Classical+Greece

__ Homework 1.1 __ APPARTS Chart

__ Document: Thucydides on Athens (5th Century BC) __

What do we know about where this was created? What have we learned about this topic? Society that may be relevant? || Athens was known for having a large interest in politics, and generally being interested in learning, arts and the sciences(named after Athena, the goddess of Wisdom). Athens was also know to be highly democratic, though only men could vote.Athens was also known for being the less structured of the two city states. Tamisha " During the peloponnesian war, there were many casualties. Athens ended up losing to Sparta, hence the need for the speech at the funeral". || Who is the intended audience? How might they receive this? – quotes to support your claims? || The people of Athens, or soldiers who might have fought in the Peloponnesian war. They might recieve this well, due to it's obvious patriotism being that it came from a former general in the war. ""If I have dwelt at some length upon the character of our country, it has been to show that our stake in the struggle is not the same as theirs who have no such blessings to lose, and also that the praise of the men over whom I am now speaking might be confirmed by definite proofs." ||  What is the purpose of this document? Read between the lines, support claims with a quote  ||  This document was created for the purposes of comforting the loved ones/ veterans of the peloponnesian war, and to venerate Athens.Emphasizing the fallen soldiers didn't die in vain to boost morale." "So died these men as became Athenians. You, their survivors, must be determined to have as unfaltering a resolution in the field, though you may pray that it may have a happier outcome. . . . " || Support with quotes ||  Athens is better than Sparta: . "You must yourselves realize the power of Athens, and feed your eyes upon her from day to day, till the love of her fills your hearts; and then when all her greatness shall break upon you, you must reflect that it was by courage, sense of duty, and a keen feeling of honor in action that men were enabled to win all this, and that no personal failure in an enterprise could make them consent to deprive their country of their bravery except as a sacrifice of the most serious contribution they could offer. " || How does this relate to the big picture? What can it tell us as historians? Relate to ESPIRIT if possible ||  This isn't easily relatable to the big picture, as it's hugely conjecture/incredibly biased, except in describing the Athenian culture, and how they reacted to the war with their fellow Greeks.This was a good representation of the athenians socially, and interactively, to relate it to the ESPIRIT Chart. ||
 * Author – Who created this? What do we know about the author? What might influence their opinions? ||  Thucydides, a greek historian who wrote the "History of the Pelopponnesian War" between Sparta and Athens.He was a general who fought in the war and was exiled due to contracting the plague([]), so he would be biased towards the Athenian side(due to being an athenian soldier, or possibly Sparta(Athens exiled him.)   Alex " He wrote a 1sthand account of the first few years of the war only, not the later war, due to his medical exile."  ||
 * **Place** – Where and when was it created - ||  This was created in Ancient greece around 431 BC. 5th Century.  ||
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__ Document: Plutarch on Life in Sparta(1st Century BC) __

( [|http://www][|.en.wikipedia.org/][|Plutarch] ) What do we know about where this was created? What have we learned about this topic? Society that may be relevant? || Sparta was known for being the more warlike of the Greek City-states. Believed to be founded by the God of War, Ares, Spartan society was highly influenced by beliefs in military strength and physical ability.Women were also kept in peak physical condition, due to beliefs that two strong parents would make a stronger child. Tamisha : "There was bad blood between Sparta and Athens during the Peloponnesian war, and there was tension for sometime afterwards due to grudges." || Who is the intended audience? How might they receive this? – quotes to support your claims? || The intended audience would most likely be Spartans, or those interested in the life of Lycurgus the lawmaker.They probably recieved this well, as it praises Lycurgus for his changes to Sparta."Among the many innovations which Lycurgus made, the first and most important was his institution of a senate, or Council of Elders, which, as Plato says, by being blended with the "feverish" government of the kings, and by having an equal vote with them in matters of the highest importance, brought safety and due moderation into counsels of state." Alex "It could be anyone who wanted ot gain insight on the rigorous training styles of Spartans, and life in Sparta in general" || What is the purpose of this document? Read between the lines, support claims with a quote ||  The purpose of this document is to detail the life of Lycurgus, the changes which he made to society in Sparta, and general spartan culture.he did not permit them to live abroad at their pleasure and wander in strange lands, assuming foreign habits and imitating the lives of peoples who were without training and lived under different forms of government. Tamisha " This was created to expand upon or explain what Lycurgus did for the people of Sparta" || Support with quotes ||  Sparta is just as good as Athens, if not better. "Nay more, he actually drove away from the city the multitudes which streamed in there for no useful purpose, not because he feared they might become imitators of his form of government and learn useful lessons in virtue, as Thucydides says, but rather that they might not become in any wise teachers of evil." || How does this relate to the big picture? What can it tell us as historians? Relate to ESPIRIT if possible ||  Being that Plutarch shows less bias than Theucydides(due to being affiliated with neither Athens nor Sparta), His work is most easily relatable to social structure, much like Theucydides. While Plutarch goes more into detail with politics, he does help relate the whole incident to Herodotus indirectly, demonstrating that Historians should not show bias, and report what happened for the people to decide themselves. ||
 * Author – Who created this? What do we know about the author? What might influence their opinions? ||  Plutarch: was known for being optimistic, even in historical accounts, and philosophies.He was also a biographer for people such as Cicero, Alexander the Great, Lycurgus, and Caesar.([] ) He would most likely be biased towards the eastern mediterranean, where he lived and traveled while doing historical accounts.  Tamisha " He was born near Corinth in greece around 46 BCE." ||
 * **Place** – Where and when was it created - ||  This was created in Greece, and while the exact date of creation is unknown,   it is thought to have been created in the 1st century BC.  ||
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Athens Vs Sparta Comparison/Contrast:

