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Ancient Greece: Unit Notes and Commentary I. Hellas: the land A. As ancient Greeks called their land, consists of the Greek Peninsula and the Aegean Sea. B. Extension of the Balkan Mountains. C. See quote p. 117 D. Rivers are non‐existent; thus we get our first non‐river based civilization. Thus, many of the idiosyncrasies of Greek civilization can be explained by the lack of a dynamic river system. E. A land blessed with great harbors and sea access F. Dynamic location between Europe and Asia Minor. G. Was Geography a hindrance for the Ancient Greeks? What aspects were hindrances? Helpful? II. The First Greeks: A. Archaeology has not revealed an exact date for the birth of Mycenaean (My‐sin‐ e‐an) Civilization. Common belief is that the Mycenaean’s were an Indo European Group that migrated at roughly the same time that their Hittite, Persian, and Aryan counterparts infested Mesopotamia, Persia, and India respectively. B. 1650 is one acceptable time scale given to Mycenaean beginnings. Great city of Mycenae (My‐scene‐e) C. Greeks merged with these peoples and formed Modern Greek civilization. D. This epoch is known as the Heroic period and is recount in the works of Homer. The Iliad and the Odyssey. Both of which are available in my room for reading. E. Most of these legends deal with the semi‐historical war; the Trojan War. F. Discovered by the legendary archaeological excavation in Turkey. G. Sir Arthur Evans also unveiled another civilization at the turn of the Century‐the Minoans. Named after the legendary Minoan (My‐know‐an) King; Minos. This civilization existed on the island of Crete, they spoke a script unknown to modern scientists: Linear A. Here is a Linear A script link…if you would like to take a crack at deciphering it! Here is another one, comparing it to the early Greek/Mycenaean language of Linear B, which we have translated. H. Considering the unknown script all we know about Minoan civilization comes from excavation and scientific study of the island and the legendary castle that sits upon it; Knossos. I. The society dominated by kings and the nobles of their court. J. Minoans served as a cultural bridge (Diffusion) as they traded with Asia Minor, Europe, and Egypt. K. Mycenaean civilization began to flourish about 1650 with settlements in Athens, Thebes, Sparta and Pylos. L. The Political structure of Ancient Greece was the Kingdom, far from its later democratic roots. M. Kings drew their legacy and power from the splendor and size of their castle. Scribes kept accurate records of taxation in Linear B a relative of Linear A. N. An extensive division of labor tightly controlled from the palace controlled the economy. O. Minoan/Mycenaean contacts were initially peaceful and commercially productive however this relationship soured in the 1450 when Mycenaean’s attacked Crete destroying palaces and conquering Knossos (Cnossus). The island was in foreign hands for the next 50 years. The palace will be largely destroyed (see Greek PowerPoint for images) by whom the occupying Mycenaean’s or the revolting Minoans is uncertain. P. Whatever the reason the fall of Minoan civilization led to a further resurgence in trade for the Mycenaean’s and the early Greeks. The civilization of the Minoans and Mycenaean’s is known collectively as Pre‐Greek or Aegean civilization. Q. While this group certainly prospered, it quickly entered into a period of decline due to the likely invasion by foreigners known as Dorians. However, the evidence points to a series of internal conflicts that are in response to the Mycenaean’s warlike nature, and it is likely that the Dark ages of 1100‐800 BC were caused by Mycenaean’s themselves. This period saw a decline in trade, farming, and even literacy! R. However, this Dark Age was not without its benefits as the age saw massive migrations of Greeks out of the centralized areas to Crete, Asia Minor and Turkey, spreading their ideas with them and creating the basis for a Greek Empire. III. Homer, Hesiod, and The Heroes of the Past: A. The Greeks unlike any of our civilizations had no single sacred series of religious texts that enhanced our historical understanding of them. B. They did however possess the writings of the legendary (fictional) blind poet Homer. C. The writings spoke of heroes, heroines, and a time where gods walked the earth and played with humans as if they were clay figurines. i. This represents much of the problems that relate to Greek history and that is that much of our awareness and understanding comes from fictitious accounts, and thus our analysis is not of a primary source basis rather is interpretive. D. The basis of Greek religion, however can be traced to the epic poem Theogony by Hesiod. E. The writings of Hesiod and Homer are dated to roughly the same time as Greece was emerging out