Classical Mediterranean Societies Coach Newman. SSWH3 The student will examine the political,...

Classical Mediterranean Societies

Coach Newman

SSWH3 The student will examine the political, philosophical, and cultural interaction of Classical Mediterranean societies from 700 BCE to 400 CE.

a. Compare the origins and structure of the Greek polis, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire.

b. Identify the ideas and impact of important individuals; include Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle and describe the diffusion of Greek culture by Aristotle’s pupil Alexander the Great and the impact of Julius and Augustus Caesar.

c. Analyze the contributions of Hellenistic and Roman culture; include law, gender, and science.

d. Describe polytheism in the Greek and Roman world and the origins and diffusion of Christianity in the Roman world.

e. Analyze the factors that led to the collapse of the Western Roman Empire.

WHO?

• Minoans• Mycenaeans• Greeks

– Spartans– Athenians

• Etruscans• Romans• Carthaginians

When?

• 700 B.C. – A.D. 400

Greece and Rome

You are here

Egypt

Mesopotamia

India

China

GreeceRome

Greece & Rome

PURPOSE OF SECTION:

• Compare the origins and structure of the Greek polis, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire.

Early Greece

• Greek civilization developed along the Balkan peninsula

Greece’s Physical Geography

• Low-lying mountains make up ¾ of the mainland– Mountains protect & isolate

• Long coastline with many harbors– No part of Greece is more than 50 miles from

the coast

• Mild Climate

Greece’s Physical Geography

Greece’s Physical GeographyRegions:

Macedonia

Thessaly

Ionia

Peninsulas:

Attica

Peloponnesus

Seas:

Aegean

Ionian

Islands:

Crete

Early Aegean Civilizations

• Early Aegean civilization arose on the island of Crete

• We call these people the Minoans, after their legendary king, Minos

CRETE

Minoan Civilization

• The Minoan Civilization flourished from 2700 B.C.E. - 1450 B.C.E.

Minoan Civilization

• Discovered by modern times by Sir Arthur Evans in 1900– Excavated Knossos, a large palace on Crete

• We don’t know much about the Minoans– Why?

• Language we don’t understand or read• Relatively new discovery

End here on 9/17

Minoan Civilization

• Language:– Non Indo-European or Greek

• Society– Wealthy, but generous to others

• Government built houses for poor• Wealth seems to be distributed

– Concerned with leisure activities and sports

Minoan Civilization

• Government:– “Bureaucratic monarchy”

• Trading peoples• Government depended on international trade

throughout the Mediterranean– Why?

– Unconcerned with invasion from other groups• Little military structures were discovered

Minoan Civilization

• Technologies– Plumbing systems (lost)– Writing

• Linear A• Linear B

End of Minoan Civilization

• Archaeological evidence shows us that the palaces of Crete were destroyed by a series of great earthquakes and volcanoes

Mycenaean Civilization

• Group of peoples from central Asia who entered the Balkan peninsula around 2000 B.C.E.

• Divided present-day Greece into a number of kingdoms, each centered around a capital city


• Cities were built on hilltops

– Royal fortress built on top of hill

– City walls surrounded the hill

– Most people lived outside the walls and entered on a daily basis to conduct business

– Served as protection in case of attack


• The Mycenaeans eventually conquered the Minoans

• They adopted much of Minoan culture

• Most famous Mycenaean story/man:– The Illiad– Agamemnon

Fall of the Mycenaean Civilization

• The Mycenaeans were eventually defeated by the Dorians

– Dorians invaded from the north

– Used iron weapons to defeat the bronze weapons of the Mycenaeans

Dorian Civilization

• The Dorians ruled all of Greece from 1100 to around 750 B.C.E.

• The period of Dorian rule has traditionally been called Greece’s “Dark Age”– What is a Dark Age?

