Section 2: Greek Government and Society

The Story Continues Between 1000 B.C.

and 700 B.C., the Greeks based their

governments on the old system of tribes

and chiefs. These tribal systems gradually

developed into small kingdoms that were

often at war with one another. By 700 B.C.,

however, many city-states had overthrown

their kings. New forms of government

began to evolve.

I. Greek Culture in the Homeric Age

During this period, few Greeks could write and most communication was oral

I. Greek Culture in the Homeric Age

Traveling poets sang or recited folk songs, ballads, and epics

Euripides (c. 480 BC–406 BC) was one of the three great tragedians of classical Athens, along with Aeschylus and Sophocles. According to ancient sources, he wrote over 90 plays

A. The Iliad and the Odyssey During the 700s B.C., oral poetry was gathered into two great epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey

A. The Iliad and the Odyssey Tradition says they were written by the blind poet Homer

A. The Iliad and the Odyssey The Iliad tells the legend of the Trojan War in which a Trojan prince falls in love with the wife of a Mycenaean king and takes her to Troy

Helen, the face that launched a thousand ships

Paris- the second son of Priam, King of Troy, and cause of the Trojan War

A. The Iliad and the Odyssey The Mycenaeans besiege Troy for 10 years without success and finally build a giant wooden horse as a “gift” to the Trojans

A. The Iliad and the Odyssey The Trojans brought the horse inside the city and that night soldiers hidden inside the horse leapt out and conquered Troy

A. The Iliad and the Odyssey The Odyssey describes the adventures of Odysseus and his 10 year journey home from the Trojan War

Odysseus and the Sirens

B. Greek Religious Beliefs

To explain their world, the Greeks created myths—traditional stories about gods, goddesses, and heroes

B. Greek Religious BeliefsGreek gods had human qualities and personalities and lived on Mount Olympus in northern Greece

B. Greek Religious BeliefsAncient Greeks looked to religion for three things – to explain acts of nature, to explain emotions, and to benefit their lives

B. Greek Religious BeliefsThe Greeks traveled to special places called oracles, where the gods spoke through priests and priestesses

Oracle at Delphi

B. Greek Religious Beliefs

Greek religion was not concerned with sin or the afterlife but rather with pleasing the gods

B. Greek Religious BeliefsOne way to please the gods was to show strength and bravery, such as when men competed in the Olympic Games

The Olympian games were so important that many Greeks dated their historical periods from the first games, which were held in 776 BC.

II. Greek Government: From Kings to DemocracyCity-states began as small kingdoms ruled by warrior chieftains, who relied on wealthy landowners known as aristocrats

II. From Kings to Democracy

Wealthy landowners overthrew their kings and created city-states called aristocracies

II. From Kings to Democracy

Aristocrats controlled the military, the economy, politics, courts, the law, and religion

Kouros of Tenea (575-550 BC. Since archaic times long hair was a mark of the aristocrats

II. From Kings to Democracy

By the 600s BC, soldiers called a hoplites became essential for defense

II. From Kings to Democracy

Hoplites, the poor, and other citizens became unhappy with aristocracies and supported new leaders called tyrants

The age of the Greek Tyrants was known for the progress made in Hellenic civilization. The tyrant title means that political power had been unfairly taken, rather than that it was abused

II. From Kings to Democracy

Some city-states, such as Athens, developed forms of democracy

Direct participation was the key to Athenian democracy. Every male citizen was entitled to attend and had the right to debate, offer amendments, and vote on proposals. All male citizens were allowed to participate any thing that required a government decision

II. From Kings to Democracy

Other city-states, such as Sparta, restored rule by kings or nobles, but limited their power