Exam Flashcards
What are the constituents of the spartan polis? What are their roles?
- Spartiates - citizens, only job is to prepare for war.
- Periokoi - from the first expansion. Were the enslaved population from Messenia, were master craftspeople. Ran businesses, traded. Not allowed to participate in politics but were expected to serve in army (hoplites).
- Helots - enslaved from the second Spartan expansion. Expected to take care of agriculture, had no rights. If belonged to the state, the enslaved would be “leased” out for whatever purpose. Could change status by volunteering for light infantry, would gain rights by doing so.
What are three key notes made about the women of Sparta (from unreliable sources)?
- Not allowed to participate in politics
- Women were expected to engage in a fitness regime until they were married
- ALLOWED TO OWN PROPERTY (could inherit through the passing of their father)
What claim did Athens make regarding the women of Sparta? Why did they make this claim?
They were immodest. Believed so because Spartan women were allowed to engage in fitness.
What was Aristotle’s argument regarding slavery?
Aristotle argued that some people were naturally meant to be enslaved; believed that these people were irrational with their body ruling over their mind so they must be enslaved for their own protection.
What are the defining traits of the enslaved?
- Subjection to absolute power. - anything could be done to an enslaved person.
- Natal Alienation - the enslaved would have total separation from their existing family as well as their “future” family (not allowed to start a family as they have no power)
- Utter dishonor - no bodily autonomy, could be inspected for “defects” out in the open, nude for everyone to see.
How were enslaved individuals acquired?
- Born into slavery through enslaved mothers
- Bought/Traded (specifically from the north and the east)
- War (through defeating a city, the citizens could be enslaved)
- Kidnapping by land/sea
What were the two major hubs for buying and selling enslaved people?
- Aegina
- During the Hellenistic period, Delos became a major hub
The seller of an enslaved individual was expected to disclose what?
Any hidden “defects”, such as if the enslaved has seizures, any health issues etc.. anything that would impair their ability to work.
What were the four traits of an enslaved person that would consider them to be more valuable?
- Youth - if they were young, you could get more work done from them over time.
- Strength - if they were strong, they could lift heavier things.
- Beauty - if they were beautiful, it would contribute to the status of the enslaver.
- Specialized skills - if the enslaved already had specialized skills that they could perform, they would be purchased for more money.
What was the average cost of an enslaved person in drachmae? In CAD?
179 Drachma, 32 220 cad.
List the 5 domains of an enslaved person.
- Mining
- Agriculture
- Craftwork/Trades
- Domestic
- Sex work
Describe some aspects of an enslaved person working in the mines.
-It was considered to be a mindless, dangerous job.
-Life expectancy was very low in this field
-Children were a premium for this work because they are small and could fit easily into the tunnels that were mined
-Jobs within mining consisted of digging shafts, carrying ore to the surface as well as washing the ore.
Describe some aspects of an enslaved person working in agriculture.
It was a seasonal position and because of this, farmers with small plots of land would lease enslaved people for part time labor.
Describe some aspects of an enslaved person working in craftwork or trades.
1.A Metic could gain extra income through buying an enslaved person, training them and then working alongside them.
***Wealthier citizens would not work alongside the enslaved.
2.Highly skilled enslaved people may be granted certain privileges (could live independently if a certain amount of money was regularly given to the enslaver, could marry/start a family)
Describe some aspects of an enslaved person performing domestic services.
-Usually performed by women (among the wealthy, sometimes the enslaved person would have more freedom than the woman of the household)
-Perform duties such as nursing, weaving, childcare, cleaning, fetching water.
-The enslaved person could also gain the position of “Paedagogue” where they would be entrusted with the education of young children.
Describe some aspects of an enslaved person working in the sex trade.
-Women were found in brothels, men were found in cubicles or would meet in graveyards.
-Freedom could be purchased but there were few alternative ways of earning income (they could return to sex work or men also had the option of becoming a sex trafficker)
What are the three types of well known jobs in sex work?
- Auletrides - flute girls, depicted naked and playing an aulos. Entertained at symposia or provided music for religious festivals.
- Hetairai - companions, could be a companion for a very long time. These women lived independently and could purchase their freedom. They were also well educated, skilled socially and were the most expensive type of sex worker to purchase.
- Pallake - long term companion, acted as a concubine living with a man as though you are husband and wife.
What were three domains of work for public slaves?
- Enslaved bureaucracy - These enslaved individuals were literate, numerate highly skilled. Worked as secretaries and accountants that ensured the smooth operation of government (especially important in Athens; lottery system for political position). Responsible for keeping detailed records of public contracts, confiscated property, rents from public lands and managing currency.
