Ancient Greece: The Rise of City-States and Colonies
Organization of City-States
- By 750 BCE, the city-state or "polis" became the center of Greek life.
- Community of People: citizens with rights (adult males), citizens with no rights (women & children), noncitizens (aliens, laborers, slaves)
- Overpopulation in City-States led to Mediterranean colonization. People searched for : farmland, trade.
- New Greek colonies established along Mediteranean coastlines: North Africa, southern Spain, France, Italy, and the Black Sea.
New Government
Rival City-States: Athens and Sparta
- As the Greek influence spread throughout the Mediterranean, they challenged Persia for supremacy.
- Persia tried to invade Athens from Marathon, but defeated.
- Darius, leader of Persia vowed revenge. His son, Xerxes planned to invade Greece after his father died.
- Xerxes invaded Greece; Greek City-States form alliance
- Greek City-States unite against the Persian invasion.
- Greek forces created the largest Greek army in 479 BCE, and defeated the Persian army at Plataea.
- People would meet for political, social, and religious activities.
Greek Expansion of Colonies in Mediterranean
- Main gathering place was the "acropolis" or fortified area.
- Military system: soldiers or "hoplites"
- Independent, distrusted each other, often went to war with each other.
- Spread of culture & political ideas.
- Tyrants - wealthy men who seized power by force from Aristocrats
- Expansion of trade & industry = $$$$$
- Citizens sick of tyranny by 6th century BCE
Athens
Sparta
- Some city-states had tyrants, democracy, or oligarchy (rule by few, usually aristocrats).
- People began to dislike rule by tyrants. Tyrants ended the rule of aristocrats. The end of tyranny allowed for citizens to participate in gov't = beginnings of Democracy.