MANDATORY WORK. THIRD TERM. DAILY LIFE IN GREECE AND ROME.

DEADLINE MAY 16.

DAILY LIFE IN ANCIENT GREECE.
You have to make a short composition about the daily life of people in the Ancient Egypt. You have to choose between the following persons and make a short composition about their daily life: a member of the social elite (a priest, a civil servant, a scribe), an artisan, a peasant, an woman.  
Try to imagine that you are that person and you are trying to describe your daily life. Then make your composition trying to answer the folowing questions:

1.  Did you study in a school? Are you married? At which age did you marry?
2. Where do you live? Do you live in a house? In other place? How is your house? Where is located in a city, in the country? It is a small house, big?
3. What is your occupation? Are you a slave? Do you have slaves? Do you have a job? What kind of job?
4. How is your daily routine? Can you leave your house or do you have to remain in it? Which places are you going to visit during the day?
5. What are you main leisure activities? Do you like music? Do you like to dance? To sing? Do you play games?
6. What kind of food do you eat? How many times per day do you eat? What kind of clothes do you wear?
7. If you are a woman, can you own things? Inherit? Can you choose your husband? Can you leave your house? Can you work outside home?

Also, you can add a drawing of your house and of the clothes that you are wearing.
You can use the information of the following links:
History for kids
http://egypt.mrdonn.org/dailylife.html
PBS Ancient Egypt's daily life.
Ancient Egypt Online
Ducksters Ancient Egypt's daily life
Ducksters Clothes 
Ducksters entertainment and games 
Kidsgen Daily life of Ancient Egyptians
 Aspects of Life in Ancient Egypt

Webpages in spanish:
https://rincondelpasado.wordpress.com/2015/09/07/vida-cotidiana-en-el-antiguo-egipto/
http://www.egipcios.net
https://historiaybiografias.com/faraones/
https://www.muyhistoria.es/h-antigua/articulo/un-dia-en-la-vida-del-faraon
http://aprendersociales.wikispaces.com/LA+VIDA+COTIDIANA
https://webhistoriae.com/antiguo-egipto/
http://www.decorarconarte.com/Paginas-de-Historia-del-Arte/Vida-cotidiana-en-el-antiguo-Egipto


DAILY LIFE IN ANCIENT ROME.
You have to make a short composition about the daily life of people in the ancient rome. You have to choose between the following persons and make a short composition about their daily life: a wealthy patician man, a wealthy patrician woman, a plebian, a gladiator, a legionary.  
Try to imagine that you are that person and you are trying to describe your daily life. Then make your composition trying to answer the following questions:

1.  Did you study in a school? Are you married? At which age did you marry?
2. Where do you live? Do you live in a house? In other place? How is your house? Where is located in a city, in the country? It is a small house, big?
3. What is your occupation? Are you a slave? Do you have slaves? Do you have a job? What kind of job? Are you involved in politics?
4. How is your daily routine? Can you leave your house or do you have to remain in it? Which places are you going to visit during the day?
5. What are you main leisure activities? Can you go to the the theather? The baths?
6. What kind of food do you eat? How many times per day do you eat? What kind of clothes do you wear?

Also, you can add a drawing of your house and of the clothes that you are wearing.
You can use the information of the following links:
http://www.historyforkids.net/roman-daily-life.html
https://www.salariya.com/web_books/gladiator/index.html
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_rome_food_daily_life.php
http://historylink101.com/2/Rome/roman-army-daily-life.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zqbnfg8
http://rome.mrdonn.org/entertainment.html
http://www.ancient-rome.biz/daily-life.html
http://www.pbs.org/empires/romans/empire/life.html
http://www.pompei.it/pompeii/daily-life-pompeii.htm
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=juWYhMoDTN0&index=3&list=PLl28cDv8T0QCnNGzlD_FLfETZWaX3xr81
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RQMgLxVxsrw
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/primaryhistory/romans/family_and_children/
http://www.historyforkids.net/roman-houses.html
http://rome.mrdonn.org/houses.html

