Archaic Greece Quotes (3.1)

Political Power and Aristocracy (Cartwright)

"In practice, whatever the political system adopted, political power was dominated by a few aristocratic families."

Greek Distinction (Goldsworthy)

"Greeks set themselves [from] apart the rest of the world but showed no desire to unite in one state."

Civic Memory (Cartwright)

"A common community history or 'civic memory' was reinforced and commemorated in public statues of local gods, leaders, benefactors and sporting champions." 

Quoting Athenian general Nicias explaining that a polis was its (male) citizens, not the physical city (Thucydides)

“It is men who make the city and not walls or ships with no men inside them.”

Imposing Will (Burn)

“The history of Greek inter-state relations is largely a history of rival powers in search of security through imposing their will upon neighbors.”

Rivalries to Dominate the Greek World (Burn)

“Ultimately it became a rivalry of the most powerful cities…to dominate the Greek world.”

Walled Cities and Unity (Burn)

“for the walled cities were usually too strong to take by storm.”

Distances and Survival (Burn)

“The distances over rough country between the plains also helped the relatively weak to survive.”

Political Union (Burn)

“Ancient Greece never achieved political union.”

Size of States (Ober)

“…it was a world defined by a startlingly large number of surprisingly small states.”

Individualistic Nature of Greece (Cartledge)

“…it was precisely the absence of a nation state or…the highly individualistic nature of the Greek polis, that gives Greek civilisation its unique identity.”

Desire of Independence (Ober)

“…each Greek city state sought political distinction, or at least local independence…”

Laws and Customs (Ober)

“Just as each city state cherished its own laws and customs, so too each remembered and recounted its own history.”

Citizen State (Rodgers)

“It is more accurate to call it ‘citizen state’, for it meant the body of all politically active men, not its buildings.”

Poleis and Autonomy (Rodgers)

“A polis was always fiercely autonomous.”

Geography of Greece (Bradley)

“the isolation of city-states from their neighbours did give rise to strong feelings of independence and autonomy, love of freedom, and great civic pride.”

Naukratis (Herodotus)

“Amasis was partial to the Greeks, and among other favours which he granted them, gave to such as liked to settle in Egypt the city of Naukratis for the residence.”

Greek Superiority (Goldsworthy)

"Greeks were distinct and special, obviously superior in their own estimation to the rest."

Greek Birthright (Mark)

"purest bloodline" and "born to rule"

Polis Community (Mark)

"membership of the community was a source of immense pride, and its reputation was jealously guarded."

Polis Identity (Herodotus)

"shared blood, shared language, shared religion, and shared customs.”

Spartan Women (Mark)

"Spartan women participated freely in almost every aspect of their city-state’s political & social life."

Matchmaking (Mark)

"love had little to do with the matching of husband and wife."

Slaves (Mark)

"slaves were simply amongst life's losers."

Slaves in Society (Mark)

"Slaves worked in all spheres and over 200 occupations."

Importance of Politics (Pericles)

"We do not say that a man who takes no interest in politics is a man who minds his own business; we say that he has no business here at all."

To rule and be ruled (Aristotle)

"The man who is to be a good ruler must have first been ruled."

Spartan Colonisation (Agis II)

"The Spartans do not ask how many are the enemy, but where they are."

Spartan militaristic farewell to Men (Spartan Mothers/Wives)

"Come back with your shield, or on it."

Spartan-like Discipline (Plato)

"He who is not a good servant will not be a good master."

Women/Virgins of the Kanephoroi (Pomeroy)

"to prevent a candidate from participating in this event was to cast aspersions on her reputation."

Spartan women’s upbringing (Pomeroy)

“In archaic and classical Sparta, girls were raised to become the sort of mothers Sparta needed…”

Sparta’s female education system (Pomeroy)

“The goal…for Spartan girls was to create mothers who would produce the best hoplites and mothers of hoplites.”

Spartan girls’ privileges (Pomeroy)

“it would appear that they enjoyed some privacy and leisure denied to the boys…”

Spartan Women vs Other Women (Pomeroy)

“…compared to other Greek women, they had plenty of time to do whatever they wanted to do.”