"Athens was one of the leading cities of Ancient Greece in the first millennium, having been inhabited for 3000 years, with its cultural and philosophical achievements laying the foundations of a new western civilization, though it was originally formed by the descendants of Ionian migrants. On the other hand, the militaristic Sparta, famous as a martial power, foe of the Persian Empire, and eventual conqueror of Athens, was formed after the Dorian migration from the north. While the culture of Sparta was totally war driven(possibly in part due to it's patron God Ares), and Athens being home to some of the most extraordinary accomplishments of philosophy, art, and science in human history(possibly sue to it's patron Goddess, Athena) both Greek city-states had important impact."(Paraphrased from [])

Politics : Athens and Sparta were ruled by democracy and a council of elders respectively.While the Athenian democratic government was elected and ruled by an upper class, male population, the governance of Sparta was entrusted to five men called ephors, and a council of 28 elders([]), who were elected to their office by Spartans over age 30.The Athenian government was ruled by 10 separate divisions of 50 randomly assigned people each, which would then vote on issues.

Religion: While both Athens and Sparta were heavily influenced by religion(the same religion), Sparta's relation to Ares(God of War) lead it's culture to be mainly about expansionism and military might, as well as a long-standing belief about absolute loyalty to the state.However, the Athenians, being associated with Athena(Goddess of Wisdom and defensive wars) were seen as more cultured and had a greater social infrastructure.

Economics: While Sparta was dependant mainly on agriculture and subsistence farming, and because Sparta depended so heavily on the land, they had the most powerful land-based army. However, Athens became a very important trading power in the mediterranean, which caused it to have a strong Navy, to counterbalance the Spartan land-based powers.

Social/Lifestyle: "The stark lifestyle of Sparta was a contrast to the Athenian focus on thinking and learning. While the Athenian people spent a considerable amount of their time studying literature, art, and music, Spartans were training to be soldiers. The rigorous training that began at birth hardened the Spartan soldiers such that they never lost a battle in the bloody conflicts that raged almost constantly between the small city-states of ancient Greece. It is believed that in Sparta, the elders tested a newborn baby for deformities and if the baby was deemed unlikely to become a strong soldier, he was tossed into a gorge. For the rest, the training was cruel and rigorous"([])

Documentary Notes:

