CLST 102 - Test 3 Review (PDF)

CLST 102 Greek Civilization Test 3 Review Session TAs: Emily Croft, Tessy Waugh, Joshua Holmes A Court, Pungavi Linghan Precursors to Democracy Reforms of Solon the Lawgiver ○ Divided people into four (4) classes based on wealth ○ Underlying principle: the state being run by al...

CLST 102 Greek Civilization Test 3 Review Session TAs: Emily Croft, Tessy Waugh, Joshua Holmes A Court, Pungavi Linghan Precursors to Democracy Reforms of Solon the Lawgiver ○ Divided people into four (4) classes based on wealth ○ Underlying principle: the state being run by all citizens, both rich and poor ○ Slavery debts are abolished: status of citizen is not compatible with loss of freedom ○ The law guides the actions of the state ○ Solon was considered the founder of democracy Peisistratos as Tyrant ○ Sole ruler of Athens, but institutions remain the same Hippias and Hipparkhos ○ Sons of Peisistratos who were then in power ○ Hipparkos: murdered ○ Hippias: exiled in 510 BCE Reforms of Kleisthenes ○ 10 phylai (Tribes) ○ New 10 month civic calendar ○ Boule of the 500 Democracy Demokratoria: power of the people, all of the citizens without limitations Meanings: ○ Power of the demos (original) Including the demes in political life and decision-making ○ Rule of the poor (critics) Founding principles ○ Isonomia: equality of all under the law ○ Isegoria: equal right to speak “Persian Debate” of Herodotus Otanes - Democracy ○ Monarchy means abuse of power. Citizens needs to be equal under the law and publicly debate Megabyzos - Oligarchy ○ Why give power to the uneducated masses? Power should be given to a group of those that are the best for the job ○ Rule of the few Dareios - Monarchy ○ Give power to THE best man. ○ Effective and fast. ○ Traditional form of rule Democracy In Action Direct participation of all citizens ○ Important decisions made in assembly, which is open to all active citizens. Direct participation not used in modern democracy Boule: the council of the 500 ○ Chosen by lot, prepared agenda and proposals for assembly ○ 30+ yrs old ○ 50 individuals from each tribe Prutaneis ○ Standing committee ○ 50 counsellors of each tribe that served for one month ○ Lived in the Tholos - a round building in the Agora ○ Epistates: Chairman of the prutaneis. Presided over the Assembly Proedroi ○ Introduced in 4th century BCE ○ Committee of 10 (one from each tribe) ○ Presided over meetings of council and Assembly Bouleterion: the council hall ○ Next to the tholos Ekklesia - Assembly All Athenian adult males 18+ must attend After 403 BCE laws were passed by nomothetai They met at the Pnyx four times a month ○ A small rocky hill near the Acropolis and Agora Needed 6000 people to attend Red rope to encourage participation and lead citizens idling in Agora away Magistrates, jurors and members of the assembly received a salary for their participation Proceedings ○ A herald read the agenda ○ Members voted on whether to discuss the contents of the agenda or not, and time was given for people to speak ○ Voted by show of hands Remember: experts were not superior to regular people! All were equal! Government Officials Archons (Arkhontes) - 9 of them ○ Arkhon eponymous: gave a name to the year, dealt with family matters ○ Arkhon basileus: Religious matters ○ Polemarkhos: military commander ○ 6 Thesmothetai: for all other matters Officials were elected by Lot ○ EXCEPT for the Strategos (pl. strategoi): he was elected by the assembly Process to become a magistrate ○ Dokimasia: Preliminary scrutiny of the magistrates (almost like an exam) ○ Euthunai: Audit, review ○ They swore an oath on a stone in the Agora following the appointment In 4th cent BCE approx. 5% of total population with political rights held office in a year Government Officials cont’d The Eleven: body of magistrates in charge of order/punishment. ○ They commanded the Skythian archers. Other officials ○ Astunomoi - streets and roads ○ Agoranomoi - markets ○ Metronomoi - weight and measures ○ Grammateis - secretaries of Boule and Ekklesia Kerux (Kerukes) - a herald. ○ They were sent by the Ekklesia, delivered messages outside of the city Presbeutes or Presbeus - ‘elder’. Prominent citizens with good connections outside of Athens sent to negotiate abroad Justice System Areopagus Council ○ Make up of former arkhons ○ After 462/1 was a law court for most serious crimes: deliberate homicide of Athenian citizen, arson, and some forms of sacrilege ○ Sub-committee tried other forms of homicide First Laws Areopagus Hill, Athens ○ Law of Drakon on homicide - involuntary homicide resulted in exile or an agreement with the family/phratry of the victim. Forbids private revenge No