Before the hellenistic period 9 10 12

Before the Hellenistic Period

Sunday, January 12, 14

ReviewGreece in the Classical Period


The Polis• A supposedly independent political entity.• Defensible urban center, surrounded by

agricultural territory. • Citizenship was based on birth, but political

rights were generally tied to land ownership.• Most city-states had Oligarchic governments

– rule of the few.


The Hoplite Army


The Hoplite Warrior was Equipped with:

• Helmet• Body Armor - corselet• Greaves• Spear, wood with bronze tip and butt-spike• Short Sword• Round, convex Hoplite shield - "Hoplon"


Military and Political Values• Hoplite armies developed during the

Archaic Period (700-500 B.C.)• Hoplites armed themselves.• They stood together in the front ranks.• Safety depended on NOT breaking ranks.• Spartans were considered the best

Hoplites.


Size Matters• Most poleis were relatively small.• All poleis generally had some kind of

“council” or deliberative body.• Membership in that council was often

restricted to the “best” citizens, who were landowners, and able to afford their hoplite armor.

• Oligarchy was normal.


Tyranny vs. Oligarchy• Usually, under oligarchy, the various

aristocratic families are evenly matched.• Sometimes, in times of political struggle,

one aristocrat gains sole power over the others.

• Usually, he does this by enlisting the assistance of the poorer citizens.


Two Important Exceptions• Athens was a larger polis, with more

citizens, and naval power.• Sparta had conquered the neighboring

territory of Messenia. This allowed it to use the Messenians as serfs or “Hellots.”

• Spartans didn’t have to work their land, and could spend all their time training and fighting.


Fifth Century Political Developments

• Following the Persian war in 480 – Athens developed an “Empire” based on naval power.

• The Athenian Allies were mainly concentrated in the islands and on the coast of Asia Minor.

• The smaller, poorer poleis of the mainland, feared the Athenians and turned to the Spartans for protection.

• City states took sides – and joined either the Athenian or the Spartan Hegemony.


Athenian Political Developments


Athenian Democracy• Demos – literally means “people.” • In places with only hoplite armies, they were

not politically important.• As the Athenian Empire developed, rowers

were needed for the ships which secured Athenian military supremacy.

• The rowers were citizens from the lower economic classes.

• Their power in the Assembly led to the development of Athenian Democracy.


Why Would Other City States Resist Democracy?

• Most “Ancestral Constitutions” took the form of oligarchies. This was the traditional way of doing things.

• The power of the “demos” in Athens was based on the need of the city for rowers. Small city-states without navies had less work for the members of the demos.

• In practice a “democratic government” meant a pro-Athenian government.


Tribute• Athens dominated the islands, and the city

states on the West Coast of Asia Minor.• These places had been paying taxes or

“tribute” to the Persian empire.• Athens demanded that these cities should

pay the same amount of tribute - for protection from the Persians.

• Tribute was the major complaint of the Athenian allies.


Peloponnesian War• Series of conflicts from 431 to 404 B.C.• Athens, and its allies, struggled with

Sparta, and its protectorates.• The conflict might have ended in

stalemate, except Persia began to send funds (secretly) to both sides.


Discussion?• Why were the city-states often in conflict?• Why were Athens and Sparta so much

stronger than the rest?• What were the relative advantages of

hoplite armies?• Why was naval power so important for

Greek political developments?


Vocabulary Review

• Hegemony• Oligarchy• Hoplite• Tribute• Aristoi (Aristocrats)• Demos• Helots


Chronological Markers• 404 B.C.E. After the defeat of Athens by

Sparta in the Peloponnesian War, Sparta imposed an oligarchic government at Athens (The Thirty Tyrants).

• 403 B.C.E. Many Athenians who opposed The Thirty were executed or went into exile. These exiles eventually expelled The Thirty, with the Spartans failing to support their own puppet govt.


Chronological Markers• 401 B.C.E. Greek mercenaries, including

Spartans, assist the Persian prince, Cyrus, in his failed attempt to overthrow his brother Artaxerxes II.

• Although Artaxerxes II and his satrap Tissaphernes tried to punish the mercenaries and the Greek cities of Asia Minor, they were unsuccessful –

• Were the Persians now weak?


Chronological Markers• 400-396 B.C.E. The Spartans campaign

against the Persians, and attempt to involve mainland Greeks in the campaign. The Thebans, especially are unhelpful.

• At the same time, the Persians (supposedly) were sending money to anti-Spartan Greek cities.


Chronological Markers• 395 B.C.E. Athens joins Thebes in a war against

Sparta (The Corinthian War).• The Spartans did fairly well on land in this war,

but got into a lot of trouble at sea. The Persians hired an Athenian Admiral (Conon), and the Spartans lost their fleet at the battle of Cnidus in 397 B.C.E.

• But, now the allies seemed to be winning, and Athens seemed to regaining its naval power, sooooo.


Chronological Markers• 388/7 – The Persians brokered a deal.• Sparta gave up its campaign to “free the

Greeks” of Asia.• The Persians, in return, blockaded the

Hellespont, cut of grain to Athens, and forced it to compromise. The other city states had to go along with this, because they were weak.

• The Spartan diplomat Antalcidas did the negotiating.


Chronological Markers• 388/7 Peace of Antalcidas – Terms• All foreign garrisons were to be disbanded,

and every city-state was supposed to be autonomous.

• Therefore, there could be no “alliances.”• Spartans, backed by the Persians, got the best

of this deal.• Naturally, everyone else was unhappy.


Chronological Markers388-372

• 388-372 – The Spartans behave badly.• 382 – Occupy the Citadel at Thebes.• 379/8 – Allow one of their generals, Sphodrias

to make an abortive attack on Attica.• Generally make things unpleasant for the

Thebans.• Meanwhile, the Athenians form a new Sea

League, which somehow gets around the “autonomy” clause.


Chronological Markers• 371 – (Our sources are very confused

here….)• Athens is worried about the increasing

power of Thebes, but still doesn’t trust Sparta.

• There is a peace conference at Sparta – and Sparta and Thebes fall out even more than before.


Leading to……


Battle of Leuctra - 371• For the first time, Sparta is fully defeated.• The Thebans take their campaign into the

Peloponnese.• Sparta looses control of Messenia.• The economic basis of the Spartan system

is destroyed.


Goals for the ClassFollowing our Break

• Credit/No Credit Vocabulary Quiz• Discuss our sources for the Battle of

Leuctra – especially Plutarch.• Discuss the Sacred Band.• Discuss the weaknesses of the polis system

as shown by these events.


Literary Sources for the Battle of Leuctra

• Xenophon – Athenian in Exile – Wrote a work called “Hellenica 6.4.8-15. Xenophon writes from the Spartan point of view. He died in 354 B.C. – so his account is that of a contemporary.

• Diodorus 15.55.1-56.4. He wrote a “Universal History” and worked during the reign of the Emperor Augustus

• Plutarch – Life of Pelopidas. His life of Epaminondas is lost. Plutarch was a Greek philosopher and statesman, who died in 120 A.D.


Before the hellenistic period 9 10 12

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