Classical Greek Thought and Achievements

A Golden Age called the Age of Pericles

“Our constitution is called a democracy because power is in the hands not of a minority but of the whole people.

We alone regard a man who takes no interest in public affairs not as harmless, but as a useless character.”

--Pericles’ 431 B.C.

Age of Pericles 495-429 BC Golden age of art,

science, and literature.

Athens becomes

the center of education and culture of the ancient world.

Strongly supported other democracies.

The Delian League frees more cities in Ionia from the Persians.

Greek Thought

What made famous men like Themistocles better than others?

Not wealth, or birth, but wisdom “sophia” and virtue.

The Athenians believed that all men could become wise no matter what their social class.

They believed the wisest should govern.

The Writing of History

• The "Father of History.

• First person to collect stories and write narrative history.

• He wrote the 7 Wonders of the World

• He used Gods, magic, and curses for causes and effect.

Herodotus

484-425 BC

The Writing of History

• The greatest ancient historian.

• Cause and effect by rational human factors, governments, economics, culture and institutions.

applied reason, observation, and logic to the study of history.

Thucydides

460-395 BC

The Greeks separated sciences from other studies like philosophy and art.

Mathematics Pythagoras started a great school. It made great advances in math. and thought everything could be

explained by math and music.

First mathematical proof A2 + B2= C2

The golden ratio

570-495 BCE

Mathematics

Talis improved geometry of Babylon and Egypt. So Greeks could predict eclipses and star positions.

Greek Scientific Approach to Knowledge EVOLUTION

Greek physicists explained the origins of the world.

Xenosophies taught that fossils were the remains of extinct animals.

Greek Scientific Approach to Knowledge EVOLUTION

Anaximander taught that “fish were the ancestors of man and fish had evolved into man after several stages from the sea.

Greek Scientific Approach to Knowledge ELEMENTS

Greeks taught fundamental elements made up matter.

Thales thought everything started with the Element water which evolved into all matter.

Others thought perhaps fire or some other element.

The birth of Scientific Medicine

• The father of medicine.

• Opened the first school of scientific medicine.

Hippocrates

460-370 BC

Hippocratic Oath still used today

I will give regimens for the good of my patients according to my ability and my judgment and never do harm to anyone.

I will not give lethal drugs to anyone, nor will I advise such a plan; and similarly I will not give a woman a pessary.

I will preserve the purity of my life and my arts.

In every house where I come I will enter only for the good of my patients, keeping myself far from all intentional ill-doing and all seduction and from the pleasures of love with women or with men, be they free or slaves.

All personal information that may come to my knowledge I will keep secret and will never reveal.

If I keep this oath faithfully, may I enjoy my life and practice my art, respected by all men and in all times; but if I violate it, may the reverse be my lot.

Poetry and Drama

Greek developed theater from religious festivals,

Festival of Dionysus Athens

Playwrights

Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides wrote tragedies. They were written as trilogies. These tell of human suffering that end in disaster.

Aristophanes wrote comedies. Plays that made fun of Politicians, people or customs.

Song writers composed the first pop music. LYRAVLOS 4-nemesis.wma.mp3

Poetry became a high art.

The best romantic poet was Sappho who lived on the Island of Lesbos.

Greek Artists

Overall, Classical Greek artists and architects use balance, order, and beauty.

Harmony and Idealism are found in the paintings, buildings and sculptures.

Development of Classical Greece Art

Pottery, sculpture, and architecture

Geometric 900-750 BC.

Repeating patterns of balanced lines.

Archaic about 750-600 BC.

Rounder lines characterize Archaic painting , along with more realism. Influenced by Egypt and Mesopotamia, i.e. lotus, lion, and sphinx.

Black Figure from the early 7th -6th Century BC

More realistic. Started in Corinth. Greek mythology and everyday life.

The Age of Pericles Red Figure about 530BC.

reversed the colors, pots painted black and figures red.

Classical art captures a perfect moment in time.

SIMILARLY, SCULPTURE IS DIVIDED INTO: THE GEOMETRIC, ARCHAIC,

AND CLASSICAL.

