Early Greek Civilization

Greek Space and Influences

• The Greek space originally consisted of the Aegean islands, the coast of Asia Minor, and Continental Greece.
• Greeks were open to external influences, connecting Europe and Asia.

Pre-Hellenic Cultures

• Greek history includes cultures and civilizations before 2000 BC, forming its historical base.
• The foundation of Greek history includes Cycladic, Minoan, and Mycenaean cultures.

Minoan Civilization

• Minoan civilization was a significant Pre-Hellenic culture in Crete.
• Arthur Evans excavated in Crete (1899-1905), discovering the Knossos Palace.
• Excavations indicated advanced urbanization on the island.
• Knossos may have had dominance over Crete.
• The king's authority might have been managed by local royalty.
• Evans' excavations revealed three writing types: hieroglyphs, Linear A (pre-1400 BC), and Linear B (post-1400 BC).
• Hieroglyphs and Linear A remain undeciphered.
• Michel Ventris and John Chadwick deciphered Linear B in 1953.
• There are unsolved questions about Minoan society.
• The lack of walls isn't sufficient evidence to consider Crete a peaceful society.
• Questions remain about how the Minoans maintained dominance.
• The Minoan culture involved the cult of feminine deities like the goddess-mother serpent.
• The matriarchy regime is difficult to prove.
• The Minoan Culture is associated with Greek mythology.
• Crete is where Zeus was raised.
• The myth of the Minotaur is significant with several interpretations.
• Minoan disappearance (around 1450 BC) had natural and political causes.
• Natural causes included earthquakes and volcanic activity; the eruption of Thera (Santorini) was significant.
• Political causes included the rise of the Mycenaean civilization and their invasion of Crete.
• The likely scenario included natural damage combined with competition for wealth.

Mycenaean Civilization

• Heinrich Schliemann excavated Mycenae in 1876, having previously excavated Troy.
• Mycenae was a fortress with a tholos (funerary tomb) and treasures like funerary masks.
• Mycenaeans adopted Linear B.
• Political organization included the Wanax (king).
• The Mycenaean king likely imposed authority by force, like a military leader.
• War was a common motif.
• Palaces became fortress-cities opposing villages where nobility lived.
• The "rawaqetas" was the military leader.
• The "qasireus" supervised raw material distribution.
• The "Akosota" oversaw cultivation of palace land.
• The administrative structure depended on a meticulous system of distribution, exploitation, and land control.
• Mycenaean civilization collapsed around 1100 BC.
• Theories for the collapse include natural disaster, overpopulation, internal unrest, invasions (like the Sea Peoples), climate change, or a combination.
• The Sea People movement wasn't homogeneous.
• Not all Sea Peoples were migrants.
• Shekelesh and Weshesh were sea raiders.
• The Peleset, Theker, and Tursa migrations might have been due to wars in north-eastern Anatolia (1208/1203-1195 BC).
• The Denyen's appearance in the Sea Peoples' movement connects to the destruction of Mycenaean centers in Southern Greece around 1200 BC.
• Inhabitants migrated to regions of the Aegean, Anatolia, and the Mediterranean.
• The Sea Peoples' migration was the first stage of ethnic movements in Eurasia, ending the Bronze Age.

Dark Age

• The period after the Mycenaean collapse is known as the "Dark Age."
• The Dark Age establishes the transition between the Mycenaean world's decomposition and the beginning of the Archaic era.
• The Dark Ages are also known as the Geometric period because of the pottery used in funerary contexts.
• Writing disappeared during the "Dark Age."

Archaic Period

• Writing reappeared; the Greek alphabet was influenced by the Phoenicians.
• The earliest Greek writing dates to around 750 BCE.
• Homer (Iliad and The Odyssey) and Hesiod (Theogony, Works and Days) represent the most relevant literature.
• The Theogony narrates the genealogy of Greek gods.
• Hesiod organized the mythological corpus in Theogony.
• Works and Days revolves around the value of work and refers to the Ages of Man, starting from the Golden Age.

