1. Chapter 10 Mediterranean Society: The Greek Phase

2. Classical Greece (800–350)

3. Minoan Society (@ 2500–1100) • Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Phoenicians • Minos — legendary king • “Center of Mediterranean trade” • Wine, olive oil, and wool → grain, textiles, manufactures • Knossos — royal dwellings & tax storehouses • Linear A • Natural disasters @ 1700 • Thera (present-day Santorini) • Foreign domination @ 1100

4. Mycenaean Society (@ 1600–1100) • Indo-European invaders descended through the Balkans • Assimilated with Minoan culture • Linear A → Linear B • Construction: fortresses & stone palaces throughout the Peloponnesus • Major settlement: Mycenae • Military expansion • Crete, Sicily, southern Italy

5. Chaos in the Eastern Mediterranean • Military conflicts • Trojan War (@ 1200) • Various maritime/piratical engagements (@ 1100–800) • Civil disturbances • Result: civil unrest, population decline, emigration

6. The Polis • Citadel, or fortified state • Independent urban centers • Dominated rural areas • Levied taxes • Political forms • Monarchies • “Tyrannies” — not necessarily oppressive • Early democracies

7. Sparta • Peloponnesus • Highly militarized and acquisitive society • Expanded during 8th and 7th centuries • Subjugated peoples: helots • Primarily agricultural serfs (not chattel slaves) • In time, outnumbered Spartans 10:1 • Led to increasingly militaristic society

8. Spartan Society This . . . not this. . . .

9. Spartan Society • Austere society • Simplicity and frugality • Disdained distinctiveness, except in martial matters • Militaristic education • Boys removed from families at age seven • Rigorous military training / lived in barracks • Active duty until age 30 • Girls also underwent exacting physical regimen • Relaxation of discipline by 4th century

10. Athens This . . . not this. . . .

11. Athens • Development of early democracy • Comparatively large political base, but: • Free, adult males only • Foreigners, women, slaves excluded • Athenian society • Maritime trade (7th century) • Increases aristocratic power & class / socio-economic tensions • Small landholders forced into debtor peonage

12. Solon and Athenian Democracy • 638–558 • Averts civil war • Aristocrats maintain land • Debt forgiveness • Debt slavery banned • Extension of polity • Removal of lineage restrictions • Institution of paid civil service

13. Pericles • 495–429 • “First citizen of Athens” • General • Naval supremacy • Zenith of Athenian democracy • Popular aristocrat • Infrastructural programs • Cultural development • Science • Philosophy • Literature • Art • Architecture

14. Greek Colonization (8th century) • Poleis population expansion • Coastal Mediterranean & Black Sea colonies • Imperial government? • Effects: • Commercial expansion • Communication • Language • Culture • Political & social effects

15. Persian Wars (500–479) • Anatolia • Cyrus and Darius • Ionian coast • Revolt, (500) supported by Athens • Suppressed by Darius (493) • Marathon (490) • Herodotus’ Histories • Darius dies (486) • Xerxes’ (Darius’ son) revenge (480) • Thermopylae • Leonidas’ Spartans’ last stand • Athens burned • Salamis & Attica • Themistocles’ • Xerxes withdraws

16. The Delian League • Response to the Persian menace • Led by Athens • Sparta refused to join • Superior navy & military • Other poleis contributed financially • Payments fueled Periclean (495-424) expansion • Resentment

17. The Peloponnesian War • Civil war (431-404) • Athens v. Sparta • Negotiated peace (421) • Syracuse (415) • Athens capitulates unconditionally • Expanded civil strife

18. Kingdom of Macedon • Frontier region north of Peloponnesus • Semi-autonomous clans • Beneficial trade w/ Greece • King Philip II (r. 359-336) • Greek hostage (368-365) • Powerful military • Consolidated power • Imperial designs • Greece (338) • Assassinated (336) • Pausanias of Orestis

19. Alexander of Macedon • Expanded military • Brilliant strategist • Inspirational leader • Conquered (330-330) • Ionia, Anatolia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia • Invaded India (327) • Soldiers weary • Returned (324) • Died (323)

20. Alexander’s Empire, ca. 323 B.C.E.

21. The Hellenistic Empires • Power vacuum • Empire divided thricely • Antigonus: Greece & Macedon • Ptolemy: Egpyt • Seleucus: Persian Achaemenid Empire • Hellenistic Era • Extension of Greek culture • Integrated economies and cultures from Greece to India

22. The Antigonid Empire • Greek conflict • Political settlement • Tax relief • Local autonomy • Land distribution • Athens • Corinth • Emigration • Seleucid empire

23. The Ptolemaic Empire • Wealthiest Hellenistic empire • Efficient organization • Agriculture, industry, taxation • Royal monopolies • Textiles, salt, beer • Alexandria • Nile River & Mediterranean • Administrative center • Megalopolis • Cultural center • Alexandrian Museum • Alexandrian Library

24. The Seleucid Empire • Greek zenith • Mass Greek colonization • Ai Khanum • Exportation of Greek culture • From Anatolia to Bactria

25. Trade and Integration of the Mediterranean Basin • Limited Greek agriculture • Small grain harvests • Rich in olive and grapes • Commercial economy • Mediterranean Sea • Black Sea • “Trading links” • Manufactures • Spread Greek culture

26. Panhellenic Festivals • Olympic Games • 776 ? • Olympia • Integrated colonies • Quadrennial for millennium

27. Patriarchal Society • Infanticide • Women subservient • Priestess • Sparta • Sappho • Poetess • Homosexual double-standard

28. Slavery • Debtor slavery • Captured soldiers • Slave trade • Scythians (Russia) • Nubians (Egypt / Sudan)

29. The Greek Language • Adapted Phoenician alphabet • Flexible & complex language • Allowed for abstract communication • Philosophy

30. Socrates (470–399) • Pivotal philosophic figure • Socratic Method • Reflective questioning • Honor, personal integrity, justice • Plato • Public gadfly (persistent, irritating critic) • Death sentence: immorality and corruption of youth

31. Plato (430–347) • Student of Socrates • Systematized Socratic thought • Socratic dialogues • Forms, or Ideas • Material world = shadow of the real world • Perception is reality • “Allegory of the cave” • The Republic • Intellectual aristocracy • Philosopher-king

32. Aristotle (389 – 322 B.C.E.)

33. Aristotle (389–322) • Disciple of Plato • Forms, or Ideas = useless constructs • Emphasized empirical findings, reason • “The master of those who know.”

34. Greek Theology • Polytheistic • Personified supernatural powers • Sun, wind, rain • Mythological stories • Zeus, Apollo, Fortune, Furies • Religious cults • Eleusinian mysteries: morality • Demeter: fertility cult • Dionysus→The Bacchae • Domestication of rituals

35. Tragic Drama • Evolution from cultic rituals • Major playwrights • Aeschylus • Sophocles • Euripides • Aristophanes

36. Hellenistic Philosophies • Epicureans • Pleasure, or quite satisfaction • The “greatest good” • Skeptics • Doubted certainty • Stoics • Most respected • Universal family • Duty, virtue, inner peace