Topic Two - Greek Civilization Flashcards
Minoans
on island of Crete
Mycenaeans attack them around 1450 BC
Mycenaeans
Greek-speaking people arrive in Balkan around 2000 BC
become Mycenaean civilization
major cities: Thebes and Athens
Hierarchy
attack Minoans on Crete in 1450 BC
spread civilization, but eventually fall 1100 BC
Homer
writes Iliad and Odyssey
depicts gods of Olympus as human-like and engaging in human behaviors
Iliad and Odyssey
written by Homer
Iliad: Mycenaean attack on Troy to retrieve Helen
Odyssey: travels of Odysseus as he returns home
Hesiod
writes Theogony (similar to Homer)
makes Greek gods more morally righteous
Zeus begat Lawfulness, Right, and Peace
Polis
Cultural, political, religious epicenter in classical Greece
walls for protection, fountain and spring water sources
(city-state)
Acropolis
Within Greek polis, center for temples and support for gods (religion)
Agora
Within Greek polis, political center
Hoplite army
made up of citizen-soldiers in the typical Greek polis
think tight formation and shields all around and spears
Classical Greek Government
Various forms of government in the poleis
Monarchy most prevalent during Mycanae period
sometimes Tyrants
Democracy limited to citizens not “the people”
Oligarchy ruled by few, always elites
Archaic Age of Greece
750-500 BC
vibrant period after Greek “Dark Age”
Rise of Athens and Sparta
Population growth, but less land ownership
Many began to seek new homes outside of Greece
Expansion drastically changes Greek world
Sparta (in Archaic Period)
Sparta: expands beyond polis
Conquest of surrounding areas
Helots (state serfs) revolt around 650 BC
Lycurgan System
Athens (in Archaic Period)
Extends democracy to all citizens (beginning around 500 BC)
Hard for peasants to get land
Helots and Messenian Wars
Spartan state serfs
Sparta conquered Messenia around 735 BC, made Messenians into Helots
Helots revolt around 650 BC- second Messenian war
Spartans win, Soldiers get better rights rather than Helots
Lycurgan System
system of Spartan government
allegiance to Sparta
military prowess
military training, disavow luxuries, enjoy the hard life
Draco, Solon, Cleisthenes
Athens politicians/influential people
Draco- passes strong code of laws
Solon (aristocrat)-calls for justice and equality (frees debts slaves, cancels land debts, creates four legal groups)
Cleisthenes- founder of democracy
citizens have say-so by delegating power to represenatatives
Greco-Persian Wars
around 500 BC
Greek city-states unite to rebel and protect themselves against Persian empire
defeat Persian empire after decades of battles
Delian and Peloponnesian Leagues
Delian League- Naval alliance with 300 ships formed by Athens in 478 BC
Peloponnesian League- Sparta’s response
Peloponnesian War
431 BC-404 BC
between Delian (Athens) and Peloponnesian (Spartan) Leagues over Corinth and Megara
War led to widespread destruction, famine, plagues, and nearly destroyed Greek Society
Athens rules seas, Sparta rules land battles
Alcibiades goes back and forth between sides
Peace of Nicias
Temporary peace during Peloponnesian War (inner Greek conflict) in 421 BC
Greek Art and Culture
Athens builds program to honor gods 400s BC
Acropolis is site of religious festivals like Great Panathenaia
Plays and dramatists asked philosophical questions about individualism, societal expectations, and good and evil (playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripedes)
Greek Gender and Sexuality
Women played little roles in political and military matters but appear in art and literature
Free women who were citizens were protected by law (main function was to bear and raise children)
Homosexuality was generally an accepted part of Greek society
Greek Political decline; Phillip II of Macedonia
Common Peace: an attempt by Greek city-states for political harmony and avoiding war in late 4th century BC
But major city-states all pursue control (Athens, Sparta, and Thebes)
Spartan King betrayed Common Peace and made war against the Thebans
Philip II of Macedonia (Alexander Great’s dad) dominates the Greek city-states after defeating the Thebans and Athenians in 338 BC (new common peace, all united but Spartans)
