General Information Flashcards
What is a primary source?
Information is directly from an eye witness.
What is a secondary source?
Literature and statements of eye witness accounts. Considered Hearsay.
What are the 6 types of ancient sources? Explain.
- Literary - writing from ancient authors
- Archaeological - physical remains
- Iconographic / Art Historical - murals, sculptures, vase-paintings
- Numismatic - coins
- Epigraphic - inscriptions (graffiti, on stone
- Papyrological - paper
What are the three main historians of ancient Greece? What did they write about?
- Herodotus - Persian war
- Thucydides - Peloponnesian war
- Xenophon - finished the Peloponnesian war and continues on
How could ancient Greek topography be described? How did that contribute to Greek ideology?
The landscape could be described as fragmented. Small area of open plains surrounded by tall mountains. This influenced the mentality of each polis being incredibly independent.
What does the term polis mean?
Polis is the name for each town/city, it translates to city-state or better yet, citizen-state.
Why is citizen-state the better way to translate polis?
It was a state made up of citizens. Each member was expected to participate in the running of the state.
What are 6 implications of the Greek topography?
- The Greeks were open to foreign influence
- Were resistant to broad political unity - autonomy of city-states
- Experienced an uneven distribution of wealth (land productivity varied)
- Competed locally but realized the need for local cooperation (rise of polis)
- Colonized the Mediterranean (had an insufficient amount and quality of land to handle large population growth)
- Imported goods
What are the different eras of Ancient Greece and what years did they take place?
- Bronze Age (3300 - 1100 B.C)
- Early Iron Age (1100- 800 B.C)
- Archaic Period (800 - 479 B.C)
- Classical Period (479 - 323 B.C)
- Hellenic Period (323 - 31 B.C)
What began and ended the bronze age?
The bronze age began with the widespread use of bronze for various reasons. With the collapse of Mycenaean civilization, this age ended.
What began and ended the early iron age?
the collapse of Mycenaeans and iron being imported for widespread use began this age, it ended with the recovery of the Greek economy and rediscovery of writing.
What began and ended the archaic period?
The rapid incline of population and massive migration introduced the archaic period and ended with the Greek defeat of the Persians.
What began and ended the classical period?
Through winning the Persian wars, the Greeks entered a classical period and the death of Alexander the great ending it.
What began and ended the Hellenic period?
Alexanders death resulted in entering the Hellenic Period and Rome taking over the last Ptolemaic kingdom is what ended it.
Describe “chattel” slavery.
An enslaved person treated as property, they have no rights, privileges, no autonomy. They cannot marry or have kids.
Describe “debt” slavery.
Poor citizens may take out a loan from a wealthier citizen, if they are unable to make payments they would be enslaved until they could pay of their debt. These individuals stilled retained some form of freedom.
Define “Epimachia”
This term refers to a defensive alliance. If a state is involved in this alliance and is attacked, it’s allies with go to war to defend them.
Define “Symmachia”
This term refers to both an offensive and defensive alliance. If a state was attacked, its allies would go to war, if a state started an attack, its allies would go to war.
What does the term “koinon” mean?
The term translates to “common”. This refers to a common alliance among several poleis. This means a joint federal army, common magistrates, councils and assemblies. It’s a closer union between states.
