Ancient Greece Unit: 3-5

πόλις (λόγος 3) - Essence

• Polis in english, which translates to city or city state. Typically had an urban center with a surrounding agricultural land, that each had their own self governing governments. As each polis was different from one another as each one had their own government, laws, and customs.

πόλις (λόγος 3) - Chronology and Context

• Helped define Ancient Greece in its political and social units

• Its history was from the Archaic Period (c. 800-480 BCE) to eventually declining within the Hellenistic period (c. 323-31 BCE)

πόλις (λόγος 3) - Significance

• A state that had its own autonomy while also being a city too

• No polis was truly the same as each one had their own authority, laws, and etc. But shared with the other nearby city states the same language and cultural practices.

• Acted as the fundamental building block of a lot of Greek life. Shaping culture, political, and social attributes of Greek life as a whole. 

• Helped be the center of a lot of Greek people’s life and identity

• Lots of Greek citizens were expected to partake in the culture and society as a whole to foster community

• Arguments would arise amongst different polis as they were their own separate entities meaning they would clash on ideals and values

• Helped provide the formation of what we call democracy. As each citizen would partake in a lot of society’s issues. Fostering  more of a community and citizen participation. 

• The idea of one being an active citizen in the community was heavily reemphasized multiple times throughout society.

Sparta (τόπος 3) - Essence

• An ancient Greek city-state known for the culture being built around military services, rigid social structure, and warrior culture.

Sparta (τόπος 3) - Chronology and Context

• Sparta was a city-state in Laconia in Ancient Greece. The state was more better known in its time as Lacedaemon, with “Sparta” referring more so to its capital. With Sparta being a group of villages in the valley of Evrotas river, in Laconia.

• Within 650 BC it rose to great prominence as a major military power in Greece, with it remaining as such until 371 BC. 

Sparta (τόπος 3) - Significance

• Within its peak Sparta subdued the powerful Athenian navy, and had won many of the battles against key Greek states. 

• Sparta had stood out as a powerful force as it had beat the Athenian empire and had then invaded the Persian provinces in Anatolia, marking a period of Spartan Hegemony near the end of 5th century BC

• When Sparta had beaten the Athenian empire during the Peloponnesian War in 404 BCE, it ended Athen’s dominance, soon forming Sparta's period of dominance of Greece. 

  • The Athenian empire had fallen because with Persian support, Sparta had managed to finally defeat the Athenian empire. As they had managed to destroy the Athenian fleet during the battle of Aegospotami during 405 BCE. With Sparta causing a blockade to Athens soon starvation would take fleet with the city soon surrendering. 

• Sparta soon declined later due to its rigid societal structure, military power, and personal defeats. When the city had failed to adapt to better military innovation and discourage any real economic growth along with multiple defeats. Over time the cities main weaknesses, and outside external forces, ultimately led to the cities downfall. 

• Interesting how Sparta and Athens (τόπος 5)were both very powerful city-states but differed within their main city ideals. While Sparta focused more on developing a stronger military and combat, Athens focused more on the arts and education. With young boys in Athens learning how to read and write while boys from more wealthy families pursued higher education like the government.

Nestor’s Cup (ἔργον 3) - Essence

• A wine cup found in 1954 in the San Montano cemetery from the 8th century BC, which is associated with Pithekoussai.

Nestor’s Cup (ἔργον 3) - Chronology and Context

• On the three-line conscription found in the cup, it is one of the earliest surviving written pieces of writing in the Greek alphabet.

• The cup makes a reference to Homer’s Iliad, as the cup is described by that as the “cup of Nestor.” Referencing the legendary mixing cup owned by the hero of Nestor in Homer’s Iliad.

Nestor’s Cup (ἔργον 3) - Significance

• Discovered in a 1954 excavation during an excavation at the ancient Greek colony of Pitheokoussai on the island of Ischia.  

• The inscription on the cup reads, “I am Nestor’s cup, good to drink from. Whoever drinks this cup empty, straightaway desire for beautiful-crowned Aphrodite will seize him.” A humorous reference to Homer’s the Iliad. 

  • The writing is in the Euboean alphabet, one of the oldest forms of writing in the Greek alphabet, it dates around 750-700 BCE.

  • It is important because it has the earliest example of Greek poetry. As the text was written in hexameter, a meter typically reserved for epic poems and that it was written in the Archaic Greek Alphabet written from right to left.

• The inscription being a reference to Homer’s Iliad helped archaeologists understand that Homer’s poem was widely known or at least people had said knowledge of it in the 8th century BC.

