Greek Civilization :  The Archaic Period

TERMS:
Mycenae
Minoan
Cnossus
Troy
Homer
Dorians
Dark Ages
Hoplite Phalanx
Tyrants
symposion
Delphi
Dionysius
Sparta
hubris
arete
agora
Ionia
Board of ephors
areopagus
oligarchy
archons
Solon
Pisistratus
Clisthenes
Persians

 
DATES:
2500-1400 BCE Minoan period on Crete
1600-1150 BCE-Mycenaean period
1100-750 BCE-"Dark Ages"
750-479 BCE- Archaic Period
479-338 BCE - Classical Period

TOPICS:
1.   Greek civilization really on Crete with the Minoan culture.  Minoans had elaborate, wealthy palaces but no fortifications.  Seemed to have made money from sea trade, and to have worshipped a female deity, the snake goddess. Another Bronze age civilization is found somewhat later on the Greek mainland:  the Mycenaeans.  Here we do find fortified cities and palaces, rich tombs, a warrior culture:  Homer's Iliad and Odyssey.

2. c. 1100 Mycenae collapses, perhaps invaded by Dorians.  Greece enters the Dark Ages, when there was no writing (its a lost skill), no central government, urban centers disappear, population declines.

3.  In 700 BCE Greece enters the Archaic period; writing reappears, city states called a polis are built, a new  military system is developed (the hoplite phalanx) that will help Greece expand into colonies (including Ionia and Sicily) and eventually help Alexander the Great conquer from Greece to India.

4.  Problem of how  to run the polis; each had a different system: monarchies,  oligarchies, tyranny, democracy, the military state of Sparta, etc.  Two major poleis (plural of polis): Sparta and Athens.

5.  Greek religion consisted of the worship of many gods and goddesses at temples.  But the     Greeks saw their gods as imperfect, fickle, manipulative etc. The Greeks worshipped their gods, but did not hold them in awe, as many ancient civilizations did (as in     Mesopotamia and Egypt).  The Greek gods were all too human.