The Rise of the Greeks Chapter 5 AP Art History
Goals Students will be able to Understand the diverse cultural influences on Greek artistic development. Discuss the evolution of the human figure and how it is represented in Greek art. Relate the development of temple architecture. Cite architectural components and terminology. Understand the impact of the conquest of the Greeks on their respective art forms. Discuss individual artists and their respective styles 2
Geography and Resources: n Greece is part of the Mediterranean ecological zone. n The Greek geographic area includes mountains to the north and the Mediterranean to the South. n Additionally, the region is protected by the Atlantic Ocean to the west. n In the summer, a weather front prevents Atlantic storms from entering this region. n In the winter, the weather front moves and cold, wet weather enters the area. n Greece is an area in which all the various lands have a similar climate, similar season, and similar crop. n Greece is highly conducive to migration and crop transference. n Technology and trade can also be shared easily. n The Greek culture area itself included the Greek Mainland and the islands and the western edge of Anatolia.
Ancient Greece
n Where does Greek civilization arise? n The Greek mainland n The Aegean island n The western coast of Anatolia n What is the geography of these regions? n Southern Greece is dry and rocky. n There are NO navigable rivers for easy travel. n Small islands dot the Aegean and are inhabited from the earliest times. n Sailing from Greece to Anatolia was fairly easy almost done without losing sight of land. n The sea is a connector not a barrier. n Greeks settled the edges of Anatolia providing fertile soil for crops! n Greece refers to this region as Ionia! n Greek farmers depended on rainfall to water crops. n Greece had few metal resources and little timber, but it DID HAVE plentiful harbors. n From the earliest times, Greece was drawn to the sea for trade! n Timber Aegean n Gold and iron from Anatolia n Copper from Cyprus n Tin from the western Mediterranean n Grain from the Black Sea, Egypt and Sicily
Greece has natural harbors!
The Emergence of the Polis: n The era that followed the collapse of the Mycenaean period lasted from 1150-800 BCE. n This was time of depopulation, poverty, and backwardness few archaeological records remain! n Greece was largely isolated from the world. n Lands were mostly used for grazing animals. n Language, religion, and culture did continue. n The political structure changed authoritarian rule broke giving rise to new political, social and economic structures. n What ended this period? n Contact and trade with the Mediterranean lands was reestablished. n Phoenicians opened trade in the Aegean sparking Greek trading to resume! n The ending of this period begins the Archaic period (800-480 BCE).
n What are notable features of the Archaic Period? n Explosive population growth n Phoenicia also brought a writing system using 22 symbols the first true alphabet. n Greece modified this alphabet to give the world the first writing system to truly represent the sounds of spoken language. n Literature, law codes, religious dedications, and epitaphs can all be read by EVERYONE! n What caused this growth? n The shift from a pastoral to an agricultural economy. n The importation of foods and raw materials. n What is the EFFECT of this population growth? n Urbanization n Specialization n Development of the polis! n Most urban centers would include specific features: n An acropolis ( top of the city ) offering a refuge in an emergency. n An agora ( gathering place ) citizens could ratify decisions of their leaders and assemble with weapons. n Eventually, the agora would become a marketplace.
Transitions in writing Because cuneiform and hieroglyphs required memorization of hundreds of symbols representing whole words or sounds, only the scribal class knew the language. When Greek language is introduced anyone can learn to read and write in a relatively short period of time!
+ n n How did the polis defend itself? n Each polis was fiercely jealous of its independence and suspicious of its neighbors. n Conflict occurred frequently. n The Greeks developed a style of warfare that used hoplites a close formation of heavily armored infantry who would try to break the enemy s defenses. How were soldiers dressed? n Each soldier had a helmet, a breastplate and legguards, a shield, and a thrusting spear! n Most casualties were suffered by the defeated army in flight. n There was a close relationship between hoplite warfare and agriculture! n Soldiers were farmer-citizens who served for a short period of time. n Campaigns were held during breaks in the agricultural cycles! n Battles were brutal but lasted no more than a few hours. n Survivors returned home to tend their fields.