Dorian “Dark Age”

• Overseas trade stopped• Poverty increased• Lost ability to write

– Traditions and stories were maintained by bards (traveling storytellers)

• Thousands left mainland Greece and settled in Ionia (present day Turkey)

Ionian Restoration

• The Ionians eventually overcame the Dorians and “culture” returned

• We call this new civilization “Hellenic”

What is a Polis?

Polis:

Ancient Greek city-state

Origin of the Polis

• By the 8th century B.C., cities began to develop into city-states

• How?– Differs by city– Theories

• Public Building Theory• Rural Sanctuary Theory• Burial Practice Theory• Geographic Determinism Theory• Colonization Theory

Origin of Polis

• Happened to all Greek city-states around the same time

• Governments of Greek Poleis were unique to their city– Athens – democratic– Megara – despotic– Boeotia – federal– Corinth – oligarchic

Common Characteristics of Greek Poleis

• Acropolis:– Fortress on top

of a hill– Site of temple– Center of city

• Agora:– Public square– Sat at foot of acropolis– Site of business transactions and political affairs

A Representative Greek Polis

The Two Great Poleis: Sparta and Athens

Sparta• Located on the

Peloponnesian peninsula

Sparta

• Government: (developed by Lycurgus)– Two kings (called basileis)

• Did not rule in traditional sense, but were basically nobles with special privileges

• Held power to declare war

– Council of Elders (called gerousia)• 28 men plus 2 kings• Requirements: Spartan men over 60• Could veto assembly, replace a king, and acted as

a court

Sparta

• Government:– Assembly of Citizens (called apella)

• All Spartan men over 30• Elected members of Council of Elders and five

Ephors• Approved or denied decisions by Council of Elders

and Ephors

– Ephors • 5 men• Much power

– (basically governed day to day life in Sparta)

Sparta• Society– 3 Levels

• Top - Spartans (Spartiates)– Citizens, had to undergo formal military training– Descended from original inhabitants of Sparta– Military group – did not perform other tasks

• Middle – perioeci– Free, but not citizens– No political power, but conducted trade for Spartans

• Bottom – helots– Slaves– No rights, worked the land and performed other labors

Sparta

• Education/Military Training– All Spartan male citizens were required to

become soldiers

• Birth to age 7: all children raised by mother

• Age 7: male children taken from their homes; all live in barracks and are organized into groups of 60; children play games, learn about Spartan customs, and learn how to survive

• Age 12: each student received an older Spartan soldier as a mentor; continue to live in barracks

Sparta

• Education/Military Training

• Age 20: Allowed to marry, but lived in barracks

• Age 30: Became member of Assembly, allowed to live at home

• Age 60: Retired from army, eligible to be elected member of Council of Elders

Sparta• Status of Women

– More free than in other parts of Greece• Could own property, move about the city, etc.• Could not participate in politics

– Married later (19 as opposed to 14)

– Received an education and physical training

– Were expected to manage husband’s affairs during war

Athens

• Located on the Attic peninsula

Athens

• Government– Development

Monarchy

Oligarchy

Limited Democracy

Athens• Reformers

– Draco – first written law code

– Solon – cancels debts, moves Athens towards democracy

– Peisistratus – divided land, gave citizenship to landless peasants, public works program

– Cleisthenes – broke power of aristocracy, increased power of the Assembly

Athens

• Government– Council of 500

• Chosen by lottery amongst all citizens• Carried out work of the government

• Other– Ostracism – citizens write names of unwanted

persons who would be expelled after 6,000 votes

– Jury System – 201 to 1,001 members

Athens• Education

– Focused on the arts and philosophy

– From age 7 to age 14• Privatized – parents had to pay

– Studied grammar, arithmetic, geometry, music and gymnastics, the Iliad and Odyssey• At later ages, rhetoric was added

– 2 years of military training at age 18

Sparta v. Athens

• Sparta– Peloponnesus– Oligarchic gov’t– Warrior state– Population in 430 B.C.

• 100,000

– Strong Army– Militaristic Society

• Athens– Attica– Democratic gov’t– Trading state– Population in 430 B.C.