Polis Formation

• The polis originated from the synoecism or union of villages.
• The polis was an independent, autarkic entity based on self-imposed norms.
• Its land covered the city, villages, and farms.
• Internal freedom and external independence were essential factors.
• The polis operated until the time of Alexander the Great.
• The polis comprised the asty and the chora.
• The asty was the urban nucleus, where the community life occurred.
• It included the agora, polis square, and center of political and cultural life.
• Some poleis lacked visible urban centers like Sparta.
• The chora was the rural territory and peripheral zone where agricultural activities were carried out.
• The chora included fields and villages surrounding the city.

Athens

• In early times Athens was organized by a monarchy.
• An aristocratic regime led by the eupatrids or noble landowners belonging to the Areopagus was established.
• The Areopagus was a council that elected the nine archons or supreme magistrates.
• Draco first wrote a code of laws in 621 BC.
• Draco's code was compilation of ancient unwritten laws that were subject to the interpretation of the nobles.
• Draco's laws were severe, punishing crimes with great penalties.
• Solon wrote a new code in 594 BC.
• Solon abolished debts of small farmers and prohibited slavery for debt.
• He took measures to protect olive tree and vine cultivation.
• Solon divided citizens into wealth groups expressed in medimnos (measures of wheat).
• The Boule or Council of four hundred members allowed citizen participation.
• The Heliea, a popular court, was established with juries chosen by lot.

Greek Colonization

• Greek colonization started with apoikia, meaning "opening a new house".
• The city lacking land organized the expedition under a chief (oikistes).
• The oikistes consulted the oracle of Delphi for the ideal settlement place.
• The chief founded a new city constituted as a polis independent of the mother city, linked only emotionally.
• Settling in the new colony involved establishing coexistence with indigenous peoples.
• Relations with native peoples varied.
• Sometimes relations were good, as in Megara-Hiblea and Massalia.
• Relationships were bad at first but then improved in some cases.
• Sometimes relations were consistently bad, as in Taras.
• Archeology indicates communities remained separate or coexisted peacefully, as in Ampurias.

Art and Culture of the Archaic Period

• Art had unique characteristics with Eastern influences.
• Human representations of young men (kuroi) and young ladies (korai) had frontal positions and archaic smiles.
• The Olympic Games were celebrated in Olympia to honor Zeus.
• Initially, the games were foot races, but elements were added over time.
• The celebration occurred every four years in August, lasting 5-7 days.
• Each city also had its own games, such as the Panathenaea in Athens.
• The Olympic Games were more than sports competitions; they were a festival.
• The games required careful preparation announced ten months before by heralds.
• Heralds proclaimed the sacred truce in Hellas, suspending wars.
• The religious dimension was important, with a procession and sacrifice to Zeus.

Temple of Apollo at Delphi

• The Temple of Apollo, was a major part of the Panhellenic religious sanctuary at Delphi.
• Dedicated to Apollo, the god of archery, music, light, prophecy, the arts, and healing.
• Greeks and non-Greeks consulted the Pythia on various topics.

Sparta's Characteristics

• Sparta, a polis southeast of the Peloponnese (Laconia), lacked a defined urban core.
• The state owned everything.
• Sparta sought equality for its citizens, combining traditions like the two-headed monarchy.
• Eunomy or good order was essential.
• The phalanx of hoplites represented Spartan society, they were soldiers with effective defense.
• Spartans took pride in not being ruled by a tyrant.
• The State was based on the systematic exploitation of a large part of the population of the occupied territories.
• Sparta solved the problem of lack of land.
• The Spartans invaded and controlled Messenia, subjugating inhabitants instead of founding colonies overseas.
• 6th century BC, Sparta was open to trade and influences, later closing off due to conquering Messenia.
• Spartiates (Spartans) were a minority, creating a strong military state to control dominated peoples.

Greek Family

• Monogamous and nuclear.
• Included husband, wife, and children; writers equated it with an economic unit including relatives and slaves.
• Marriage was effective when the dowry was given.
• The dowry went with the woman but was controlled by the husband.
• In divorce or death, the dowry could be claimed with the wife.
• The dowry was transferred when the woman had a son.
• The family was the source of new citizens (Classical Athens).
• Inheritance was divided equally among children.

