🏛️Intro to Ancient Greece Unit 5 – Classical Greece: Athens and Sparta

Key Historical Context

• Classical Greece period lasted from 5th to 4th centuries BCE following the Archaic period and preceding the Hellenistic period
• Marked by cultural, political, and military dominance of city-states (poleis) like Athens and Sparta
• Persian Wars (499-449 BCE) united Greek city-states against Persian Empire
  • Key battles: Marathon (490 BCE), Thermopylae (480 BCE), Salamis (480 BCE)
  • Greek victory established Athens as a major power
• Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) between Athens and Sparta led to Sparta's hegemony
  • Caused by Athenian imperialism and Spartan fear of its growing power
  • Weakened Greek city-states, paving way for Macedonian conquest under Philip II and Alexander the Great
• Socio-economic changes included rise of a wealthy merchant class, increased trade, and use of coinage
• Advancements in philosophy, art, literature, and science flourished during this period (Golden Age of Athens)

Athenian Society and Culture

• Athens was a cosmopolitan city with a diverse population of citizens, metics (foreign residents), and slaves
• Society divided into three main classes: citizens (adult male Athenians), metics, and slaves
  • Women had limited rights and were primarily responsible for household management
• Education highly valued, with boys attending schools for reading, writing, music, and physical training
  • Higher education included philosophy, rhetoric, and mathematics
• Religion played a central role in Athenian life, with festivals honoring gods like Athena, Dionysus, and Apollo
  • Acropolis housed the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to Athena, the city's patron goddess
• Athenian economy based on trade, with the port of Piraeus serving as a major hub
  • Exported wine, olive oil, pottery, and silver
  • Imported grain, timber, and metals
• Cultural achievements included drama (tragedies and comedies), sculpture, and architecture
  • Playwrights like Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides
  • Sculptors like Phidias and Praxiteles

Spartan Society and Military State

• Sparta was a militaristic society focused on maintaining a strong army and obedient citizenry
• Social hierarchy consisted of Spartiates (full citizens), Perioikoi (free non-citizens), and Helots (state-owned serfs)
  • Spartiates were a minority, but held all political power
• Spartan education (agoge) focused on military training, discipline, and obedience
  • Boys entered military training at age 7, became full soldiers at 20
  • Girls received physical training to prepare them for motherhood
• Spartan women had more rights compared to other Greek city-states
  • Could own property, engage in business, and influence politics
• Economy based on agriculture, with Helots working the land to support Spartan citizens
• Spartans valued simplicity, austerity, and self-discipline
  • Known for their laconic speech and dry wit
• Military innovations included the phalanx formation and the use of iron weapons and armor

Political Systems: Democracy vs. Oligarchy

• Athens developed the world's first democracy under Cleisthenes (508 BCE)
  • All male citizens could participate in the Assembly (Ekklesia) and serve on juries
  • Council of 500 (Boule) prepared legislation for the Assembly
  • Elected officials (strategoi) and lottery-appointed magistrates (archons) held executive power
• Sparta was an oligarchy ruled by two hereditary kings and a council of elders (Gerousia)
  • Five annually elected ephors held significant power, overseeing the kings and the state
  • Assembly (Apella) consisted of male Spartan citizens over 30, but had limited power
• Other Greek city-states had various political systems, including tyrannies, oligarchies, and democracies
• Political philosophers like Plato and Aristotle analyzed and critiqued different forms of government
  • Plato's "Republic" advocated for a philosopher-king ruled state
  • Aristotle's "Politics" examined the merits and drawbacks of various political systems

Major Conflicts and Wars

• Persian Wars (499-449 BCE) united Greek city-states against Persian Empire
  • Battle of Marathon (490 BCE): Athenian victory over larger Persian force
  • Battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE): Spartan-led force delayed Persian advance
  • Battle of Salamis (480 BCE): Athenian-led naval victory over Persians
  • Battles of Plataea and Mycale (479 BCE): Decisive Greek victories ending Persian threat
• Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) between Athens and Sparta
  • Caused by Athenian imperialism and Spartan fear of its growing power
  • Three phases: Archidamian War (431-421 BCE), Sicilian Expedition (415-413 BCE), Decelean War (413-404 BCE)
  • Key events: Pericles' Funeral Oration, Plague of Athens, Sicilian Expedition, Battle of Aegospotami
  • Ended with Spartan victory and the establishment of Spartan hegemony
• Corinthian War (395-387 BCE) between Sparta and a coalition of Athens, Thebes, Corinth, and Argos
  • Ended with the King's Peace (Peace of Antalcidas), dictated by Persia
• Theban hegemony (371-362 BCE) under Epaminondas, ended Spartan dominance
  • Battle of Leuctra (371 BCE): Theban victory over Sparta
  • Battle of Mantinea (362 BCE): Theban victory, but Epaminondas killed

