NOTES
ON THE GREEK HERITAGE
- Hellas
was 2/3 stone and surrounded by water (See map)
- Hellenes
united by common language, culture, victory over Persians, not by common
government or ruler
- Minoan
Civilization (2000
– 1450 BC)
- Centered
in Crete, magnificent palace at Knossos
- Used
Linear A (not deciphered)
- Mycenaean
Age (14th
– 13th centuries BC)
- Achaeans
- Centered
at polis of Mycenae
- Used
Linear B
- Fought
Trojan War
described by Homer in Iliad
- Civilization
collapsed c. 1180 BC (Dorians or civil war?)
- Dark
Ages (12th
– 9th centuries BC)
- Writing
disappeared
- Described
in Homeric epics Iliad and Odyssey
i.
Ruler tribal leaders, warrior society
ii.
Gods and goddesses possessed human characteristics and lived on Mount
Olympus
iii.
Worship consisted of sacrifices
- Archaic
or Lyric Age (8th
– 6th centuries BC)
- Sought
relief from overpopulation and oppression
i.
Colonization of Mediterranean
ii.
Expansion of trade and industry
- Shift
in power from tribal monarchies to aristocratic oligarchies
i.
Aristoi – superior people; aristocracy – government by best
ii.
Oligarchy – government by a few
- Conceded
reforms and law codes when challenged by commoners (demos)
- Overthrown
by tyrants who appealed to demos
EXAMPLE
OF ATHENS
- 750
BC monarchy replaced by aristocratic oligarchy
(archons) who governed with council of tribal leaders
- 546
BC oligarchy was overthrown by Pisistratus
- 510
BC tyranny overthrown with help of Spartan army; led to reform of government
by CLEISTHENES, father of Athenian democracy
- Athens divided into
150 demes (each with demarch); demes organized into 10 tribes (15 per
tribe)
- LEGISLATURE
i.
COUNCIL OF 500 or BOULE made up of 50 citizens
chosen by lot from each tribe; counselors were 30+
ii.
ASSEMBLY or ECCLESIA, composed of all citizen
males 20+ met once a month
- EXECUTIVE:
10 archons chosen by lot from tribes; terms of one year
- JUDICIARY:
6,000 jurymen chosen by lot from tribes
- MILITARY:
10 generals, one from each tribe
- HOW
DEMOCRATIC?
i.
40,000 citizen males (13% of total population)
ii.
60,000 Metics or resident aliens
iii.
120,000 slaves
iv.
80,000 free women and children