classical greece

Synoikism

When several small villages come together to make a city (for protection, economics) 

Acropolis

The easily defended and highest point of the city.

Agora

Where you would bye, sell, and trade (go here for religious reasons, you could vote here)

Hoplites

Soldiers (means heavily guarded) 

Social classes

Citizens-residents-underclass 

Citizens

Someone who can vote and be a part of the government. To be a citizen you had to own land or property, be a man, You had to be native born, you had to be 18-20 years old. 

Residents

Women and children, and foreigners, they have protections over the laws 

Underclass

Slaves captured in battle or dept slaves 

Arkhons

Governers who serve one-year terms 

Councils

Two different councils. The first was called the Boule who wielded the most power. They decided what the assembly would hear.  

Areopagos

Eventually evolve into a role similar to the supreme court 

Ekklesia

All citizens are able to vote

Draco 

Draco was a judge in Athens who reformed Greek laws revolving around murder and revenge, death was a consequence for violation of many of his laws. 

Solon

Was not a radical reformer, Solon divided the populace into 4 tribes or classes, with 100 representatives of each tribe elected as members of the Boule. These tribes are divided by wealth and suggest the possibility of social mobility. However the reforms prove unpopular, Solon goes into exile. 

Kleisthenes

Expands the Boule to 500 members. The new Boule is comprised of 50 members

Kleroterion

Was used to select jurors selected from the citizenry of Athens, and was totally randomized 

Ostracism 

It was a way to stop tinersum. 

It meant that you and your family had to physically leave Athens for a period of 10 years. However you did not need to sell your home or your business. But all the political power you built up will drop and once you come back all your political influence is gone and you are just a normal citizen. 

The two basic principles of democracy 

1. No professional bureaucrats (Nobody served on council more than once)

2. Each citizen can hold office 

Lykourgos

He created the spartan system called the great Rhetra

Rhetra was the military system that made them so great 

Homoioi 

Means to belong 

Spartiates or Homoioi

Full Spartan citizens were called

Perioikoi

Helots were slaves

Residents

The dwellers

They could not vote or be apart of the government 

Helots

Slaves

Apothetae

“the depository” 

The e-fours would look over the Spartan babies to check to see if they were worthery and if the child had anything wrong with them they were thrown off the mountain. 

Infanteicide

The practice of getting rid of unwanted babies. This mainly affected baby girls because they did not have as much use as a male. The Spartans were the only people we know practiced this for males and not girls. 

The Agoge

A Spartan military school for young boys to learn to become warriors

Spartan Women

While the militarized society of Sparta created a powerful military, it also had negative effects for the society at large. Men and women were often kept separated, which made reproduction rates lower than in other Greek cities. Thus, heavy losses in a Spartan battle severely weakened Sparta as a whole. 

How did Sparta decline?

There was a decline in reproduction. They separated men and women until their 30s. The agoge/ lots of boys will die in it. Wars will kill off men who would have been able to reproduce.

Government in Sparta

Oligarchy

2

kings 

Ephors

5 old men/ 1 year term/ had to be over 60 

Gerousia

30 men/ determine what to vote on/ what laws will be passed/ over 60 

Spartan assembly

could not propose policies

The persian war 

Miltiodies became the general of the Athenian army and he knew they needed help and asked the Spartans. So he sent a professional runner to Sparta and it took him three days to get there.

Spartans say they will be late because of a religious ceremony.

Persians will be there in two weeks

So they planned to hold off the siege but they did not trust the Spartans. They then thought of a small opening in a village that they would have to get through and they could ambush them.

Fight along the coast

The Athenians will be outnumbered, however the Persians are not used to fighting on the land where the Athens live. The Persians also don’t get to use their chariots so the Greeks will have the advantage over them.

Darius I’s son, Xerxes

Launches a huge force from land and sea (estimated at 1 million people) in order to avenge his father and defeat Greece. Smaller city-states immediately surrender to Xerxes. 

Salamis is the turning point because

Xerxes loses too many ships and has to return home.

Perikles

The leader of Athens at the start of the Peloponnesian war. He will die of plague in 429 BC. He will use the delion league. He will re-build Athens 

Kleroukhies

A military outpost established by the Athinans.

Through establishing cleruchies, the Athenians allowed for the expansion of the Athenian empire through obtaining land and creating a network of Athenian strongholds, which benefited not only Athens as state, but also the cleruchs whom were moving upin the social class and gaming land as a result, whilst still retaining their Athenian affiliation, all of which served 

What went wrong in Sparta 

1. An earthquake 

2. A slave revolt 

3. Internal problems

Peloponnesian war 

The war will last for 27 years. Athens should win this war. But they don’t Sparta will win the Peloponnesian war

Persia is the real winner of the Peloponnesian war

Turning points

1. Death of Pericles- he would die from the plague which was brought in by the people from the hinterlands. When he dies there is no one who can replace him. 

2. Failed Sicilian expedition - Alcibiades is the nephew of Perikles and he is a general of Athens. He convinces the leaders of Athens to capture the island of Sicilies. He wanted to take over the salt mines so they would stop sending salt to Sparta.  There is a politician who does not want to go, but he is forced to go because he would be missing the glory of winning the battle or dying gloriously.  

3. Defection of Alkibiades- Alcibiades got drunk the night before and defaced religious statues, and he goes on the ships to avoid punishment from the law. But they send fast ships to catch up with the ships. He jumps off the boat and starts swimming for land and he makes it to land alive. He goes to Sparta and becomes an allie. Alicibiotes gives the Spartans the way to win the war, and because of him they will win the war.

4. Persian alliance with Sparta-The Spartans realize they are struggling, they go to the Persians and ask for money. The Persians agreed to give money to Sparta in exchange for Greek cities. The Spartans were going to ignore this but the Persians threatened to give money to all the city-states to all of the Spartans' enemies. 

5. Defeat at Arginusae- The first time the Spartans send out a ship the Athenians crush them. And the second time they send out ships they are crushed again. The battle will be won by Athens. But because of the Athens SOP they have to go back for survivors, but a storm hits and they decide to save themselves and not go back for the men in the water. But when they get back they get arrested for not going back for the survivors in the water, and the courts decide to imprison them and execute them. All these men were experienced and were then replaced by young men who did not know what they were doing. As a result of this battle the Athenians lose their advantage. 

6. Defeat at Aegospotomi-the Sparatans win this battle. This battle destroys the Athenas fleets and they don't have many ships left. Athens is attacked at 3 sides which makes them surrender. And they make the Athenians tear down their walls that had protected them. Athens is forced to disband the Delian League. Lysander places a pro-Sparta oligarchy called the 30 tyrants to rule Athens.  

Archidamus ll

king of Sparta at beginning of the Peloponnesian league invaded Attica in 431 and 430 BC

Cleon

Leader of Athens after death of Pericles

Nicias

Started peace of Nicias, it was a peace treaty that was supposed to last 50 years but it only lasted for 4-5 years before war started again. He was the one to negotiate this, he was not a good general .