Philosophical and Artistic Contributions

• Classical Greek philosophy laid the foundation for Western thought
  • Socrates (470-399 BCE) developed the Socratic method of questioning
  • Plato (428-348 BCE) explored concepts of reality, knowledge, and the ideal state
  • Aristotle (384-322 BCE) made contributions to logic, ethics, politics, and natural sciences
• Greek art and architecture emphasized harmony, proportion, and idealized beauty
  • Sculpture: Contrapposto stance, idealized human forms (Doryphoros, Venus de Milo)
  • Architecture: Classical orders (Doric, Ionic, Corinthian), temples (Parthenon), theaters
• Greek drama explored human nature, fate, and the relationship between gods and mortals
  • Tragedies by Aeschylus (Oresteia), Sophocles (Oedipus Rex), and Euripides (Medea)
  • Comedies by Aristophanes (The Clouds, Lysistrata)
• Greek historiography and literature provided accounts of historical events and myths
  • Herodotus (484-425 BCE) known as the "Father of History" (Histories)
  • Thucydides (460-400 BCE) wrote a detailed account of the Peloponnesian War
  • Homer's epics (Iliad and Odyssey) and Hesiod's works (Theogony, Works and Days)

Legacy and Influence on Western Civilization

• Greek democracy inspired modern democratic systems and ideas of citizenship
  • Concepts of rule of law, civic participation, and equality before the law
• Greek philosophy laid the foundation for Western thought and scientific inquiry
  • Socratic method, Platonic idealism, and Aristotelian logic and empiricism
  • Influenced later philosophers like Cicero, Augustine, Aquinas, and Enlightenment thinkers
• Greek art and architecture set standards of beauty and proportion
  • Influenced Roman, Renaissance, and Neoclassical art and architecture
  • Classical orders and principles of harmony, symmetry, and balance
• Greek literature and drama continue to be studied and adapted
  • Themes of tragedy, comedy, and the human condition
  • Influenced Shakespeare, French Neoclassical theater, and modern literature
• Greek mythology permeates Western art, literature, and popular culture
  • Archetypes, symbols, and themes (Odyssey, Oedipus, Prometheus)
• Greek language and alphabet form the basis for scientific and technical terminology
  • Many English words have Greek roots (democracy, philosophy, theater)

Key Figures and Their Impact

• Solon (630-560 BCE): Athenian statesman and lawgiver, laid the foundation for democracy
• Cleisthenes (570-508 BCE): Athenian reformer, introduced democratic reforms
• Pericles (495-429 BCE): Athenian statesman, presided over the Golden Age of Athens
  • Expanded democracy, initiated the construction of the Parthenon
• Leonidas (540-480 BCE): Spartan king, led the famous last stand at Thermopylae
• Themistocles (524-459 BCE): Athenian politician and general, mastermind of the Battle of Salamis
• Alcibiades (450-404 BCE): Athenian statesman and general, played a key role in the Peloponnesian War
• Socrates (470-399 BCE): Athenian philosopher, developed the Socratic method
  • Taught Plato, executed for corrupting the youth and impiety
• Plato (428-348 BCE): Athenian philosopher, founded the Academy
  • Wrote dialogues exploring concepts of reality, knowledge, and the ideal state
• Aristotle (384-322 BCE): Greek philosopher and polymath, student of Plato
  • Made contributions to logic, ethics, politics, and natural sciences
• Herodotus (484-425 BCE): Greek historian, known as the "Father of History"
  • Wrote "Histories" about the Persian Wars and Greek-Persian cultural interactions
• Thucydides (460-400 BCE): Athenian historian and general
  • Wrote "History of the Peloponnesian War," a detailed account of the conflict
• Sophocles (497-406 BCE): Athenian playwright, one of the great tragedians
  • Works include "Oedipus Rex," "Antigone," and "Electra"