Second Semester Greek
Greek sculptures were more lifelike than realistic
Where greek women could go
the well
a few religious ceremonies
the agora
to visit relatives
funerals(couldn’t cry)
Alexander spreaded greek culture
through marraige
creating greek cities
Diadokhoi- alexanders 5 generals who took his land after his death, 40 year civil war, three emerged’
ptolomeies and seleucids had divine kingship and royal incest, atigonens did NOT because greek morals not accpeting it
pergamom-perfect greek city state not in greece
three columns
Two required criteria for greek women to go out in public
dressed appropriately
had an escort
Hera embodied motherhood and patience
Herodotos most famous work is called the histories
PHILOSOPHY
Another new genre emerging in the Classical
Period is “philosophy,” which means “love of
wisdom.” Philosophy was originally tied to
science; both sought using rational rather than
mythical explanations for how the world works.
Over time, science and philosophy parted
ways, science remaining more rooted in the
material world, and philosophy increasingly
focusing on ethics and metaphysical matters.
(Metaphysical = abstract thought or subjects,
such as meaning of existence, or truth).
PHILOSOPHY
Philosophers were often teachers (in
this capacity they were known as
sophists). Esteemed for their
wisdom, it became fashionable for
wealthy families to send their sons to
acquire education under the
instruction of philosophers.
Plato
based his ideas on the philosphy of Forms(connecting to the universe, circle of life)
Good works
wrote the republic-book about government
had his own acadamy
Aristotle
Believed in the intended purpose of things
One of the first to start a scientific classification system
was alexander the greats teacher
started a school
aristotle plato and socrates common thread of philosophy- none believe the common man has a place in government
synosism- all material goods should be rejected, even things like kings, titles, taxes, loyalty, they lived by nature
Diogenis
Epicurus and the Epicurians
Stoics
Synic
Quiz Hints-Must know what socrates, plato, and aristotle believed and inocorperated…..Diogenis did synosim and what it was,….Epicurus and Epicurians and what they belived…..Zeno and stoics and what they believed
Hellenistic means “Greek like” or “Greek influenced” and it indicates the spread of Greek culture outside of Greece
Macedonians are accepted as greek because they were in the olympics; through their founder(the decesendents of Herculus)
Three types of columns, ionic doric and anotherone i forgot
phillip II-macedonian ruler
why is he succesful politcally:
Philip uses diplomacy and piligamy(multiple wives)
Built a school forcing the wealthy noble kids to go to there(as hostage to prevent rebellions)
how he improved the military
Macedonian phalanx: sarisa
Brings back calvary-horse
Created a battle plan that included hoplites and sarias, use of calvary, and use of archers
thrace had raw materials
isokrates
Quiz Hints
21 questions for 50 points
Matching: Authors and plays. 6 points
Matching: Philosophers and descriptions 6 points
Matching: Historians 5 points
2 multiple choice
7 definitions
9 short answer broken down as follows:
4 questions about Philip and/or Alexander
3 questions about the Hellenistic period.
2 questions about Greek culture.
GREEK CULTURE NOTES
The Classical Greece Period (4th and 5th centuries BC) and post-Classical (Hellenistic Period,
discussed in the next set of lectures) coincides with increased investment in public spaces and
public art. As part of this movement, several distinct architectural orders emerge. The most
prominent of these are the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders, most recognizable by the style of
the columns used on buildings. Although these styles emerged in chronological order, the
emergence of a new order did not mean the abandonment of older orders.
COLUMNS:
Doric columns lack bases and are relatively simple in design.
Ionic columns have bases (unlike Doric columns), and also have volutes (the spiral decoration at
the top of the column).
Corinthian columns have bases, more elaborate detail on the column itself, and feature more
elaborate volutes, often in a floral style.
VASES:
Vases served a practical purpose in Classical Greece (storing food and exportable items), but also
served as an art form. Scenes generally depict daily life or mythology (a mythological scene is
shown here, Achilles and Ajax playing dice games during the Trojan War).