  • The cup is a reference to Nestor’s cup in the Iliad. In Homer’s epic it is a large golden cup with four handles, and two golden doves on each hand. But it is so heavy that only Nestor, the king of Plyos, can lift it.

βάρβαρος (λόγος 4) - Essence

• Or barbados, means “foreigner” or “non Greek.” Typically reserved to those who were not Greek and spoke a language that was not familiar or recognizable. The original meaning meant someone who did not speak Greek, but had in turn over time had developed a negative connotation. As someone who was uncouth or savage. 

βάρβαρος (λόγος 4) - Chronology and Context

• Originally formed as the onomatopoeia for the sounds of non-Greek languages. With the words being said by non Greek speakers when perceived by Greek speakers sounding a lot like “bar-bar-bar.” 

• The term was originally non offensive. Before the 5th century BC, it wasn’t widely known yet. It appeared once in Homer’s Iliad. Having been formed as a compound adjective of the word, βαρβαρόφωνος (barbarophonos), which meant “incomprehensible speech.” At the time it mainly applied to the Carians who fought Troy.

βάρβαρος (λόγος 4) - Significance

• Originally referred to people who did not speak Greek, but had evolved over time into what the Greeks had perceived as random babbling. 

• This idea of those who didn’t speak Greek only was exemplified after the Persian wars, reaffirming their idea that those who were non-Greeks were barbaric or uncivilized.

  • This only made the dichotomy more distinct between Greek culture being seen as the classier more refined ones, distinguishing themselves between the disgusting “barbaric” culture as they so perceived. 

• It was mainly used against the Persians at the time but then soon evolved to any other cultures the Greeks had met, such as with the Romans. Who then took the term and adapted with it too.

• Medea in the tragic play Medea, is what the Greeks would consider a barbaros. As she is not Greek but from Corinth, and even with her sacrifices to help Jason get the golden fleece, sacrificing things for him. But when Jason leaves her for another woman he uses her being a foreigner as an insult, after she has killed their children. Saying so because no “proper” Greek woman would kill her own children, but a woman like Medea would.

Thermopylae (τόπος 4) - Essence

• Means “Hot Gates.” Its name derives from the nearby hot sulfur springs. Also referring to the site of narrow pass in Greece.

Thermopylae (τόπος 4) - Chronology and Context

• Mainly used now as a symbol of heroic resistance against overwhelming odds, most famously for the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC.

• The Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, was a pivotal moment during the Greco-Persian wars.

Thermopylae (τόπος 4) - Significance

• Well known for the strategic delay of the Persian army, which greatly helped the Greek army giving them time to plan out and prepare for future battles. 

• Having used the natural area and terrain to their advantage to hold off the Persian army for two days. 

• Even with the Persians coming in and some fleeing, other Spartans and Thespians stayed to fight to the death which also helped inflict significant damage and make major losses to the  Persian army which helped contribute to the Greeks' victories later down the line.

• Soon became a symbol of not giving up even when the odds are stacked against you such as with the last stand between King Leonidas and his 300 Spartans. Where King Leonidas of Sparta made a last stand against the massive Persian army of King Xerxes I. 

  • This selfless act soon fostered a sense of unity between the Greek city, which helped boost morale as when the Greeks later won at Salamis and Plataea

Ostraca (ἔργον 4) - Essence

• The plural form of the word, ostracon. A piece of pottery, sometimes broken off from a larger piece like a vase or other pottery. But within the archaeological context, it refers more so to shards or small pieces of stone with writing etched in.

Ostraca (ἔργον 4) - Chronology and Context

• Mainly used for the political process of ostracism in 5th century BC Athens. 

• The original purpose of it was that it was mainly used by Athens during the 5th century BC mainly to remove those that were a threat to democracy. But then soon came to be used by political factions as a way to remove political opponents.

Ostraca (ἔργον 4) - Significance 

• Ostraca was significantly used by the ancient Greeks for how they committed ostracization. In which citizens would vote on shards of pottery by writing their fellow citizens name, where citizens would vote to whom they would choose to banish for 10 years.

  • Other than being used for politics, ostraca was also used as a cheap way to write and record about daily life. Helping archaeologists understand more about day to day ancient Greek life. 

• Typically the person that was voted was because they would want to remove those that they saw as a danger to the community for a multitude of reasons. The citizens may have acquired too much power, they violated laws that were in place, or if they were just seen as a danger to the overall community.