GEOMETRIC

C 1000BCE, Geometric typified by bronzes and marble Cycladic figures.

ARCHAIC 7TH CENTURY TILL PERSIAN WARS

Archaic sculpture is influenced by Egypt and Mesopotamia.

ARCHAIC

Greek sculptors used marble and completed the pieces from all sides.

CLASSICAL

During the Classical period, sculpture became realistic and captures an ideal moment.

CLASSICAL

During the late Classical period, Praxiteles warmed up the sculpture capturing motion.

The largest was the Colossus at Rhodes over 30 meters tall, and one of Herodotus’ 7 wonders of the ancient world.

GREECEARCHITECTURE

ColumnsColumns are part of Post and Lintel construction.

Egyptians mastered post and lintel architecture.

ColumnsThe Greeks modified the Egyptian, developing their own style of column, called “order decoration”.

Three types of Greek columns--still used today.

1. Doric The first of the Greek orders (the oldest)

2. Ionic The second Greek order (the middle)

3. Corinthian The third type of the Greek order

The Greeks also carved the Lintel.

Pediment: statues of the Gods

The Golden Age of Athens and the development of Classical Arts and Science

Pericles rebuilt the burnt acropolis using money from the Delian League.

Phidias (480-430BC)

Built the Parthenon in 10 years, perfected classicalSculpture, made the statue of Zeus at Olympia.

The Parthenon

Dedicated to the Goddess Athena Parthenon.

Built between 447 BC and 438 BC.

Phidias (480-430BC)

Built the Parthenon in 10 years, perfected classicalSculpture, made the statue of Zeus at Olympia.

The Temple to Athena

Statue of Athena

British Museum has many pieces of Parthenon

Temple of Victory

Temple of Aphrodite

Market place of Athens (Agora)

Temple of Apollo

The largest was the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus, another of Herodotus' 7 wonders.

We still use many classical architectural designs today around the world.

The Lincoln MemorialWashington DC USA

Ancient Greek Temple

The Lincoln Memorial’s architecture was based on the architecture of ancient Greek temples.

Beijing Olympic StadiumAncient Greek Stadium

Ancient Greek Stadiums inspire Modern Day Stadiums

Illustration of a Greek Dome

Dusti Throne HallBangkok, Thailand

Ancient Greek domes cap the

US capital buildings. Us Capital

Washington DC

Interior US Capital

Pediment US Capital.

George Washington as Zeus

Thomas Jefferson Memorial Washington DC

Ancient Greek Aqueduct ( Ah- kwah- duck-t) Modern Day Sewer

The Greeks built aqueducts, which led to modern day sewers and sewage.

Different Ancient Greek Columns

The White House

Dusit Thai detail.

Greek Thought

In the 5th C BCE, many philosophers called the Sophists taught across Hellas.

Professional teachers charging money teaching debate club.

Greek Thought

In the 5th C BCE, many philosophers called the Sophists taught across Hellas.

Trasimaxis taught “rulers and governments made laws to their own advantage. No justice exists except for the strong”.

Caliclus taught that “institutions and moral standards were not made by Gods but by men.”

Athenian Philosophers

Greek Thought

Socrates believed “ the unexamined life is not worth living.

He was the most famous Sophists, yet he claimed not to be a Sophist and never charged money.

Greek Thought

He taught by asking questions and answers called the Socratic method.

Rational questions and answers would uncover facts or truths, which is not always popular.

Socrates taught people to use their own brains and come to their own decisions by observing things and reasoning.

Greek Thought

Is your first duty to civil law or conscious?

If public and private duty clash which is more important?

What is more important the individual or state?

Greek Thought

He questioned everything, even the Gods.

The Greek Gods kidnapped, lied, raped, if this was bad in a man, how could it be good in a God?

Greek Thought

Socrates taught people to use their own brains and come to their own decisions by observing things and reasoning.

Greek Thought

Socrates taught it is better to listen to your conscious.

Your inner voice to tell you what is truly right and wrong.

If you are not sure, keep asking questions of yourself and others until you are sure.

