Chapter 4

Classical Greecep. 128-161

Athens Builds an Empire

• Delian League formed to defend the Greek states in case Persia attacked again

• Created by Aristeides• Each state signed a defence treaty with Athens and

agreed to pay tribute towards maintaining a common fleet

• Athens provided all the officials and commanders of the league

• Treasury and meetings were held at the sanctuary of Apollo on the island of Delos

Delian League

• Was originally voluntary, but soon became forced• Kimon moulded the League into an effective

force to fight the Persians – beat them in 467 BCE• After this success, Pericles of Athens freed the

Greeks on the island of Cyprus and helped in a revolt in Egypt– Persians wiped out the Greek fleet on the Nile– In 454 BCE, Pericles moved the treasury to Athens

League now an empire controlled by Athens

Pericles and Democracy

Pericles and Democracy

• Athens enjoyed its greatest period of wealth and power (30 years) under Pericles

• Democracy– Every citizen could speak and vote on every piece of legislation in the

Assembly– Every citizen had an equal chance to hold public office (except

general)– All law cases were decided by juries of between 201 and 1501

people– All civic offices elected for 1 year terms and candidates selected by a

lottery – even Pericles was elected annually to the Board of Generals– Was paid to be on the Council, juries, and civic offices

Rivalry Between Sparta and Athens

• Kimon had diffused the rivalry between Sparta and Athens, then in 462 BCE, Sparta asked for help from Athens during the Helot Revolt, but when the Athenians arrived, Sparta refused their help– Kimon had convinced the Athenians to help, but

when Sparta refused, he was ostracized and Pericles rose to power

Athens vs. Sparta

• During the leadership of Pericles, Athens tried to build up a land empire

• Threat to Sparta• Increased tensions between Athens and Sparta• In 445 BCE, signed a 30-year peace treaty• Sparta led the Peloponnesian League in central

Greece• Athens held the coast and islands in the Aegean

Differences Between Athens and Sparta

Sparta• Land power• Conservative, oligarchic

government• Backwards in terms of

trade, wealthy, and culture• Sought leadership to

protect itself and its interests, not for wealth, power, or expansion

Athens• Sea power• Democracy• Leader in culture• Progressive, wealthy,

trading nation• Expanded its empire for

power and wealth

The Peloponnesian War

Causes• Many Greek cities resented Athens’ domination

of the Delian League– Some revolted against Athens

• Sparta and Athens were long time rivals• Sparta led the Peloponnesian League to oppose

the Delian League

Athens strategy• Naval power– Surround Sparta by

sea– Prevent food and

supplies from reaching Peloponnesian League

Sparta Strategy• Sparta had a

strong army– Surround Athens

and prevent it from raising food around the city

• Did not have a navy until the end of the War

Stalemate

• For much of the war, neither side could gain the upper hand over the other

• With a few short period of peace in between, it lasted 30 years

Plague

• Athens was severely weakened when a plague broke out

• It killed almost 1/3 of the population including Pericles, Athens’ able leader

Syracuse Expedition The Athenians made a

huge mistake in 416 BC, they invaded Sicily to conquer Sparta’s ally, Syracuse.

They hoped to destroy the Spartan’s food supply

They were surrounded and annihilated

The war ends

• Syracuse weakened the Athenians, but they held out for over 10 more years

• The Spartans finally conquered Athens in 404– Athens had to give up its navy and empire– Athens had to follow Spartan foreign policy

Aftermath

• Athens was the strongest, now Sparta• Much of Greece lie in ruin• Greece was severely weakened economically

and militarily• Greek culture slowed

Thucydides• Wrote History of the Peloponnesian War• Fought in the war as an Athenian

commander• Refused to help the Athenians near

Amphipoli in 424 BCE, which ruined his military career went into exile

• Lived to see the end of the war, though his book ends mid-sentence in the year 411 BCE

The Classical Moment

Literature

• During the rule of Pericles, Athenian society reached a cultural peak

• Playwright SophoclesAntigone• Playwrights Aeschylus and Euripides homed to

improve their world by examining serious issues like the basis of justice and the status of women