Webpages in spanish:
http://www.santiagoapostol.net/latin/vida_roma.html
http://arquehistoria.com/historiasla-vida-cotidiana-en-roma-341
Vivienda:
http://recursos.cnice.mec.es/latingriego/Palladium/latin/esl143ca5.php
Mujeres:
http://muchosobreroma.blogspot.com.es/2010/03/la-vida-de-una-mujer-en-roma.html
http://kathemerikos.blogspot.com.es/2009/04/la-mujer-en-roma.html
http://recursos.cnice.mec.es/latingriego/Palladium/2_publico/espb161ca7.php
Ocio:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZ8zdiGwJTc
http://www.planetasaber.com/theworld/monographics/seccions/cards/default.asp?pk=3197&art=39
http://recursos.cnice.mec.es/latingriego/Palladium/latin/esl143ca8.php
Legionarios:
http://www.historialago.com/leg_01350_vida_cotidiana_01.htm
http://www.nationalgeographic.com.es/historia/grandes-reportajes/legiones-de-roma-la-vida-en-el-campamento_6358
Gladiadores:
http://www.abc.es/cultura/20140331/abci-vivian-gladiadores-unos-prisioneros-201403311005.html
http://arquehistoria.com/historiasgladiadores-romanos-33


DAILY LIFE IN ANCIENT GREECE.
You have to make a short composition about the daily life of people in the ancient Rome. You have to choose between the following persons and make a short composition about their daily life: a spartan man, a spartan woman, a Athenian citizen, an Athenian woman.  
Try to imagine that you are that person and you are trying to describe your daily life. Then make your composition trying to answer the following questions:

1.  Did you study in a school? Are you married? At which age did you marry?
2. Where do you live? Do you live in a house? In other place? How is your house? Where is located in a city, in the country? It is a small house, big?
3. What is your occupation? Are you a slave? Do you have slaves? Do you have a job? What kind of job? Are you involved in politics? Can you vote?
4. How is your daily routine? Can you leave your house or do you have to remain in it? Which places are you going to visit during the day?
5. What are you main leisure activities? Can you go to the the theater? The baths?
6. What kind of food do you eat? How many times per day do you eat? What kind of clothes do you wear?
7. If you are a woman, can you own things? Inherit? Can you choose your husband? Can you leave your house? Can you vote?

Also, you can add a drawing of your house and of the clothes that you are wearing.
http://www.socialstudiesforkids.com/articles/worldhistory/athenssparta.htm
http://ancientathens.weebly.com/everyday-life.html
General information about the daily life in the Ancient Athens.
http://www.ancientgreece.co.uk/dailylife/home_set.html.
Interactive page that allow to compare the lives of an athenian man, an athenian woman, an spartan man and an spartan woman
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_greek_daily_life.php
http://www.ducksters.com/history/ancient_greece/womens_roles.php
http://www.primaryhomeworkhelp.co.uk/greece/dailylife.htm#mw
http://www.sparta.net/listingview.php?listingID=5
http://www.bbc.co.uk/guides/zc8yb9q
https://www.slideshare.net/13nick/ancient-greece-9436536
https://sites.google.com/a/sanandres.esc.edu.ar/ancient-greece-2010-5b/reports/daily-life-in-athens
http://www.olympia-greece.org/ancient-daily-life.html
http://www.historyforkids.net/ancient-greek-women.html

Webpages in spanish:
GRECIA:
https://sites.google.com/site/lavidacotidianadelamujer/Home/la-mujer-en-atenas
https://sites.google.com/site/lavidacotidianadelamujer/la-mujer-espartana
http://alexxela1985.blogspot.com.es/2013/04/educacion-en-atenas-y-esparta.html
http://html.rincondelvago.com/atenas-y-esparta.htm
https://mirandoelpasado.wordpress.com/2011/12/08/dos-modelos-griegos-totalmente-contrapuestos-atenas-y-esparta/

UNIT 11. ANCIENT ROME.

1. THE MONARCHY

1. 1. The founding of Rome.

Rome was founded in 753 BC in the centre of the Italian Peninsula, a strategic territory between the eastern and the western Mediterranean area.