The greeks laid the foundations of modern western civilization, including drama, literature,art, and science which we still try to equal today.Especially important because they accomplished it during wartimes. Clisthenes: 508 BCE, in Athens, pandemonium ruled the streets, and the local people were revolting against their rulers.At this time, Clisthenes an athenian nobleman believed that the lower class should be able to govern themselves, though he was raised to control and belittle them.He was born around 570BC to the Alchemyenids, who were very priveleged and had a powerful influence in greece.It was believed that this family inherited this power from a rich king, who rewarded them with gold dust. However, the ancestor was greedy and put gold in every orifice of his body, which amused the king.In the 6th century BC, they controlled everything that happened in Athens, which was in the center of the mediterranean peninsula, known as Hellas, though it was only a small area at the time. This was built around the Acropolis, which was a good point of defence. Women cooked, spun and wove inside the home, with reading and writing as a rare skill. Life expectancy was roughly 15 years.There was little to no possibility that the commoners of Greece could gain political power or independance.It was essentially turned against itself, with powerful aristocrats ruling at the expense of the normal people.Greece does not have the same physical unity/topography that other great empires had, being that it had mostly mountain ranges, and was built along an island chain.Each city state un greece had unique culture, and none were politically unified, and tried to maintain independance overall.The corinthians dominated trade, and the people at Argos had a rich history of over 1000 years. Sparta however, had the greatest military power, with their entire lives structured around discipline and war.They had conquered nearly all of the surrounding regions, nearly 4000 square miles. The Hellots(conquered people) became their slaves.Cleisthenes was inspired heavily by the ancient myths, and the country was dotted with bards, who would memorize over 1 million lines of poetry, though the Illiad and the Oddyssey were the most often told, which centered around "heroes" the greek ideal of speed, strength, and intelligence, who achieved great things.Achilles was the model hero, giving everything for a brief time of glory, and eternal fame. In the 6th century, a tyrant took power, through divine right, by claiming that he had the protection of a Goddess, The athenians allowed this man, Pisistratus was trying, to consolidate his rule by finding allies among the common man, and undermining the aristocracy.He allowed the athenian people to take out loans, which allowed them to biuild up their farms, and increase agrarianism. For greeks, Olive Oil was incredibly important, being not only used for cooking, but for trade,and even soap, which helped Athens become important traders and a great naval power .Potters were very low in athenian society, though it had been the original form of greek art, though it was originally simple and based off geometric patterns. Though they were mainly interested in competing with one another, more than great art(which is today worth millions of dollars). Pisistratus died in 527 BC, and his son Hipias took over, who saw his brother murdered in 514BC and became a tyrranical dictator as a result, eexecuting not only the murderers, but torturing their wives.He became increasingly paranoid, and thought the Aristocrats were conspiring against him, which was entirely true. Cleisthenes would then use the public outcry to fuel a rebellion, which then declared him the ruler.Under this spirit, the Olympic games began to truly flourish, and became a chance for any greek to become a hero/gain great fame.However, women were prohibited from entering the games, or even the stadium.However, this made Athens even more unstable, and Cleisthenes became aware of several plots against him, including by an Athenian aristocrat names Isagyrous, who turned to Sparta, hoping to gain allies from his old friends.They then sent a powerful army to help with the Coup de'tat, in hopes of making Athens a subject state to Sparta.Unfortunately, the coup succeeded, and Cleisthenes, as well as many other aristocrats, were permanently exiled from Athens, once again making it a despotic dictatorship.However, the common athenians soon rebelled and took power into their own hands, defeating Isagyrous atop the Acropolis.(508 BC) This would be Athens' major step towards democracy and a large empire. Cleisthenes was then summoned from his exile, and was asked to create a new government(democracy) due to the political situation of the common man having great military power.It was a pure democracy, which would decide all issues meeting every 9 days.However, the Persians were the greatest power at the time, and began to worry about the Athenians becoming a threat. Persians immediately mobilized 30,000 soldiers to invade.

Thesis: The developing Athenian society was greatly influenced by the geography of the land, outside influences of powerful empires such as the Egyptians and Persians, and the unique religion and social standards which would prove the driving force for many famous greeks.

Economics: MI: While Rome was expansive, and one of the most powerful empires in world history, it's economy wasn't very complex, especially when compared to modern systems. ([]) Social: There were two main social classes in Ancient Rome, the Plebians(poor), and the Patricians(rich). ([])
 * Ancient Rome had a largely agricultural economy based around slave labor and trade.
 * Industrial progression was not the main focus of the economy, though it was overall very well known(See Technology section for more info.)
 * The main staple crops were grapes,olives, and various grains for food.
 * The Romans did use a form of Crop Rotation(as seen later in the Feudal Manor system), though this was heavily dependant on Slave labor.
 * Famers could donate grain instead of paying a monetary tax. This way, the army obtained free food for the troops and the less fortunate. However, this provided no reason for farmers to expand production, which proved a hindrance to the economy.
 * While both classes attended the same religious ceremonies, spoke the same language,owned slaves, and were incredibly patriarchal, there were key differences, such as levels of sanitation,marriage customs,clothing, and housing type.
 * Women, children, and slaves were not considered to be citizens/have any power
 * There was no interclass marriage, and Plebians did not usually associate with Patricians, at least until 445BC.
 * The Patricians were famous for flaunting their wealth, shown in Mosaics on the floor, gold and jewelry, and most especially large amounts of free time, which the Plebians did not have.