• Comic playwright, Aristophanes, wanted to change the world by making fun of it– In Lysistrata, he had the women refuse to have sex with

their husbands until the men ended their war

Architecture

The Parthenon

• Most celebrated building is the Parthenon, built during the rule of Pericles

• Was to show off wealth and power of Athens• Designed by Pheidias and Ictinus• Temple to Athena – inspired by Greek victory of the Persians• Skills used were learned 200 years earlier in Egypt• Most of the magnificent sculpture now in the British

Museum• Depicted mythological battles• In the cella was a 12 m statue of Athena made of ivory and

gold on a wooden frame

Statues in Parthenon

Statue of Athena (Reproduction)

The Road to Persia: Alexander the Great

• After Peloponnesian War, Sparta, with Persian support, tried to dominate other Greek states new alliances made– Corinth joined with Athens– Thebes defeated Sparta and assumed Greek

leadership (371-362 BCE)• Ended with the death of general Epaminoandas

• New power would dominate – Macedonia

Philip of Macedon

• Macedonians spoke Greek

• Farmers and shepherds• Behind in wealth and

culture• Several kings united the

Macedonians and brought them success in battle– Key figure was Philip the

Great

Philip the Great

• Had been a hostage in Thebes for 3 years• Learned battle tactics there• Defeated the southern Greeks at the Battle of

Chaeonaea in338 BCE first time all mainland Greeks united under single leader

• Before he could turn on the Persians, Philip was assassinated by one of his own officers at a wedding celebration

• Archaeologists may have found his elaborate tomb at Verginia in northern Greece

Alexander the Great• Became king at 20• Student of Aristotle• One of the most successful military

leaders of all time• In 334 BCE, set out to defeat the

Persians• Conquered the Near East all the way to

India – never returned to Europe again

Alexander’s Empire

How did Alexander do it?

• Only had 35 000 foot soldiers• Macedonian army represented the ultimate in

improved Greek warfare• Army led by commanders all devoted to Alexander• Persian king Darius, lead by force and was a despot• Once Alexander defeated the Persian foot soldiers,

the others lost their will to fight• Battle of Gaugamela on 1 October 331 BCE was the

final defeat of the Persians

Eastward ho

• Alexander was not satisfied with taking over the Persian empire, so he forced his army against several other empires, and ended up in India

• Wanted to reach the Indian Ocean, but realized he needed to be able to govern this huge empire

• Tried to make the Greek culture and language a unifying force

• Respected the customs and laws of the peoples he conquered

• Unfortunately, Alexander died of an illness before his 33rd birthday (323 BCE)

Legends About Alexander the Great

• Many legends about Alexander the Great, including a few about his birth and about his solving of the Gordian knot– Extraordinary events occurred on the day of

Alexander’s birth that foretold his greatness– Was told whoever could unravel the Gordian knot

would rule the world cut through the knot with his sword

• Legends usually have an element of truth

The Hellenistic Age

• Death of Alexander separates the Classical Age (480-323 BCE) from the Hellenistic Age (323-31 BCE)

• Greek culture became the common culture through the Near East

• Teachers, soldiers, craftsmen, artists, writers, and merchants went to the newly conquered lands to find fame and fortune

• Alexander founded over 70 cities• Greek became the language of the educated class and

Greek literature and arts were the epitome of perfection

Division of Alexander’s Empire

• Divided by three generals into three kingdoms– Seleucus took over Asiatic part of empire Seleucid

dynasty– Ptolemy took over Africa (Egypt and Libya) Ptolemaic

dynasty – last one being Cleopatra– Antigonus took European portion, including Greece and

Macedonia Antigonid dynasty– Smaller kingdoms like Pergamon and Rhodes were

involved in feuds and were eventually taken over by Rome in 31 BCE

– Macedonia became a Roman province in 148 BCE

City-states

• Was stability in the city-states• Maintained independence in their internal affairs• Democracy still the method of government• Wealthier citizens gained more power and the

average citizen lost interest in participating in government

• Two leagues were formed – Aetolian and Achaean – to counter the influence of great powers– Were no match for Rome, however

Citizens, Slaves, and Foreigners

• In census of Athens in 317 BCE, Demetrius of Phaleron, governor found– 21 000 citizens (men only)– 10 000 metics (foreigners)– 400 000 slaves• Due to large number of people captured during

Alexander the Great’s campaigns• Slave dealers also rescuing abandoned babies

Continued

• Only men could be citizens• Women couldn’t vote, hold office, or own

property, but had protection within the family• Metics had to pay taxes and contribute to the

city, but could not vote, hold office, or own land

• Slaves had no rights– Not a crime to abuse or kill a slave– Could gain their freedom from their masters

Greek Culture

Greek Philosophers

Greek PhilosophersPhilosophers – “lovers of wisdom”Sophists – “workers of wisdom” – Teachers

phileo = lovesophia = wisdom

If sophia = wisdom and moron = fool, then a sophomore is a “wise fool.”

