The Mediterranean: Greece and Rome

1. The Mediterranean: Greece and Rome Chapter 4

2. Persian Tradition • Cyrus the Great 550 BCE • Established a Persian Empire to N. Mid East and NW India • Advance iron technology • Zoroastrianism – monotheistic religion, importance of moral choice • Persian Empire was destroyed by Alexander the Great

3. Greek History • Greeks were an indo-European people • Strong city-states, each with their own government • Development of trade • Written language derived from Phoenician alphabet • Olympic Games

4. Sparta and Athens • Two leading city-states • Sparta: strong military, aristocracy • Athens: diverse commercial state, artistic and intellectual leadership, smaller and less powerful than Sparta • Both had slave population • Worked together to defeat a Persian invasion

5. Peloponnesian Wars • 431-404 BCE, Athens v. Sparta • Fought for control of Greece • Left Athens in ruins • Philip II of Macedon • Alexander the Great – extended Macedonian Empire • Briefly united Greece and Persian Empire

6. Hellenistic Period • 300-100 BCE • Influence from the Hellenes (Greeks) • Spreading of Greek influence • Trade flourished • Emergence of scientific centers were established – Alexandria (Egypt) – library, center for literary studies

7. Roman History • Began as a monarchy 509 BCE • Roman Republic 510-47 BCE • Long period of having a balanced constitution, aristocratic Senate, and assemblies • Law Code-12 tables • Promote loyalty to Rome and law, not individual leaders

8. Punic Wars 265-146 BCE • Romans fought the army of Carthage • Bitter battle, Romans poured salt around city of Carthage • Romans got entire W. Mediterranean, along with Greece and Egypt

9. Caesar Salad • Roman Republic grew unstable, generals battled for control • Julius Caesar • Augustus Caesar • Established basic structures for Roman Empire

10. Politics • Polis, Greek city-state • “Good Life” or upper class for Greek or Roman • Active participation in politics, discussions about state affairs • Actively participated in military • Roman emperors held most power, but local city-states had autonomy

11. Politics in Greece • Demos = democracy = the people • Direct democracy • Women excluded, slaves, foreigners • Sparta: militaristic aristocracy

12. Politics in Rome • Roman Republic • Senate: aristocrats, held all executive offices in Roman state • Twelve Tables • Non- Romans were given citizenship • Fair and reasonable law • Tolerance of other religions, except Christianity

13. Religion and Culture • No creation of a world class religion • Spirits of nature, gods and goddesses • Little to do with modeling ethical behavior • Aristotle: importance of moderation and balance in human behavior • Stoics: inner moral independence • Socrates: rational reflection of moral decisions • Plato: ideal form of government, The Republic

14. Greek literature: focused on tragedy • Iliad and the Odyssey • Epic traditions • Oedipus Rex – Oedipus complex • Sciences • Greeks: geometry and anatomy • Romans: sciences and engineering

26. Economy • Majority of Greeks and Romans were farmers • Commercial agriculture • Extensive trade • Importance of slavery

27. Society • Tight family structure, husband in control • Women did exercise some rights: power in the household, economics • Many were active in business