There are two major styles of Classical vase painting:
1. Black-figure (black figures against a reddish background), and
2. Red-figure (reddish figures against a black background)
GREEK ART
While more sculpture is more life-like in the Classical Period, the sculptures are not more
realistic. Classical Period sculpture depicts the Greek ideal of arête, which means excellence –
Greek sculpture in this period only portrays the perfect or ideal form.
WOMEN IN GREEK SOCIETY:
Greek women had limited rights in Greek society, the ideal Greek woman remained absent from
public events and concentrated on raising children and serving as devoted wives. Respectable
Greek women did not venture into public. Exceptions to this included visits to
relatives, attending supervised religious ceremonies, and retrieving water (depicted here, trips to
the fountains gave women a rare opportunity to socialize with each other). The symposion were
large male-only social gatherings, often featuring heavy wine consumption. The only women
allowed at the symposion were entertainers, such as flute girls and hetairai. The sexes were
generally segregated in the Classical Period (with the exception of married couples)
However, some Greek goddesses (Artemis, Athena) had different roles than were expected of
actual Greek women.
GREEK GODDESSES:
The goddess Artemis (the chaste goddess of the moon and of the hunt) hunted and remained
childless, neither of which was typical of Greek women did.
The goddess Athena (the chaste goddess of wisdom and war); neither war nor remaining
childless typical of Greek women.
The goddesses Hera (goddess of marriage) did represent the ideal Greek woman as she
symbolizes spousal devotion.
HERODOTOS:
Herodotos, sometimes called the “father of history,” recorded stories from his considerable
travels and wrote about the Greco-Persian (Greece/Persia) wars, which he saw as a continuation
of an ongoing tradition of conflict between east and west going back to the Trojan War.
Herodotos recorded whatever he heard during his travels, especially about other cultures. Thus,
he often wrote strange, fantastical tales about the places he visited, letting the let the reader
decide if the story was accurate. This tactic earned him the more derisive nickname, the “father
of lies.”
THUCYDIDES:
Thucydides was an Athenian general who recorded the history of the Peloponnesian War
(between Sparta and Athens). He refused to record implausible myths like Herodotus, but did
sometimes insert suitable speeches into the mouths of the individuals he wrote about for dramatic
purposes. He also gave credit in his writing to collective groups rather than individual people or
heroes. Thucydides died before he finished his history of the Peloponnesian War.
XENOPHON:
Xenophon was an Athenian who began his history in the middle of the unfinished sentence
where Thucydides left off (testament to the success of the new approach to writing history). His
account of his own leadership of 10,000 Greek mercenaries who went into the heart of the
Persian Empire in an attempt to unseat the Persian king influenced later Greeks to attempt
similar grand expeditions (such as Alexander the Great). Xenophon’s life history before 401 is
scantily recorded; at that time, prompted by a Boeotian friend, he left postwar Athens, joined the
Greek mercenary army of the Achaemenian prince Cyrus the Younger, and became involved in
Cyrus’s rebellion against his brother, the Persian king Artaxerxes II. After Cyrus’s defeat at
Cunaxa (about 50 miles [80 km] from Babylon in what is now Iraq), the Greeks (later known as
the Ten Thousand) returned to Byzantium via Mesopotamia, Armenia, and northern Anatolia.
Xenophon was one of the men selected to replace five generals seized and executed by the
Persians. The persistence and skill of the Greek soldiers were used by proponents of
Panhellenism as proof that the Persians were vulnerable. Initially viewed with hostility by Sparta
(the current Greek hegemonic power), the mercenaries found employment in the winter of 400–
399 with the Thracian prince Seuthes but then entered Spartan service for a war to liberate
Anatolian Greeks from Persian rule. Unpersuaded by Seuthes’s offers of land and marriage to his
daughter and evidently disinclined (despite protestations to the contrary) to return home,
Xenophon remained with his comrades. Although the Anabasisnarrative stops at this point and
further details are lacking, he clearly became closely involved with senior Spartans, notably
(after 396) King Agesilaus II. When a Greek coalition, including Athens, rebelled against
Spartan hegemony in mainland Greece.