• 140,000

– Strong Navy– Emphasis on Culture

Persian Wars

• In the 6th century B.C.E., the Greek poleis in Ionia were conquered by the Lydians

– Remember the Lydians? Why were they important?

• In 546 B.C.E., the Lydians were conquered by the Persians– This means that the Persians now controlled

the Ionian Greek city-states

Persian Wars

• The Greeks in Ionian did not like the way they were treated by the Persians– Heavy Taxes– Draft– Interference into local government

• In response, they revolted– 502 B.C.E. to 498 B.C.E. – Ionian Revolt

Persian WarsRevolt led by

Aristagoras of Miletus

– Helped by Athens and Eretria

– Captured city of Sardis and burned it

Persian Wars

• In response, the Persians attacked and defeated the rebels

– The Persian Emperor Darius wanted to punish Athens and Eretria for helping the rebels

– In response, Persia launched a fleet carrying between 25,000 and 100,000 troops (accounts vary)

Persian Wars

• Battle of Marathon (490 B.C.E.)– Greeks defeat Persians

• Battle of Thermopylae (480 B.C.E.)– Persians defeat Greeks– “300”

• Battle of Salamis (479 B.C.E.)– Greeks defeat Persians

• Battle of Plataea and Mycale (479 B.C.E.)– Greeks defeat Persians– Persians leave Greece

Greek Culture

• Theater– Two Main Divisions:

• Comedy– Humorous or happy– Ex. Aristophanes

• Tragedy– Struggle against fate– Ex. Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides

Greek Culture• Theater

– Aeschylus• The Oresteia Trilogy

– Sophocles• Antigone• Oedipus Rex• Oedipus at Colonus

– Euripides• Medea• The Trojan Women

– Aristophanes • “Father of Comedy”• The Clouds• The Birds• Lysistrata

– Menander

The Stage

Greek Culture

• Poetry– Homer

• Iliad• Odyssey

– Hesiod• The Theogony• Works and Days

– Sappho– Pindar

Greek Culture

• Sculpture– Myron

• Ideal form of people• Discus Thrower

– Phidias• Athena in the Parthenon

– Praxiteles• Life-sized statues, showing humanity/grace not

power

Greek Culture• Philosophy

– Pre-Socratic School• Thales of Miletus – “Father of Greek Philosophy”

– Water is basis of all things• Heraclitus of Ephesus

– All originates from fire, all is in a perpetual flux, the flux is structured by (logoV logos or word)

• Pythagoras of Samos– Founder of Pythagoreans, discovered Pythagorean

Theorem– “all things are numbers”

• Parmenides of Elea– Perception v. reality

• Zeno– Paradoxes


– Sophists• Sophists were traveling teachers• Concentrated on rhetoric• Believed in relative truth• Important Sophists:

– Protagoras – “Man is the measure of all things”– Gorgias

» Nothing exists; Even if something exists, nothing can be known about it; but even if something can be known about it, knowledge about it can't be communicated to others.

– Prodicus» Ethics: virtue vs. vice

Greek Culture

• Philosophy– Socratic School

• Socrates (469 B.C.E. – 399 B.C.E.)– Wrote nothing of his own– Taught by questioning his followers– Believed in absolute Truth– Virtue of the unexamined life – questioning of everything?

» Is this correct?– Convicted of corrupting the youth of Athens and

sentenced to death; drank hemlock to commit suicide

Greek Culture


• Plato– Taught at the Academy– Appearances are deceiving, only through search for truth

can you find it– Major Works:

» Apology – Socrates’ defense at his trial» Crito – Justice v. Injustice» Phaedo – death of Socrates; question of eternal life» Republic – philosophical look @ government; best is

by the learned

Greek Culture


• Aristotle– Taught at the Lyceum– Taught about the importance of logic– Major Works:

» Physics – earth as center of solar system; observed information and classified by similiarities/differences

» Politics – practical look @ politics; perfect system put power in middle class & combined all types of gov’t


