CLAS/HIST1631

The City-State and Athletics

The City-State

Sovereign city, growing out of conflict we found in Theognis and Hesiod: Magistrates Assemblies Courts and other dispute-settling mechanisms

Had its own foreign policy, money, etc.

Aristotle's Definition of a Human

“Humans are political animals”

Diversity Among Poleis

In different locales Some bilingual or bicultural Inland states Sea-based economies Constantly at war over minor territorial issues

and other disputes

What United Them: I. Language

Dialectical differences did not overwhelm ability to communicate

What United Them: II. Homer

Homer was like their 'Bible' in some ways The common cultural reference of Greeks

everywhere

What United Them: III Religion Local variation in deities

did not mean competing loyalty

Practice of religion was roughly the same from place to place

Religious Centres

Delphi, most important of all

What United Them IV. Athletics

Plan of Olympia

Olympic Time

Universal event gives universal means of measuring time: “In the year of the Olympic games when Coroebus

of Elis was crowned for the 200m dash” Reduces to our 776 BC

This is our first known date from ancient Greece

Every 4 years, so you can say 'the second year of the Olympiad when ....”

What Sorts of Competitions?

List is on GP 64-65 Why was the Mulecart Race included in 500 BC

and dropped in 444 BC? Why was the Race for Mares included in 496

BC and dropped in 444 BC?

The Greeks and the Games The paradox of competition Even more true for the Greeks:

Funeral Games Competition in the back of the beyond