GREEK THEATRE:
Greeks also ushered in new conventions in performing arts, such as “drama” as we know it
today. They also invented the formal setting for drama, the theater, as a large semi-circular
structure with tiered seating, allowing for good acoustics and focus on the stage. The largest
preserved ancient theater is at Epidauros, which could seat up to 15,000 people.
Greek drama came in two varieties: tragedy and comedy. Of the two, tragedy was considered
reputable and popular. Drama performed by all-male casts, wearing suitably dour or funny
grotesque masks.
ARISTOPHANES:
Comedies were also used for social commentary. The Athenian Aristophanes, for example,
poked fun at the politicians of his day, the Peloponnesian War, and gender roles. In his comedy
Lysistrata, the women of Athens, Sparta, and the other combatants of the Peloponnesian War, get
so fed up with their husbands being constantly away at war, they stage a sex strike until such
time as peace is restored.
AISKHYLOS:
Aiskhylos wrote Persians, a tragedy that imagined the reaction of the Persian court to the news of
Xerxes’ misadventures in Greece. Not only was this set in the playwright’s own times, but it
attempted to use a foreign perspective, in this case imagining the perspective of the Persians
while written for a Greek audience. He added second actor to the stage.
His most famous work is the Oresteia trilogy. About the curse on the House of Atreus. Made up
of 3 plays:
1. Agamemnon
2. The Libation Bearers
3. The Furies (Eumenides)
SOPHOKLES:
Sophokles wrote tragedies about the ancient legends of Thebes. These are called the Oedipus
trilogy: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus Colonnus, and Antigone, who chose to bury her dead brother even
though he was considered an enemy of her city-state. This tragedy was also a commentary on
how polis demanding too much from its citizens.
EURIPIDES:
Popular with the people of Greece, in spite of never being a big winner of the play festivals.
Limited the role of the gods in his plays, and often times created characters who were morally
corrupt or unlikeable as his heroes. Most famous work is Medeia about a scorned wife who seeks
revenge on her husband.
PHILOSOPHY:
Another new genre emerging in the Classical Period is “philosophy,” which means “love of
wisdom.” Philosophy was originally tied to science; both sought using rational rather than
mythical explanations for how the world works. Over time, science and philosophy parted ways,
science remaining more rooted in the material world, and philosophy increasingly focusing on
ethics and metaphysical matters. (Metaphysical = abstract thought or subjects, such as meaning
of existence, or truth).
Philosophers were often teachers (in this capacity they were known as sophists). Esteemed for
their wisdom, it became fashionable for wealthy families to send their sons to acquire education
under the instruction of philosophers.
SOKRATES:
As a philosopher, Sokrates questioned what he considered silly traditions and conventions. As a
teacher, Sokrates put students on the spot, asking them direct questions and forcing them to re-
examine, justify, or abandon their assumptions (called the Socratic Method). Not everyone
appreciated Sokrates philosophy or methods; he was condemned in 399 BC for corrupting the
youth and forced to poison himself with hemlock.
PLATO:
Plato studied under Sokrates (and wrote most of what is known of Sokrates). Plato's philosophy
focused on the inner, metaphysical forms of things, like ideas relating to goodness and ethics.
Plato believed in future rewards for good conduct in life, laying groundwork for some ideas later
found in Christianity. His philosophy also led him to advocate for his own brand of government,
a “Republic”(also the name of his book) ruled by educated elites and by a philosopher king (an
idea never implemented). He also founded The Academy, an important school.
ARISTOTLE:
A student of Plato, Aristotle’s philosophy focused on the intended purpose of things (e.g., the
acorn would become an oak, man’s intended purpose was to become a politically conscious
citizen). He also compiled lists and categories of things so that he could compare, classify, and
better understand information. Aristotle believed political power rightly belonged to the rich and
educated. He founded his own school, called the Lyceum, and taught Alexander the Great. By
the Middle Ages (Medieval Period), Aristotle is the most revered Greek philosopher.
CYNICS/DIOGENES:
Cynics – associated with the philosopher Diogenes, Cynics challenged and abandoned all
traditional assumptions like loyalty and obedience to the polis. Cynics also lived in austerity
(plain and simple living), thus their ideas did not appeal to the wealthy.