– Socrates – absolute truth

Taught

– Plato – appearances are deceiving

Taught

– Aristotle – trust logic

Greek Culture

• Historians– Herodotus

• “Father of History”• Wrote Historia, or “Histories”• Not just facts, incorporated legends and stories

– Thucydides• Peloponnesian War• Only focuses on facts, rejects influences of gods

and goddesses• Some call him the first “Scientific Historian”

Greek Culture

• Scientists– Mathematicians

• Thales of Miletus – could predict a solar eclipse• Pythagoras – Pythagorean Theorem

– Medicine• Hippocrates – “Father of Medicine”

– Disease had natural causes– Advocate of hygiene– Hippocratic Oath

Peloponnesian Wars

• Greek versus Greek

• Development of Empires:– Athens – Delian League

• Started as alliance, gradually developed into an Athenian Empire

– Sparta – Peloponnesian League• Alliance to oppose Athens

Delian League

• Athens began a “golden age” under Pericles

– He consolidated power into the hands of Athens• Taxed other city-states• Forced them to use Athenian coins/money• Deployed troops to stop uprisings

Delian League

• Athens forcefully allied herself with two city-states on the Peloponnesus

– This made Sparta suspicious

– Sparta declared war• First Peloponnesian War

First Peloponnesian War

• Athens dominates the beginning, but a Persian fleet causes heavy damage during a battle near Egypt

• City-states in the Delian League start to rebel against Athens

– Athens asks for peace

Peloponnesian War

• Athens and Sparta start fighting again

• Sparta had a large army– Outnumbered Athens’ 2-1

• Athens had a large & powerful navy

• “Whale v. Elephant”

Peloponnesian War

• Each side tried to wear down each other

• Peace of Nicias– 50 years– Maintains statue quo

• Alcibiades– Athenian politician– Convinced Athens to invaded Sicily, Syracuse

Peloponnesian War

• Syracuse destroys Athenian army

• Sparta attacks

• Persia attacks

• Athens holds out, but is eventually defeated– Sparta tears down Athens’ walls & eliminates

the navy

Classical Greece• Remember:

Minoans

Mycenaeans

Dorians

Ionian Rest.

Athens

Sparta

Sparta

Per

sian

War

s

Pel

opon

nesi

an

War

s

End

of

Cla

ssic

al

Gre

eceVolcano?

Invasion

Rise of Macedonia

• Macedonia is the region north of Greece

• Monarchy under the control of King Philip II– Goals:

• Create a strong, standing army• Unify the Greeks under Macedonia• Destroy the Persians

Philip II of Macedonia

• Philip conquered the Greek city-states one by one– City-states did not cooperate with each other

• Athens was the last to fall

• Philip II was assassinated as soon as he conquered Athens in 336 B.C.E.

Alexander the Great

• Crowned king after the death of his father– 20 years old– Well-educated, taught by Aristotle

• 334 B.C.E. – Alexander the Great led 30,000 Greek soldiers and 5,000 cavalry against the Persians

• Alexander began to defeat the Persians

Alexander’s Conquests

1

2

3

4

5

67

8

9

Alexander’s Empire

• Alexander wanted to use his empire to combine Greek and Persian cultures– We call this new culture Hellenistic

• Alexander the Great died at age 33 in Babylon

Alexander’s Empire

• After Alexander’s death, the empire was divided into three parts, each ruled by one of his generals

– Ptolemy ruled Egypt, Libya and Syria

– Selecus ruled Mesopotamia, Afghanistan and Iran

– Antigonus ruled Macedonia and Greece

Hellenistic Culture

• Alexander founded new cities throughout his empire– Most were named Alexandria

• Most famous is in Egypt

• These helped to merged Greek and Persian cultures

Alexandria

• Large Harbor (up to 1,200 ships)• Lighthouse• Great Library• Zoo & Botanical Garden• Museum (first ever)• Institute for Scientific

