Greek City States

PolisExpansion

SpartaAthens

Polis• Citizens who have Rights

(most males) - ~10%• asty + chora = polis.

• Asty is the Greek word for the city proper, the core of the polis.

• Chora means region or district; in our formula, it refers to the agricultural hinterland around a polis.

City-State Organization• Acropolis – formal politics• Agora – market; informal

politics• Pop. Range from few

thousand to 300,000 Athens by 5th century BCE

• Polis (plu. Poleis) = urban core + a rural zone• Athens + Attica =

Athenian polis; • Sparta + Laconia =

Spartan polis

Polis• Rights with

responsibilities• Loyalty • City-states = rivals

New War Style• Old = cavalry

aristocrats• Hoplite warrior• Phalanx formation• Discipline• Resistant to

cavalry, so aristocrats no longer dominant

Expansion - Colonization

DardanellesOr “Hellespont”

Bosporus

Colonization

Causes• Farmland• Trade opportunities

Effects• Spread of Greek culture to

peoples in colonized areas• Economic advantage of

control of waterways• Hellespont• Bosporus

• Created wealthy elite in cities• Frustrated by lack of access

to political power that was reserved for landowners

Colonization…• Trade for food

• (+) = increase population

• (-) = rely on foreigners

Tyranny• Seize power by force

from aristocrats• Not necessarily bad• Cause: wealthy elite

who made $$ from trade & industry joined with poor peasants in debt

• Hired soldiers• Tyrant not always bad…• In some places led to

development of democracy

Sparta• Conquered Laconians

& Messenians• “helots”

• Military!• Government

• Ephors • 5 men

• Council of Elders• 2 kings• 28 citizens over 60

• Assembly of all male citizens vote

Spartans• Isolationists• Conservatives

extreme• Xenophobic• Anti-education• Simple, disciplined

life • Look down on

merchants and trade

Athens• Monarchy, then

oligarchy, then democracy

• Problems by 600s BCE• Farmers sold into

slavery for debt• Smaller number of

aristocrats own larger amount of the land

Draco• Circa 621 B.C.,

Draco codified the laws of Athens and posted them in the Athenian agora. This code was harsh

• “Draconian”• Athens was, in

principle, now ruled by laws, not by men.

Athens: Solon• 594 BCE• Reformer

• How can we avoid civil war or a tyranny?

• Aristocrat• Cancelled debts• Freed ppl enslaved for debt• Refused to redistribute land• Tyranny came anyway• Right to vote = wealth

• “timocracy” • Council of 400 sets agenda

• “initiative”

Peisistratus• 560 BCE• Tyrant, though of

aristocrat class• Help trade to

appease merchant classes

• Redistribute land• Rebellion against

his son

Cleisthenes• 512 BCE seizes power• Participation based

on residence, not birth or wealth

• Council of 500• Foreign affairs• Treasury• Propose laws

• Assembly• All male citizens• Pass laws• Debate

Factors in the Development of Democracy

• Economic• Military• Philosophical

Interesting Ideas from Athens• Ostracism• “Hellenes”• Individualism• Oligarchy• Tyranny• Democracy• Monarchy• Aristocracy

• Rhetoric

Discussion Topics for Athens• Tendency of wealth (i.e., land) to become

accumulated into the hands of fewer and fewer over time• Compare to Rome’s latifundia

• The phalanx as a contributor to democracy• Compare to long bow in Hundred Years’

War• Trade as alternative path to wealth but

tendency of aristocracy to hang on• Compare to commercial revolution in

Europe 15th century