Lecture 4 Classical Greece- Sparta and Athens A. Early Greece Political Organization a. There was no national unity in Early Greece, the concept of a nation-state was still nearly 1000 years in the future b. Rather, political organization was centered around the city-state, a city which through its authority established control over a region B. The Origins of the Spartan State a. The Conquest of Messina i. In the 7 th and 8 th centuries, Sparta engaged in a protracted struggle with neighboring Messina ii. Messina was eventually subjugated and its population was reduced to helots. b. Eunomia and the Foundation of the Spartan State i. Eunomia translates as good order, was also the name of a minor god of law and justice. ii. Lycurgus Legendary lawgiver gave the Spartans a psudeo-constitution and set up the Spartan institutions that led them to power 1. Supposedly Lycurgus also engaged in land redistribution and attempted to limit foreign influence by creating a separate currency. The Institution of Sparta 2. Gerousia a semi-legislative body to balance royal power. a. Before this the Spartans teetered between tyranny and democracy. b. Supposedly Lycurgus also engaged in land redistribution and attempted to limit foreign influence by creating a separate currency. c. Spartan Social Structure i. Spartiates 1. Full citizenship was restricted to the elites 2. They were the landowners usually absentee ii. Perioici 1. Neighboring communities 2. Were allowed some autonomy on domestic issues 3. Had to contribute troops to Spartan armies 4. Engaged in industry and trade for the Spartans iii. Helots 1. Supporting the entire system were a class of serfs 2. They worked the land and sometimes accompanied their masters in war. 3. They were usually conquered peoples C. The Institutions of Sparta a. Agoge
i. The education system of the Spartans, where at the age of seven boys were taken from their families and engaged in rigorous military training b. Crypteia a secret commission or security force to control the Helot population. i. Plutarch The Magistrates from time to time sent out into the countryside at large the most discreet of the young men, equipped only with daggers and necessary supplies. During the day they scattered into obscure and out of the way places, where they hid themselves and lay quiet. But in the night, they came down to the roads and killed every Helot whom they caught. Often, too, they actually made their way across fields where the Helots were working and killed the sturdiest and best of them. ii. Thucydides Helots who had been judged by the Spartans to be superior in bravery, set wreathes upon their heads in token of their emancipation, and visited the temples of the gods in procession, but in a little while afterwards all disappeared, more than two thousand of them, in such a way that no man was able to say, whether then or afterwards, how they came to their deaths. c. Syssition Common Messhalls i. Contributed produce of the land to a common pool ii. While Spartans were soldiers they lived in a commune iii. Men were separated from women. d. Closed Society i. Xenalasia - on various occasions all foreigners were expelled ii. Commerce was restricted for fear of foreign ideas. D. Athens and Attica a. Attica is the geographic region of control b. Class and Caste in Athens i. There were three classes of citizens 1. Eupatrids oligarchs a. They ruled for centuries and were full citizens b. Land owning elites, usually absentee landlords 2. Hippes were homeowners and citizens 3. Zeugitat people who could afford armor, were citizens ii. Thetes were non-citizens 1. Were usually hired labor 2. Were sometimes used as light infantry 3. Demiurgoi were skilled craftsman and free laborers 4. Georgoi were landless peasants iii. Land Ownership 1. Durant Quote Some of these peasants had once held extensive tracts; but their wives had been more fertile than their land, and in the course of a generation their holdings had been divided and redivided among their sons. 2. Early on there was collective ownership of land but that period was ending
a. Fences and hedges start to appear which marks dwindling jealous ownership b. People who mortgaged their farm became sharecroppers E. Draconian Reforms a. Approximately 620 BCE, Athenian leader Draco, created a codified written legal system i. This system probably existed centuries before it was written down. b. The state would replace feud vengeance with laws. c. These laws gave the demurigoi access to higher levels of government d. Many of the punishments were excessive i. Quote Plutarch - And Draco himself, they say, being asked why he made death the penalty for most offences, replied that in his opinion the lesser ones deserved it, and for the greater ones no heavier penalty could be found. F. Solonian Revolution a. Solon i. Was born in the 630 s, to the upper class, but his family was not wealthy ii. He had to engage in mercantile interest b. Economic Reforms i. He cancelled all debts, but there was a scandal because he discussed it with his friends and they bought land for which they never paid. ii. He freed all serfs and then forbid enslavement iii. Coinage 1. He abandoned Phonenician coinage and measurements 2. This checked inflation and helped the lower classes. iv. Tax Reform 1. He exempted the lowest classes from taxation 2. Developed a graduated income tax. v. Other Reforms 1. Pardoned political prisoners 2. Repealed many draconian punishments 3. Made laws universal regardless of class 4. Forbid food exports 5. Idleness became a crime 6. State prostitution was legalized and taxed. c. Moral Reforms i. Marriage 1. Limited the amount of dowries 2. Marriages should be for affection and childrearing ii. Women 1. Were only allowed three outfits 2. When asked why he would not legislate men he stated a wife is a heavy load to carry iii. Other Reforms 1. It was a crime to speak ill of the dead and public officials 2. Condemned pompous ceremonies
3. Seditious people would lose citizenship d. The Importance of the Solonian Reforms i. He did not say laws derived from gods ii. Became the basis of Athenian law for 500 years through democracy and dictatorship iii. Radicals criticized him for the failure to establish equality of possessions iv. Anarcharis - Quote the wise would plead and the fools decide no lasting justice can be established for men, since the strong or clever will twist to their advantage any laws that are made; the law is a spiders web that catches little flies and lets the big bugs go. G. Pesistratus the Tyrant a. Pesistratus is a perfect example of popular tyranny, in the Athenian democracy b. After Solon left the Archonship, he traveled. While in Athens three groups struggled for power i. Merchants who were being harassed by other sea traders ii. Landowners who were producing most of the food iii. Peasants and laborers the urban populations, the men of the Hill, also the larger part of the population. c. Pesistratus i. Had made a name for himself in war and ending food shortages of Athens ii. He was a champion of the lower classes iii. His plot 1. He faked an injury and displayed his wounds in the forum and requested bodyguards 2. He hired 400 men and seized the government iv. His Rule varied, as he was exiled and returned numerous times 1. He was a demagogue v. Positive Contributions 1. Brings order 2. Banishes some opponents and gives peasants land. 3. Made some changes to constitution 4. Brought structure to Athens 5. Large public works projects 6. Avoided military conflicts in favor of trade. H. The Story of Harmodius and Aristogenton a. Pesistratus, left his sons, Hippias and Hippacarus, in charge in 527 BCE b. Hippias was the Archon and Hippacarus, minister of culture, they continued their fathers policies, but began to abuse their power. c. Hippacarus was romantically rejected by a man named Harmodius, who was anothers erastas
d. After a public insult by Hippacarus to Harmodius family, Harmodius and Aristegeiton plotted to kill the brothers. e. Hippacarus was killed, but Hippias survived f. Hippias ruled until 508 BCE when he was overthrown with the help of a Spartan army I. Cleisthenes a. An Athenian exile, who returned to rule. b. Establish Athens as a functioning democracy c. May have introduced exile for 10 years as a safe guard for people who could become tyrants.