Thales of Miletus636-546 B.C.

• Earliest known philosopher• Studied Egyptian and Babylonian

astronomy and mathematics• Believed that the universe was

controlled by fixed laws• Basic element – water.• Got rich with olive presses!

The Three Most Famous Philosophers

Socrates Plato Aristotle

Socrates469 - 399 B.C.

• Critic of the Sophists• Encouraged students to think• Left no writings – skeptical• Dialectic method

• Conversational• Based upon reason and logic

• Popular among the youth• a “gadfly” in Athens• Placed on trial for impiety and

corrupting the youth• Was executed in 399 – drank poison

hemlock

Socrates469 - 399 B.C.

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” - Socrates -

Socrates469 - 399 B.C.

Socratic Method:I. Admit ignorance.II. Never rely on tradition.III. Continuously question.IV. Formulate your own opinions.V. Test your opinions with others.

Socrates469 - 399 B.C.

• Socrates’ dialectic method was a departure from earlier philosophers.

• Earlier philosophers were interested in the nature of the universe and basic elements.

• Socrates’ approach was more rigorous and was the forerunner of logic.

• Most famous student: Plato

Socrates469 - 399 B.C.

“The unexamined life is not worth living.”

Plato427 - 347 B.C.

• Preserved and perpetuated the work of Socrates

• Most important source of info on Socrates

• Founded the Academy• Wrote dialogues

– Universal Forms was a recurring theme

– The Republic – most important dialogue

“Those things which are beautiful are also difficult.”

Aristotle384 - 322 B.C.

• Most famous student of Plato• Most famous teacher of

Alexander the Great• Developed Logic as a field of

study• Devised a complex system of

classification– Used in biology

• Views on Government

Aristotle384 - 322 B.C.

• Views on Government• 3 Good Governments:

– Monarchy– Aristocracy– Democracy

• 3 Bad Governments:– Tyranny– Oligarchy– Mob Rule

Aristotle384 - 322 B.C.

• “All things in moderation”

• “Man is by nature a political animal.”

Art and Architecture

• First to show three dimensions on a flat surface by using different shades of colour to give the illusion of depth

• Used foreshortening – making near objects look bigger than distant ones

• Aimed to produce not only real-looking pictures, but ideal ones

• Reflected the ideal – young, harmonious proportions, calm expression

• Sculptors also concentrated on producing the ideal form– Often sculpted nudes

Art

Architecture

• Greek architecture was refined by elaborating on existing styles

• Public money was spent on non-religious buildings such as theatres, stadiums, and public buildings

• Rich individuals used buildings to display their wealth

• Knew how to build arches and vaults out of stone

Medicine

• Greek equivalent of hospitals found in the sanctuaries of the healing god, Asclepius

• Usually located out of the city, near the source of clean, cool spring water

• Used potions, ointments, healthy diets, exercise, and surgery

• Usual cure for disease was to sleep in a special hall at the sanctuary and wait for a dream about the god to work a cure

Hippocrates460-377 B.C.

• Founded a school of medicine• Rejected that sickness comes

from the gods• Careful observations of

symptoms• Acute• Chronic

• “Holistic” healing• Hygiene• Diet• Curative powers of nature

• The Hippocratic Oath

Sexuality

• Homosexuality was part of life in Ancient Greece• Homosexuality was out in the open• Many relationships between older men and young goys• Homosexuality a common theme in poetry• Finest unit in Theban Army – the Sacred Band – was

composed of pairs of homosexual lovers as it was believed that they would fight harder to save their beloved

• Female homosexuality was less common, but found in the poetry Sappho of Lesbos lesbianism

Science and Technology

Pythagoras582-500 B.C.

• The universe could only be understood through numbers.

• Sun, moon, and earth revolved around a central fire.

• Each planet produces a tone!• Famous for the Pythagorean

Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2

Pythagoras582-500 B.C.

