rise of the polis Flashcards
who controlled resources during the bronze age?
the wanax
who led the community after the collapse of the bronze age?
the village cheftain (basileus)
where did kingship continue after the collapse?
the Near East
how powerful was the basileus?
nowhere near as powerful as a king, had to rely on help from companions
who was control of the demos shifted to?
to groups of people instead of a basileus
what does polis mean?
city state
what is one of the most distinctive aspects of greek civilization?
the polis- development and structure similar throughout greece
how did the polis occur?
small communities grew in size, interacted with others, formed larger settlements
which notions of the new settlement were greater?
equality
why was equality better in the new settlements?
land was shared equally amongst freeborn adult men
how was the ruler of new settlements determined?
by those who had family prestige and owned the best land
what is the physical space of a polis settlement include?
the city center, and the surrounding agricultural land
what does the polis come to be a combination of? (what aspects)
physical space of the settlement, political structures, and the people belonging to the settlement
why could the polis uproot and move elsewhere if needed?
because the members of the polis were more crucial than the physical location
what is synoikism?
the coming together of the villages, political unification of different households
is synoikism a physical coming together?
not really its lots of different villages recognizing one political center (like a community center and seperate houses)
when/where was synokism first observed?
at athens ~8th century BCE
who suffered the least in terms of depopulation during the dark ages?
athens
what are chiefdoms?
settlements where authority is based on personal power
what are the 7 typical features of the polis?
1.shared language
2.shared religous beliefs
3.hero cult
4.citadel/acropolis
5.political structure and infrastructure
6.local coinage
7.citizen army
what did sacrifices of agricultural products illustrate?
the connection between sanctuary and the land
what were permanent temples constructed for?
homes for deities
who was responsible for building temples large enough for the entire community?
the commmunity, they also had to provide equipment and decorations
what else did temples and sanctuaries function as?
war museums, they received money spoils from battle and even captives
what are the traits of a hero cult?
usually male
legendary or real
worshipped at designated tomb or shrine
distinct from the clan
what does acropolis mean?
high city
what are traits of high cities?
built on a hill for defensive or religious reasons (normally a center)
where is political structure normally in a polis?
at the heart
what were political places called and what is its purpose?
the agora, served as an assembly place
what is the main type of greek fighting style?
phalanx-type warfare
what is the equipment for fighting?
heavy round wooden sheild, bronze helmet and cuirass, iron tipped spear
why were there individual pockets of development?
mountainous land and sinuous coastline of greece favoured isolated pockets