At the beginning of the eighth century BC this territory was inhabited by different people:

• The Etruscan in the north and centre.
• The Latins in Latium, in the centre.
• The Greeks in the south, in Magna Graecia.



User:Malus Catulus. Italy 400bC en.svg (CC BY-NC-ND)

1. 1. 1. The origins.

1. Mythical origins: According to the legend Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus in the place where they were born. They were taken and nursed by a wolf. 
2. Historical origins: In fact, in the mid-eighth century some tribes of Latin origin settled around the hills near the river Tiber because of:

• protection provided by the river and the hills.
• strategic location for trade, which linked the peninsula's northern and southern territories.

We can distingish three periods into the Roman history:

• Monarchy (753 BC-509 BC)
• Republic (509 BC-27 BC)
• Empire (27 BC-476 AD)

1. 2. The monarchy:
In the beginning Rome was an absolute monarchy, but the king was given advice buy the senate an assembly composed of representatives of the patrician families.

There were seven kings: four Latins kings and three Etruscans. Etruscans occupied Rome during the sixth century BC. Etruscan domination ended in 509 BC when Tarquin the Proud was expelled after a revolt.

Economy: agriculture and cattle-raising.

Society was divided into two groups:

• patricians, descendants of the first inhabitants of the city. They were considered citizens and controled most of the land.
• plebeians, free people. Had no political rights but had to pay taxes and fight in the army.

  

2. THE REPUBLIC (509-27 BC).

2. 1. The republican form of government:

Rome was an oligarchy during the republican period. Th three main institutions of the republican system were:

• Comitia or voting assemblies:

1. Members:Roman citizens
2. Duties: Passed laws, elected magistrates and decided about war and peace.

• Senate:

1. Members:300 members, who were former magistrates.
2. Duties: Approved laws, Controlled magistrates, Decided on foreign policy.

• Magistrates:

1. Members: They were elected each year. The most important were the consuls.
2. Duties: Controlled the government
   

2. 2. The fight over political rights:

Roman society was divided into two groups:

• Patricians: the oligarchy.
• Plebeians: The common people.

Origin of the conflict:

At the beginning of the Republic the plebeians paid taxes but had no access to political post, just the patricians could have them.

The conflict: for more than 200 years the plebeians fought to have equal political rights, they finally succeeded un the third century BC:

• Law of the Twelve Tables, which were the first written roman laws.
•  Creation of the Plebeian Tribunes that protected plebeian interests.

2. 3. Major conquests during the Republic:

During the Republic, Rome began to expand territorially with the help of a very well disciplined and organised army.

Phases of this expansion:

The punic wars in 3 minutes.

• Domination of the Italian Peninsula: completed by the mid-third century BC.
• Control over the western Mediterranean: Figthings against Carthage, the three Punic Wars. Second half of the third century.
• Control over the eastern Mediterranean: They confronted Greece and the Hellenistic monarchies. Second to first century B.C.
• Control over all the Mediterranean area: Conquest of Egypt, 30 BC. They call it Mare Nostrum. 

Rome in 264 B. C.

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Dzlinker https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Egypt%2C_Rome%2C_Carthage_and_Numidia.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Roman_Republic-44BC.png https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=User:Clip~commonswiki&action=edit&redlink=1
ROMAN REPUBLIC IN 45 BC.

Roman republic 30 B. C.

Consequences of the expansion:

Positive: The conquests provided raw materials, land and people.

Negatives:

• Social crisis:

1. The powerful class profited most from the conquests, receiving large plots of land and buying slaves.
2. Peasants farmers were ruined because they had to serve in the army and could not compete with large landowners.

• Political crisis: Civil wars started between the generals who wanted power. In 48 BC Julius Caesar was made dictator for life. 

The Republican Army: 

Roman legionaries build fortress wall

Clip of the movie "The Eagle". It shows roman legionaries fighting.