Research

Hellenistic Culture• Philosophy

– Cynicism• Founded by Diogenes• People should give up material luxuries

– Epicurianism• Founded by Epicurius• Avoid joy & pain by accepting the world as it is

– Stoicism• Founded by Zeno• Gain happiness by ignoring emotion and following

reason

Hellenistic Culture

• Science– Euclid –Elements of Geometry

– Eratosthenes – estimated circumference of earth to within 1% of correct figure

– Archimedes – invented compound pulley and cylinder screw, discovered principle of buoyancy and of the lever

Origins of Rome

• Many diverse peoples occupied the Italian peninsula by the time of Greek colonization– Umbrians in the north– Latins in the central plain– Oscans in the south

• Eventually, most of these peoples came to be dominated by the Etruscans

Rome

• Rome, as a city, was probably settled by 800 or 700 B.C.E. by the local Latin peoples– Traditional date: 753 B.C.

• Mythical Founding:– Romulus and Remus

Etruscans

• Lived in fortified city-states

• These city-states formed confederacies

• Agrarian– Forced conquered peoples to work the farms

• Borrowed & adopted Greek religion, Greek alphabet

Tarquins

• The Tarquins, a rich Etruscan family, were installed as kings of Rome by the Etruscans

• Under Tarquin rule, the people of Rome learned how to use bricks and tile

• The Tarquins also built many temples

End of Tarquin Rule

• “Rape of Lucretia”

– Legend about the end of Tarquin rule

– Led to abolishment of monarchy by Junius Brutus in 509 B.C.E.

– In it’s place, a republic was established

“Rape of Lucretia” by Titian

Roman Republic• Government – Major Positions

– Consuls (2)• Head of government, act as commanders-in-chief.

Become senators at the end of term.

– Senate (300)• Supervise government matters, especially military

and foreign affairs. Serve for life.

– Tribunes (10)• Guard rights of plebeians can veto senators and

other officials. Serve for one year.

See handout for more detailed information

Roman Republic

• Army– Origins – volunteer-based, used Greek tactics

– Developed into legions• 6,000 men, subdivided into groups

of 60-120• Soldiers were called legionaries

– Military strength was vital• Physical geography left Rome

open to invasion

Punic Wars

• The other major power in the western Mediterranean was Carthage

– Remember, Carthage was originally a Phoenician colony

– It developed a large trading empire in the western half of the Mediterranean

Carthaginian Empire

First Punic War (264 B.C.E. – 241 B.C.E.)

• 264 B.C.E. – Carthage threatens to invade Italy


• In response, Rome invaded Sicily and conquered the Carthaginian colonies there

• Carthage had a powerful fleet, and used it to stop Roman aggression


• Rome built a huge fleet to attack the Carthaginians

– Used grappling hooks to board ships and fight hand to hand

• Rome destroyed the Carthaginian fleet and threatened to invade Carthage


• In response, the Carthaginians asked for peace– 241 B.C.E.– They were forced to pay a large indemnity

• Indemnity – payment for damages

Second Punic War (219 B.C.E. – 202 B.C.E.)

• 221 B.C.E. – Hannibal becomes general of Carthaginian army in Spain

• 219 B.C.E. – Hannibal conquers Roman city in Spain

• Hannibal then invades Italy over the Alps Mountains

Hannibal Crosses the Alps

• About 40,000 soldiers

• About 40 elephants

• Weather killed about ½ of troops and elephants

Hannibal’s Route

Second Punic War

(219 B.C.E. – 202

B.C.E.)• Hannibal enters Italy and starts to destroy the land

• Rome sends its legions – they meet at the Battle of Cannae


• Rome is in trouble – How can she be saved?

• Rome decides to invade Carthage– Led by Scipio


• Scipio defeats the Carthaginians at Zama, in Africa near Carthage


• Carthage asks for peace

– Rome makes them pay another large indemnity

– Rome destroys all of the Carthaginian warships

– Rome gains Carthaginian colonies in Spain

Third Punic War (149 B.C.E. - 146 B.C.E.)