Burdens of Metics (Hansen)

"metics had few rights and many burdens…"

Athenian Equality in Trade (Hansen)

"citizen and metic were on equal footing as traders and artisans in the largest city of Greece."

Metics in the Agricultural Industry (Hansen)

"many metics were farmers."

Athens and Education (Howitt-Marshall)

"the ancient Greeks valued education for its role in cultivating well-rounded citizens…certainly in the case of Athens."

Helots/ktêma empsuchon (Aristotle)

“animate property” or “property that breathes”

Athenian Social Classes and Wealth (Gale)

"These social classes were broadly defined based on property ownership and income levels."

Aristocrats on Solon’s Reforms (Cartwright)

"the rich aristocrats of Athens did not take too kindly to Solon's reforms."

Solon’s impact on Politics (Cartwright)

"disputes over high appointments blighted politics."

Solon as the Founder of Democracy (Cartwright)

"[Solon] deserves credit for laying the foundations for the Athenian democracy."

Militaristic Social Structure (Gale)

"The social structure of Sparta was centered around maintaining a highly disciplined and militaristic society."

Spartiate Dominance (Gale)

"The Spartiates held a dominant role due to their status as citizen-soldiers."

Periokoi and Helots (Gale)

"the roles of periokoi and helots were vital in supporting the Spartan way of life."

Military Training and Helot Subjugation (Gale)

"The unique emphasis on military training and the subjugation of helots contributed to the distinct character of Spartan society in ancient Greece."

Importance of Helots (Cartledge)

“helots are the single most important human fact about ancient Sparta.…”

Helot Humiliation (Renshaw)

“helots could be attacked or killed with impunity, while they routinely humiliated…”

Atmosphere of Terror in Sparta (Renshaw)

“The Spartiates were always spreading a sense of terror among the helots to prevent rebellion.”

Laconizers (Hornblower)Me

"As early as the 5th century one finds ‘laconizers’ in other states.”

Messenia in the Development of Sparta (Hornblower)

"It was the Messenian factor above all that determined the peculiar development of Sparta."

Social Sanctions in Sparta (Hornblower)

"Social sanctions like loss of citizen status were the consequence of cowardice in battle."

Spartan Indifference (Aristotle)

"there is no outward mark of distinction between rich and poor."

Athenian Colonisation (Rodgers)

"Athens consisted of its assembled citizens, who would sail off and found a new city if the united Greek fleet did not stand and fight."

Attica vs. Sparta (Goldsworthy)

"Well-provided with natural harbours, in a direct contrast with Sparta, Attica had always been outward looking and open to trade."

Idealogical and Geopolitical Foes (Maurer)

"Athens and Sparta were ideological as well as geopolitical foes."

Rise of Tyranny (Murray)

"… from the mid seventh century a series of usurpers began to seize autocratic power in the more advanced cities."

Collapse of Tyranny (Murray)

"overthrown and replaced by hoplite-dominated governments."

Tyranny between 650 to 510 (Murray)

"tyranny was one of the prevalent forms of government in the Greek cities."

Impact of Tyranny (Murray)

“The experience of tyranny created a fascination and a hatred which permanently influenced Greek political attitudes against monarchy…”

General Outlook of Tyranny (Murray)

"the worst possible form of government, worse than mob-rule, with which indeed it is held to have some connection."

Tyranny and Athenian Greatness (Herodotus)

"Although Athens had been a great city before, it became even greater once rid of its tyrants."

Oligarchy (Aristotle)

"Oligarchy is…the sovereignty of a small number…directed to the interest of the well-to-do."

Athenian political rights and War (Goldsworthy)

"There was a close correlation between political rights and the ability and willingness to fight for the city against its rivals."

Solon’s remark against the Aristocracy (Solon)

"…in moderation lay aside your ambitious thoughts. We shall not allow you to proceed like this."

Public’s view on Pisistratus (Aristotle)

"Pisistratus managed matters in the city with moderation, as has been said, and more as a private citizen than a tyrant."