“ to behave like dogs” Diogenes famously took a tub, or a pithos, for an abode. A pithos was a
ceramic pot. Diogenes is reported to have “lit a lamp in broad daylight and said, as he went
about, ‘I am searching for a human being’
EPIKOUROS:
Epikouros and his followers (the Epicureans) believed that life is nasty, brutish, and short.
Therefore, you should enjoy the time you have, live life to the fullest while one was still around
to enjoy it. Pleasure and comfort are good for the soul.
ZENO/STOICS:
Zeno and the Stoics and believed that the way to get through life reasonably free from pain was
to engage in moderation in all things. Stoics did not embrace the highs and lows of life, instead
they refused to allow themselves to feel too much happiness or too much pain. Believed the
universe was guided by an organizing principle called “logos” or divine reason.
THE HELLENISTIC PERIOD
Hellenistic means “Greek like” or “Greek influenced” and it indicates the spread of Greek
culture outside of Greece.
MACEDONIA:
Macedon existed on the margins of the Greek world. It differed from the rest of Greece in that
Macedons retained a king (monarchy form of government), and the Macedonian king had been a
vassal of Persia in the early 5th century. Despite this, Macedon was accepted as a fellow Greek
area because they believed the king was a descendent of Herakles (also known as Hercules), a
supposed son of Zeus in Greek heroic stories. Their Greek identity was furthered by their
inclusion in Olympic competitions.
Some Macedonian kings emulated the high culture of Classical Greece by inviting Athenian
intellectuals to their kingdom. Most Greeks, however, considered Macedon a weak state and
relatively backward into the 4th century.
PHILIP II:
When Philip II took over Macedon, it was in disarray and on the verge of civil war. But Phillip
had spent time in Thebes and was inspired by Greek political and military ideas.
Philip II instituted new changes to the Macedonian military. Under Philip II, Greek hoplites (or
soldiers) wore heavy armor and used sarisas (the long spikes pictured) that made the phalanx
formation more powerful. He also instituted the use of cavalry (soldiers on horseback). With this
new, improved military force, Phillip II forced other regional barons to submit to him and
subjugated neighboring Thessaly and Thrace (giving him control over precious metals and trade
routes). Phillip II also used diplomacy to cement his power; he practiced polygamy and married
the daughters of other regional leaders, and also made the sons of Macedonian barons attend
school near him (an honor for the barons, but also kept barons from challenging him as their sons
were essentially hostages).
In Athens, the orators Isokrates and Demosthenes argue about Philip II. Isokrates believed Philip
could unite the Greeks against Persia. Demosthenes believed Philip II's growing power would
destroy the independence of Greek city states. Demosthenes leads Athens and Thebes against
Philip II in battle, and Philip II wins the battle of Chaeronea.
Philip II of Macedon allies with other independent Greek city states to attack the old enemy,
Persia (Sparta refuses to participate). Before he can begin, Philip II is murdered in 336 BC.
ALEXANDER THE GREAT:
Philip II’s son and successor was Alexander the Great. Only 20 at the time of his father’s death,
Alexander had been a chief battlefield and diplomatic aide to his father. With the help of his
power hungry mother, Olympias, Alexander quickly disposes of family rivals and enemies in
nearby kingdoms; after a falling out with Thebes, he burns that city to the ground.
Alexander sets off to fulfill his father’s desire of conquering the Persian Empire. He lands in
Asia Minor near the ruins of Troy, where he claims all of Asia as his. He defeats the Persians in abattle at the river Granikos in 334 BC. Done with Asia Minor, Alexander advances to Syria and
defeats Persian King Darius III at Issos (333 BC) because of the Macedonian phalanx and use of
cavalry. Alexander proceeded down the coast of Phoenicia, taking over the coastal cities.
Alexander arrives in Egypt, where he was welcomed as a liberator from Persian rule. The
Egyptians recognize Alexander as pharaoh, and the oracle of the god Amun tells Alexander he is
to be welcomed as Amun’s son (all Egyptian pharaoh are considered the son Amun, but
Alexander believes this to mean he is in the same league as the heroes of Greek mythology who
descended from gods). He continues through Egypt, and founds new cities named after himself.