Athenian Houses

• Strict segregation existed between female quarters and public rooms.
• Female quarters were far from the entrance and guarded by a slave.
• Women left the house accompanied.
• They were citizens with obligations: marriage and procreation.
• Women working in public indicated poverty were not citizens.

Athens in the 6th Century BC

• Social and economic transformations.
• Merchant groups confronted nobles.
• Tyrannies or governments of lords using force appeared.
• In 547 BC, Athens was under Pisistratus' tyranny, with support from the poor.
• Pisistratus undertook public works. Economically, he increased wine and oil production, protected artists, and aided the poor.
• Tyrants enhanced production in their poleis.
• Periander turned Corinth into an economic power through ceramics.

Classical Greece (5th Century BC - 323 BC)

• Between the beginning of the 5th c. BCE. and the death of Alexander.
• Era of political and cultural expansion, also war and conflict.
• Conflict between Greeks and Persians, then Athenians and Spartans.

Athenian Democracy

• Solon and Cleisthenes had left behind an aristocratic system.
• Aristotle considered "the appeal to the people" as one of the most democratic things Solon did.
• Salaries for jurors were fixed and instituted in the 460s.
• Payments were implemented for attending the 500-member council (Boule), the ekklesia, and city festivals.
• Hornblower (2018) suggests democracy in Athens was sponsored by its allies and colonists.
• Mary Beard: democracy is a political process of slow formation and was not a perfect government.

5th Century Athens

• Athens became a power within Hellas due to internal democracy and external imperialism.
• Leadership within the Delian League allowed Athens to control its treasure.
• The treasure was transferred from Delos to Athens due to fear of theft, leading to criticism of Pericles.
• Athens controlled the poleis: Athenian coins, weights, and measures were imposed.
• The territory was divided into five districts for tribute collection.
• Athens pressured poleis to enter the League, establishing military colonies in them.

Pericles' Athens

• Pericles focused on decorating and reconstructing Athens with public works.
• The Acropolis of Athens is an important defensive promontory with a monumental artistic complex.
• The Parthenon dedicated with eight frontal columns to Athena.
• Theatre experienced growth with Tragedies and Comedies.
• Comedies like the Assembly women by Aristophanes aimed to criticize the Athenian government's expropriation of land and wealth at the time.

Classical Historiography

• Historiography appeared as a literary genre.
• Herodotus wrote the History or The Nine Books of History.
• There is the description of the ancient world first appeared.
• Herodotus used personal experience and informants to construct his story.
• Herodotus narrated the Persian Wars.
• Thucydides (460-396 BC) wrote the History of the Peloponnesian War.
• Thucydides attempted a rational, impersonal analysis of history.
• His methods were closer to current historical work.
• Unlike Herodotus, Thucydides aimed to be instructive.

Philosophy

• Athens became favorable for philosophy.
• Sophists taught the nobles.
• Socrates (470/469-399) sought truth, examining the good, the soul, justice, and virtue.
• He was accused of corrupting youth and sentenced to drink hemlock.
• After Socrates' death, disciples founded philosophical schools.
• Plato (427-347 BC) founded the Academy with a political purpose.
• In The Republic, he proposed an ideal society through State control.
• Aristotle (384-322 BC) was prolific and influential in medieval Christian doctrine.
• Aristotle was concerned about the natural world.
• Aristotle opened his own school or Lyceum.
• Aristotle was tutor to Alexander the Great.

Peloponnesian War and Decline

• The confrontation between Athens and Sparta caused the Peloponnesian War (431 BC - 404 BC).
• Supported by the Persians, Sparta defeated Athens, declined Ancient Greece.
• Sparta's victory had negative consequences.
• Greek cities on the coast of Asia Minor came under Persian rule.
• The sinking of the Athenian navy favored piracy.
• Spartans lost supremacy quickly.
• Athens recovered, and Thebes had a brief period of prosperity.

Macedonian Domination and Hellenistic Stage

• The kingdom of Macedonia emerged under Philip II, controlling the Greek poleis.
• Alexander the Great extended domination, spreading Greek culture to the East.
• This inaugurated the Hellenistic stage (around 323-30 BC.)
• The Hellenistic stage was characterized by the expansion of Greek language and culture throughout the eastern Mediterranean.