Ancient Greece Notes

Helots in Sparta

• Helots were slaves in Spartan society, often outnumbering Spartan citizens.
• Helots had limited privileges:
  • Allowed to have families.
  • Could own some possessions.
  • Allowed to practice their own religion.
• Helots were brutalized and subjugated.
• Spartans worked to differentiate them from citizens:
  • Spartan men (citizens) had long hair, while helots could not.
  • Helots were sometimes made drunk in public as a warning to Spartan children.
  • Helots could be punished and beaten without legal penalty.
  • Annually, Spartans could kill helots without legal repercussions.
• Helot Revolt:
  • Around 464 BC, helots revolted.
  • The revolt was suppressed, leading Spartans to militarize their society.
  • The focus shifted to military readiness to prevent future insurrections or invasions.
• Spartan Militarization:
  • Rigid, militarized society developed.
  • Boys were taken to live in barracks and train as soldiers until age 30.
  • Emphasis on the army.

Xenophon on the Government of Lacedaemon

• Source about Lycurgus: a possibly fictional 7th-century BC Spartan statesman.
• The text reflects Spartan self-perception and historical views.
• Military Focus:
  • Spartan society was highly militarized.
  • Everything was regulated to maximize warrior effectiveness.
  • Emphasis on physical fitness.
• Community:
  • A strong sense of community was crucial.
• Regimented Lifestyle:
  • Dislike of gluttony; no overfeeding.

Equality

• Women:
  • Expected to exercise to produce strong offspring.
  • Primary role seen as procreation.
• Equality Among Citizens:
  • People should treat others as they wish to be treated.
  • Younger individuals were mentored by more experienced ones.
• Community Dedication:
  • Dedication to Sparta, military training, and raising the next generation were emphasized.
• Shared Property:
  • Implied shared use of resources (e.g., borrowing a neighbor's horse when needed).

Spartan Government

• Oligarchy:
  • Ruled by elites.
  • Two hereditary military leaders called kings (not absolute monarchs).
  • Power-sharing system.
• Council of Elders:
  • Comprised of 28 elders over 60 years old.
• Overseers:
  • Five annually elected officials who made policy and enforced laws.
• Assembly of Free Adult Males:
  • Legislation required approval.
  • The assembly had limited influence.
  • The council avoided proposals opposed by the majority of citizens.
• Oral Tradition:
  • Laws were based on oral tradition, making understanding the society difficult for historians.
• Citizen Expectations:
  • Citizens were expected to prioritize the polis (Sparta) above themselves.
• Demographic Problem:
  • Limited number of adult male citizens (8,000-10,000).
  • Losses in battles further reduced the population.
  • Boys lived in barracks until 30, delaying marriage and family.
  • This led to slow growth and inability to compete with other regions.

Athenian Government

• Athens:
  • Associated with democracy.
  • Democratic rights were extended to a large number of people.
  • Success in trade and self-made individuals contributed to democracy.
• Assembly:
  • By the 7th century BCE, all freeborn Athenian males could vote in the assembly.
• Archons:
  • Elected magistrates to enforce the law.
  • Unpaid position: Only wealthy individuals could serve.
• Economic Troubles and Tyranny:
  • Economic problems led to the appointment of Draco in 621 BC.
  • Draco created harsh laws with the death penalty for minor crimes (origin of "draconian").
  • Democracy was later restored.
• Solon's Reforms:
  • Around 594 BC, Solon implemented compromise and reforms to avert revolution.
  • Cancelled private debts to appease the poor.
  • Refused to redistribute land to appease the wealthy.
  • Ended the ability for indebted citizens to be sold into slavery.
  • Reorganized social structure based on wealth, enabling upward mobility.
• Cleisthenes' Reforms:
  • In 508 BC, Cleisthenes sought support from ordinary people to win political office.
  • He created new administrative units called demes (political districts).
  • He spread representation evenly among demes in the 500-member council.
  • This shifted power away from established areas and moved Athens towards democracy.

Persian Wars

• Major conflict between Greek city-states and the Persian Empire.
• The Greek victory secured a half-century of peace and ushered in the Golden Age of Athens.
• Cause of Conflict:
  • Ionia (Western Anatolia) rebelled against Persian rule.
  • The city-state of Miletus led the rebellion.
  • Athenians aided the rebellion and sacked Sardis.
• Persian Retaliation:
  • Darius retaliated by suppressing the revolt in Ionia.
  • Persians aimed to punish Athens for their involvement.
• Battle of Marathon (490 BC):
  • Persian invasion to conquer Athens.
  • 11,000 Athenians and allies faced 15,000 Persians.
  • The Greek phalanx formation defeated the Persian lines.
  • Persians lost over 6,000 men, while Athenians lost about 200.
  • Legend: A messenger ran 25 miles to Athens to announce victory, then died (origin of the marathon).
• Significance of Marathon:
  • Proved the effectiveness of Greek military tactics.
  • Made clear Persians would invade again.
  • Prompted the Athenians to build a navy.

