Untitled Quiz

Greek Civilization - Test 2 Review

• What Concerned the Gods?
  • Homicide
  • Miasma (pollution), which threatened the whole community
• Who Was Protected?
  • Suppliants
  • Heralds
  • Strangers
  • Beggars
  • These groups were protected because they couldn't rely on the law.

Sacrifice

• A performance that renewed the relationship between animals, humans, and gods.
• Regulated procedure distinguished sacrifice from violence.
• Usually done at a sanctuary with an altar.
• Involved washing hands, prayers, throwing grain, slitting throats, and consuming parts of the sacrificed animal (thigh bones wrapped in fat for gods, red wine libation).
• Parts were distributed to everyone.
• In special cases, the entire animal was consumed by fire (Holochaust).
• Carcasses were not typically eaten by participants.

Purification

• Katharma = the purified place.
• Purification needed after contact with the dead, homicide, childbirth, and sexual intercourse.

Private Sacrifice

• Private individuals performed sacrifices outside of sanctuaries, often for their families.
• Human sacrifice was only done in myth and was considered savage and inhumane.

Libations

• Food and drink offerings (milk, honey, wine, animal blood) poured on altars or the ground for the gods.

Prayers

• Asking gods for a specific request followed a template.
• Flattering names and titles, reminders of previous sacrifices and offerings, promises for good actions in return.
• Prayers made specific requests.

Supplication

• Performed by those without community support (ex: foreigners, defeated enemies.)
• Required physical contact (touching knees, chin, or sanctuary statues/altars).
• Gods were witnesses, not directly involved.
• Dishonorable to harm a supplicant.
• Protected by Zeus Hikesios.

Greek Sanctuaries

• Temenos (sanctuary) cut off from normal use, reserved for cult activity.
• Temples (naos) may be present but not always.
• Altars outdoors are essential.
• Possible presence of dozens of sanctuaries without temples on the Acropolis.

Religion in Practice in Ancient Athens

• Most civic functions under the patronage of gods.
• No distinction between civic & religious life.
• Phratria: group of citizens related to one another; engaged in cult activities together.

Panathenaia

• First month of the Athenian year (June/July).
• Celebrated every 4 years (Great Panathenaia) and every year (Lesser Panathenaia).
• Focused on Athena's birth and relationship to the city.
• Important purposes include showcasing Athenian community and appreciation for Athena.
• Festival procession to the Acropolis and altar of Athena, animal sacrifice, banquet, and contests (athletic, musical, literary).
• A robe (peplos) woven by girls was offered to the goddess.

Examples of Contests

• Musical and Rhapsodic contests (night before procession).
• Torch relay.
• Chariot races.
• Foot races of armed warriors.
• Boxing.
• Wrestling.
• Pankration (mix of boxing and wrestling).
• Apobates (chariot races with jumps).
• Armed races (pyrrhic dance).

Who could go to the Panathenaia?

• Athenian citizens (male and female).
• Resident aliens (metics).
• Freed slaves.
• Foreigners (including non-Greeks).
• Communities overseas and allies (sent sacrificial cows).

Contest Prizes

• Amphorae filled with olive oil (trophies).
• Olive oil connected to Athena and the olive tree.
• Other prizes included gold crowns, money, and food.

Anthesteria

• New year festival honoring Dionysos in January/February.
• Proceedings: Jar Opening (Pithoigia), Wine Jugs (Khoes), Cooking Pots (Khutrai).
• Importance: new wine opening for the first time and drinking contests, the "holy marriage" of Dionysos, and a first taste of wine for children.

Myth of Persephone (Kore)

• Demeter and her daughter Kore.
• Kore kidnapped by Hades, causing crops to fail.
• Zeus intervened to get Persephone back.
• Compromise: Persephone spends part of the year with Demeter and another portion with Hades, causing seasonal crop cycles.

Eleusinian Mysteries

• Festival of Demeter at Eleusis (based on the myth of Persephone).
• Demeter lived with a local ruler/nurse in Eleusis when she left Olympus.
• Performed immortality rituals for the child and revealed herself as a goddess to those who celebrated.
• Granted immortality to initiates and did not talk about the rituals with non-members.
• Smaller and Greater Mysteries.

Great Mysteries

• Messengers sought truce for travel to Eleusis.
• Excluded people who couldn't speak Greek, were under homicide trial, or were ritually impure.
• Pre-procession rituals (bath in the sea, sacrifice of a piglet).
• Carried myrtle branches, walking sticks, and a sack during procession.
• Fasting period before secret parts of the festival.
• Initiates were allowed in the sanctuary at night, experiencing emotional renditions of the Persephone myth.
• Telesterion (indoor hall where final ceremony occurred).
• Connected to agriculture and the crop cycle, promising an afterlife.

Apatouria

• Major festival for Phratries (symbolic kinship groups connected by religious practices).
• Athenian citizens were members of a Phratry.
• Lasted 3 days, culminating in Koureotis (presentation of new members, Libations, cutting the hair of boys).

Deme Festivals

• Public festivals held by Demoi (Athenian citizens, village communities).
• Similar to other city rituals, but also connected to local cults.

Competition in Ancient Greece

• Agon: competition for the public eye; two main types—friends and enemies.
• Perceptions (Time, Philotimia, Atimia) of success and failure in competition were paramount.

Athletics and Other Competitions

• Competition expressed acceptably through rules, judges, and umpires, including athletics, music, poetry, and dancing.
• Festivals were happy occasions for releasing tensions.
• Strigil: tool for removing oil, sweat, and dirt.