of the Dark Ages and into the age of Heroes. F. Accounts‐accounts of Achilles the tragic hero and his conflict with the Mycenaean king Agamemnon. G. Odyssey‐the account of the hero Odysseus and his journey home from Troy encountering and surviving the gamesmanship of the God. H. It is in these stories and Theogony by Hesiod that we see glimpses of the Greek mythological beginnings and their pessimistic portrayal of their anthromophorbic gods. I. For more “divine” inspiration please see the information on Greek Mythology on the Greek PowerPoint on the website. J. Story of Hesiod and his familial dispute sums up the afterlife and the perspective of Greek Gods and Justice/Morality. IV. Polis: A. The basic political state in Greece, the Polis or Greek City‐State B. Three dominant Polis’ Athens, Thebes and Sparta, the rest of the peninsula was dotted with small city‐states who could not muster multi‐regional support. See map 5.1 C. City, town and the countryside‐definition. Similar to a medieval fiefdom in geographical terms. D. Later in the 5th century these cities were walled, for protection from attack generated by other polis’. E. Polis contained (see PP for pictures) an Acropolis, or an elevated point of the Polis. F. Agora: market place G. Surrounding areas, farm and wasteland the objects of wealth in Greece. H. Given the roots of Greek Democracy it is widely believed that towns and Polis structures outside the big three were quite small. I. This small, cozy nature provided Greece with some of its character and mystique. The close‐knit society made for easy governance and a close knit personable society. Unlike the vacuous empires of the past in which Kings were almost mythological. J. You will find no divine type emperor in Greek society due to this structure in Greece. K. Nor will you find armies, rather wealthy individuals kept cavalries in the name/good of the society. L. Greek Political Terms: (Founders of most things political) i. Monarchy: rule by one man ii. Aristocracy: “Best people” iii. Oligarchy: rule of a few (over the many) iv. Democracy: rule by all citizens. v. Tyranny: rule by one who had seized power via extra legal means. vi. Whoever controlled the power wealthy or poor dictated system; poor/commoners usually drove system to Democracy, wealthy to Oligarchy. vii. As a result of this intimate relationship…the Greeks allowed nearly no foreigners into their realm. M. Birth of Greek Federalism came with the creation of multiple‐polis states, which inevitably led to one becoming more powerful. N. Greeks were so intensely individualistic that they had a very difficult time creating a large‐scale society due to the intense feelings about Democracy and the freedom of individuals. V. Lyric Age A. Based on the great literary genius of the post‐dark age period. Poets and politics dominated the era. B. Overseas expansion into the areas across the Mediterranean also crucial. This period and the expansion were vital for the Greeks as had they not moved abroad they would not have survived given the agrarian handicaps of the peninsula. C. Given the climactic similarities of the region it was easy to adapt to any new surrounding whether on the Italian peninsula, Cyprus or The Eastern Mediterranean. D. Archilochus: a member of the colonial organizations and a brilliant poet. Energetic, self‐reliant, angry adventurous and obscene. E. Sappho: born on the island of Lesbos specialized in intense, personal, erotic poetry celebrating the homosexual relationships that marked her lifestyle. From her birth island we get the phrase “Lesbian”. VI. The Growth of Sparta: A. During the Lyric Age; Sparta became the leading polis in Greece. Faced same problems, tackled them differently. B. Problem: Overpopulation and Hunger‐conquest not colonization. Example Messenian wars a conquest of fertile lands in the Peloponnesus. This conquest last for 20 years, turned the defeated Messenians into serfs of the Spartan State (Helots). C. The harsh treatment led to a second conflict known cleverly as the second Messenian war, which was a very violent horrific struggle. Thirty years it took for the Spartans to subdue the Messenian Helots. D. Speaks volumes about Spartan society. E. Restructuring of society by non‐nobles was a result of the 2nd Messenian war, brought on by the laws of Lycurgus who equalized laws. Created a dual executive oligarchy (similar to France today in some political regards). They also divided the defeated Messenian lands equally amongst all citizens. Helots worked and slaved the land providing for Sparta. Spartans used terrorism to subdue the ancient slaves. F. Also under the new rules of Lycurgan society Sparta became even more military in nature with the suppression of individual needs to the state (Fascism) and a barracks type military state.
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