Government In GreeceGovernment In Greece

SS.A.2.4.4; SS.B.2.4.3-6SS.A.2.4.4; SS.B.2.4.3-6

The Polis: Center of Greek LifeThe Polis: Center of Greek Life

• Polis: Greek name for city-states, and the surrounding countryside

• The meeting place in every polis was usually a fortified area, atop a hill, called acropolis, with an agora below

• The polis was a community made of citizens with rights (adult males), citizens with no rights (women and children) and non-citizens (slaves and foreigners)

Ancient Greek MilitaryAncient Greek Military• At first, rich land owners fighting on

horseback, fought the wars in order to control and protect the polis

• By 700 B.C. the military system was based on hoplites, infantrymen heavily armed with a round shield, a short sword, and a thrusting spear about 9 ft. in length

• Phalanx: a unit of soldiers fighting shoulder to shoulder in a rectangular pattern creating a wall of shields

Greek ColoniesGreek Colonies• 750-550 B.C.: Many Greeks leave Greece

to settle in other, far-away lands in order to expand trade, and find good farmlands

• Colonies were founded in along the coasts of Italy, France, Spain, parts of North Africa not under Egyptian control

• Greeks also headed north to an area they called Tharce, and settled around the Black Sea, establishing cities like Byzantium

The Rise of TyrantsThe Rise of Tyrants

• Expanded trade created a new wealthy class in the polis, at odds with rulers

• Tyrants are people who take power from aristocrats by force, often with support from rich merchants and peasants

• Once in power, tyrants usually embarked on large-scale building projects to build popularity

The Fall of TyrannyThe Fall of Tyranny

• By the end of the sixth century B.C., Tyrants had fallen out of favor with Greeks—who believed in the rule of law

• Tyranny had ended rule by aristocracy, resulting in two new forms of government:– Democracy: government of the people; or

rule by many (Athens)– Oligarchy: rule by few (Sparta)

SpartaSparta• Many Greek city-states found a need to

search outside the polis for new farmlands

• Sparta chose to conquer its neighbors, rather than colonize other lands

• Sparta conquered Laconia & Messenia, enlisting the people as serfs called helots, meaning “captured”

• To control the helots, Spartans established a military state

The Spartan Military StateThe Spartan Military State• Lives of Spartans were rigidly organized,

and tightly controlled by the government• Men went to school to learn military

discipline, and enlisted in the army at 20• Men lived in army barracks until 30, even if

married, and ate in public dining halls. At 30, men were given the right to vote and live at home. At 60 they were discharged.

• Spartan women had more freedom than other Greek women, and were expected to exercise and stay fit for childbearing

Government of SpartaGovernment of Sparta• Oligarchy headed by two kings, who lead

Spartans in battle• An elected group of five, called the

ephors, were charged with educating the youth, and regulating citizen conduct

• A council of 28 men over 60, and the kings, debated topics to present to a larger assembly of men over 30 who could only vote on the issue at hand.

• Outside visitors were not welcome, and Spartans were forbidden from studying philosophy, literature and art

AthensAthens• Early Athens was ruled by kings, then

aristocrats who owned land. An assembly of many citizens existed, with little power

• Citizens who owed debts they could not pay were often sold into slavery, a practice which almost resulted in civil war

• The oligarchy avoided war by granting power to an aristocrat named Solon, cancelled debts and freed many slaves

• Solon’s reforms weren’t enough to keep Pisistratus taking control as a tyrant in 560 B.C.

Athenian TyrannyAthenian Tyranny• Pisistratus worked to improve trade and

took land from aristocrats and gave to the poor, an effort to gain popularity

• Pisistratus’s son was unpopular and replaced by Cleisthenes

• Cleisthenes created a council of 500 men to supervise foreign affairs, the treasury and the writing of laws to be voted on by the assembly, creating the foundation for democracy

Do NowPage 120, write and answer questions 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6