1.  The basis of the Roman army, the legions. Formed from between 4,200 and 6,000 soldiers and 400 on horseback. The backbone of the legion was the foot soldier, the legionaries.
2. The evolution of the army:

• During the Republic, all Roman citizens had to serve in the army. The soldiers receive no salary and had to take their own weapons.
• In later times, there was a permanent army with professional soldiers. The state pay tem and provide them with weapons.

  

  Roman legionnaries (modern reconstruction). Work in public domain.

  
  

  
  

Roman legionary's equipment.

3. THE ROMAN EMPIRE (27 BC-476 AD)

3. 1. The Empire´s system of government:

After Julius Caesar´s death there was a civil war that ended with the triumph of Octavio Augusto, his nephew. In 27 BC the Senate granted him practically complete power, instituting a new form of government, the Empire. Its main characteristics were:

• The emperor had all the powers:

1. princeps, political power.
2. imperator, military power.
3. pontifex maximus, religious power.

• The institutions of the Republic and the Senate continued to exist but under the control of the emperor.
• The empire was divided in provinces that had to pay taxes to Rome.
• The conques continued and with the emperor Trajan, the empire reached its greatest extension.

3. 2. The Pax Romana.

The Pax Romana was the period between the first and the second Century AD. The Empire reached its maximum expansion and enjoyed peace inside its borders. The Romans divided the Empire into provinces under the rule of a governor. Under emperor Trajanus the fronters reached the British Isles, the rivers Rhine and Danube, the Caucasus and the Tigris, and the Sahara desert.

Hadrian's Wall ruins, built to protect the Northern frontier of the Roman Britian.

3. 3. Romanization:

As the Romans conquered, they introduced Romanisation, the process through which the conquered people, the barbarians, assimilated the culture of the conquerors. The instruments of Romanisation were: the towns, the Latin language and the roads.

File: Maqueta Emerita-Augusta.JPG

File:Hispania roads.svg

 https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Rodelar

Roman cities founded by the romans.

Frozen in classical latin.

Emerita Augusta (modern day Merida) was founded by the romans.

3. 4. The crisis of the third century:

During the thrid century took place a political, economic and social crisis that almost destroyed the empire:

• Political crisis:

1. The Roman legions suffered their first defeats by the Barbarians, the frontiers were no longer safe.
2. The military chiefs began to have control over the emperor.

   

   In 260 AD, a military commander, Postumus, proclaimed himself emperor and ruled for ten years over Galia, Hispania and Britannia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Map_of_the_Gallic_Empire,_260_AD.jpg https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Aurelian272

   
   

   

   MAP OF THE GOTHIC INVASIONS DURING THE THIRD CENTURY.

   File:GothicInvasions250-251-en.svg https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/User:Dipa1965

    

   
   

   
   

   Between 238 AD and 285 AD there were 25 emperors, and most of them were killed.2:00-4:00

The fall of the Roman Empire.

• Economic crisis: As the conquest ended there were fewer slaves to work and agricultural and mineral production, and commerce dropped, as a consequence the Empire became poorer.
• Social crisis: Taxes increased and this caused migration from the towns to the country, as a consequence the Empire became ruralised. 

 In order to improve the administration, Theodosius I divided the empire in two parts:

• the Western Roman Empire with capital in Rome
• the Eastern Roman Empire wih capital in Constantionple, richer and with more population.

Finally in the 5th century, the germanic peoples invaded the Western Empire and in 476 AD, the last roman emperor, Romulus Augustulus was deposed.

Division of the empire by Theodosius I, 395 AD. Licencia: Dominio Público.

 

File:Invasions_of_the_Roman_Empire_1.png User:MapMaster License: (CC BY-SA 2.5)

 

4. THE ECONOMY

Slavery: The Roman economy was built on the generalised use of slaves to work in agricultural and urban activities.

Agriculture:was the main economic activity and it was based on the farming of the three Mediterranean crops: cereals, vines and olive trees.

