1 Assyria (900-612 BC) Introduction The Book of Jonah History Creation of the Assyrian Empire MAP: The Assyrian Empire Tiglath Pileser III (744-727 BC) Reforms Provincial Reform -- Reduced Size of Provinces, Crushing Dissent Creation of Large Standing Army The Western Campaigns Babylonia (745) Syria and Phoenicia Israel (722) - Ten Tribes Deported / Judah Spared Deportation is State Policy Sargon II (722-705 BC) Society A Military Society Assur/Ashur Holy War Military Innovations Iron Weapons, Armor, and Chariots (ca. 1,000 BC) Assyrian Chariot
2 Battering Ram Siege Warfare Siege Warfare II Tiglath Pileser besieging a city War Panels The Hunt Hunt I Hunt II Hunt III War's Aftermath -- Tribute Downfall Assyrians Overcome by the Neo-Babylonian/Chaldean Alliance (612-605) Fall of Jerusalem (587-6 BC) Cyrus (559-529) Revolution against the Medes (549) MAP: The ANE (ca. 600 BC) Croesus and Lydia Mesopotamia (539) Return of the Jewish Exiles Isaiah 45:1--4 Cyrus' Charter of Human Rights Persia (559--)
3 Death of Cyrus (529) Cambyses (529-521) Darius I (521-486) Greek Mishap The Government of Darius MAP: The Persian Empire (ca. 500 BC) Satrapies (Rule by Satraps) The Royal Road Herodotus, Hist. 8.98 Local Customs Legacy Zoroastrianism Zarathustra Dualism Ahura Mazda Ahriman Free Will Personal Religion
4 Introduction Greece I Why Do We Identify With The Greeks? Renaissance Revival Paradox of Greece Slave Society Greece the Greatest User of Slaves of any Contemporary ANE Society Sparta and the Helots Increasing Racism Bar-Bar-ian Reform of Pericles (451/450 BC) Hellas MAP The Roots of Greece The Myceneans (2,000-1100) Heinrich Schliemann (1871) Troy Homer's Heroes? The Minoans (2000-1450) Discovery of Minoan Civilization Arthur Evans (1900) Palace at Knossos: Palace-based Society Fresco from Knossos
5 The King Business: Maritime Trade The Missing Link Linear A Linear B Breaking the Code Myceneans 1450 - End of Minoan Culture 1300-1000 - Mycenaean Discord 1100-800 - The Greek Dark Ages Archaic Greece (800-480 BC) -- Homer and the Evolution of the Polis Homer (ca. 800 BC) The Iliad The Odyssey Composition Poems Written Down After Greeks Adopt Phoenician Script (ca. 750) Homeric Culture - The Age of the Hero "Shame" vs. "Guilt" Cultures αρετη (Arete) the Excellence of the Warrior τιμη (Time), Public Prizes The Shame of Social Media? The Difficulty of the Hero
6 Hector and Andromache Hector's Prophecy Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori Actions have Consequences The Human Cost of War
7 Greece II: The Archaic Age (800-500 BC) The Polis (Poleis) Size Average = 5,000 (Male) Citizens Athens = 35,000 Citizens + 300,000 Women, Children, Slaves, Non-Athenian Residents The Four Forms of Greek Political Organization Monarchy Oligarchy Tyranny Democracy Perceived Advantages of Democracy The Will of the Citizens vs. the Will of a King or the Gods Law, a Human Achievement Political Freedom (For Male Citizens) Political Participation (For Male Citizens) Binding the Polis Together The Hoplites (οπλιτης) Transition from the Age of the Hero Inventor: Pheidon, King of Argos (7th C. BC) Hoplon Phalanx The War Songs of Tyrtaeus
8 Implications for Poleis Larger Proportion of the Populace Can Participate in Hoplite Warfare (Citizen- Soldiers) Threatens the Aristocratic Lock on Government Sparta Location MAP Poor Land and a Growing Population The Wars With Messenia First Messenian War (735 BC) Helots - Slaves Owned by the State Rather than Individuals Second Messenian War (650 BC) Lycurgan Reform Lycurgus - Semi-mythical Lawgiver (ca. 600 BC) Problems: Meeting the Threat of the Larger Helot Population Helots Outnumbered Spartans 10:1 Defusing Animosity Caused by Social/Class Divisions (Oligarchs vs. Commoners) Solutions: Elimination of Class-based Political Divisions All Citizens Are Equal Two Kings (Military Leaders) and a Council of Elders Governed
9 Messenia Divided Among Spartan Citizens War "Declared" Upon the Helots Annually A Military State Weak or Unhealthy Children Exposed After Birth Boys Enter the Agoge - Military Training Camp - At Age Seven Enter Active Duty At Twenty Can Marry in Secret Become Full Citizens at Thirty Individuality Subsumed in the Service of the State Athens Location MAP Development of Athenian Democracy Early Problems Oligarchy Debt Slavery Solon the Reformer (594 BC) Elected Archon in 594 by Aristocrats Eunomia (Harmony) and Dike (Justice) The Constitution Boule - Council of 400 Citizens Assembly - Gathering of All Citizens - Opened to Poorest Men Undermined the Traditional Monopoly on Government Maintained by Oligarchs
10 Debt Slavery Abolished Did not Steal from the Rich Economic Reform Altered Crops Away from Grains (Barley/Wheat) Grapes and Olives Pottery Cleisthenes (508 BC) Reorganized Power Blocks The Countryside, Coast, and City Area Divided into 139 "Demes" Demes Re-allocated to Ten Tribes Each Tribe Consisted of Demes from Countryside, Coast, and City Reorganized the Boule Each Tribe to Contribute 50 Men Each Year, Selected by Lot Ends Power of Wealth to Influence the Boule Assembly (Ecclesia) Voted on Legislation Proposed by the Boule Executives Chosen by Lot Ostracism Ostrakon Intended to Safeguard Democracy from the Ambitious