Politics: Kevin- Greek government was the foundation for Roman government, and both were meant to provide a fair system which could keep the people pacified in the large empire. However, the Roman government made several refinements to the original Athenian system, including a large legislative body or Senate, which was composed mainly of aristocrats. Two consuls shared executive power, but in times of emergency, the Senate could elect a Dictator and assume absolute power.However, romans from all over the empire could join in the general assembly and talk about issues which would benefit the empire to bring before the senate. Political theory, written by Cicero for Example, was usually centered around ethics, important political skills,

Intelligence/ Innovation: MI: The romans built on previous knowledge of conquered peoples to improve their own technology and mental faculties.
 * The concept of "Innocent until proven Guilty" first appeared in Rome
 * The Roman's language, Latin is the root of many languages today including english, spanish french, and others.
 * Public toilets/plumbing was provided for citizens without it, but a tax was imposed.
 * The Romans had the first widespread Newspaper, called the "Acta Diurna" which was used to spread news from the issues the senate would be discussing. It was also one of the first forms of organized propaganda.
 * Many holidays celebrated today have roots in Roman history, such as Christmas.

Religion: The Roman Religion (one of the better known pagan religions) was known for it's diverse polytheism(associating not only natural events/elements with the Gods, but also places, animals, and plants), and use of religion to explain natural phenomena.
 * The Christians kept many features of the Roman religion though they were usually hidden or subverted. For example, the traditional depiction of Satan (A humanoid being with goat hooves and horns) is derived from the God of Nature/Wilderness, Pan.
 * Temples to worship the Gods were built throughout the empire, and usually followed the same architectural design, with a triangular roof supported by pillars, with the entrance behind the pillars.Inside was heavily decorated, and contained a statue of the God being worhsipped, as well as priests to conduct services.
 * After the reign of emperor Augustus(27BC-14AD), emperors were considered to be gods, and were given a public holiday/worshipped on special occasions.(Much like Egyptian and Chinese standards.Egyptian Pharaohs were thought to be god-kings, and the Classical Chinese commanded power through the "Mandate of Heaven", insisting that God had given them the right to rule China.)
 * Each home had a small altar or shrine to a patron God (Iares) which were worshipped every day at home, usually containing an offering to the God, as well as the God's symbols, and a statue.The service was conducted by the head of the family, and was considered so important, even slaves were allowed to attend.

Technology & Interactions Of Ancient Rome:

Interactions: While ancient Rome began as a monarchy, aristocrats drove it out and took power circa 509 BC, establishing a complex political system for the city-state.The new Republic of Rome soon expanded it's control over the italian peninsula, and eventually conquered the greek colonies to the east by training a strong military, driven simply by a desire to protect their new territory from invaders.Roman conquests spread more widely during the Punic wars against the Phoenician city of Carthage, most famous for the defeat of the brilliant general Hanibal(Carthaginian) by the Roman Scipio Africanus. This made Rome very bitter, and they scattered salt around Carthage, hoping no plant would ever grow there again.After conquering Carthage, the Romans proceeded to take over large amount of the Western Mediterranean.The empire then suffered a slow, decisive fall which lasted over 250 years before finally ending with the sack of rome in 476 AD, and the exile of the young emperor to a farm.However, the Byzantine empire, which split off from Rome when Constantine divided the empire lasted for roughly another 1000 years.

Alex :Philip II and Alexander the Great of Macedonia(Greece) extended the empire through Persia to India and Egyupt., merging some culture with the middle east, and gave rise to the Hellenistic period.

Tamisha: After taking over in 180CE, Marcus Aurelius pushed northward, taking over France, parts of germany, and the southern parts of Britain.

Technology:

The Romans Were well known for :

Other achievements include : ([]) Key Terms:
 * Extensive road system "All roads lead to rome"
 * Aqueducts, and advanced systems of plumbing
 * Fast drying cement, which greatly aided construction projects.
 * Month System(January=Janus, March=Mars, etc...)
 * Good medical tools (inherited from the greeks), and cauterization techniques.
 * Large amounts of War-machines, such as the seige engine, and powerful catapults/ballistae called "Wild Asses"
 * Candles - sticks of animal fat which the legionaries could even eat in times of starvation.
 * Mangle for ironing
 * Scissors
 * Magnifying glass
 * shoe soles made of cork
 * Different shoe shapes for left and right foot. Read about [Shoes|ancient Roman shoes].
 * Bikinis (see a famous mosaic from sicily showing young ladies in bikini)
 * Showers (not to mentions their development of [|great public buildings such as spas and heated pools], gymnasiums, [|public libraries] etc)
 * Postal system
 * Street lighting (only towards the end of the empire)
 * Unruly supporters and hooliganism at the stadiums
 * Brides dressed in white being carried over the threshold of their new home. [|Ancient Roman Weddings].
 * After repeated requests regarding literature I though it worthwhile to include a link to [|Satire]: a Roman form of public exhibition and literature.