clear distinction between executive, legislative and judicial branches Eliaia/Diasteria : the jury-courts. ○ Dikastai: jurors ○ At least 6000 jurors, 30+ yrs old, serve for one year, selected by lot Legal Procedures Dike: lawsuit. ○ This can ONLY be brought by the victims or their legal representatives Graphe: public suit. ○ This can be brought by any male citizen in good standing ○ Graphe paranomon: brought against those that made illegal proposals in assembly (false accusations!) Stages of Procedures ○ The prosecutor delivers an oral summons to the opponent ○ They appear before a magistrate. ○ A written statement of the charge is presented at the meeting ○ A preliminary hearing is scheduled if the lawsuit is accepted ○ At the hearing, the defendant creates a written response and gives it to the magistrate ○ Next step is public arbitration or trial The arbitrator (60+ years old) would give judgement and two sides would approve it If trial was the next step the records would be sealed in a jar and saved for the day of the trial The Trial After jurors received their assignments, they received a lead token and would go to the correct court ○ They would also receive a small salary after to compensate for the loss of work A case was introduced and each litigant would give a speech ○ Professional speech writers could be hired to write an effective speech ○ Present evidence, witnesses and cite laws Witnesses were not necessarily at the scene, preferable to be family and friends Witnesses played a big role in an Athenian trial! ○ Water clock to time speeches The verdict would be voted on with bronze ballots ○ Simple majority Each litigant (both prosecutor and defendant) would propose a penalty ○ Penalties affected the person (but prison was usually not a normal penalty) ○ Penalties affecting the property ○ Penalties involving death and exile Disadvantages and Advantages of Athenian Law Disadvantages ○ Can be abused, people laying charges constantly for frivolous matters The Sukophantes are a representation of this character in Athenian society They are self-seeking Advantages ○ Works very fast ○ Don’t need specialists ○ Guided by considerations of equity Law and Athens Laws were displayed in public places, and in late 5th c. there was a public archive of laws ○ Litigants had to research laws and quote them in court Laws were seen as a form of evidence or tool to Remains of public library in be used in court. Athens Atimia - ‘deprivation of honour’ ○ Equivalent to exile ○ Meant the loss of political rights. Worst punishment after death Man being sent to exile Public economy State income ○ Harbour and market fees ○ Metic tax ○ Rent from mining concessions ○ Fines State expenses ○ Salary of the magistrates, jury members, and jurors Jurors would exchange lead token to receive salary ○ Public slaves ○ Army and navy ○ Public festivals Financial Obligations of Wealthy Athenians Leitourgia: Liturgy. ○ Originally a voluntary service ○ Wealthy Athenians contributed to the smooth running of the community this way TWO kinds of liturgy: ○ Trierarchy liturgy: A citizen is appointed as Trierarch to maintain and command a state warship (trireme) out of his own pocket ○ Festival liturgy: the sponsorship of teams. The most important of these was Khoregia, which is the production of a chorus for theatrical productions To avoid liturgy one would challenge someone more wealthy in court to either take their liturgy OR exchange property with them ○ If the wealthier person refused, it was evidence that they had wealth and valuable property Eisphora: Property tax. Generally taken at times of war ○ In 4th cent: became annual tax paid by the wealthy (both citizens and metics), who were divided into tax syndicates (summoriai) There were no attempts from the poor to achieve economic equality as they had the same political rights and opportunities to win public/social recognition The Delian League 478/7 BCE Athens as the hegemon (leader) - the commanders and treasurers were ALL Athenian Voluntary alliance to prevent future Persian attacks Members of the Delian League had to pay a tribute ○ Called phoros (cash tribute) 454 BCE the treasury was moved from Delos to the Athenian Acropolis Kleruchs/Cleruch ○ Athenian citizens who were settled in overseas territories as an Athenian influence (remained Athenian citizens) ○ Aristophanes’ The Birds makes reference to the greed and corruption of the Athenian officials when they dealt with ally cities 446 BCE revolt of Euboea. Athens responded with strict repression of the people of the island The island of Samos was always supportive of Athens Spartan win in Peloponnesian War cause the end of the Delian League The Second