Social and Political Thought in the West

Where was the Minoan civilization, and why do we know so little about it?

Crete. Because the writing system remain undeciphered.

Why do we not know what language the Minoans spoke?

Because the writing system remain undeciphered.

In what ways were the Greek ‘Dark Ages’ a period of decline?

There was a civilization collapse, leading to a major decline in population, trade, and urban life

What writing system did the Greeks adopt and how did they change it to fit their own needs?

Phoenician writing system. They added vowels to make it easier.

How extensive was the ancient Greek diaspora?

It spreaded to the area of the Black Sea, North Africa, and Asia Minor.

What were the main consequences of the introduction of coined money in the 7th C?

It created a gap between the powerful and the less powerful, debt, and slavery problems.

What were hoplites and the phalanx? Why was the phalanx so effective as a military formation?

Hoptiles were citizen soldiers and the Phalanx was a military formation consisting of soldiers fighting as a unit and using shields as walls. This was effective because enemies could not penetrate easily.

What were the main elements in the sense of common Greekness? Why was this sense so important given the political nature of the Greek world?

Speaking one of the various Greek dialects, and having a shared set of myths and customs. There was no central Greek government (each city and colony being self-governing).

How did the major Greek states of Sparta and Athens differ from each other?

Unlike Sparta, Athens became a major trading hub.

Who were Solon and Cleisthenes, and why were their reforms so revolutionary?

Solon‘s reforms ended debt bondage, giving citizens more power to appeal and participate in the council while reducing aristocratic power. Cleisthenes gave the council more power and distributed it better. Their reforms moved Athens toward a more democratic form of government.

What was the Athenian practice of ostracism?

A practice where men can vote to vanish people from cities.

What was the importance of the battles of Marathon, Thermopylae, Salamis, and Platea in the Greco-Persian war?

They demonstrated Greek brilliance and maintain Greek civilization from vanishing.

What were the Peloponnesian Wars, and what were their ultimate consequences?

They were wars where Athenians overextended their forces and lost to the Spartans. The Macedonians defeated the Greeks which ultimately ended the Greek civilization.

Ultimately, which state came to dominate the Greek world?

Macedon.

Which two Macedonian rulers secured their kingdom’s dominance over the Greek world?

Alexander the Great and Philip II.

What was so remarkable about Alexander’s conquests?

Rapidly conquered the Persian Empire and rapid expansion of the empire.

Where is Bactria and the Indus River?

Central Asia and Afghanistan. The river flows through present-day Pakistan and northwestern India.

How did the Hellenistic period transform the Greek-speaking world?

Greek became the lingua franca and its influences spreaded, creating hybrid culture between Greek and indigenous beliefs.

Where was Greco-Buddhism centred? What was Greco-Buddhism?

Bactria. It was a fusion of Greek and Buddhist culture, where some Greek rulers adopted Buddhism.

How did the existence of the Hellenistic kingdoms impact the economy?

Local trade with increased distances, favored cities became rich while others declined, and Ptolemies fostered agriculture technology.

How did the existence of the Hellenistic kingdoms transform Greek intellectual life?

Greek influence remained even after Greek political rule ended, spreading to other regions, creating hybrid cultures with local cultures.

Which city was the capital of Ptolemaic Egypt, and why was it so important in Greek intellectual life?

Alexandria. Its library served as a place of education.

Give at least one example of something in the modern world which has its origins in Ancient or Hellenistic Greece.

Olympics.

What is hubris? Give an example.

Overconfidence. Icarus flying close to the Sun.

Name at least one Ancient Greek tragedy still popular in the modern world.

Oedipus.

(a) How did the ‘New’ and ‘Middle’ Comedy differ from the ‘Old Comedy’ of Aristophanes? (b) Why do you think this change occurred?

(a) Old comedy is political satire and extreme changes to domestic comedy. (b) People were afraid to joke about the Hellenistic monarchy system.

(a) Why were Thales and his associates so important in the development of Greek thought? (b) What was so revolutionary about the way they thought about the nature of the universe?

(a) They tried to work out how the universe begun with observation and not religion. (b) It was the birth of modern science and a nature philosopher.

(a) What important modern scientific idea has its origins in the thinking of Democritus of Abdera? (b) What is the basic idea here?

(a) Atomism. (b) Everything is made from atoms which cannot be destroyed.

Why do we know so little about Democritus’ thought?

It was either lost or destroyed, including a lack of preservation.

(a) Why is Pythagoras still famous in the modern world? (b) Why was he famous in his own lifetime?

(a) Pythagorean theorem. (b) He was a cult leader and had a cult-like following.