Ch 04 - Revolutions in the ancient world Flashcards
How long have revolutions existed?
Revolutions are nearly as old as history itself, dating back to records of government and taxation during the time of the pharaohs of Egypt.
What changes occurred in Egypt after the revolution during Pepi II’s reign?
Local oligarchies ruled for over a hundred years until a new pharaoh established the Middle Kingdom’s first dynasty.
What has influenced the changing character of revolutions?
Revolutions changed as governments evolved and as the understanding of “revolution” developed, ranging from circular political changes to the peaceful assertion of democratic rights.
What event is considered the world’s first known popular revolution?
The reign of Pepi II, the last pharaoh of the Old Kingdom in Egypt, ended in a revolution in the twenty-second century BCE, with attacks on the wealthy and the collapse of central rule.
How did Egyptians connect the revolution during Pepi II’s reign to modern events?
Egyptians retold the story of this revolution during the Egyptian revolution of 2011, highlighting their long history of challenging injustice.
What did Plato believe was the cause of revolutions?
Plato argued that social injustice, especially when aristocracies prioritize money over virtue, leads to revolutions.
What evidence exists of potential revolutions in the thirteenth century BCE?
Archeologists found evidence of attacks on palaces in the eastern Mediterranean, though it’s uncertain if these were revolutions or marauders.
What led to organized conflicts in Greece by the eighth century BCE?
Growing populations, increased trade, and the affordability of weapons led to conflicts between elite and popular groups, producing constitutional changes.
What were the five main forms of government recognized by the Greeks?
1.Monarchy: Rule by hereditary royalty.
2.Aristocracy: Rule by a privileged elite.
3.Tyranny: Rule by an individual who gains power by force.
4.Oligarchy: Rule by a small, wealthy group.
5.Democracy: Rule by active male citizens participating in lawmaking and leadership selection.
How did the introduction of hoplites affect Greek society?
Heavily armed infantry (hoplites) replaced aristocratic charioteers as the core of armies, undermining aristocratic dominance.
According to Aristotle, what ensures stability in a government?
Stability depends on a constitution that balances wealth, numbers, and merit.
What were Aristotle’s views on the causes of revolutions?
Aristotle identified causes like personal rivalries, external interventions, and primarily social injustice, such as oppression of the majority by the wealthy or attacks on the rich by the majority.
How did Plato describe the cycle of government changes?
1.Aristocracy degenerates into oligarchy due to greed.
2.Oligarchy is overthrown, creating a democracy.
3.Democracy degenerates into disorder, paving the way for tyranny.
What pattern of revolutions was common in Greek city-states?
Aristocrats were often overthrown by populist leaders who became tyrants, followed by popular movements establishing formal constitutions.
What were two well-known constitutional models in ancient Greece?
1.Solon’s constitution for Athens: Introduced reforms and an assembly of male citizens.
2.Lycurgus’ constitution for Sparta: Focused on law-based governance with an assembly of male citizens.
What characterized governance in vast empires like Egypt, Persia, and China?
These empires had hereditary rulers with divine sanction, supported by bureaucracies and priests, leading to dynastic cycles rather than revolutions.
What is the significance of Rome’s expulsion of Etruscan kings?
Around the end of the sixth century BCE, Romans expelled their foreign king, replacing the monarchy with a republic, marking a major revolution in governance.
How did Thucydides describe the revolution in Corcyra?
Thucydides noted the chaos and violence, stating: “Death thus raged in every shape, and as usually happens at such times, there was no length to which violence did not go.”
How did Julius Caesar challenge the Roman Republic?
In 49 BCE, Caesar defied the Senate by taking his army to Rome, waging civil wars, and consolidating power, culminating in his assassination in 44 BCE.
What was the revolution in Corcyra during the Peloponnesian Wars?
In 427 BCE, the pro-Athenian democratic faction freed slaves to fight against the pro-Spartan oligarchic faction, which hired mercenaries. The revolution ended with a massacre of the oligarchic faction after Athens sent a fleet.
How were revolutions used during the Peloponnesian Wars?
Athens and Sparta fomented revolutions to overturn governments allied with their rivals, similar to Cold War strategies by the United States and Soviet Union.
What was the structure of the Roman Republic?
An aristocratic Senate advised the state and proposed laws, while citizens voted in assemblies to elect consuls, tribunes, and pass laws.
What does the term “republic” mean, and how was it applied in Rome?
Derived from the Latin “res publica” (public affairs), it indicated that politics were now a public concern, not a private matter for kings and nobles.
What challenges led to instability in the Roman Republic?
As Rome’s conquests grew, immense wealth accrued to leading senators and military generals, weakening citizen participation and increasing mistrust in the Senate.
Who were the Gracchus brothers, and what did they attempt to do?
Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus, tribunes elected by the Plebeian Council, attempted to pass laws redistributing patrician wealth to the common people but were assassinated for their efforts.
What marked “The Roman Revolution” under Octavian (Augustus Caesar)?
After civil wars, Octavian degraded the powers of the Senate and Assemblies, creating the framework for the Roman Empire and establishing himself as a ruler with divine attributes.