Alexander leaves Egypt and encounters Persian King Darius III again at Gaugamela. Alexander
wins another battle while Darius III flees. Alexander arrives in Babylon, Susa, and other cities,
taking the immense amount of wealth stored in the treasuries of these royal cities. In Persepolis,
Alexander burns down the former palace of Xerxes in revenge for the Persian burning of Athens
years before. Alexander finds Persian King Darius III again near Ecbatana. This time, Darius’s
subordinates murder their own king hoping Alexander will leave them alone. Instead, Alexander
proclaims himself the rightful king of Persia, and thus must revenge Darius III’s death – under
this guise he finishes his conquest of Persia and punishes the killers of Darius III.
In 327 BC, Alexander crosses the Indus River and defeats various Indian kings. He still wants to
go on, he wants to conquer everything, but his troops refused to go any further.
returning to Greece, Alexander returns to Babylon, through the Gedrosian Desert!
Instead of
To maintain control of his empire, Alexander the Great marries several daughters of powerful
natives. His officers are forced to do the same, and 10,000 of his troops marry natives as well.
His plan is to establish a common elite to rule the new multi-cultural empire. Alexander also
adopts Persian customs, dress, and ceremonies – this causes tension with some of his advisors.
In 323 BC, Alexander dies under mysterious circumstances. Although many Greeks are
suspicious of Alexander during his reign, in death he is treated as the greatest conqueror in
history and as a hero. Both Alexander’s young son (Alexander IV) and his half-brother (Philip
III) die shortly after succeeding him (the half-brother is murdered, the son most likely murdered).
By 306 BC, the Macedonian King line of Alexander the Great and Philip II is extinct.
DIADOKHOI:
Five of Alexander’s generals divide up the empire for themselves and proclaim themselves kings.
They fight each other for 40 years, after which 3 of the dynasties survive. Collectively, they are
called (the Diadokhoi). The remaining three are the:
·
·
·
the Antigonids in Macedon,
the Ptolemies in Egypt, and
the Seleucids in Syria and the eastern provinces.
THE HELLENISTIC WORLD:
Hellenistic (“Greek-like”) Age witnesses the triumph of Greek culture and social institutions. It
also witnessed new, more ostentatious kinds of monarchy (going back to Alexander’s fusion of
Greek and Eastern traditions). The success of the new kind of monarchy means the failure of the
polis or Greek city-state as a viable political unit.
The hybrid culture of Greek and Persian or Eastern cultures is exemplified by the royal lines of
Alexander’s successors.
PTOLEMIES:
The Ptolemies in Egypt, descended from Alexander’s general Ptolemy. They ruled from
Alexandria, founded by Alexander himself. Despite their Egyptian location, they ruled as Greeks
(intervening in Greek affairs) for 300 years. While holding on to Greek or Hellenistic culture,
they also adopted various non-Greek traditions, like royal incest (Ptolemy II married his sister,
Ptolemy III married a cousin, Ptolemy IV married a sister) and the idea of divine kingship (kings
considered gods).
Ptolemy kings:
Philadelphos means “sibling-loving,” he married his sister.
Euergetes means “benefactor.”
Philopator means “father-loving.” Many believed he killed his father to take the throne, so he
gave himself the name to throw off suspicion.
Although they adopted some non-Greek traditions, the Ptolemies of Alexandria, presided over a
Greek world, worshipping in Greek temples and inviting Greek intellectuals. The Ptolemies built
an enormous lighthouse (one of the wonders of the world) and created a magnificent library. The
library at Alexandria was the center of Greek culture and learning, attracting great scholars.
These included Eratosthenes, a mapmaker who calculated the circumference of the earth with a
surprisingly small margin of error (also shows they knew the Earth was round), and
Archimedes, a mathematician and inventor who discovered the principle of water displacement
and invented the lever (providing great mechanical advantages).
