Classical Greece

Basileus

Kings or monarchs who ruled city-states

Aristocracy

“Rule of the best”

Oligarchy

“Rule of the few”

Tyranny

Rule seized by an individual, usually through an overthrow

Democracy

“Rule by mob”

Tyrants

Self made monarchs whose supporters are usually previously marginalized peoples

Who were citizens?

Free males over 18 who owned land and were born in Greece

Arkhons

“Governors” or chief executives who serve one year terms.

Areopagos

Comprised of former Arkhons, elite members of society who eventually evolved into a role similar to the Supreme Court.

Boule

Decided what the assembly was going to hear/vote on

Draco

Composed the first written law code for Athens, had famously harsh and strict laws

Solon

Replaced Draco’s laws with his own, divided the populace into 4 social classes, and possibly allowed social mobility between those classes. Not a radical reformer.

Ostracism

Introduced by Kleisthenes, was a practice employed to get rid of potential tyrants. Done as a way to prevent one individual from gaining too much power

What were the two important basic principles of Athenian Democracy?

1: No professional bureaucrats

2: Each citizen could hold office

Synoikism

Meaning “to dwell together,” the process by which smaller villages come together to form a large city or federation, politically fusing several poleis together.

Polis

A city or city-state

Acropolis

Center and highest point of the city, usually contains the Treasury and is easily defended.

Agora

Center of public and ecomonic activity, where people go to trade, attend religious ceremonies, vote, etc.

Hoplite

Heavily armed farmers who were were the backbone of the Greek military, formed the phalanxes

Rhetra

The general system/lifestyle of the Spartans, defined by upholding the codes of their militaristic society.

Agoge

Spartan training system for boys starting at age 7

Spartan women were…

expected to remain physically fit so they could have stronger children

Ephors

Administrators of the city who were more powerful than kings

Spartas kings

Had “ceremonial” power, there were 2 of them, position passed down through hereditary lines, were military and religious leaders

Gerousia

An advisory council of 28 elders.

Assembly

All of the citizens eligible to vote, can vote on policies but cannot propose policies.

Why did Sparta begin to become undone?

Decline of population

Results of the Persian Wars:

Athens becomes most powerful city-state, the Delian League, an alliance with other city-states is created, Athens dominated alliances, and slowly turned into Athenian Empire

Battle of Marathon

Battle between Athens and Persia, Athenians were very outnumbered but used clever strategic tactics and phalanxes to defeat the Persians

Battle of Luektra

Battle between Thebes and Sparta, Sparta loses due to lack of people left in the army, and Thebes seizes control of Greece until the arrival of the Macedonians

Battle of Salamis

Turning point of the Persian Wars because Xerxes loses too many ships and has to return home

Battle of Plaitaiai

Final battle of the Persian Wars, Greece defeats Persia

Battle of Argunisae

Naval battle after which Athenian admirals were not able to pick up survivors in the sea due to a storm, they returned to Athens and were condemned and executed

Battle of Aegospotomi

Battle between Athens and Sparta, Sparta wins and ends the Peloponnesian Wars

Results of Peloponnesian Wars

Greece becomes a multi-polar system, democracy survives and continues in Athens, Sparta declines because its social structure is not fit for the outside world, the real winner is Persia who gains many Greek cities in the east.

Peisistratus

Tyrant of Athens after Solon left, and his sons took over after his death

Kleisthenes

Aristocrat and reformer who re-established order in Athens after Peisistrasus’s sons were overthrown

Kleisthenes’ Constitution

Created 10 new tribes representing all classes, all adult males became Assembly members, introduced ostracism and removed discredited leaders, equality of laws & freedom of speech.

Leonidas

Led the Spartans against Xerxes at the Battle of Thermopylai

Lysander

Admiral and Commander of the Spartans who won the Battle of Aegospotomi

Archidamus

Spartan king who invades Attica and surrounds Athens, cutting it off from its food and money sources

Cimon

Athenian who had trade expand under his rule after thee introduction of the drachma, lost power after trying to offer assistance to Sparta

Themistokles

Leader of the Delian League early on and the leads the Greek navy at Salamis, who gets ostracized and ends up in Persia.

Miltiades

Athenian general who led the Greek forces to victory at the Battle of Marathon.

Pericles

The leader of Athens at the start of the Peloponnesian War and leads Athens through what is considered the “Golden Age” of Athens, under him Athenian economy thrived and became more democratic. His death creates a vacuum of leadership that leads to Athens downfall

Cleon

Athenian politician who wanted to continue with the Peloponnesian Wars, people took his side

Nicias

Athenian politician who wanted to pursue peace, created a peace treaty that was supposed to last 50 years but did not work

Alcibiades

Nephew of Pericles who led the unsuccessful invasion of Syracuse and advocated for the expedition that failed and lost many of Athens forces. Got exiled from Athens, went to Sparta and gave them advice on how to defeat Athens, was a large part of Athen’s downfall

Why was Solon not a radical reformer?

He wanted balance between social classes and implemented moderate reforms instead of drastic changes.

What changes did Kleisthenes make that led to democracy?

He created new tribes that represented all classes of Athenian society, reorganized political structures, and increased citizen participation in governance.

What were the differences between Spartan and Athenian governments?

Athens had a democracy with Arkhons and Councils, while Sparta had an oligarchy with ceremonial kings and was really ruled by Ephors and the Gerousia, a council of elders. They both had Assemblys, but the Athenian Assemblys could vote on and propose policies, while the Spartan Assemblys could only vote on them

What were the 6 events (turning points) that led to the defeat of Athens in the Peloponnesian Wars

1. Death of Pericles: creates a vacuum in leadership, no one to replace him

2. Failed Sicilian Expedition: Loss of forces Athenians cannot afford

3. Defection of Alcibiades: Goes to Sparta and helps them defeat the Athenians with strategies.

4. Persian alliance with Sparta

5. Arginusae: Athenians lose their advantage of leadership and skill

6. Defeat at Aegospotomi

Delian League

Founded by Athenians, Greek naval alliance formed to unite city-states against Persia. Athens used money from tributes to the League to build up their own influence and splendor

Kleroukhies

Military and economic outposts of Athens placed in the land of their allies. Athenian allies were not happy about them and thought Athens was gaining too much power

Lycurgus/Lykourgus

Credited with setting up the Spartan form of government, including Rhetra. Also created the Spartan Constitution that had no written laws

Arkhons, Councils with Areopagos and Boules, and Assemblies that could vote on and propose policies were a part of…

Athenian Government

Ceremonial kings, Ephors, Gerousia, and Assemblies that could only vote on policies were a part of

Spartan Government