For my western civ class I had to do an essay on weather the greek city-states, or poleis were more similar to, or different from one another. This is my essay. If you guys want to learn something about ancient greece, read this. And also please tell me what you think about it.
Similarities in the Greek poleis
Despite some differences, the various city-states of ancient Greece shared many similarities. The Panhellenic games, language, and alphabet are only some things the poleis had in common. Although the Greek city-states were fiercely independent, there were many similarities in government, religion, class structure, and economy.
Regardless of considerable diversity within the many poleis, the development of some type of self-government by the male citizens seems to be common among all the known poleis. By helping to undermine rule by the traditional aristocracy, the tyrants in a way opened the path to self-government. In many poleis like Corinth, oligarchy was the governing system, while other cities, especially Athens, controlled affairs by the masses. And while Monarchies vanished in nearly all poleis, Sparta was an exception and retained 2 kings.
Due to the large amount of independent city-states, there was no single ruler who could establish a church. While most Gods were common and worshiped by all Greeks, many poleis had its own Patron. For example, various Gods had temples in Athens, but Athena was the chief God in Athens. In addition, Apollo was the main God in Delphi and supposedly inspired the oracle.
The Economy of the various Greek city-states was very similar.
Agriculture played a key role in the economy for all the poleis, but the terrain in most areas was hilly, or had rocky soil. This soil was not suitable for growing grains, but was exceptional for growing grapes and olives. Taxation in the poleis paid for drains, walls, harbors, and other state needs. Almost every Polis had both an acropolis, which over time came to be reserved for temples, shrines, treasures, and other official buildings, and a public meeting place, or market, called an agora, which was always considered a sacred place. Slaves undeniably played a chief role in Greek civilization and economy. Industries, usually being a household craft only required a small number of slaves, only when conditions were unbearable such as mining, were the slaves used in big groups. A unique exception is Athens who had a police force composed of 300 slaves from Scythia.
In the Greek poleis, class structure was certainly not equal. According to Homer, the wealthy male class, or aristocrats must have governed through assemblies, although, as population increased, hoplites succeeded in having a part in political decisions. In no Greek city-state did women vote, or hold office. Slaves and residential aliens did not have rights in any Greek poleis. Slavery was accepted by all Greek city-states. Greeks looked down on manual labor as being beneath their dignity. The Helots, who were Messenians enslaved by the Spartans, differed from other slaves in Greece in that they could not be bought or sold.
One of the most significant features of the ancient Greek world was the refusal of the poleis to form a general Greek confederation. Of course there were some differences within the hundreds of independent Greek city states, but as already mentioned, there were just as many, if not more similarities. After all, the Greek city-states were all unified by their amazing culture.
ID:183174
 Oct 1 2007, 12:58 pm
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Oct 1 2007, 1:10 pm
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Jmurph
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Hrm, I don't know if I agree with your central thesis. Arguably, until unification under Alexander, common language was the only thing that unified the city states. Athens, Mycenae, Sparta, Thebes, etc. all had different cultures and warred constantly for supremacy. Perhaps if you specified how they were similar? Certainly climate and human limitation necessitated certain similarities, but there is very little cultural similarity between say the Spartans and Athenians. Even their military doctrines were quite different. While both fielded hoplites, for example, an Athenian hoplite was a part time soldier with a different set of gear (different helmet stylings, shield design, etc.) from a Spartan professional soldier. Athens also placed a greater reliance on naval forces. Likewise, the Spartan military structure was different from Theban structure.
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The point of this essay was to look past Sparta and Athens. My professor made that very clear. There were more then 800 city-states, and those statements i made in my essay are true for the majority.
Edit: Also I didnt discuss the military :D. I only covered a few topics: Religion, Goverment, Economy, and class structure. | |
Okay, going past Athens and Sparta, let's look at Thebes. Thebes was the largest Boeotian city state and a major rival of Athens. Interestingly, unlike some of its neighbors, it sided with Xerxes and the Persians (although they did contribute soldiers to Thermopylae). Theban myths focused on the fall of Laius,Heracles, the birth of Dionysus, the tale of Cadmus and the Spartoi, and Amphion's seven gate wall. Theban stories tended to focus on tragedy and greatly influenced Greek mythology. However, Thebes is absent from the Homeric poems. Theban governance seems to have varied from a land-holder autocratic kingstate early on to later democratic forms. Theban class structure lacked the helot slaves and after the Peloponessian Wars and subsequent decline of Athens, Thebes made a habit of freeing helots in captured areas, to the degree that they were largely seen as champions of the oppressed.
Is Macedon considered? Ancient Greeks would never count Macedons among there number, yet Alexander later unified the Greeks under the first real national identity. I guess the issue is that I am not clear on what time span the report is addressing. The classical period covers over 3 centuries, and alot can change in 300 years. Certainly, the Greek city states were different enough to engage in constant warfare for supremacy, and foreign powers clearly identified the different influences. If the task is to point out similarities, that can also be done, but I don't know that a blanket statement that they were more similar than different is accurate to any degree beyond the similarities shared by any regional peoples. | |
This essay is written from 800 bce - 30bce, before alexander the great took over basically everything.
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