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Ancient Greece
The ancient greek civilization starts around 3200 BC with the Cycladic civilization [followed by the Minoan (2700 BC) and the Mycenean civilization (1600 BC)] and flourished from the 7th century BC to the 2nd century AD, especially in the 5th century BC with the city-states of Athens and Sparta.
10,833 Questions
When did the Mycenaeans weaken?
After the time of the Trojan War, with the influx of the Dorian Greeks and the Sea Peoples.
What type of democrcy did Athens have?
It started in 508 BCE as a limited democracy for landowners, revrted to oligarchy during the Persian War, was reestablished as a full democracy by Ephialtes in 460 BCE, and after his assassination, became a radical democracy under the leadership of Pericles. After Athens' defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 404 BCE it reverted to a limited democracy.
What were the different forms of government of the Greek city-states?
Each city-state was independent. The people who lived in them were fiercely proud of their homes. These city-states had different kinds of government. A monarch or king might rule some. A family of nobles might rule a few. A few wealthy merchants might rule others. Also, the idea of a government made of representatives chosen by the people took hold in some city-states. The most prominent of these city-states was Athens.
Why did the Greeks develop colonies in Asia Minor?
Even with constant wars amogst each other, their fuecudity meant that their sparse agricultural land could not suppost a burgeoning population, so the city-states sent shipped out their surplus populations to sieze new land and establish new city-states, stretching around the Mediterranean and Black Seas.
Why were most ancient Greeks farmers?
They arrived as nomads, and settled on the land to secure a stable living as farmers. This changed over time as some turned to shepherding, fishing, trade, artisans and artists, but the core occupation of a city-state was farming, from which they got their daily bread.
What is Darius I's motivations for invading Greece?
He launched a punitive expedition against the city-states of Eretria and Athens for sending contigents to Asia Minor during the Ionian revolt. While there, they sacked the Persian provincial capital and destroyed the statues of the gods. His object was to appoint local tyrants in the two city-states to keep them under control and stop them stirring up discontent in the Greek city-states within the Persian Empire.
What Greek states faced the ancient Macedonians and their Greek allies at the battle of Chaeronea?
The opposing Greek sides in Chaeronea were:
Chaeronea Combatants
Side A'
Macedonia, Thessaly, Epirus, Aetolia, Northern Phocis, Epicnemidian Locrians*
Side B'
Athens, Beotian League (Thebes, etc), Euboean League, Achaean League, Corinth, Megara, Corcyra, Acarnania, Ambracia, Southern Phocis.
Neutral sides Sparta, Argos, Arcadia, Messene.
The three last had alliances both with Athens and Philip but their pro-macedonian activity of 344/3 BC showed they were leaning towards Philip. However they didnt send aid to Chaeronea on Philip's side because of the blocking in Isthmus by Corinth and Megara.
Sparta had withdrawn almost entirely from Greek affairs in 344 BC.
[*] Elis had an alliance with Philip though they didn't take part in Chaeronea but showed their pro-macedonian feelings by joining their forces with Philip in the invasion of Laconia in the autumn of 338 BC.
Where is the location of the Hellenistic kingdoms?
Macedonia, Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor, Mainland Greece.
What is the Pella Curse tablet?
The Pella curse tablet is a lead scroll found in Pella, the capital of ancient Macedonia in Greece and is inscribed with a curse or magic spell in a distinct Doric Greek idiom. The tablet along with other texts discovered in the area, align with the names and toponym's of the Macedonians and confirm that the locals spoke a distinct idiom of Doric Greek and that the Macedonian language was a distinct Doric Greek idiom.
Why Oligarchies didn't last because?
The oligarchs manipulated things to their own benefit. The limitation here was that, with the wars which became prevalent, the oligarchs needed to lower classes to be part of the army, and so were in a quandary on how to both retain dominance and persuade the lower class to join them to repel external threats. There came a trend for some city-states to appoint tyrants who would direct things more equally for the poorer majority, however when these inevitably fell into disfaour, either the oligarch returned to power of democracies were formed.
What was the ancient Greek Telesterium?
The Telesterion at Eleusis was one of the primary centres of the Eleusinian Mysteries.
What are the names of the best well known Greek city-states?
Argos, Thebes, Corinth, Elis, Sparta, Athens.
In what Greek city-state was fighting in the military and war important?
It was very important in all the Greek city-states. All citizens were liable to be called out in each city when either a threat appeared, to defend the city, or when the city wanted to overcome another city to gain ascendancy in a dispute.
How does Homeric relate to the Ancient Greek epics the Iliad and the odyssey?
They're both poems and stories that talk about the golden age.
What can you compare the stories of Ancient Greek pantheon to today?
It is unusual for peoples today to have a pantheon of gods, however the way some politicians act eg European Union, Russia, China, Zimbabwe, they are trying to establish themselves in that role.
What writers in Rome copied Ancient writings?
Ancient Roman writings were not copied by writers in Rome. They were transcribed by monks in monasteries and abbeys dotted around Europe from the 800s and 820s. Charlemagne ordered them to do these transcriptions.
What was a volute krater vase used for?
It was used to mix wine and water. The Greeks usually diluted their wine, and despised those who drank it straight
The Athenians valued many different things that we value today, in the 21st century. They valued balance of mind and body. This means people shouldn't only be a good athlete, but they should also be intelligent. If someone was the strongest person in Athens but was not smart, they would not receive the same fame as someone who was balanced intellectually and physically.
Where did the Spartans conquer the Messenians?
Messenia was in the southwest of the Peloponnesian Peninsula in southern Greece. Sparta was to the east. The Spartans decided to extend their territory and moved into Messenia and successfully conquered it. Having taken over the land, they made the population into serfs, that is the serfs farmed the land and turned over half their produce to Sparta, which allowed the Spartans to devote their time to military training and activities, and keeping control of the restive serfs.