The Pan-Hellenic Games

• Open to Greeks (not just Athenians).
• Participating states avoided war during the games.
• Locations (Olympia, Nemea, Delphi, Isthmus).
• Occurred every four years (Periodos).
• Important games (Isthmian, Olympic, Nemean, Pythian).
• Famous individuals gained celebrity status.

Alkibiades vs Hesiod

• Alkibiades views ambition, envy, and success as central to the community.
• Hesiod presents a more balanced view of competition (Eris - destructive, vs. healthy competition).

Ostracism

• Citizens vote annually (simple majority) to exile a person for 10 years (ostracized).
• Utilized ostrakon (sherd).
• Way to prevent excessive power and channel envy.

Enemies and War

• Ekhthroi (personal enemies) and Polemioi (war enemies).
• Private rivalries put aside during war to protect the city.
• Xenia: guest friendship across cities for generations; considered sacred.

Self-Control vs Hubris

• Hubris: intentionally dishonoring behavior, frequently associated with violence.
• Sophrosune: self-control, moderation, modesty, and acknowledging one's limitations.
• Two maxims: "know yourself" and "nothing in excess".
• Inscribed at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.

Symposium

• "Drinking together," a male aristocratic activity.
• Women present as entertainers.
• Krater: vessel for mixing water and wine.
• Symposiarch: master of the drinking, chosen by dice roll.
• Symposiasts: other participants.
• Kottabos: popular symposium game.

Population of Athens

• Different groups: (Citizens, resident aliens [metics], freed slaves, slaves).
• Male citizen obligations (political participation, service in the army/fleet).
• Female obligations (less public but important roles in the household).

Oikos = Household

• Kurios ("master"): senior male responsible for property transfer to the next generation and controlling the household.
• Kureia: protection, tutelage for kins (minor sons and women), slaves

Problems of property inheritance

• Ideal: property passed equally to sons.
• Guardians appointed if the father died before son's 18.
• Options for citizens without sons: Adopt a relative as heir, make a will, or not.
• Heiress (epikleros) forced to marry to the nearest relative or risk being divorced if already married.

Marriage

• Main purpose to produce legitimate children and maintain the family lineage (the oikos).
• A contract between families.
• Age differences (15/16 for women, 30 for men).
• Dowry was presented.

Divorce

• Initiated by either spouse, but easier for the husband.
• Women went to the eponymous archon.
• Evidence of husband's improper behavior was needed.
• Divorce was mandatory if the wife had committed adultery.

Concubines (pallakai)

• Long-term relationships, but not legally married.
• Children were free but didn't inherit.

Prostitutes

• Slaves or free women who worked for money in brothels.

Courtesans (hetairai)

• Educated and sophisticated women whose clients were the Athenian elite.
• Aspasia was a famous example.

Separate Spaces

• Free women were ideally not expected outside their homes except for religious/community events.
• Women worked in the household for important tasks.
• Men had exclusive access to outside places (war, athletics, justice, politics).

Household Activities of Women

• Food preparation.
• Textile production.
• Managing resources.
• Supervising slaves (male and female).
• Upbringing children (high rates of mortality).
• Tasks outside the home (fetching water).

Ancient Greek Sexuality

• Survival of the oikos (family) was important.
• Pressure on family members to marry and have legitimate children.
• Sexuality wasn't defined at birth.
• Children saw males and females as similar beings, but puberty changed this status in the community.

Pederasty

• Relationships between older and younger males.
• Older male ("erastes") was a mentor and/or educator.
• Younger male ("eromenos") was the beloved.
• Not generally considered homosexual.
• Shameful to bargain with money.

Mythical models of Pederasty

• Achilles and Patroclus, Zeus and Ganymede.
• Mythical depictions of pederasty.

Education in Ancient Athens

• Education was primarily private, paid for and handled by the parents for their children.
• Three main areas including, literacy, music, and physical training.

Literacy

• Grammatistes: elementary teachers for basic literacy.
• Importance for participating in Athenian democracy.
• Reading works of important authors (poetry).
• Memorization crucial for many aspects of life.

Dance

• Musical and physical activity, part of symposia.
• Khoras: dance/chorus.
• Dance part of wartime and boxing training to improve synchronization.

Physical Education

• Paidotribes: sport trainer.
• Gymnasion: public and private schools.
• Palaistra: location for wrestling.

Education of Girls

• Girls went to school based on their social class.
• Received literacy based on social class.
• Images of women participating in philosophical discussions and education show some ability outside the house.

Higher Education

• Sophists ("wise men"): teachers specializing in rhetoric.
• Taught arete ("excellence").
• Gorgias from Leontinoi.
• Famous for their ability to speak and argue effectively on any topic.

Socrates

• Not a Sophist, but a professional educator.
• Known for the Socratic Method (questioning to find truth).
• Criticized as a corruptor of the youth.

The Academy and the Lyceum

• Academy: Plato's school - first institution with facilities, curriculum, and a headmaster.
• Lyceum: Aristotle's school.

Agriculture and Society

• Most Athenians owned land for self-sufficiency.
• Agriculture was the preferred form of wealth-building.
• Silver mines were important, but were operated by private enterprise with slave labor.

Feeding Athens

• Relied on olive oil exports for wealth.
• Had to import grain to feed the population.
• Small tax on imported goods.

Slavery

• Slaves worked in various roles (agriculture, mining, workshops, household tasks, educators).
• Public slaves worked in the Agora and other public places.

Metoikos=Metic

• Freed slaves and non-Athenian foreigners.
• Needed to register for a month.
• Payed taxes (monthly) and had a patron (prostates).
• Not full citizens.
• Could participate in festivals, serve in the army, appear in court.
• Thracian slaves and metics (Bendis cult) were assimilated into Athenian culture.