Xerxes Invasion

• Darius died, and Xerxes sought to avenge his father's loss.
• Xerxes created a massive Persian army (50,000 to 300,000 men) and a large navy (600 ships).
• The army marched into Greece, supported by the fleet.
• Many city-states surrendered.
• Athens and Sparta allied to resist the invasion.
• Only 31 city-states allied against Persia.

Battle of Thermopylae

• Fought in a mountain pass.
• King Leonidas of Sparta led the Greek forces.
• Xerxes demanded the Greeks lay down their weapons.
• 7,000 Greeks held off the Persians for two days.
• The Persians found a way around the pass.
• Leonidas retreated with most of his army, but he and 300 Spartans plus 1,000 troops remained to slow the Persians.
• They were all killed.
• Symbolism: The battle represents Greek heroism and the willingness to fight to the death.

Battle of Salamis

• Greek victory.
• Themistocles led the Greek navy (730 triremes).
• The Persian fleet had 800 ships.
• The Greeks defeated the Persian fleet, losing only 40 ships while the Persians lost 300 ships, after ramming it. The trireme was a 130 food ship with 170 rowers on 3 levels, and it could reach speeds of 8 knots.
• This delayed the Persian land offenses, giving the Greeks time to unify.
• The victory ushered in the classical age for Athens.

Classical Athens

• Lasted about 50 years after the Persian Wars.
• A time of prosperity for Athens.
• Reasons for Powerhouse Status:
  • Leading a large unified navy.
  • Engaging in more trade.
  • Dominating the Delian League.

Delian League

• Alliance created to counter Persia.

Pericles and Democracy

• Pericles brought more democracy to Athens.
• Reforms for the Thetes (lower-class free men who supplied sailors).
• Introduced pay for jury service and political office.
• Enabled ordinary Athenians to participate in politics.

Cultural Heights

• Athenian theater was popular.
• Birth of tragedy and comedy.
• Tragedies addressed current issues using stories set in the past.
• Comedies satirized politics, sex, and society.
• Ancient Greek music had double pipe and string instruments.
• New writings emerged: more like literature than poems (poems were used to help remember things because of their rhythym and rhyme).
• History: Creation of history like Herodotus wrote about the Greco-Persian Wars. And Thucydides wrote about the Peloponnesian war both recording things in their lifetime.

Art and Architecture

• The Parthenon was built between 447-432 BC using 20,000 tons of marble.
• Improvements in statues to show movement.
• Realistic statues that represented perfect form.
• Tyscavopulus represents a Greek athlete.

Failures of Athens

• The Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC) was a civil war between Greek city-states.
• Conflict mainly between Athens and its allies versus Sparta and its allies.

Roots of Conflict

• After the Persian Wars, new alliances formed: Sparta-Corinth and Athens-Delian League.
• The Delian League, led by Athens, became an imperial force.
• Athens dominated the Delian League and collected dues from members.
• Member dues in building a tryreme or money to Athens which then had them built.
• Athens' growing power scared Sparta and its allies.
• Thucydides said Sparta aimed to stop Athenian power out of fear.
• Pericles called for a hard line against Sparta instead of lowering its influence.

Key Event

• Corinth (Spartan ally) threatened to ally with Athens if Sparta did not act.
• Sparta sent an ultimatum to Athens which wanted Athens to stop harassing their allies and to stop this giant navy. Pericles rejected the ultimatum.

War Strategy

• Sparta wanted a land war, but Pericles used the Athenian navy.
• Athenian navy raided Sparta's land while avoiding land war.
• Long Walls were constructed to secure access to the sea.
• They would bring food by sea, not land to avoid the Spartans.

Funeral Oration

• Pericles gave an oration at the funerals for fallen soldiers.
• The source showed Greek pride in their city-state.
• Dying in battle was seen as a high form of honor. The myths of Archilles in battle was mentioned in the source.

Plague of Athens

• Typhus spread across the cities in 430 BC.
• It killed over a third of the population, including Pericles.
• The plague led to a cultural shift where people neglected others.
• The plague was violent and bloody to the head and eyes.
• After Pericles died, inexperienced leaders led.
• Slaves were treated poorly during the plague, sometimes abandoned which made it hard to maintain. The plague was a new, undoctored disease to them.

War Continues

• Athenian general Cleon won a great battle showing them as an advantage as Spartans would be captured instead of fighting, showing the Athenian advantage.
• There was a attack in Syracuse by the Athens.
• 20,000 slaves mining for silver mines just left the Athens and affected their production for money.
• Neither side got ahead as war dragged long.

Battle of Aegospotami

• A naval battle that decided the war.
• The naval fleet that Sparta had beat Athens was supported by the previous enemy Persia.
• Only 20 out of 180 Athenian ships escaped.
• Athens could no longer protect itself after losing their naval ship.
• Athens collapsed and lost its democracy.
• Surrender Conditions:
  • Dismantle defensive walls.
  • Scrap the remaining fleet.
  • An oligarchy was put in charge (Thirty Tyrants).
  • It was an oppressive regime in which 1,500 Athenians were executed.
  • Eventually, the moderates returned and overthrew the Athenian government to restore Democracy. By doing this, this was the end of the Golden Age of Athens.