One indicates antiquated time one five times of the Greek history , definite on the basis of style of Poterie.

It begins towards 620 and finishes in 480. The expression is sometimes used in a broader direction for the period which is spread out between 750 and 480.

Sources

The traditional time emerges from the political and social executives of the antiquated time. One knows this period only partially through the various sources. One finds the poets first of all, with Homère and Iliade and the Odyssey , which constitutes our only source on the thousand-year-old IIe. One finds as Hésiode, which is more recent as Homère, and which passes to have put in order the myths and the divine personalities with his poems of which work and days.

We have then the writers of the traditional time, of the historians like Hérodote and Thucydide. Hérodote is the man of the anecdote. It has a will to present all its knowledge. The main object of its work is the account of the medic Guerres, of the wars which oppose Greek cities united against the Persian Empire. To explain this conflict, it goes up at the time antiquated. Thucydide, as for him, written in reaction to the history of Hérodote. He wants to present a history whose facts are checked. The central object of its work is the Peloponnesian War.

Hérodote and Thucydide do not have the same origins. Hérodote was born in Decay, at the beginning of, and travelled much. It passes the major part of its life to Athens. Thucydide, is to him an Athenian aristocrat. It is a man who has a particular design, very intellectual, of humanity. For him, humanity is summarized with a succession of calculations. It is able to him to refer at the time antiquated, in particular in the first book. The Constitution of Athens , which one allots to Aristote, written in the years 330, starts with a political history of Athens.

We have finally the archaeological sources, which insist more on the ruptures than on continuities. They are interested in the rich sites, such as the urban sanctuaries and the necropoles, more than with the poor sites, such as the rural sanctuaries.

It is starting from these sources that have it can draw up an assessment of the antiquated time.

The development of the Greek world

Birth of the Greek city

All the Greeks did not live in quoted. The Greeks living in north did not integrate the concept of city immediately. On the question of the date of the appearance of the concept of city, there are two tendencies. First of all, there are those which think that appears at the time antiquated and then, those which lean for an appearance in the current of the second millenium, with the time mycénienne, with an idea of continuity with the continuation.

There is few sources on the birth of the city. The oldest testimony which one has is a law dating from, found in Crete indicating: “Here what the city (polishes) decided”. In Iliade , one does not speak about city, but about a world structured by the Oiko S, whose chief is an aristocrat. In the Odyssey , one speaks about something which resembles a city. The word even of quoted appears to indicate the population and the buildings (agglomeration). One also speaks about a gathering place: the Agora. The Odyssey is contemporary birth of the cities, while dating from the 8th century.

How to explain this birth? After the “obscure centuries”, one sees appearing a new organization of space with a greater place made to the gods in the space of the city or around the city. To the VIII E, there is a change in the mode of burial with earthenware jars which are used as tomb. A certain number of factors played in the birth of the cities. There is first of all the demographic factor. To the VIII E, the relative population would have been multiplied by seven, but nothing proves it. It is especially which is marked by a demographic explosion. From that, the phenomenon rises of colonization.

Come then the religious factors. The worships play a big role at the time antiquated. They are used to mark the existence of a community. One the sanctuary following the example of of the Héraion, most important of the city of Argos, which is not in the agglomeration but with the borders of the territory, near close and concurrent cities, such as Sparte of which it is a large rival. It is with eight kilometers of the city of Argos.

The other broad topic which appears at the time antiquated, it is that of the hero founder. The cities decide to choose a clean, minor divinity for the Greek rest of the world, but which they regard as their “father”. One the city following the example of of Mégare, located between the Attic and the Peloponnese, which chose Alcathoos as hero founder. This last rendered services to the city by killing a wild beast which terrorized the city. Moreover, it delimited and pacified the space of the city. Actually, it is not a hero founder but a benefactor.

One finds finally the factor military. The birth of the Greek city is done at the same time as the developments in the military technologies. One finds at Homère, in Iliade , the traditional shape of the combat which consists of a “aristocratic duel”. At the time antiquated, one sees appearing a new manner of fighting which aims at opposing two regiments of heavy infantry one against the other, which is rather summary on the tactical level. These regiments are the phalange S hoplitic. This phalange played a part in the emergence of the city. It changed the social reports/ratios. In this configuration, the number counts much. The more numerous one is and the more one is likely to gain. It is necessary to take into account the others and to agree to give up the glorious aristocratic combat to melt itself in the mass. The goal of the Hoplite, is to remain in its line and to advance with the others. There is a new discipline and a new ethics. It is necessary that each one plays the game. The shield, the aspis koilè, plays a crucial role. Each hoplite is equipped with its shield which is supported by the left front armlever. Thus, it protects, but also protects the right-sided from its neighbor. The least failure can involve the fall of the phalange.

This new formation prohibits the individual behaviors and requires that a greater number of men take part in the combat. It subjects them to the same law, that of Isonomie. That pushes with the formation of a community.

The phenomenon of city was gradually set up.