The Romans introduce the “aratrum” or crooked plough throughout the Empire

Division of the land:

• Small properties cultivated by their owners
• Large estates, “villas”, worked by slaves which were divided into two parts:

1. The lord house in the centre of the estate, luxurious and richly decorated, with mosaics and statues.
2. Storehouse, barns, furnaces and all kind of workshops to cover the needs of the large agricultural landowner

Farming: Based on sheep, goats, donkeys and horses

The mining industry and crafts:

Mining was an important activity in the Empire. Many minerals were found; gold, silver, iron, coal and tin. The mines belonged to the state, which rented them out to individuals. The workforce was all slaves.

Craftwork developed considerably. 

There  were large workshops with slaves, or in smaller workshops where the members formed associations to defend their own interests 

Food processing was very important: oil, wine and salted fish.

5. ROMAN SOCIETY

5. 1. The citizens:

According to the political rights were divided into two groups during the Monarchy and the Republic: plebeian and patrician.

Later during the Empire they were divided according to their wealth:

• Honestiores that were the wealthiest.
• Humiliores, plebeians with a low social status, both in the city and the country.

5. 2. The non-citizens. 

People who had no right to citizenship:

• Conquered populations until 212 AD, when they were granted citizenship.
• Foreigners that came from outside the Empire. Most of them were traders or artisans.
• Freedmen, slaves that had been freed by their owners.
• Slaves, they had no rights. They were war prisoners, people who could not pay their debts and slave's children.

The life of a tennage boy in Ancient Rome.

The daily life of a tennage girl in Ancient Rome.

The life of a roman slave.

5. 2. Life in an ancient Roman city.

• During the Roman Empire cities became the centre of political, administrative, economic and cultural life. 
• Most of them were walled and followed the plan of the camps of the roman legions.
• Had two main streets: the decumanus maximus and the cardo maximus.

6. ROMAN RELIGION AND CHRISTIANITY

6. 1. Roman gods and worship. 

There were two kinds of religion.

Private religion:

Took place within the family. They worshipped: 

• The Lares and the Penates, household gods
• Manes, the spirits of ancestors.

In every house there was a Lararium: a domestic altar, where the head of the house, the “pater familia”, made offering.

Official religion:

Based on the worship of the gods and, from the first century AD onwards, on the worship of the Emperor. After the conquest of Greece the Roman gods were assimilated with the Greek gods. Romans were very tolerant, they incorporated the gods of the conquered people into the Roman pantheon.

Roman mithology

6. 2. Birth and expansion of Christianity:

The birth of Christianity:

It had its origin in the first century in Palestine. It was a new religion preached by Jesus of Nazareth:

• A Jew born in Bethlehem in the time of Augustus.
• He claimed to be the son of God.
• With his disciples, the apostles, he preached around Palestine a message of equality and love for one´s neighbour.

The expansion of Christianity in the Empire:

• Christians persecution. In the early years they were persecuted by the authorities because they refused to worship the Emperor due to their monotheism. Christians had to practice their rituals secretly. 
• Edict of Milan, 313: the Emperor Constantine authorized Christians to practice their religion.
• Edict of Thessalonica, 380: The Emperor Theodosius declared Christianity the official religion of the Empire

7. ROMAN ART. ARCHITECTURE.

7. 1. Characteristics.

• Roman architecture had a practical purpose. They created buildings to meet the needs of the population.
• The building materials were brick, stone, marble and concrete: a mixture of limestone, gravel and sand that hardens with water.
• Use of Greek architectonic orders, as well as two furher orders of their own invention:

1. tuscan, which is similar to the Doric order, but has a base.
2. composite, which has a capital with volutes and achantus leaf decoration.

Composite order. File:Composite_capital,_Palace_of_Justice_(today_Ethnographic_Museum),_Budapest.jpg User:József_Rozsnyai https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

UNIT. 10. ANCIENT GREECE. MANUEL DE FALLA 20182019

1. GREEK HISTORY

1. General Characteristics.
1. 1. Chronology.
Between the 8th and first century BC.
1. 2. Location.
From the south of the Balkan Peninsula to the western coast of Asia Minor, including some islands in the Egean and Ionian seas. This territoy was called Ellas or Hellada.

1. 3. Natural enviroment.