- Scythian Archers - acted as a police force, security for public events, guards at jails as well as executioners.
- Other Public slaves would maintain civic infrastructure, building, repairing, cleaning roads, maintaining public sanctuaries as well as other spaces.
What were the two primary punishments used on enslaved individuals?
- Violent/Physical - whippings, beatings etc.
- Deprivations - food, shelter, clothing etc.
What are examples of rewards that enslaved individuals could receive? Why were gifts sometimes a bad thing?
-Could receive better food, clothing as well as the privilege of starting a family.
-By being given things and privileges, the enslaver would be able to take more away from the enslaved.
What was an enslavers ultimate tool of coercion?
Allowing the enslaved to believe that if they behaved a certain way then they could be freed.
If an enslaved person was freed (in Athens), how would their status change? What was a stipulation regarding freedom?
If an enslaved person was freed, they would receive the status of a metic and would be sponsored by their previous enslaver.
Once the status changed to Metic, –they would granted the right of getting married, allowed to start a family and earn an income.
BUT
-they would often still owe obligations to their previous master; sometimes being freed would have an explicit contract of ongoing service.
Describe eight ways the Greeks would come into contact with Non-Greeks.
- Through violence (war, capturing slaves)
- Trade (the creation of trading posts; Athens exported olive oil, imported grain and timber)
- Raids and piracy
- Migration (negative - forced to migrate, 1200-1000 B.C & positive - a sign of flourishing and not having enough space, 800 - 450 B.C)
- Diplomacy (alliances could drag multiple Greek states into war)
- Forced deportation (a conquered state might be deported; Miletus was deported to Mesopotamia)
- Exile (Hippias was exiled and he moved to Persia)
- Employment (specialized skills, musicians, medical practitioners, MERCENARIES -were hired by Babylonian and Persian kings often)
What did the Greeks believe to be the center of the world?
Delphi. They believed that the further out you went, the more bizarre the world became.
What was notable regarding the Lydians?
- Lydia was the inventor of the coinage that the Greeks adopted.
- Lived a life of indulgence and luxury; nobles of Greece believed they deserved to live this way as Greek thinking had eroded the engagement of luxury.
- Positive view of luxury and the Lydians were removed after the Persian wars.
After the Persian wars, how were the Lydians viewed by the Ancient Greeks?
The east was depicted as effeminate, emotional, corrupt, indulgent and servile.
List some elements that are considered to be Greek but have been adopted from other cultures.
- Cycladic proportionality
- Minoan art, palaces, linear B
- Adopted gods (Isis, Aphrodite)
- Greek heroes were patterned after Gilgamesh (Sumerian hero)
- The Greek alphabet as well as the concept of the “polis” were taken from the Phoenicians (Italy)
- Symposium as well as other aspects of nobility were taken from the Lydians, Syrians and Italians
- Some iconography (patterns/forms) in Greek art (especially during the Orientalizing period, 750 - 650 B.C)
- Greek sculptures were adopted from the Egyptians
- Greek temples were adopted from Egyptians
- Coinage came from Lydia
- Philosophy and science came from the Babylonians and Egyptians
What was the difference between Greek thinking and Egyptian and Phoenician thinking regarding illness?
Greeks embraced natural theories regarding illness and remedies. The Egyptians and Phoenicians believed that illness came from the gods and to become healthy, you would have to make it right with the gods.
Who is the best known ancient physician?
Hippocrates
What are the four humors?
The humors are the liquids running through veins and arteries.
1. blood
2. yellow bile
3. black bile
4. phlegm
What are the key oppositions between properties?
- Hot and cold
- Dry and wet
What are some broad ways to correct the imbalance of humors?
- Change of diet (too much phlegm = drink less water, more grains/food
- Medicine
- Lifestyle changes (too much phlegm = move inland/away from coast)
- Surgery
What are three examples of treatment options regarding illness in ancient Greece?
- Ointments - rubbed onto an open wound with a goal of the wound producing pus (they believed pus to be a sign of healing)
- Ephedra was used to treat congestion
- Surgery - there were both simple and complex surgeries (simple - remove an object lodged in wound and then close the wound; complex - removing cataracts or bladder stones, trepanation
What was the typical lifespan of a man? Of a woman? Why was this the case?
- If a man survived war, he was expected to live between the ages of 60-70
- If a woman survived childbirth, she was expected to live between the ages of 45-55.
- This was because in general, men received higher quality of food as well as were expected to stay active so their bodies were better equipped to fight off diseases.
In what ways were childbirth and pregnancy a significant health challenge for women?
