Dr. Thomason, World History, 112A
 
 

Q: Where is ancient Greece and how did civilization begin there?
A:Much like modern Greece. Southeastern Europe, peninsula into Mediterranean, islands. map
Very close, but not linked to Asia via Turkey. "Mediterranean Zone" climate.
Mountainous, islands, ocean-looking.

Q: How was agriculture practiced in Greece?
A: NOT a river civilization. Rivers exist, but not main source of water.
Dependent on winter, spring rains. Wheat, olives, grapes, goats. Terrace agriculture on mountainsides.

Q: Who were the Greeks and what languages did they speak?
A:  Earliest Greek speakers must have come from Eurasia, spoke Indo-European.
Tradition tells of "Dorian Invasion" of Indo-Europeans around 1500 B.C.E., but little archae. evidence.
Early Greeks called Mycenaeans, later tales about them in Homer's Iliad and Odyssey (ca. 800 B.C.E).

Q: What was their written script like and why did they "invent" it?
A:  Alphabetic script borrowed from Phoenicians (Lebanon), who themselves borrowed alphabetic cuneiform from Near Eastern cultures. Fewer letters than other early alphabets. Earliest proto-Greek scripts are Linear A (undeciphered) and Linear B (econ. texts).

Q: What was their religion like and how was it organized?
A:  Polytheistic with a pantheon. Head of pantheon is Zeus. Completely anthropomorphic deities, with composite lesser divine figures. Rituals, sacrifices and offerings in temples.  Lots of myths, revered by western world, artists. Belief in oracles and dream interpreters.

Q: What were their political structures like and what were the responsibilities of the rulers?
A:  Many changes through time. First structures are kingdoms, then different city-states or polis emerge, each with different form of government: monarchy, oligarchy, democracy.

Q: What was the government of the polis of Athens like and why is it so significant for the western world?
A: Why is Athens so important? One of wealthiest city-states, prominent in Greek war vs. Persians. Becomes cultural and political center of Greek world.  Direct democracy evolves after series of oligarchs and dictators, called tyrants. Small population and limit on rights of citizenship allows high degree of participation.  By 500 B.C.E--Classical Period--move toward full democracy after some tyrants make changes in Athenian constitution.  Assembly of citizens is legislative, judicial, military, and executive branch--fully participatory.  Eventually one wealthy citizen chosen as archon to oversee Assembly's, policies.

Q: How was the society structured?
A: Elite oligarchs--wealthy land-owning families (citizens, most influential)
Small farmers--less wealthy, but political rights (citizens)
Merchants, craftsmen, traders--quite wealthy, some foreigners (metics), some Greek (citizens)
Freed slaves--varying degrees of political rights
Slaves--no political rights, but could buy freedom
Women--no political rights; some economic rights

Q: What led to the demise of Athenian power and the end of democracy in Athens?
A:  Wars with non-Greeks (Persians) and other city-states (mostly Sparta), leads to economic difficulties, internal unrest, and external conflict, so that Athens deteriorates in power and wealth by ca. 350 B.C.E.
 

Periodization of Greek History:
 

Mycenaean (Bronze Age)	1400-1100 B.C.E.
Dark Age (lack of urban culture)	1100-800 B.C.E. (Homer)
Archaic period (oligarchs, tyrants)	800 B.C.-500 B.C.E.
Classical period (Athenian democracy)	500-330 B.C.E. (Persian, Peloponnesian Wars)
Hellenistic period (Macedonian monarchy)	330-31 B.C.E. (Alexander the Great)