• After the citizens would choose to write the name of the person they wanted to be exiled on an ostracon shard. Once the votes were counted, if the required number of votes was achieved, the person who was written on the shards that person was soon set to be banished for a decade. 

• It was also an alternative to exile, as ostracism still allowed the person to come back after the 10 year period was over. As the banished person was still allowed to keep their property and citizenship.

κάθαρσις (λόγος 5) - Essence

• Translates to kathariss in english, meaning “purification” or “cleansing.” Typically reserved within the idea of tragic dramas with the main character having a renewed sense or rebirth.

κάθαρσις (λόγος 5) - Chronology and Context

• Evolved from its origin to being something physical to turning into a word that means something spiritual. 

• With religious purification and emotional purification being prominent throughout Greek history. An example would be with Plato and his idea of purifying our souls from distractions and desires of our body in the 4th century BC.

κάθαρσις (λόγος 5) - Significance

• It allowed Greek audiences watching these plays experience a form of emotional catharsis. Allowing the ancient Greeks to have a healthy way to release pent up feelings within themselves. 

  • Watching these characters struggle with inner emotional turmoil and desires allows the ancient Greek audience at the end to have at the end of the show an emotional release and having their emotions cleansed having a sense of relief after the show. 

• This was almost a ritual practice helping the emotional and spiritual health of the overall community. With them being able to have a deeper insight into their own emotions watching the protagonist struggle and deal with many different conflicting feelings.

• Many audiences can have their anger and grief or other emotions channeled by the plays they watch. Such as with Medea, as they can either sympathize with her plight and understand why she killed her children after facing a harsh betrayal from Jason. Or they can villanize her and sympathize with Jason who must contend with that his children are dead and have been killed at the hands of not just their mother, but to that of a barbaros too.

Athens (τόπος 5) - Essence

• A powerful and influential Greek-city state, being the main building block for western democracy and renowned for its literature, philosophy, and art.

Athens (τόπος 5) - Chronology and Context

• Originally a Mycenaean settlement but then evolved into a powerful city state renowned for its art, democracy, and culture around the Classical period (c. 480-323 BC). 

• Major developments that came within Athens was that of democracy coming around under Cleisthenes (508 BC), the construction of the Parthenon (447-434 BC), being defeated during the Peloponnesian War losing over time its power and prestige.

Athens (τόπος 5) - Significance

• The first Greek-City state to develop democracy, where citizens would partake in government by voting on laws, being on juries, and paying taxes. 

• Attracted lots of the arts, philosophers, and science with prominent thinkers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle coming to Athens. 

• Often considered the “cradle of Western civilization” as its progress and achievements during the Classical period left the groundwork and had a major lasting impact on the world. 

• Athens heavily differed from Sparta who was more known for focusing on strength and military force, Athens focused more so on education. As young boys tended to learn how to read, write, and engage in other arts. While young boys from nobler families tended to pursue higher education such as science and politics.

• Due to its strategic location as a city and with the discovery of silver mines, it helped develop them into a rich trading port city, having a busy port at Piraeus. 

  • Athens had used the silver found at the mines to mint them into money, so they could fund their powerful navy. Which had helped them defeat the Persians and establish themselves as a powerful force in the Delian league.

Parthenon (ἔργον 5) - Essence

• An ancient Greek temple built on the Acropolis of Athens, that was dedicated to the goddess of Athena. As she was also the patron goddess of Athens. 

Parthenon (ἔργον 5) - Chronology and Context

• It was believed to have been built between 447 to 432 BCE. 

• Its main purpose was that it was built to honor the goddess of Athena, especially during the period of Athenian powder following the Persian Wars 

Parthenon (ἔργον 5) - Significance 

icance (6 points):

• A temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, the goddess of wisdom, warfare, and arts. Although there was a statue of Athena originally housed in the temple made of gold and ivory it was unfortunately destroyed. 

• The Parthenon was commissioned by the Athenian leader Pericles following victory over the Persians.

• Because it was the main temple in Athens it was seen as the most powerful one, due to Athens at the time being the most powerful of the Delian League, representing the league’s strength together and the prosperity going on at the time. 

• Often seen and regarded as a symbol of democracy, as it was founded during the period in Athens where there was great prosperity, after they had managed to defeat the Persians. 

• Represented the peak of Classical Greek architecture as it was achieved through mathematical equations that allowed it to be a visually perfect structure.

• Once housed many treasures and valuables, that reflected the once prosperous cities wealth. As it once functioned as the treasury for Athens.