The Balkan Peninsula and Asia Menor has some phisical caractheristics that had a big influence in the greek civilisation:

1. Proximity to the sea: Greece developed important commercial activities throughout the Mediterranea region
2. Mountanious territory and innumerable islands: Greece were organised in poleis or city-states which never became a unifies states.

1. 4. A common culture.

Despite their differences all greeks shared several common feautres:

1. A common geographical space, Hellas: Its inhabitants called themselves Hellenes.
2. A common culture: they spoke Greek and they had the same religion.

1. 5. Timeline.

We can divide the history of the Greek civilisation in several periods of time:

• Minoic civilization 2.000 B. C.-1.600 B. C.
• Mycenian civilization: 1.600 B. C.-1.200 B. C.
• Dark Ages: 1.200 B. C.-800 B. C.
• Archaic Period: 800 B. C.-500 B. C.
• Classic Period: 500 B. C.-336 B. C.
• Hellenistic Period: 336 B. C.-31 B. C.

 The greek alphabet: pronunciation.

An example of spoken Ancient Greek (Aesop fable).

 

Let it go (Frozen) sung in Ancient Greek.

Mamma Mia in Ancient Greek

Modern Greek (the greek language spoken today) uses the same alphabet as Ancient Greek, but the grammar, the pronunciation and the vocabulary is different and modern greek speakers are unable to understand Ancient Greek. "Let it go" sung in modern Greek.

 

Do you want to build a snowman sung in Modern greek.

Ancient greeks not only shared the same language, but also a common origin and a common mythical history, for example the story of Helen of Troy (origin of the Troy's War).

Ancient greeks also shared their love for the works of the poet Homer: the Iliad (about the Troy's war) and the Odyssey.

2. Greek history: the Archaic Period (800 B. C.-500 B. C.)

2. 1. Poleis became organized:

Their main characteristics were:

• A polis consisted of an urban center and the farming land, forest and pastureland that surrounded it.
• Each one had their own laws, government, army and currency.
• They were economically selfsufficient, but some participated in important commercial activities.
• There were more than 200 poleis, the most important ones were Athens and Sparta.
• We can distinguish two main parts in a polis:

1. Agora or main square was located In the lower part, where the population lived.
2. The acropolis:Upper city, with numerous temples. It was a safe place against an invasion.

2. .2. The colonization.

During the Archaic period greeks migrated migrated away from their original city-states, metropolis, to the coasts of Black Sea and the Mediterranean sea. The most important colonies were:

• Italy: Syracuse, Tarentum
• France: Massalia.
• Iberian Peninsula: Emporion

Greek colonization.

Causes:

• The poor distribution of land and their limited capacity.
• There was not enough food for all the population

Characteristics:

• Colonies were located at advantageous sites for trade and agriculture.
• Were organised according the Greek social structure and customs.
• Maintained close relationships with the city of origin of the colonisers (metropolis).

Consequences:

As a consequence greek culture spreaded and some technological advances:

• Use of iron
• Money
• The alphabet
• Its art and architecture

Ancient Corynth 3D reconstruction.

Virtual reconstruction of Ancient Athens in the game Assassins Creed.

3. Greek history: the Classic Period (500 B. C.-338 B. C.).

Its main characteristics were:

• The greatest period for the Greek poleis.
• Sparta and Athens were the most important polis.
• The 5th century is known as the Age of Pericles, the politician that governed Athens for 31 years, and one of the fathers of democracy. During his goverment Athens produced very important thinkers and artists such as: Socrates (philosoper), Dramatists (Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides) and artists (Phidias).

3. 1. The Greco-persian wars.

Chronology:Beginning of the 5th C

Cause:The Persians tried to gain control of the Greek poleis of Asia Minor and continental Greece.

As a consequences of these wars, Athens became the most powerful polis because its army was essential in defeating the Persians in the battles of Marathon (490 BC) and Salamis (480 BC).

Furthemore, The Delian League was created (477 BC) by Athens, a military alliance between poleis led by Athens to prevent Persians attacks.

3. 2. Peloponesian War (431-404 BC):

Causes; conflicts between Greek poleis:

• The dominant position of Athens threatened other poleis and led to wars between them.
• Athens made other poleis that belonged to the Delian League pay high taxes and took the League’s treasure.
• Sparta was against this control.