Greek Thought

Plato, his best student , wrote down his teachings in Dialogues.

Greek Thought

Plato born around 420 BCE founded The Academy which became the first real University.

He is best known for writing down Socrates’ teachings.

Greek Thought

He did not agree with Anaximander's “man is the measure of all things”.

Plato taught that perfect forms of all things exist, which humans only can perceive their shadows.

Greek Thought

Therefore universal truths existed and could be found out by reason.

Philosophers who found them out should rule.

Greek Thought

In The Republic he argued that a philosopher king would be best supported by an oligarchy class of warriors. Everyone else a third class without political rights.

This anti democratic position made him popular with rulers of anti democratic countries.

Greek Thought

He also reformed religion.

He saw the stars as an example of unchanging perfect forms.

As the stars moved he deduced a celestial god that moved them or ordered them.

Greek Thought

This God was a universal all powerful celestial God.

The souls of enlightened people would join him in a celestial city in the stars.

This idea made Plato popular much later in the Christian world.

Greek Thought

Plato’s philosophy would be the bases of European thought for more than 1500 years.

Aristotle Did not agree … Plato’s student.

Knowledge of facts/forms by what we can observe with our senses.

Major influence in today’s science

Outlawed during the Middle Ages.

Alexander the Great’s teacher

384-322 BCE

Aristotle's theory of logic is the base of modern science .

Founded Zoology and Botany, and made advances in Physics, optics, and elemental chemistry.

Greek Thought

Socrates' free thinking became unpopular because Athens was at war and the war was going badly.

He was put on trail for impiety and corrupting young people.

Greek Thought

Convicted by a close vote, he took hemlock instead of ostracism to die as a martyr to free thinking.

Greek Thought

He was put on trial because of what was happening to Athens. Athens was at war and the war was going badly.

Greek Thought

He was really sentenced to death for asking too many questions during a time of war.

Home work

133 1-7 Bonus 8 or 9

Peloponnesian war ends the Golden Age

431 to 404 BC

The Peloponnesian War: CAUSES

1. Athens VS Sparta

2. Sparta leads the Peloponnesian League.

3. Oligarchy VS Democracy

The Peloponnesian War 431 to 404 BCE

The Peloponnesian War

Pericles decides not to fight the Spartans on land.

Sparta had no navy

All citizens of Athens to stay behind the long wall.

Athens depends on its navy for food supplies

"long wall" strategy of Pericles

Plague Hits Athens! It kills 1/3 of Athens’

population including Pericles.

Typhus: high fever and rash

The disease comes 3 times during the war.

Pericles’ Funeral Oration

Pericles gives a speech at the annual funeral of Athenians slain in battle.

Its one of the earliest and greatest expressions of democratic ideals.

Pericles’ Funeral Oration

Pericles dies of plague.

Sicilian Expedition

Athens was winning the war.

However, it was weakened greatly by a war in Sicily.

The citizens of Syracuse completely destroy 3 Athenian armies and most of their fleet.

The Persian King seeing an opening financed a navy for Sparta.

In return, Sparta promises to give Ionian polis back to Persia.

The Athenian navy won many times against the inexperienced Spartan navy.

Dangers of Democracy

In one battle the Spartan fleet lost 70 ships, the Athenians 25 ships.

Due to a storm, the Athenian admirals could not rescue some sailors,

The Athenians put the admirals on trail and executed them.

In 405 BCE, King Lysander of Sparta defeated the Athenian fleet.

404 BC Sparta wins Athens surrenders,

Sparta sets up oligarchies throughout the Greek world.

The Peloponnesian War: Effects1. Persia gained

control of many city-states

2. Defeated democracy in Athens

3. Athens ruled by 30 tyrants

4. Athens’ cultural influence continues

Sparta supported Prince Cyrus the Younger against the Persian King.

Cyrus died in battle of Cunaxa.

The Persian King supported Thebes, Athens, and Corinth against Sparta.

In 371 BCE, the Thebans defeated Sparta at the battle of Leuctra, mostly due to the elite Sacred Band of Thebes .

Sacred Band of Thebes

Best warriors of ancient Greece, matched pairs of boyfriends.