Initial localization of the Greek cities

In the beginning, it is about the Aegean world , which combines the sea and the mountain. The sea is always very close. Indeed, no point is with more than one hundred kilometers of the sea. The Greeks remain basically a seafaring nation (voyages and trade). Medium mountains is important and there is little high mountain. Average altitude is of 1500 meters. A certain number of cities settled there.

The plains are rare in the Aegean basin. Medium mountains allows the terrace cultivation and drives out. Men can live there and thrive there. The cities are not important size at the time traditional. One finds some in continental Greece. Initially in Béotie, with Thèbes, which constitutes a Ligue béotienne around it. In Eubée, with the cities of Chalcis and Érétrie, and in the Peloponnese, with Sparte, Argos and Corinth, the latter having been a large commercial city at the time antiquated.

One also finds other cities in the Aegean archipelagoes, for example the city of Délos, on the island éponyme of 14 square kilometers, famous for his sanctuary of Apollon, the cities of Peak, island which the traditional time has tendency to put in margin of the Greek world.

One finds finally all the cities which settled on the long coast of minor Asia. Thus, there are the cities of Ionie, with Milet which was looked like a large Greek city. It attracts the covetousness of the Lydiens and of the Perse S. Enfin, there are the cities of Carie, an area which plays a great part to the IV E

Colonization and trade

Colonization is not the fact that S. One calls by there the fact that the shape of the city is diffused in the whole of the Eastern and Western basin of the the Mediterranean (Massilia, current the Marseilles; Nikaia, current the Nice). This phenomenon stops at the end of the 7th century. Initially, these cities appear in the Eastern Mediterranean on the coast of the current Libya, with Cyrène and two counters in Egypt, that of Naucratis being most important. At the 7th century, much of foundations take place in the Aegean Sea or the Black Sea, like Byzance, founded in 660. In the Occident, the Greek cities are found especially in Sicily, particularly hellenized, in Italy of the South or towards the extreme Occident (Massalia).

The geography had its role and certain cities were colonized than of others. The Sicily was populated by colonists of Chalcis and Corinthe. The coasts of the Black Sea were colonized by the city of Milet which founded there close to the 75 cities, of which that of Théra. One knows by the poet Archiloque that this colonization was not done peacefully, but with engagements: the Thasien S, the inhabitants of Thasos, had to fight the natives to be essential. The choice of a site is done according to the trade and these cities are often established for the trade.

To found a colony, the process is always the same one. In a city which does not manage any more to nourish its population, one assembles a forwarding. One requests his opinion from the oracle of Delphes and one leaves on the advised road, under the command of that which required oracle. Thus, the colony of Cyrène was founded by that of Théra. Hérodote collected the two versions, which it is necessary to supplement with an inscription, “the oath of the founders”. It was a very difficult foundation which succeeded only after several attempts to find the way of Africa. Under the direction of the oikist Battos, people of Théra left “between men”, and found the women on the spot. The Oath of the founders watch whom the things were made in the pain. One draws with the fate for the departure a colonist as well as a son in any family having more than two male heirs, with formal prohibition to return under penalty of lapidation. The city of Cyrène became very rich thanks to cereals, with the horses, the wool and the oxen.

These foundations have several consequences. First of all, that involves prosperity thanks to the trade. For example, the city of Égine, which did not found a colony, becomes very powerful while trading with the colonies of occident and the Black Sea.

The Greeks took the practice to found cities. They estimate to have all the place available and use the geography for the cadastration (one found traces in Sicily of them). These foundations are done within a hostile framework. That involves a necessary solidarity and the citizens have to show cohesion the ones with the others. The effects derived from colonization, are the setting in contact of the colonists with populations known as cruel which can be more advanced than them on certain points.

Another consequence of colonization, it is the acquisition of the Alphabet. In paragraph 58 of the book V, Hérodote reports that the alphabet comes from the Phéniciens and that the Greeks adopted it. The inscription the oldest date of 750 - 700 and is on a cut with drinking, with Ischia, in bay of Naples. This writing was from the start used within a secular framework and exclusively not crowned.

That has several consequences. One sees appearing written poetry, of the treaties of reflection and the possibility of transcribing the laws. With Athens, in 625, Dracon makes transcribe a code of law, used thereafter by the Athenians. Lastly, the texts can be transmitted of one generation to the other.

Lastly, the last consequence of colonization is the acquisition of the currency, which is not a Greek invention, but a barbarian invention of the king de Lydie Crésus, who was narrowly in contact with the Greek cities at the 6th century. It is overcome in 546 by the Persian king Cyrus. Each Greek city seized this concept to strike its own currency, in order to mark their existence. At the time antiquated, the Greek cities strike currency in an irregular way according to their needs, soldiers for example, when mercenaries should be paid. Each city affixes a distinguishing mark on the currency which it strikes, the epicene, which makes it possible to recognize it. For Athens, it is an owl. The concept of currency is interesting. It is used as standard of value. To adopt the currency, it is to propose a solution with the crisis of the values of. That explains the fortune of this institution in all the Greek history.

These cities are crossed by conflicts. The heritage of the antiquated time, it is the invention of the policy.