Cyrus the Great: an emperor of Persia, who established control over a large amount of territory,(From the middle east to India) circa 550 BCE. Zoroastrianism: A new religion whic sprung up in Persia in the 6th century BC. Olympic Games:An athletic competition which was held between Greek city-states to promote peace and test skill .Any man could compete in the Olympics, and it brought together the normally divided greek nobles and peasants. Pericles:An aristocrat who dominated Athenian politics and spread the ideals of democracy. He ruled mainly through wisdom and negotiation, and often would help restrain some of the more agressive athenian debaters/politicians who wanted to promote expansionism. Peloponnesian War: Held between Athens and Sparta, during which both vied for control of all greece. It left both states utterly depleted, and they were soon defeated by the Macedonians. Hellenistic Period:(431-404 BCE) A period after Alexander the Great's death, during which greek culture mixed profoundly with middle eastern forms. Philip II of Macedon: Ruler of a northern greek city-state, which conquered both Athens and Sparta when they were severely weakened after the Peloponnesian war. Alexandria: An important city in Egypt in which trade flourished, and important scientific centers were established.(Library of Alexandria/Pharos of Alexandria) Roman Republic:The original name of the Roman city state in 509BC, after the roman aristocrats drove out the monarchy. Punic Wars: Wars which helped spread Roman influence to the western mediterranean from 264 to 146 BCE. Carthage: Rome's opponent in the Punic Wars, which stands on the northern edge of Africa. Hannibal:Chief general of the Carthaginians, who used elephants to hold off the Roman troops, but was eventually defeated by the Roman general Scipio Africanus. Julius Caesar: As the politics of the Roman empire grew increasingly unstable, he emerged to stop a civil war between Roman aristocrats and generals. Augustus Caesar: Grandnephew of Julius Caesar who took power in 27BCE after another period of political turmoil, and laid the foundations for the golden age of the Roman empire. Diocletian/Constantine: Two powerful rulers who attempted to stop the decay of Roman politics. Constantine in particular tried to bring new unity to the Roman Empire under Christianity. Polis: The greek word for city-state, from which is derived our modern "politics". This shows that politics was a major part of life in city-states in Greece and Rome alike. Direct Democracy: A simple vote wherein all citizens could participate, and there were no elected representatives to interpret the law. (Everyone has equal political power, at least in theory) Senate: An important legislative body in the Roman government, composed mainly of aristocrats. This is the precursor to American Democracy(Representative-based) Consuls: These were the executive Branch of Roman politics, though the senate could, in times of crisis, elect a dictator and assume direct control. Cicero:A roman writer, and important senator, whose works center on political skills, ethics, and the duties of citizens. Aristotle: Another philosopher, who like Cicero, stressed the importance of moderation of human behavior. Stoics: An ethical system which emphasized inner moral independance, to be cultivated by moral bravery and a strict discipline. Socrates:(469BCE) An athenian philosopher who encouraged his students to question conventional wisdom, and stressed that the chief human duty was "improvement of the soul". Plato: Socrates' pupil, who believed that through wisdom, humans could understand the perfection which characterized nature. This lead to the the emphasis of thought over religion. Sophocles: A greek poet who often portrayed characters with psychological flaws in his dramas,such as Oedipus. Illiad/Oddysey: Greek epic poems attributed to the famous poet Homer, which contained strong ties to greek myths, and greatly inspired many greek and roman citizens to achieve their dreams, such as Cleisthenes. Doric/Ionic/Corinthian: Types of Marble column structures, which were the beginning of classical architecture in Greece.

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The Fall of Rome:

A combination of such factors as Christianity, decadent/wasteful lifestyles, lead(causing infertility, monetary trouble(inflation), and military problems caused the Fall of Rome. Imperial incompetence and chance could be added to the list.The Roman Empire had become too big to control easily. Soldiers or families in distant parts of the Empire adopted local customs and the Empire was made up not only of natives from the Italian peninsula, but barbarians from the conquered lands. Corruption became rampant.Decay of the army, according to Vegetius (5th century), came from within the army itself, which grew weak from too long peace and stopped wearing its protective armor.When Constantine established religious toleration in the Roman Empire, he took upon himself the title of Pontiff. Although he was not necessarily a Christian himself (he wasn't baptized until he was on his deathbed), he gave Christians privileges and oversaw major Christian religious disputes.Over time, Church leaders became influential and took away power from the emperor. Christian beliefs conflicted with the working of empire.THis also lead to military weakness, as after Constantine's influence by Christianity, roman armies were no longer able to perform ethnic cleansing upon the vandals and barbarians and other opposing armies.