1. Mediterranean Society: The Greek Phase
Chapter 10
Mediterranean Society: The Greek Phase

2. Classical Greece (800–350)

3. Minoan Society (@ 2500–1100) Mesopotamians, Egyptians, Phoenicians
Minos — legendary king
“Center of Mediterranean trade”
Wine, olive oil, and wool → grain, textiles, manufactures
Knossos — royal dwellings & tax storehouses
Linear A
Natural 1700
Thera (present-day Santorini)
Foreign 1100

4. Mycenaean Society (@ 1600–1100)
Indo-European invaders descended through the Balkans
Assimilated with Minoan culture
Linear A → Linear B
Construction: fortresses & stone palaces throughout the Peloponnesus
Major settlement: Mycenae
Military expansion
Crete, Sicily, southern Italy

5. Chaos in the Eastern Mediterranean
Military conflicts
Trojan War 1200)
Various maritime/piratical engagements 1100– 800)
Civil disturbances
Result: civil unrest, population decline, emigration

6. The Polis Citadel, or fortified state Independent urban centers
Dominated rural areas
Levied taxes
Political forms
Monarchies
“Tyrannies” — not necessarily oppressive
Early democracies

7. Sparta Peloponnesus Highly militarized and acquisitive society
Expanded during 8th and 7th centuries
Subjugated peoples: helots
Primarily agricultural serfs (not chattel slaves)
In time, outnumbered Spartans 10:1
Led to increasingly militaristic society

8. Spartan Society
This . . .
not this

9. Spartan Society Relaxation of discipline by 4th century
Austere society
Simplicity and frugality
Disdained distinctiveness, except in martial matters
Militaristic education
Boys removed from families at age seven
Rigorous military training / lived in barracks
Active duty until age 30
Girls also underwent exacting physical regimen
Relaxation of discipline by 4th century

10. Athens
This . . .
not this

11. Athens Development of early democracy
Comparatively large political base, but:
Free, adult males only
Foreigners, women, slaves excluded
Athenian society
Maritime trade (7th century)
Increases aristocratic power & class / socio-economic tensions
Small landholders forced into debtor peonage

12. Solon and Athenian Democracy
638–558
Averts civil war
Aristocrats maintain land
Debt forgiveness
Debt slavery banned
Extension of polity
Removal of lineage restrictions
Institution of paid civil service

13. Pericles 495–429 “First citizen of Athens” General Naval supremacy
Zenith of Athenian democracy
Popular aristocrat
Infrastructural programs
Cultural development
Science
Philosophy
Literature
Art
Architecture

14. Greek Colonization (8th century)
Poleis population expansion
Coastal Mediterranean & Black Sea colonies
Imperial government?
Effects:
Commercial expansion
Communication
Language
Culture
Political & social effects

15. Persian Wars (500–479) Anatolia Ionian coast Marathon (490)
Cyrus and Darius
Ionian coast
Revolt, (500) supported by Athens
Suppressed by Darius (493)
Marathon (490)
Herodotus’ Histories
Darius dies (486)
Xerxes’ (Darius’ son) revenge (480)
Thermopylae
Leonidas’ Spartans’ last stand
Athens burned
Salamis & Attica
Themistocles’
Xerxes withdraws

16. The Delian League Response to the Persian menace Led by Athens
Sparta refused to join
Superior navy & military
Other poleis contributed financially
Payments fueled Periclean ( ) expansion
Resentment

17. The Peloponnesian War Civil war (431-404) Expanded civil strife
Athens v. Sparta
Negotiated peace (421)
Syracuse (415)
Athens capitulates unconditionally
Expanded civil strife

18. Kingdom of Macedon Frontier region north of Peloponnesus
Semi-autonomous clans
Beneficial trade w/ Greece
King Philip II (r )
Greek hostage ( )
Powerful military
Consolidated power
Imperial designs
Greece (338)
Assassinated (336)
Pausanias of Orestis

19. Alexander of Macedon Expanded military Brilliant strategist
Inspirational leader
Conquered ( )
Ionia, Anatolia, Syria, Palestine, Egypt, Mesopotamia, Persia
Invaded India (327)
Soldiers weary
Returned (324)
Died (323)

20. Alexander’s Empire, ca. 323 B.C.E.

21. The Hellenistic Empires
Power vacuum
Empire divided thricely
Antigonus: Greece & Macedon
Ptolemy: Egpyt
Seleucus: Persian Achaemenid Empire
Hellenistic Era
Extension of Greek culture
Integrated economies and cultures from Greece to India

22. The Antigonid Empire Greek conflict Political settlement Tax relief
Local autonomy
Land distribution
Athens
Corinth
Emigration
Seleucid empire

23. The Ptolemaic Empire Wealthiest Hellenistic empire
Efficient organization
Agriculture, industry, taxation
Royal monopolies
Textiles, salt, beer
Alexandria
Nile River & Mediterranean
Administrative center
Megalopolis
Cultural center
Alexandrian Museum
Alexandrian Library

24. The Seleucid Empire Greek zenith Mass Greek colonization Ai Khanum
Exportation of Greek culture
From Anatolia to Bactria

25. Trade and Integration of the Mediterranean Basin
Limited Greek agriculture
Small grain harvests
Rich in olive and grapes
Commercial economy
Mediterranean Sea
Black Sea
“Trading links”
Manufactures
Spread Greek culture

26. Panhellenic Festivals
Olympic Games
776 ?
Olympia
Integrated colonies
Quadrennial for millennium

27. Patriarchal Society Infanticide Women subservient Priestess Sparta
Sappho
Poetess
Homosexual double-standard

28. Slavery Debtor slavery Captured soldiers Slave trade
Scythians (Russia)
Nubians (Egypt / Sudan)

29. The Greek Language Adapted Phoenician alphabet
Flexible & complex language
Allowed for abstract communication
Philosophy

30. Socrates (470–399) Pivotal philosophic figure Socratic Method
Reflective questioning
Honor, personal integrity, justice
Plato
Public gadfly (persistent, irritating critic)
Death sentence: immorality and corruption of youth

31. Plato (430–347) Student of Socrates Systematized Socratic thought
Socratic dialogues
Forms, or Ideas
Material world = shadow of the real world
Perception is reality
“Allegory of the cave”
The Republic
Intellectual aristocracy
Philosopher-king

32. Aristotle (389 – 322 B.C.E.)

33. Aristotle (389–322) Disciple of Plato
Forms, or Ideas = useless constructs
Emphasized empirical findings, reason
“The master of those who know.”

34. Greek Theology Polytheistic Personified supernatural powers
Sun, wind, rain
Mythological stories
Zeus, Apollo, Fortune, Furies
Religious cults
Eleusinian mysteries: morality
Demeter: fertility cult
Dionysus→ The Bacchae
Domestication of rituals

35. Tragic Drama Evolution from cultic rituals Major playwrights Aeschylus
Sophocles
Euripides
Aristophanes

36. Hellenistic Philosophies
Epicureans
Pleasure, or quite satisfaction
The “greatest good”
Skeptics
Doubted certainty
Stoics
Most respected
Universal family
Duty, virtue, inner peace