The Archaic Period (c. 750-500 BC) Flashcards
Naukratis
greek trading post in Egypt (c. 650 BC)
Phoenicians
dominated the seaborne trade in the mediterranean
demographic and economic changes
(gradual) population growth, changes in farming practices, decline in stock keeping, development of cities
the polis (poleis)
independent self-governing city states
the politai
citizens of poleis
the agora
the chief sanctuary and meeting place, marketplace
akropolis
fortified hill
oikos
household comprising of parents, children, grandchildren, sometimes also dependent farmers and slaves
‘freedom and autonomy’
principal concern of all poleis
common aspect in the greek world
language, same pantheon of Gods, communal traditions
the second greek migration (colonization)
8th-6th century BC, main colonizers from Asia Minor
emporion
a greek settlement for commercial reasons (Al Mina, Naukratis, Pithecusae)
Magna Graecia
Greater Greece; Southern Italy and Sicily
monarchy
sole rule (usually hereditary)
tyranny
the rule of a tyrant (ruler who has assumed control without the right to do so)
aristocracy
rule of the best (nobles, birth a criterion for power)
timocracy
property criteria are the qualifications for access to offcies
democracy
rule of the demos ((male) people) where popular assembly had the decisive power)
apoikia
greek colony which was controlled by the independent polis there
nouveaux riches
people who managed to make fortune one way or another emerged due to the new changes
military composition
nobles, nouveaux riches and also middling farmers
phalanx
sophisticated battle formation which required the ranks to stay close together; emerged at the end of the 6th century BC
hoplites
soldiers (after the greek hoplon, which meant heavy armour)
alphabet
borrowed from the Phoenicians, introduced for business purposes
homer
author of Iliad and Odyssey
Hesiod
author of Works and Days and Theogony
Orientalizing style
started in the 9th century, yellow predominant color, zigzags and swastikas, mythical creatures and plants
black-figure style
started in the 6th century, figures as black silhouettes
colums
Ionic, Doric, Corinthian styles
orphism
religious movement which taught that body and soul were separate entities
Pythagoras
philosopher (c. 570-490 BC), believed mathematics to be of utmost importance to the understanding of the universe
Plato
Athenian philosopher (c. 429-347 BC)
cult of Demeter
located at Elusis, celebrated the release of Persephone from Hades (sprouting of the new corn from the old)
cult of Adonis
symbolized the death of nature dying in the dry season
Zeus
main god, god of thunder, patron god og law and justice
Heracles
offspring of Zeus and a mortal
natural philosophy and physical science
arose in the 7th century BC in Ionia and in the Greek colonies in the west
Xenophanes of Colophon
philosopher, arrived at a more or less monotheistic logically reasoned theology
Anaxagoras of Clazomenae and Democritus of Abdera
philosopher (5th century BC), believed that everything consisted of ‘atoms’, approached the mechanical, materialistic conception of the universe
sparta
hoplite state (6th century BC), maintained (hereditary) kingship (two kings)
lawgiver Lycurgus
Sparta’s 7th century reforms are in bulk attributed to him
gerousia
council of elders in Sparta (at least 60 in age, chosen for life, thirty members including the kings)
ephors
additional magistracy who were in control of the day-to-day administration; chosen annually
Tyrtaeus and Alcman
Spartan poets
Athens
next to Sparta a very important city state and political power, occasionally under tyrant rule, but mostly a democracy
The council of 500
comprised of 50 men from each Athenian tribe who were chosen by a lot and appointed for one year. responsible for day-to-day administration
public assembly in Athens
consisted of all the male citizens of the polis of Athens, they had the right of amendment, the right to accept strongly deviating proposals and to reject a proposal altogether
strategos
generals
ostracism
banning a person for 10 years by vote