- Many women died from childbirth due to infections
- Cutting the umbilical cord was a source of infection for enfants
Why would %50 of children that survived childbirth not survive till adulthood?
Food was often contaminated and many children suffered from malnourishment. Diseases such as scurvy, anemia, measles, diphtheria and the mumps.
How would diseases spread rapidly throughout the polis?
- Cities being filled with garbage, rats, sewage and insects.
- Soldiers coming home from war would often bring diseases back with them.
- Houses were clustered together
- Houses full of smoke from fire burning and having no method of removing the pollutants
- Most of the population engaged in physical labor and would therefore experience chronic pain. (no unions and government enforcing safe work conditions)
What are four sad facts regarding those with disabilities?
- Children with a cleft pallet or malformed limbs may be left to die of exposure.
- Children with physical disabilities would be hidden
- Those with visible disabilities would be reminded they were of lesser value (would be excluded from temenos and public office but could be entertainers or blacksmiths)
- Often not granted burials
What are four traits defined as masculine?
- Rational
- Active/doer
- Superior
- Dominant
What are four traits defined as feminine?
- Irrational/emotional
- Passive (have things done to you)
- Inferior
- Submissive
What was believed to be the cause of menstruation?
Women absorbing too much moisture, therefore menstruation was a way of releasing the moisture to bring balance back to the body.
Women’s bodies were expected to be covered, why?
- To exhibit sophrosyne (feminine virtue of modesty)
- Their bodies were seen as “shameful”
- A physical element of controlling women
How was the ideal woman represented through animals?
Bees; busy, always something to do, keeping the house/hive in order.
What were educational systems were designed for?
They were designed to help citizens take up their expected roles in society.
What are four key purposes of an oikos?
- Its function was to sustain its members (providing shelter, food and drink and clothing)
- Drawing kleos to itself (members of the house would draw glory not only for themself but for the entire house; no one should bring shame upon the house)
- Economic driver
- Woman’s role was within the structure
Who are members of the oikos?
- Kyrios
- Wife
- Children
- Unmarried female relatives
- Enslaved people
- Freed enslaved person
- Employees
- Guests
- Ancestors
- Future heirs
What was the heart of the oikos?
Marriage
When were girls married off?
Shortly after menstruation.
How were marriages arranged among nobles?
- Father of the girl would look amongst friends or find a man/boy of wealth, status, and good character.
- Father would then bring a dowery of 5-10% of total wealth to the suitor
- If a suitable match was found, the father would pledge his daughter to and future dowery to the suitor (engue).
- The daughter would then be passed of to the husband as property (ekdosis).
- Woman would retain the dowery in the marriage.
What did girls learn in education?
- Learned textiles
- Accounting (would perform duties as wife of the kyrios)
- Basic first aid
- Administration (wife would ensure all the jobs of the house were being done)
- Childcare
Who oversaw death rituals? Why?
Women were in charge of death rituals, this was because women dealt with miasma through childbirth so it would make sense for them to handle death. (They brought life, it made sense for them to send off the dead)
What did the Greeks believe to be true regarding women and death?
Women existed in a liminal space; they existed in the world of the dead and the world of the living.
What are two death rituals preformed by women?
- Prothesis - laying the body of the deceased, followed by a grieving period.
- Ekphora - Bringing the body to the cemetery
What are four popular Greek athletic festivals? What year were they established and where? How often did these festivals take place?
- Olympics - Olympia, est. 776 B.C, every four years
- Pythian - Delphi, est. 586 B.C, every four years
- Isthmian - Corinth, est. 582 B.C, every two years
- Nemean - Nemea, est. 573 B.C, every two years
What are some characteristics of a Panhellenic/Stephanitic athletic festival?
- Developed from traditional cultic games (events like running/music)
- Celebrated at interstate, panhellenic sanctuaries
- Open participation
- Inexpensive but prestigious prizes given to the victor
- Objective judging
- Organized and funded by dedicated bodies
- “Non War” games, promoted peace
What are some characteristics of a Civic/Chrematitic athletic festival?
- Developed from Homeric funerary games (included horse events)
- Celebrated within the polis
- Closed participation
- Expensive prizes given to first, second and third place
- Subjective judging
- Organized and funded by local government
- “War” games, promoted military preparedness
When would the Olympics take place?
Every four years, at the second full moon after the summer solstice.
During the classical period, how many days did the Olympic last? What did the festival days include?
The Olympics lasted for five days.
Included in the festival was
-Procession
-Sacrifices
-Feasting
***in addition to the athletic events
Which polis claimed responsibility for administering the Olympics?
Elis