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Polis Expansion Sparta Athens. Greek City States. 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. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
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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