• Carthage can no longer have an army or navy

• Carthage has no empire

• This allows Carthage to recover economically

Third Punic War (149 B.C.E. - 146 B.C.E.)

• Cato, Roman Senator, encourages war against Carthage– Reason: Residual anger, Carthage rearmed

• Rome invades, takes 3 years of heavy fighting to win

• Rome destroys Carthage– Tears down walls– Burns city to ground– Sells citizens into slavery

Cathargo delenda est!

Punic Wars Review

Punic Wars: Result

Rome rules all of the Western

Mediterranean

Rome in the Eastern Mediterranean

• During the Punic Wars, Rome also begins to extend her power into the Eastern Med.

• Wars:– First Macedonian War (215 – 205 B.C.E.)– Second Macedonian War (199 – 196 B.C.E.)– Syrian War (192 – 189

B.C.E.)– Third Macedonian War (171 – 167

B.C.E.)– Fourth Macedonian War (149 – 148 B.C.E.)

Rome in the Eastern Mediterranean

• Rome embraced Greek culture

– Literature

– Philosophy

– Art

– Architecture

Growing Social Problems in Rome

• Roman Social Classes

Growing Social Problems in Rome• Conditions leading to reform:

– Latifundia - large estates worked by slaves and owned mostly by senatorial families.

– Manufacturing and trade managed by skilled Greeks and other non-Romans.

– Understaffed army

Growing Social Problems in Rome• Conditions leading to reform:

– Rome's Allies became disgruntled with their poor treatment and lack of political and economic benefits.

– Slave Rebellions were a constant threat, and in Sicily one occurred in 135-131 BCE which disrupted Rome's grain supply.• Spartacus led 70,000 slaves in a revolt from 73-71 B.C.E.

– Economic crisis in Rome, because less money was coming in from foreign conquests; fewer public projects and fewer jobs.

Reform?

• Tiberius and Gaius Gracchus– Both killed for their attempts to divide land

amongst the people• Marius

– Consul– Allows landless men to enter army

• Army is now loyal to commander, not to Rome

• Sulla– Consul– Restores power of the aristocracy

Reform?

• The Gracchi vs. Marius vs. Sulla

– The Gracchi- had privileged the People's Assembly over all else.

– Marius- had privileged the Consul and the army over all else.

– Sulla - had privileged the Senate over all else.

Reformers

• Pompey the Great takes over as Consul

– Has to deal with Spartacus• Slave• Led revolt• Why?• Results:

– Slavery still exists– 6,000 crucified on Appian Way

Reformers

• Cicero– Great orator

– His Latin prose style was imitated by all the most learned thinkers for centuries to come.

– He gave Romans the vocabulary to express their unique views on philosophy, politics, and history.

Julius Caesar• Aristocrat

• Formed First Triumvirate– Members:

• Caesar• Pompey (political power)• Crassus (monetary support)

– Group of three rulers with equal power

• Consul in 59 B.C.E.– Leads legions into Gaul to attack the Celts

Caesar in Gaul • Won many victories

• Viewed as a military hero by the lower classes of Roman society

• Wrote Gallic War about his experiences

End of the First Triumvirate

• Crassus is killed fighting in Asia

• Pompey becomes rival of Caesar– Orders Caesar to return to Rome without his

army

– “Crossing the Rubicon” – viewed as act of war against Pompey

Julius Caesar’s Reform• Reduced the dominance of Rome

– Integrated Rome with Italy & Italy with provinces

• Julian Calendar

• Enlarged Senate from 600 to 900– Included Romanized

provincials – Gives more unity to

Roman rule

Julius Caesar’s Reform• Socio-economic reforms:

– Public works projects: temples, libraries, theaters, roads, and harbors

– Colonies of Roman citizens in provinces

– Roman citizenship for intellectuals - teachers, scholars, doctors, and librarians

– Founding of schools and public libraries in the Western provinces

Classical Mediterranean Societies Coach Newman. SSWH3 The student will examine the political,...

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