Ancient Greece
Ancient Greece is located in the southeastern part of Europe in the Balkan Peninsula between the Mediterranean and Aegean seas. It is made mainly of the larger city-states of Crete, Athens, and Sparta. The geographic location of the civilization caused Greece to develop into city-states, rather than uniting into one strong empire. Land is surrounded by hills, mountains, and bodies of water with the city-states nestled in between. This keeps the city-states small and isolated. Because of the regional separation, many differences in their way of life are expect to develop. However, throughout most of Greece, the same language is spoken, the architectural ideas and structures are similar, and religious beliefs and myths are the same among the people. The people of Greece are welcoming to new people and ideas, regardless of their place of origin.
Teaching and learning from others is an important value for the people in the city-states. The famous philosophers, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, come from the Greek city-state of Athens. They introduce questions, analysis and examination methods of the purpose of life and teaching. Socrates, who is alive from 470 BCE to 399 BCE, be
lieves in debating and asking questions order to learn. He teaches people to be critical and thoughtful of the truths of others, even if it results in death, which is of course how Socrates himself is killed. Plato (c. 428-348 BCE), who was Socrates’ student, founded the Academy. This becomes the leading school of philosophy in Athens for centuries. Plato dealt with topic of love, justice, courage, and the nature of the state. Aristotle (c. 384-322 BCE) is Plato’s greatest student. He addresses physics, logic, astronomy, religion, literary criticism, and science. Aristotle agrees with the Greek way of small units, or city- states, with their own separate government. This diversity in beliefs and philosophies encourages the intellectual
development of the Greeks.
Plato's Academy of Philosophy
The Major City-States of Greece:
Crete:
Crete is one of the ear
lier Greek city-states to form. Villages here developed when the Minoans began to settle in Crete at around 3000 BCE. By 2000 BCE, they began building major palace complexes at Knossos on the island. These palace complexes are something you must see if you happen to visit Crete. The palaces are elaborately furnished for royal residences. They are also centers for religious rituals, and a headquarters for administering Cretan economy. Goods, that are made by the craftspeople of Crete, are a big part of the economy. Craftspeople in Crete produce bronze tools, gems, and pottery in the form of eggshell-thin vessels. These products are then exported through the east. Crete excels in commerce through exports of their goods and trade with others as it is at the crossroads of multiple trade routes.By 2000 BCE you will see the existence of pictographic Cretan Pottery writing, and, at around 1700 BCE, a syllabic writing called Linear A form. H
owever, in 1450 BCE, a new script known as Linear B was created to transcribe Greek. This became the language of the Cretan people. The worst time to visit Crete would be at the time Linear B is developed in 1450 BCE to about 1300 BCE. This is when an unknown disaster destroys the major palaces of the city-state. When the last palace is destroyed, Crete is put under the rule of Mycenae which become the leading city-state of Greece.
Linear B scripture that was used in Crete
Athens:
Athens is a leader among the city-states in Greece and is a great place to visit. The Athenians begin the concept of political democracy. They are the only ones who are the farthest away from rule by king. Athens is managed through rule by people. In 600 BCE, Solon, a general who becomes the leader over public office, opens participation and voting in the decision making of the public assembly to all free men. This creates a balance in the say of people no matter what their social class. Citizens are given the right to participate in activities of the state. However the people still have to serve the state. Although they are considered citizens, women are completely excluded from this right. Women are give legal protection and are responsible for some religious rituals, but they are kept from attending meetings of the public assembly, annual public offices, serving as jurors, initiating legal case, and owning properties under their own name. If a woman has something to say to the judges and jurors in court, a man will speak for her. Based on this exclusion of women, slaves are completely out of question for citizenship and the right to participate. Only men of native born Athenian mothers and fathers are eligible for citizenship in the city-state. Athens has a max population of 250,000 people. Of these, only 1 out of 6 Athenian adults qualify for citizenship.
Athens is a very organized city-state. It starts from a plain of land, and rises up the hill of the city-state. With each level of the state, architectural projects in Athens to flourish and become more exalted. At the bottom, are the houses of commoners . These are made from local stone and mud materials. The next level up the hill is the agora. This is the civic and market center of the city-states. In the agora there are buildings for the trade of goods and ideas, and government buildings to make political decisions. Souvenirs, such as food, clothing, and other Athenian products can be bought here. More concern for architecture is put into the agora, making these more elegant than the houses of commoners. Athenian values of public life and expertise are also demonstrated through the interactions at the agora. By the agora, is the male only gymnasia for exercise and competition. If you are a woman, this is a place you want to avoid when visiting Athens. Men would often be naked when at the gymnas
ia, which is surely something woman want to avoid. Also near the agora
was an amphitheater that is carved out of the hillside. This is a great place to go enjoy the Greek invention of tragicomedy. They are regularly performed at the amphitheater as entertainment for the people. The top of the hill in the city-state is called the Acropolis, which means “city on high”. Ictinus and Callicrates, two architects, planned and designed the Acropolis. It is surrounded by a wall and includes the chief Temple of Athena Nike. The temple contain the shrine of the goddess Athena called the Parthenon, which was also designed by Ictinus and Callicrates. The people of Athens belive that she is the divine guardian of the city. A sculptor, named Phidias, carved the frieze on the Parthenon and sculpted the 40- foot statue of Athena to Athenian Amphitheater symbolize the goddess residing within the city-state.