Components of Pisistratus’ reign (Aristotle)

“For in other respects he was compassionate, merciful and inclined to pardon those who had done wrong.”

Cleisthenes manipulation of the Public (Herodotus)

"he enlisted the common people into his association of supporters."

Cleisthenes and the support of the Plebeians (Herodotus)

"By adding the people to his side, he gained the upper hand by far over his political opponents."

Cleisthenes as a symbol of the people (Aristotle)

"Cleisthenes became leader and champion of the people."

Cleisthenes’ constitution vs. Solon’s constitution (Aristotle)

"the constitution was much more democratic than that of Solon..."

Solon and Mediterranean Power (Cartwright)

"[Solon was] a man who immeasurably helped the city fulfil its destiny as a major Mediterranean power."

Ephialtes and Political Violence (Mueller)

"Ephialtes' efforts to confront corruption and challenge elite dominance led to a climate of political violence."

Ephialtes’ characterisation (Mueller)

"a significant yet enigmatic figure in ancient Athenian politics."

Solon’s impact on Athens (Goldsworthy)

“Athens flourished under the Solon's new system.”

Pisistratus’ oratory skills (Bauer)

"he was so good at simulating faculties with which he was not naturally endowed, that he was credited with them, more than those who really did have them."

Pisistratus and the Masses (Mark)

"Pisistratus did not forget that his base of support came from the poor, landless masses; he knew that to hang on to power, he must first make them happy."

Cleisthenes as a Founding Father (Cartwright)

"it was Cleisthenes who was credited with being the true founding father of Athenian democracy."

Solon’s reforms as a representation of Athens (O’Sullivan)

"Overall, these reforms paint a picture of an unpleasant situation."

Cleisthens and Public Power (Bailly)

"Cleisthenes' reforms are so clearly designed to increase the people's power that he can be described as a true democrat."

Spartan Respect for Governance (Martin)

“The depth of Spartan’s respect for their system of government under law was symbolized by their belief that Apollo of Delphi had sanctioned it with an oracle called the Rhetra.”

Sparta pre-Persian Invasions (Bradford)

“the Spartans had adopted their iron code of rules which set them apart from all other men.”

Lycurgus’ legal ambitions (Plutarch)

“resolved to change the whole face of the commonwealth.”

Lycurgus as the foundation of sovereignty (Plutarch)

“in him alone was the true foundation of sovereignty to be seen, a nature made to rule, and a genius to gain obedience.”

Criteria for Burying the Dead in Sparta (Plutarch)

"Those who buried a dead person were not permitted to inscribe the name on a grave except in the case of a man who had died on campaign or a woman who had died in labour."

Male Offspring in Sparta (Plutarch)

"Offspring was not reared at the will of the father."

Infant Health and Strength (Plutarch)

"life of that which nature had not well equipped at the very beginning for health and strength, was of no advantage either to itself or the state."

Boyish Training (Plutarch)

"their boyish training was a practice of obedience."

Literary Requirements for Spartiates (Plutarch)

"Of reading and writing, they learned only enough to serve their turn."

Effect of Agoge Training (Plutarch)

"their training was calculated to make them obey commands well, endure hardships, and conquer in battle."

Warden of the Boys (Hooker)

"[the Warden of the Boys'] authority over the boys resembled that of a general over an army."

Stealth and Self-Sufficiency (Hooker)

"Boys were encouraged to go out and steal food for the mess."

Respect for Elder Male Generations (Plutarch)

"the young men were required not only to respect their own father and to be obedient to them, but to have regard for all older men."

Punishment and Glory (Plutarch)

"they bravely endured [being whipped], cheerful and proud, vying with one another.”

The State and Male Education Program (Papapostolou)

"The duty of the State and its educational program was to create the perfect citizen."

Spartan Education as a Model (Papapostolou)

"Spartan education thus shaped the model of the citizen-soldier."

Physical and Mental Fitness (Goldsworthy)

"Physical fitness was fundamental, as was physical and mental toughness, the ability to accept and inflict pain."

Sparta as a non-democracy (Jones)

"So, while some elements of Spartan government might look democratic, they were anything but."