2) Aristocracy and the Archaic State Flashcards
What determined aristocracy
Wealth typically… Landowners descended from old kings
Relationship between artists and aristocracy?
Delicate… Educated them of their role in polis (e.g. Iliad) without insulting
How were poems delivered? Topics
Sang to lyre. Topics ranged; critique, erotic, funny
What was a symposium?
Exclusive event for elite males where they could speak without ramifications.
What does the surviving work of lyric poets tell us about this time?
Common themes are about ‘new money’ men becoming aristocracy and conflict between classes (archaeology suggested no full on class struggle)…
Warrior elite of Ancient Greece, had to demonstrate their right to rule commoners… How did they do this?
- Have the shared the common ‘Greek’ values of commoners (e.g. protection, administration, piety) but demonstrate they contribute more (e.g. weapons, literacy and sacrifices)
- Claim long and glorious roots.
- Flaunt wealth: exotic clothing (e.g. Asian), jewellery, perfumes, leisure
What does symposia mean? Who famously wrote on them?
Drinks party, Plato and Xenophon
Process for symposia?
As follows:
- Meal
- Break
- Ritual
- Drinking
Where were they conducted initially and then later? how did they change in purpose?
Public spaces initially then moved to private spaces later own… Initially to welcomeguests, later more for entertainment
What was the role of the ‘King’ at symposia? What happened at the drinking phase?
Elected individual that would control how much wine diluted by. Role was to keep drunkenness under control but still allow creativity.
Room layout was 7-11 couches against wall facing the centre. When it began they would:
- Sing songs
- Play games
- Asked riddles
- Engage with performers/prostitutes
- Play games (test inebriation and moral character)
- debate
- Educated young men attending
Quote by Xenophon on point of drinking at Symposium as test of moral character…
“A man who cannot rule himself cannot hope to rule others” - Xenophon
International festivals introduced in this period. Where were international festivals carried out?
Away from centres of political power in neutral territory (e.g. Olympia, Delphi, Delos)
Who calculated when the Olympics began and when was the first Olympis?
Hipplos of Elis
776BC
How did Olympics change over time? (participants and facilities)
Initially only locals, by 700BC more Peloponnesian states took part… By 400BC the whole Mediterranean took part.
Initially just had gymnasium, by 500BC had cult buildings, victor statues and credit to winners
In what century did the Delphi oracle business begin
8th Century BC
Delphi ran a festival known as Pythia, when was it stated and how did it change over time?
~650BC initially a musical competition… By ~550BC became athletic in focus
Name 5 big international festivals and their states that hosted).
Which four operated in a circuit over a four year period and why?
- Olympics games (Olympia)
- Pythia games (Delphi)
- Nemean games (Nemea)
- Isthmean games (Corinth)
- Panathenaea games (Athens)
The four regularly coordinated with each other were: Olympics, Pythia, Nemean and Isthmean… Stop athletes having to journey many places in one year…
What were the prizes at the games?
Crowns at the games… At home also usually got benefits: meals in their honour, tax exemption, political position (Spartans got to fight by their king)
Did the international festivals and games give a shared ‘Greek’ identity?
Not likely….
- Took >300 years for whole Mediterranean to get involved
- If larger state took control of host meant other states excluded.
Shared ‘Greek’ identity not a thing until post-Persian war… For Archaic period it was ‘one and many’…