n What did the Greeks do when the population growth outstripped the available resources? n Sent excess populations to colonize other areas of the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. n Not all colonists left willingly some were forced. n Chosen by lot and forbidden to return on pain of death! n Colonies were selected after consulting Apollo at Delphi n What impact does colonization have on the Mediterranean world? n Colonization brought the Greeks into closer contact with other peoples. n Colonization introduced the Greeks to new ideas and sharpened their sense of identity. n What significant development transforms our world during this era? COINAGE OF MONEY! n Occurring in Lydia in the early 6 th century BCE.
n How is the Greek polis ruled? n Kings ruled the pre-archaic ages as evidenced in Homer s Iliad and Odyssey! n Eventually, councils composed of heads of noble families would surpass the kings. n These noble families gained power by owning vast amounts of land n Peasants and slaves worked the lands. n Increasing prosperity and the growth of a middle class in Archaic Greek society led to the emergence in the mid-7 th and 6 th centuries BCE of tyrants. n What is tyrant rule? n One-man rule! n Tyrants reduced the power of the traditional elites. n Do tyrants stay in power? n NO! tyrants were eventually removed from power. n What government system arrived next? n Government systems went one of two ways: n Oligarchy n Democracy
n Greek religion involved the worship of anthropomorphic (human form, mannerisms) sky gods, many of which represented forces of nature. n These gods were worshiped at state ceremonies. n Sacrifice was a central part of religious practice and helped to create a sense of community. n Gifts for the gods included cakes and wine. n Sacrifices were usually one or more animals. n In addition, Greeks sought advice from oracles: n Oracle of Apollo at Delphi n Female deities were also revered. n Who are the Greek gods? n See Greek Mythology Handout!
New Intellectual Currents: n During the Archaic period, Greeks began to develop the concepts of individualism and humanism. n The pre-socratic philosophers of the Archaic period also began to question traditional Greek religion. n These philosophers tried to explain rationally why the world was created, what it is made of, and why it changes. n In the late 6 th century BCE, a group of logographers in Ionia began to gather information on the various peoples of the Mediterranean, the founding of important cities, and the background of important Greek families. n Their method of investigation/research, historia, was adopted by Herodotus in his Histories. n Herodotus went beyond the simple collection and recording of information to offer explanations as to WHY the Greeks and the Persians had gone to war. n In doing so, Herodotus invented the discipline of history in its modern sense. J (Yay!)
Athens and Sparta: n Which two city-states emerged in the late Archaic and Classical periods? n Athens n Sparta n Athens and Sparta are VERY different! n This underscores the idea that diversity emerges even in human societies that are similar environmentally and culturally. n What is different about Sparta? n Sparta was a polis located in the Peloponnese in southern Greece. n To assure its supply of food, Sparta took over the more fertile land of Messenia and enslaved the Messenians. n Fear of an uprising of their Messenian slaves inspired the Spartans to create a severely ascetic and highly militarized society. n All Spartan males trained for the army and devoted their lives to the needs of the state.
n What about Athens? n Athens had an unusually large hinterland (Attica) that supported a population of ~300,000 in the 5 th century BCE. n The Athenian Acropolis towered over the plains of Attica. n How did Athens change in 594 BCE? n Athens was on the verge of civil war Solon (a member of the elite) was appointed to lead and given extraordinary powers. n How did Solon rule? n Solon divided Athenian society into 4 classes based on annual farm yields. n The top 3 classes could hold offices. n The lowest class the landless class could participate in meetings of the Assembly. n This means EVERYONE had a voice! n Solon also abolished the debt-slave practices. n This guaranteed freedom of the Athenian citizens.
n What changed this structure? n In 546 BCE, troubles continue until Pisistratus an aristocrat seized power. n This move brought in tyrant rule! n What is a tyrant? n The term the Greeks used to describe someone who seized and held power in violation of the normal procedures and traditions of the community. n How did Pisistratus keep this style of rule? n He enticed the largely rural population to identify with the urban center of Athens, where he was the dominant figure. n He undertook monumental building projects the Temple of Athena on the Acropolis! n He expanded the major festivals that drew people to Athens for religious processions, performances of plays, and athletic and poetic competitions! n When he died, Pisistratus passed the tyranny to his sons. n Sparta would help remove the tyrant-family! n In the 460-450 BCE period, Pericles and his political allies took the last steps to bring about Athenian democracy.