LeuctraJuly [?], 371 BC

Strategic ContextSpartan King Cleombrotus launches a sudden invasion of Thebes due to its rising influence in the Boetian League. Sparta tries to negotiate on the matter by organizing a peace conference but Theban King Epaminondas walks out in protest when his claim to represent all of Boetia is rejected. The Thebans are capable of defeating Sparta on land and sea but these victories are usually won with the help of Athens. Cleombrotus is understandably overconfident and has been drinking with his men all afternoon.

Stakes+ A Spartan victory would limit Theban influence and confirm Spartan’s reputation as the premier military force.

+ A Theban victory would weaken Spartan dominance on land and further its own political dominance.

By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©

No Image

Available

Leuctra, 371 BCStrength

Spartans & allies

Mildly intoxicated

Thebans & allies

Well

Cleombrotus

6,500 hoplites

8,500 hoplites

Epaminondas

1,000 cavalry1,100 peltasts

1,000 peltasts

1,500 cavalry

By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©

Thebans(Epaminondas

)

Spartans(Cleombrotus

)

Cleombrotus deploys his hoplites in ranks 12 men deep with his peltasts guarding the flanks. He places his cavalry and veterans on his right wing so that the Theban left wing can be turned and the army routed. Epaminondas expects this tactic as it is the traditional tactic of this region and time period. To counter this tactic and Spartan numbers, he weights his left wing with hoplites 48 men deep, including his elite Sacred Band, and angles his line so that his weakened center and right wing are refused from battle. Epaminondas deploys his peltasts on his flanks and his cavalry ahead of his left wing to mask his radical deployment.

NN

Epaminondas sends his cavalry forward while his hoplite phalanx advances, his overloaded left wing edging ahead of the other units. The Spartan cavalry is driven from the field by the more numerous and highly trained Theban cavalry. Cleombrotus is not too worried though as he possesses the finest hoplites in all of Greece which now close the distance between the Thebans.

The Theban left wing and Spartan right wing collide, Theban peltasts and cavalry joining in to assail the Spartan flank. The Spartan right is stunned by the sheer weight of the Theban left and stumbles back. Meanwhile, Epaminondas keeps his weakened center and right away from Cleombrotus’ stronger center and left.

The pressure on the Spartan right from the combined attack of the heavy hoplite phalanx, cavalry and harrowing peltasts proves too much. As the Spartan right is pushed back stiffly, Cleombrotus is killed. The defeat of their leader and finest soldiers causes panic while the Theban left wing wheels to attack the Spartan center’s flank. The Spartans and their allies therefore flee the battlefield, hotly pursued by the Theban cavalry.

Thebans & allies

(Epaminondas)6,500 hoplites1,500 cavalry1,000 peltasts

Spartans & allies

(Cleombrotus)8,500 hoplites1,000 cavalry1,100 peltasts

The Sacred Band of Thebes

The Sacred Band of Thebes is an elite unit comprised of 150 homosexual couples. The rationale behind this is that lovers will fight more aggressively and bravely when by their lover’s side, never dishonouring themselves and their lover by fleeing.

Leuctra, 371 BCCasualties & Aftermath

Spartans & allies: Thebans & allies:

1,000

or

9%

300

or

3%

By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©

The Spartans retreated to a fortified camp where they negotiated a withdrawal, ceding north and central Greece to Theban control. Thebes grew so powerful in the following years that Athens allied itself with Sparta in 362 BC to check Theban aspirations. The resulting war consequently weakened all Greek states.

The Art of Battle: Animated Battle Maps

http://www.theartofbattle.com

By Jonathan Webb, 2009 ©

Athens allies with Sparta against Thebes, but the Macedonians settle all

differences led by the most famous general of history

Alexand

er of Macedo

nia

End

Home work

History after politics

GREEK POTTERY PAINTING IS STYLISTICALLY DIVIDED

INTO 4 KINDS.

Geometric from about 900 BC.

Archaic from about 750 BC.

Black Figure from the early 7th century BC.

Classical Red Figure from about 530 BC.