The invention of the policy

It is during the antiquated time that were born from the modes equipped with constitutions. Previously the Greek world was under monarchical mode.

Social problems of the Greek cities

These cities are crossed by serious internal conflicts. This world is in crisis for a simple reason. With the S, there are too many mouths to nourish, there are too many men. This is a factor of political problems and civil war.

To that is added an agrarian crisis. The grounds are concentrated in the hands of some aristocratic big families. Part of the population is in a state close to the constraint, for causes debts for example. Two claims are born. One claims the abolition of the debts and the levelling division of the grounds. But these two claims are inadmissible for the aristocratic families which control the cities. This is known to us by the Constitution of the Athenians : “Before the legislations of Dracon and Solon dominated the aristocratic big families”.

That meets the concept of Isonomie, which consists of the political equality.

Legislators

The Athenian legislators are known goods. There is first of all Dracon, which proposes a very hard legal code, from where the Draconian term of , which joint with large fines the massive use of the capital punishment. Solon is another essential legislator. He was archonte in 594 - 593. With, the Athenian speakers quote Solon. Late sources (as Démosthène) transcribes poetic works which are allotted to him. Its work is considerable. These laws have values of constitution and they were reproduced for a long time on wood panels laid out on the Agora. One still uses them at the time traditional. Its laws tackle the question of the responsibility for the man in the problems of the city. For Solon, the man controls his destiny. When that is badly, a man is responsible. He shows the rich and avid men of being able. The reforms of Solon are called Seisachteia , which means “the rejection of the burden”. There was not of land reform, nor of suppression of the debts because the currency does not exist, but the possibility was given to the peasants of recovering grounds with the aristocrats. He sees all that under the angle of the policy. For him, the citizen is worthy to take part in the capacity. This capacity should not be related to the membership with an aristocratic family.

He proposes classes censitaires. There are the Pentacosiomédimnes . They are richest, i.e. the Athenians enjoying an annual income higher than 500 measurements. Then, there are the Hippeis , whose annual income lies between 300 and 500 measurements. Then one finds the Zeugites , whose annual income lies between 200 and 300 measurements. Lastly, there are the Thètes , whose annual land income is lower than 200 Médimne S. It are scorned. This classification remained into force throughout the traditional time. It is understood that for Solon and its successors, only richest can reach highest loads the. Thus, the nine Archonte S are at least Pentacosiomédimnes , just as the treasurers. The election of the archontes takes place by drawing lot among the candidates. Another important reform is the creation of a council of 400 members (100 by tribes).

There is also certain a number of legal innovations. For example, no matter who can intervene in favor of a person whom it considers injured. In the same way, one can make call of the decision of a magistrate in front of a court and a popular magistrate. One can consider a magistrate aristocratic with the people joined together as a Parliament. Solon enacted a code of very precise law. This legislation played a considerable part, but at the beginning, it was a complete failure. Indeed, between 590 and 588, it was one period of anarchy during which one was in impossibility of naming the archontes. Several factions appear, that of the coast, that of the plain and that of the mountain, the latter being directed by Pisistrate.

The Tyrant S

After the test of the legislation, the Athenians choose the option of tyranny. It has very bad reputation. Aristote draws up the blackest portrait of a tyrant in the book V of the Politique in the paragraph 1310b. Thus, the tyrant always seizes the capacity in a nonconstitutional way and occupies it illegally: he is outlaw. It is always a popular chief who protects the people against the old leading class. He is often resulting from this same leading class. Its capacity is essentially transitory. It stops as soon as the tyrant does not have any more the favor of the people and as soon as its interests and those of its partisans do not agree any more.

An good example is that of the tyrant Pisistrate. It had evil to impose its capacity. It needed three attempts. One in 561, one in 558 and a last in 546. Pisistrate controls Athens between 546 and 528. Its sons succeed to him until 510. The political history of this period is known little about, but Pisistrate enjoyed a good reputation, thanks to the popular shape of government composed magistrates chosen by the tyrant. It takes a certain number of measurements. Thus, it institutes itinerant judges and a tax on the agricultural productions and alcohol, in order to provide loans to the small farmers. On the religious level, it contributed to create the Panathénées . It is the first to be been interested in the architectural development of the Acropole and it is the first Athenian to try to put the hand on the island of Délos and sanctuary of Apollon, a sanctuary attended by the whole of the Ionian ones.

This tyranny is brutally completed in the years 510. Pisistrate had succeeded in maintaining a balance between its partisans and its detractors (between him and the aristocrats). But its two sons, Hipparque and Hippias did not have its talents of negotiator. In 514, two young aristocrats foment a plot to kill the tyrant. But instead of killing it they kill his/her Hipparque brother. In spite of this failure they enter the legend under the name of Tyrannoctones (“assassins of tyrant”). In 510, the Athenians, helped by the Spartans succeed in driving out the tyrant.

Tyrannies are basically a political solution of the 6th century. But at the time traditional, tyranny changes direction. One finds some in the cities of Ionie. These tyrants control against the approval of the population. They are named by the Persian sovereign. Tyranny did not adapt to the evolution of the city.

Bonds

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