kings, different landscapes, but
they all spoke some variation of Greek.”
(Bauer)
Olympics
• First Olympics in 776 BC
• Every four years in Olympia, not Mt. Olympus
• In honor of the God Zeus (united by worship
of the same gods)
• Sacred truce, safe travel guaranteed by Zeus
• Foot races and chariot racing originally
Olympic Events
• Eventually other events including a race in full
armor
• Only event where clothes were wore
• Background – racer tripping on loin cloth
• No women allowed
• Included a no-hold barred wrestling event
– Except for eye gouges, spitting, and biting
– Spartans allowed those too
To the victor goes the spoils
• Olive wreath and lifelong glory
• Storage jar of olive oil
• In Athens your received room and board for the
rest of your life
• Nero always won
– Loved them and insisted they be held every time he
was in Greece
– Declared that no one could win chariot race but him
– Nero singing (religious festival) – avoidance of people
All god things must come to an end
• Banned by Theodocius in 394 AD
– Pagan festival
– Revived in 1896 AD
• Olympics one of four pan-Hellenic games
– Olympic Games - the most important and prestigious of the Games, held every
four years near Elis, in honour of Zeus; the prize was a wreath of wild olive
– Pythian Games - held every four years, near Delphi, in honour of Apollo; the
prize was a wreath of laurel
– Nemean Games - held every two years, near Nemea, also in honour of Zeus;
the prize was a wreath of wild celery
– Isthmian Games - held every two years, near Corinth, in honour of Poseidon;
the prize was a wreath of pine
• One each year
• Professional athletes
• Odes written by Pindar to honor winners
The Polis
•
•
•
•
City State
Community not the territory
Populations #’s = Citizens X 6
Citizens
Three Types of Rule
• Basileus (king) – early kings fairly powerful
• Oligarchy
– Archons (Ten year terms changed to one year
terms)
• Tyrants
Eventual Layers of Athenian Government
• 9 Ruling Archons
– Eponymous Archon - gave his name to the
government
– Polemarch (military commander)
– Archon Basileus (chief justice)
– 6 Justices
• Council of 400/500 (drawn by lot from upper and
middle class citizens – 50 from each deme)
• Council of the Areiopagos (former Archons)
– Met on the Hill of Ares
• Assembly (every citizen)
Don’t be an idiot (ἰδιώτης)
• Someone who wasn’t willing to participate in
public life
Developments in Rule (cont.)
• Establishment of written code (laws)
• Draco
– Murder punished by death
– Adultery punished by death
– Stealing a grapefruit punished by death
“Even petty crimes deserve death, and I cannot find
a more serous penalty for the greater crimes.”
Solon
•
•
•
•
Known as one of the seven wisest men of antiquity
Archon
Revoked the laws of Draco
Made the Athenians promise that they wouldn’t revoke
his laws for at least ten years without his approval.
• Then, he went on a ten year trip around the world.
• Some laws very unpopular such as forgiveness of debt,
land redistribution, etc.
Solon Visits Croesus
Political Parties
• Men of the Coast (liked Solon’s reforms)
• Men of the Plain (wanted to return power to
the rich)
• Men of the Hills (radical left-wing populists)
Peisistratus
Leader of the Men of the Hills
1. In 560 BC faked an attack on himself and
used bodyguard to seize control of Athens
2. Attempted a political alliance with Megacles
•
Ridiculous trick
3. Finally used military force to seize power
Ostracism
•
•
•
•
10 Year Exile
6000 votes on ostraka (pottery shards)
Kept property
Used when someone became too powerful
Cylon
• In 632 attempted to become a tyrant
Cleisthenes
•
•
•
•
•
Reforms in 508 BC
Given credit for inventing Democracy
Dēmos = people kratía=power
“Power to the people”
All men able to serve on juries and hold
offices.
• Isonomeia = equality under the law
• Don’t be an ἰδιώτης
Culture - Hesiod
• Some writings similar to Benjamin Franklin’s
“Poor Richard’s Almanac”
– Celebrates the pleasures of agriculture
– Lucky and unlucky days
– Practical advice
– Advice on sailing & trade
• “Especially be cordial to your neighbor, for if
trouble comes at home your neighbor is there,
near at hand, while kinsmen take some time to
arm themselves. It is a curse to have a
worthless neighbor, equally a good one is a
blessing. He who is so blessed possesses
something of great worth. No cow of yours
will stray away if you have great neighbors.”
• “Shun evil profit, for dishonest gain is just the
same as failure.”
• “Give is a lovely girl, but Grab is only bad and
she gives only death.”
• “Too much mistrust and too much trust can
both be ruinous.”
• “If in your heart you pray for riches, do these
things, pile work upon work and still more
work.”
• “Don’t let a woman wiggling her behind and
flattering and coaxing take you in, she wants
your barn. A woman is just a cheat.”