• Pythagorean Theorem: a2 + b2 = c2

a2

c2

b2

Protagoras485 - 410 B.C.

• Most famous of the Sophists• Believed that reason and

knowledge should be used to achieve a comfortable, safe, and happy life.

• Teachings to equip citizens for life in the polis:

1. Public speaking – oratory and rhetoric2. Politics3. Grammar – language4. The art of being respectable

• Plato named one of his dialogues after him.

Democritus460? - 360 B.C.

• Developed the atomic theory.• Taught that the universe was

formed out of chaos through the joining of atoms of like shape and size.

• Atoma = indivisible particles.• “the laughing philosopher”

Euclidc.300 B.C.

• One of the most prominent mathematicians

• Wrote The Elements • Widely used till about 1903.• 2nd only to the Bible in numbers of

translations, publications, and study

• Greek – Arabic – Latin

• Said to Ptolemy: “There is No Royal Road to geometry!”

Archimedes287 - 212 B.C.

• Greek mathematician – Geometry• War machines and other devices• Theory of buoyancy - “Eureka!”• Law of the lever• Archimedean screw

Archimedean Screw

Modern application of the Archimedean Screw

The Role of Women

• Very sparse evidence on the role of women• In Athens, women lived sheltered lives, and rarely

ventured out, even to go shopping• Spun cloth, but didn’t sell it• In Athens, more than 40 priesthoods were held by

women, and some festivals and rituals were led only by women

• Women were expected to be wives and mothers, hidden in the home, unless visiting neighbours or participating in festivals, weddings, funerals, etc

Women’s Legal Rights

• Did not vote• Couldn’t hold office• Couldn’t own land• Exception was Sparta, where she could own land• Mainly through the imagination of Greek men that

women made a contribution to literature and art• After 400 BCE, nude statues of women appeared

and women were allowed to participate in important athletic competitions (not the Olympics)

Daily Life in Classical Athens

• Don’t worry about this section

Greek Religion

• Important gods lived on Mount Olympus• Built sanctuaries and temples for these gods• Gods though to have human forms and

characters• In exchange for honouring the gods, people

expected the gods’ blessings or avoid punishment.

Myths and Legends

• See the other powerpoint handout on Mythology for this information

Temples, Oracles, and Curses

• Temples were houses for the gods and were symbols of wealth and power of the community

• Virtually all rituals took place around altars outside the temples

• The sanctuary of Apollo at Delphi became famous because the oracle was seen as reliable

• The normal way to address the gods was through prayers, accompanied by gifts, but you could also cast spells and put curses on people

Festivals

• The Olympic Games were part of a five-day festival in honour of Zeus– Athletic contests were held on the second and

fourth days of the festival, and on the afternoon of the third day

– The first, third, and fifth days were given over to processions, sacrifices, and prayers to Zeus

Religion and Political Life

• Were generally tolerant of other religions because Greek religion didn’t have rigid rules

• But some exceptions:– In 414 BCE, a number of wealthy young men of

Athens were tried and executed on the charge of impiety

– Socrates was executed in 399 BCE after being found guilty of corrupting the youth of Athens and introducing new gods

– No separation of church and state

Trade and Coinage

• Trade of any distance or in any bulk product was carried out by ship because the geography of Greece was not good for travel

• Phoenician ships first visited Greek shores during the Dark Ages for trading purposes

• Trading was risky, as ships were expensive, and the ships could be captured by pirates or destroyed by storms

Trade and Coins continued

• The most common items shipped to and from Greece included– Grain from south Asia, Sicily, or Egypt in exchange

for Greek olive oil and wine– Luxury goods like glass, alabaster, perfumes, and

ivory from Phoenicia and Egypt in exchange for Greek silver or white marble

– Timber and pitch for shipbuilding from the North Aegean in exchange for Greek olive oil and finished goods like pottery, furniture, jewelry, or textiles

Trade

• Traders, along with mercenaries were the major force for spreading Greek culture abroad before the time of Alexander

• Traders brought back new goods and ideas• Foreigners also came to visit and then live in Greece• Trade began by bartering, but this got onerous• People began to stamp chunks of metal as being worth

a certain amount, and then government began to do so• First mints in the 7th century BCE in Lydia and Eastern

Greek states, but the idea quickly spread.