Athenian League New league established 378 BCE, and promised to be less oppressive ○ States are autonomous ○ Any kind of government that state wishes ○ Won’t have garrisions or kleruchs Ended up begin very similar to the Delian league and so it was doomed to fail ○ Collected tributes under the different name suntaxeis ○ Garrisons and kleruchs STILL sent out in some ally states ○ Military intervention with rebellious allies The League was dissolved in 338 BCE due to revolts from member states Athens at War War in antiquity was a frequent event Peace agreements only lasted 30 years Generational cycle ○ 30 years allowed the next generation to grow and fight in a war The Ritual of Hoplite Battle Divination before the battle (to decide if there will be a good or bad outcome) Sacrifice ○ Ta sphagia = blood sacrifice Forming up the battle line Singing of hymns and words of encouragement while marching against the enemy Clash of the two armies until one gave up and fled the battlefield Pursuit of the enemy Setting up of trophy (tropaion), collection of the spoils ○ Set up where enemy fled Burial of the dead Hoplite Armour Hoplites = Hoplitai from hoplon ○ Heavy infantry Bronze cuirass ○ Designed to look like a hero’s chest Linothorax (linen cuirass) ○ Layers of linen cloth glued together ○ Cheaper form of armour ○ More flexible ○ Left side open Hoplite Weapons Primary weapon was the spear ○ Sauroter = lizard killer (spear-butt) ○ Spear head ○ Shaft Secondary weapons ○ The cut and thrust sword ○ The single-edged slashing sword (kopis) The Hoplite Phalanx Hoplites would fight in close order fashion ○ Single line groups Being a hoplite was a display of good social and political standing ○ It was up to the individual to pay for his own armour ○ Different shield customizations as this was a personal choice Othismos (the shove) ○ Real or metaphoric Militia of citizens Relatively simple tactics and strategy Thebans were best known for their military tactics The Other Soldiers Light infantry and other mobile troops, although literary sources do not recognize them all lot Hoplites were accompanied by some non-hoplite troops The non-hoplite soldiers were frequently foreign mercenaries Psiloi = light armed soldiers (lit. bare) Peltasts = armed with a light crescent shield (pelte) javelins and swords, they took their name from their shields More roles: ○ Archers (not as honourable) ○ Slingers (not as honourable) ○ The cavalry (more honourable and wealthy since they can afford horses) Professionalization of War Specialized training for other military roles apart from hoplites Increasing roles by mercenaries and professional generals Xenophon ○ Famous Greek historian ○ Also a mercenary soldier despite being a high class citizen ○ Found in his writing: the Anabasis Siegecraft and Warfare Early on, fortifications were simple and siege warfare was basic ○ In the Peloponnesian War have battering rams, ramps and mines ○ Usually besieged cities starved into submission ○ Example: the Siege of Syracuse: cut the city off from its territory Late 5th and 4th, see mobile siege towers and artillery used ○ Fortifications become more complex with towers and gates Military engineers later hired for siegecraft and warfare ○ Catapult invented at this time ○ Invented for the service of Dionysius of Syracuse Athenian Naval Warfare - the Trireme Standard Greek warship ○ Light, fast, and easy to turn ○ Three levels of rowers ○ Best people on top: harder to row at this angle, paid more Not a cargo ship Limits ○ Not good for sailing in rough weather ○ Crew must disembark at the end of each day to eat and sleep ○ Expensive to build and maintain ○ Need a numerous and well-trained crew and captain Need around 200 crewmembers Greek Naval Tactics Ramming ○ Preferred tactic Boarding ○ Used in confined situations Forming lines with bows pointed at enemy Expert captains outmaneuver other ships and ram them on the side Athens as a Naval Power Not originally a sea power until 483 BC ○ Herodotus: Themistokles convinced Athenians to use money from the silver mines to build 200 new ships, forces Athens to become a sea power ○ Just in time to defeat the Persians! Before the Battle of Salamis, oracle of Delphi tells the Athens to build a wooden wall ○ Themistocles convinces the people to wait in Salamis and their navy would protect them Crew of Athenian Trireme C. 170 rowers Rowers came from lower income class Athenians called the Thetes Foreigners and occasionally slaves to fill ranks Also had 10 hoplites and 4 archers ○ There to stop enemy attacks Captain of Trireme = Trierarch 16 officers and assistants: ○ Helmsman ○ Rowing officer ○ Bow officer ○ Carpenter ○ Double-pipe player