Consequences:

• After years of war Sparta dominated over the rest of the poleis.
• While the poleis were fighting, king Philip II of Macedon organised a great army.
• By 338 BC, Philip II dominated all the Greek, except for Sparta.

File: Persian invasion.png Author: AnonMoos License: GFDL

Battle of Salamis, 480 BC. The greek fleet (350 boats) ambushed the persian fleet (700 boats) near the island of Salamis and destroyed it. After the battle, Xerxes returned to Asia and a year later the rest of the persian army was defeated in the battle of Plateau and retreated.

Peloponnesian war, 431-404 BC. File: Map Peloponnesian War 431 BC -eng.svg User: Marsyas (CC BY-SA 3.0)

 

4. Hellenistic period (336-30 B.C.).

4. 1. The Empire of Alexander the Great.

Origin:The son of Philip II, Alexander the Great, (356-323 BC), continued the territorial expansion:

• He unified the Greek poleis to confront a common enemy,: the Persian empire.
• He created a great empire from the Mediterranean to the Indian frontier.

Empire of Alexander the Great.

4. 2. Hellenistic monarchies.

When Alexander died, his generals divided the empire among themselves and created the Hellenistic monarchies with two main characteristics:

• Were absolute monarchies: the king had all the powers.
• Spreaded the Greek culture and art throughout the East: Hellenism.

They were conquered by the Roman empire, and with the conquest of the Ptolemaic Egypt (30 B. C.), ended the Greek civilization.

Hellenistic kingdoms.

ANCIENT GREEK: POLITICS, SOCIETY AND ECONOMY

1. POLITICAL ORGANISATION
Archaic period:
Oligarchy: Power was held by a few privileged men who called themselves aristoi, “the best”. The word aristocracy comes from aristoi.
Classical period:

• Athens established a democratic form of government (only adult males could vote). The cause was the colonization process which increased the wealth of less privileged groups (traders, artisans and peasants) who demanded political rights.

The main institutions of the Athenian democratic system were:

• The Assembly (Ecclesia) which made up of free men aged over 18 who were sons of Athenian fathers and mothers. Its main duties were to discuss and vote on laws, decide about war and peace and chose magistrates.
• The Council of 500 (Boule), propossed annualy by lot among the members of the Assembly. Its main function was to draft the laws to be discussed by the Assembly.
• The Magistrates, elected annualy by the Assembly. Its main function was to rule: 9 arcons (civil functions) and strategos (military).
• The People's tribunals (Helalia), its members were propossed annualy by lot.
  

The athenian political system excluded women, foreigners (metics) and slaves. Only 40.000 out of 250.000 inhabitants took part in the political life.

• Sparta kept the oligarchical system. Sparta was a dual monarchy (two kings), but they only had honorific and military responsabilities.

The main political institutions of Sparta were:

• The Assembly (Apella) which was made up of men who were sons of Spartan fathers aged over thirty. Its only function was to vote yes or no to the laws.
• The Council of Elders (Gerosusia) which was made up of 28 aristocrasts aged over 60. Its function was to draw up the laws and present them to the Assembly.
• Five Magristrates (Ephors) ellected by the Assembly. Its function was to monitor citizens' private life and the kings' decisions.
  

2. ECONOMIC ORGANISATION

The main economic activities were:

• Agriculture: It was the basis of Greek economy. The main crops were that of the Mediterranean triad: vines, olives and cereals.
• Farming: Goats and sheep
• Crafwork: Pottery, glass and high quality textiles
• Comerce: Manufactured and agricultural products.

3. SOCIETY.

In ancient Greece people was divided into two categories:

• Citizens, free males whose parents, or just one of them (Sparta), had been born in the polis:

1. They could take part in political life.
2. They have to pay taxes and serve in the army.

• Non-citizens, could not participe in political life. Consisted of:

1. Foreigners or metics, they were freemen who worked in trade of manufacture.
2. Slaves, prisoners of war and individuals who could not pay their debts.
3. Women, they had no political rigths.