The Athenian city-state set out to construct an empire, so they assembled a group of allies into the Delian League. The council and treasury of this league are situated in Delos. At first joining is optional, but, later on, leaving the group becomes forbidden by Athens. Tributes are demanded from city-states in the league, which causes some of them to withdraw. This may cause Athens to attack, or declare war on, the city-state. The idea of Athens ruling becomes very unpopular among the states and many of them turn to Sparta for help with resisting Athenian power in 461 BCE. This would be a time to avoid being in Athens or the revolting city-states, as this resistance from the Delian League results in a 10 year war. This war is called the Peloponnesian War and it engenders the deterioration of the relationship between the city-states.
City-states that allied with Athens versus the ones who turned to Sparta
for help, resulting in the Peloponnesian War
Sparta:
Sparta is a very military based city-state. The people were very focused on building a strong army force. War was very important to the Spartans, so this city-state may not be the best to visit during a trip to Greece. People are very passionate about strength. This is emphasized so much, that unfit babies, like preemies, are put on mountain tops and left to die. Children that are considered fit, grow up with training to be a Spartan warrior. Boys typically are sent away to a boarding school to begin training at age 6 all the way to their teen years when they became a warrior who is able to fight. Females in Sparta are given more respect and are expected to be strong, therefore girls are also trained at this age. They are not trained at an official school like the boys, but warrior skills are taught to them at home by their mothers. Because war is a frequent occurrence, Spartan women take care of the businesses, government, etc. when the men are away at war. Women are given importance in the Spartan society. They are allowed to partake in competitions like gymnastics, wrestling, and foot and horse racing. Unlike Athens, Sparta does not have a large focus on art and architecture due to the importance of strength and fighting. Their buildings are very basic, usually made of sun baked bricks and clay roof tiles like the houses of commoners in Athens.
Greek Religion:
Polytheism:
During the time period of the Greece, none of the well known major religions are established. The Greek people believe in a polytheistic religion that had a multitude of gods and goddesses. Each one represents an idea from everyday life. The gods are believed to inhabit Mt. Olympus where the Throne of Zeus. To the Greeks, Zeus is the supreme ruler of the gods
and people, and he is the king of the sky and heaven. He leads the other gods such as Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, Ares, Artemis, Demeter, Dionysos, Hermes, Hera, Hades, Hephaistos, Poseidon, and many more. These gods are recognized throughout all of the Greek city-states, although the stories, myths, and attributions may vary from city-state to city-state. The Greeks believe that, just like ordinary men and women, these gods and goddesses marry, have children, have fights and wars, and even have affairs with humans on earth. Temples are built in city-states as a religious place that are sacred sites for rituals and god worship. Common religious practices include animal sacrifices and pouring of libations. The Greeks even invent athletic competitions in honor of the gods. The most famous of these are held in the south west of Greece in Olympia. This competition is called
the Olympics and it happens every four years. The ancient Olympics begin this to honor Zeus, in the early 700 BCE. A statue of Zeus, made of gold and ivory, is placed inside a temple The Greek gods on Mt. Olympus
in Olympia where athletes competing can pray and make
sacrifices to the gods. The Olympics include foot races, wrestling, boxing, chariot and horse races, discus hurling, javelin throwing, and many more. This series of competitions is something you should definitely go see if you are visiting Greece at the time of the Olympics.
Places to Visit in Greece:
Cretan palaces are very beautiful and should be seen when in Greece
The Parthenon that sits at the acropolis of Athens. Here you can see the frieze on the Parthenon and the 40-foot statue of the goddess Athena that is inside.
The Temple of Athena Nike that can also be found in the acropolis of Athens.
The agora in Athens is where you can go to buy souvenirs, clothes, food. Here you will also find the amphitheater to see the wonderful Greek tragicomedies and the gymnasia for a place to exercise.
When Should You Visit?
The Best of Times:
It is recommended to visit the city-state of Crete in 2000 BCE as this when the magnificent palaces are constructed. Athens and Sparta should be visited in 500 BCE, when both city-states are at peace.
The Worst of Times:
During the Peloponnesian war 461 BCE to 471 BCE. The war lasts for 10 years and most of the city-states in Greece are a part of it, so visiting Greece at this time is very dangerous.