Over time, the Greek and Egyptian cultures merged with each other areas, such as religion. The
Egyptian Goddess Isis was ultimately worshipped in Greece, for example. In addition, new
hybrid deities emerged such as Serapis (part Osiris and sacred bull Apis from Egypt, and part
Zeus and Dionysos from Greece). Serapis became a popular deity throughout Hellenistic Egypt
and the Mediterranean.
Syncretism = Means the ability to recognize gods in other cultures. Three different
representations of Isis are shown here, the same goddess but represented in different ways by
different cultures.
SELEUCIDS:
The Seleucids of Syria and the East descended from Alexander’s general Seleukos and acted
similar to the Ptolemies. Their native kingdom was technically Babylonia, but they preferred
newly-founded Greek-inspired cities in their region such as Antioch. Like the Ptolemies, the
Seleucids claimed divine status and practiced royal incest. Only the Antigonids who ruled in
Macedon and Greece stayed away from such eastern traditions (presumably because they would
not appeal to their subjects). It is with the Seleucids that the Hellenistic tradition reaches its peak
as they found many new cities. These cities (often mimicking the old poleis/city-states of
Greece) helped import Greek culture and Greek society into new lands, although they are no
longer independent city-states.
EXAMPLES OF HELLENISTIC INFLUENCE:
Over time, leaders of smaller areas not originally associated with Alexander asserted their
independence and claimed Greek royal title of basileus, and issued Greek style coins. Such
places wanted to be viewed as Greek as the Hellenistic tradition was now associated with power
and sophistication.
PERGAMON:
As an example of the Hellenistic influence, the new kingdom of Pergamon prospered, and the
capital itself was built up as a perfectly Greek city, complete with an acropolis, columned
temples and altars, theater, etc. The most imposing surviving monument of Pergamon is its great
altar to Zeus (now in the Berlin Museum). On the powerpoint, note the Ionic columns and
Greek-inspired sculptures.
King Attalos I was the first ruler of the Pergamon kingdom was to use the title king. He begins
the Attalid dynasty. He refuses to pay tribute to the Galatians and defeats them near Pergamon;
from now on, the Attalids present themselves as protectors of Greece against the barbarians;
Attalus accepts the surname Soter, "Savior". Eventually will ally himself with Rome.
While the previous set covered the main headers and "Quiz Hints," there are several specific details from the text that were omitted for brevity but remain important for a comprehensive understanding of the material. To ensure you know everything possible, here are the remaining details from your notes:
Social Life of Women: Greek women could only visit five specific places: the well/fountain, religious ceremonies, the agora, relatives, and funerals (where they were forbidden from crying). To go out, they required an escort and had to be dressed appropriately.
Deities and Roles:
Hera embodied motherhood and patience.
Artemis was the chaste goddess of the moon/hunt (non-traditional as she was childless).
Athena was the goddess of wisdom/war (also childless).
Serapis was a hybrid god created from Egyptian (Osiris/Apis) and Greek (Zeus/Dionysos) elements.
Philip II’s Politics: Beyond military changes, he used diplomacy and polygamy (multiple wives) to secure power and forced wealthy noble children to attend his school as "honored hostages" to prevent rebellions.
Conflict and Orators: Isokrates wanted Philip to unite Greece against Persia, while Demosthenes viewed him as a threat to independence. Philip eventualy defeated Demosthenes at the Battle of Chaeronea.
Alexander in Egypt: He was welcomed as Pharaoh and told by the Oracle of Amun that he was the god's son, which he interpreted as being like a hero of mythology.
Hellenistic Dynasties:
Ptolemies: Adopted royal incest and divine kingship. Key titles include Philadelphos (sibling-loving), Euergetes (benefactor), and Philopator (father-loving).
Seleucids: Founded cities like Antioch to import Greek culture and also practiced royal incest.
Hellenistic Science: Eratosthenes calculated the Earth’s circumference (proving they knew it was round), and Archimedes discovered water displacement and the principle of the lever.
Pergamon: Built as a "perfect Greek city," its ruler Attalos I took the title Soter (Savior) after defeating the Galatians and allied with Rome.