4. RELIGION

3. 1. Olimpic gods:

• Ancient Greeks were polytheistic: they had many gods.
• Gods had the same appearance and sentiments as humans, but they were inmortal and had exceptional powers.
• They also believed in heroes: born of a deity and a mortal that could do incredible deeds.
• The tales of gods and heroes are known as mythology.
• Greek religion was adopted by the Romans, who changed gods’ names.

• The main gods were:

1. Zeus/Jupiter (roman name): The ruler of Mount Olympus.
2. Hera/Juno: Goddess of the home.
3. Hades/Pluto: God of Hell.
4. Demeter/Ceres: Goddess of agriculture and fertility
5. Ares/Mars: God of war.
6. Artemis/Diana: Goddess of hunting
7. Apollo: God of love, poetry and beauty
8. Athena/Minerva: Goddess of wisdom
9. Hermes/Mercury: God of travel and routes. The mesenger of the gods
10. Dionysus/Bacchus: God of wine
11. Aphrodite/Venus: God of love and beauty.

3. 2. Religious worship.

The main elements of the religious worship were:

• Prayers, offerings, and animal sacifices in the temples.
• Oracles which gave the answers of the God's to human questions.
• Games of sporting competitions, festivals dedicates to the gods. The most important took place in Olympia in honour of Zeus.

Greek story of creation.

 A video about the greek gods

The main hero of the greek mithology was Hercules, the son of Zeus and a mortal woman.

Ancient greeks used myths to explain natural phenomena such the seasons, earthquakes and volcanos.

For Ancient greeks the worst sin was pride (hubris) to believe that you are an equal to the gods, The myth of Arachne. This myth explains the origin of spiders.

The myth of Orpheus and Eurydice.

GREEK CULTURE

Greek culture has been the fundation of Western culture. The most important cultural figures were:

• Science: Pythagoras (maths), Archimedes (physics) and Hypocrates (medicine).
• History: Herodotus.
• Philosophy: Socrates, Plato, Aristotle.

Herodotus, the father of History.

Aristophanes, the father of Comedy.

GREEK ART.

1. Architecture.
Characteristics:

• They designed buildings to a human scale.
• They used stone and marble.
• They had columns and a double-sloped roof.
• They introduced orders, column arrangements, that aimed for proportion and ideal beauty. There were three: doric, jonic and corinthian.

• There were two main types of buildings:

• Temples: The house of a particular god. Inside, there is a statue of the god. The parts of the greek temple were:

• pronaos, a vestibule.
• naos, the main room where the god's statue was located.
• opisthodomos, another room where the offerings made to the god were kept.

The most important were built in the 5th century in the Acropolis of Athens: the Partenon and the Erecteion.

• Theatre:was used for the performance of theatre plays and was built to the advantage of mountain slopes.

Greek orders.

Greek orders for kids.

3d reconstruction of Athen's acropolis.

Parthenon in HD.

Nashville parthenon lit in originnal colors.

2. Sculpture:
Characteristics:

• About the materials, first the used wood, later polychrome marble, bronze and sometimes, ivory and gold.
• Tried to achieve idealised beauty, using a canon, a set of proportions applied to the human body.
• Great variety of subjects: gods, heroes, athletles, religious scenes and battles.
• We can distinguish several periods:

1. Archaic: Rigid figures and almond-shaped eyes: Kouroi, Male naked athletes; Kouroai: Dressed females.
2. Classical period: Figures in movement, more realistic but still idealised. Examples: Dyscobolus, Myron, Relief of The Parthenon and Athena, Phidias.
3. Hellenistic period: They represented movement and expressions of feelings in faces and bodies. Examples: Laocoön and Winged Victory of Samothrace.

Doryphoros, Polycletus.

Parthenon's pediment, Phidias.

Winged victory of Samothrace.

Canon.

3. Pottery.
Characterised by a great variety of forms for every sort of use: storing grain, transporting water and mixing wine and water, etc.
In Athens there were two types according its decoration:

• red figures painted on a black background.
• black figures painted on a red background.