1) Emergence of Greeks Flashcards
What was the usual political structure before the Archaic period?
Hierarchal Kingdoms
How did Greece change during Archaic period?
- Development of statehood and civilised life
- More egalitarianism
- Property owned by individuals
- Reintroduced writing (since Mycenaean collapse)
- Advances in: natural sciences, pottery, construction, currency and military
What happened at the start of the period that led to more trading?
Population boom and expanse of territories/villages
What did Greeks call themselves and where does word ‘Greek’ come from?
Hellenes, Roman word for them was Graecus
By 7th century BC Greeks controlled Mediterranean and had trading network (internal and with foreign world). What did this trading network lead to?
- Sharing of ideas, language, culture and people
- Mass emigration to urban locations
- Formation if Greek identity (kind of… had no agreed word for themselves or set loyalty)
How did majority of new settlements get set up?
Rich individuals in larger settlements looking to settle elsewhere
What was life like for residents of a city?
- Taxation
- Had public spaces
- Could own property
- Citizens expected to sustain and defend city
- Fines and punishments were in place
What sort of conflicts happened in early days?
Little land conflicts over border common and so was piracy at this point
What did elite of most states use to justify their right to rule?
Founding myths (e.g. Theseus in Athens)
Most common form of government for Greeks?
The Polis (City-State)
Definition of a Polis
Self-governing community of male citizens (living with women and children) that have common political, social and religious institution….
Usually centred on a hill (i.e. Acropolis) and would have a cult for their patron deity…
Patron deity of Athens and Argos?
Athena and Hera
What was citizenship like in the Polis? How was it granted?
Had clear role in running Polis usually. It was a defended privilege, given to men only…
Differed between places:
- Birth (Sparta, Athens)
- Land Owned (Macedon)
- Wealth (common)
Examples of the bigger states?
Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Argos, Thebes, Crete…
Did all cities have the Polis structure?
No:
- Monarchies (Macedon, Epirus, Sicily, Sparta)
- Republics (Syracuse)
- Ethnos (collection of communities within region that identified as kin, i.e. shared religious celebrations/history)
