How can Ancient Greece Be Best Defined?
Ancient Greece can best be defined as an advanced, unequal, and regionalist civilization. It is a democratic form of government helped shape western civilizations. Also, it had inequality throughout the country, against women and slaves.
Around 700 B.C., many people slipped into hard times. Athens was under aristocracy wealth and power was growing. But the people of Athens were not satisfied. Merchants and soldiers resented the power of the nobles they thought that their service to Athens entitled more rights, foreign artisans that produced products that Athens traded were angered because of the restriction on them becoming citizens, and the farmers wanted change too. As a result of the hardship democracy came to a start. In the Funeral Oration of Pericles it says, "When it is a question of settling private disputes, everyone is equal before the law... one person before another in position of public responsibility, what counts is not the membership of a particular class, but the actual ability the man possess." This quote means that this type of government helps with any issues; family, friends, jobs and workers, and other kinds of issues. This shows democracy because it is a government in which the people have the power.
Ancient Greece was a region in which there was inequality. Slaves were on the bottom of the social class pyramid. They worked for long hard hours, yet did not receive any pay. Also, there were many of them. In fact, there were so many that they overpopulated the citizens. For example, in the text it says, “Approximately 8,000 spartites (adult males) ruled over a population of 100,000 enslaved and semi enslaved people. ”This caused many harsh living conditions for the slaves. Women were on a level higher, but below the men. Women were not allowed to have a social life, so they lived in houses tucked away. In addition, women were not allowed to be a citizen, only men, and did not have the right to vote. Also, women had to obey their husband, and were not allowed to take part in certain matters. For example, in document 3, Aristotle on a Good (Athenian) Wife Circa 330 BCE, it says, “But in all matters, let it be her arm to obey her husband; giving no heed to any part in arranging the marriages of her children. ”As it may become relevant, women barely ever had any say in any situations. Also, children were not as highly respected, especially girls rather than boys. If a woman gave birth to a girl, there was a possibility that they would throw it away. In document 2 it says, “20% of newborn Athenian girls were abandoned in places such as local garbage dumps. ”In addition, girls received little to no formal schooling, while boys got an education as long as they could pay for it. Also, women were forced to marry. In the text is says, “In Athens, there was no respectable alternative for girls other than marriage. ”Lastly, men reined Ancient Greece. As Aristotle once said, “Men are better than women for command.”
Although connected, city-states were primarily independent from other city-states. Civilizations such as Athens interacted with other city-states to trade for goods; while Sparta did it on their military conquest, and then when they did they were basically killing people because their lives were focused on war. In a Spartan Poem by Tyrtaeus it states “Here is man who proves himself valiant in war. With a sudden rush he turns to flight the rugged battalions of the enemy, and sustains the beating wave of assault.” This quote means that Sparta, even in other city-states, wanted to pursue their culture no matter what. Pericles, an Athenian leader said, “… Wealth is for us is something to use, not something to brag about. And as to poverty there is no shame in admitting to it – the real shame is in not taking action to escape from.” This quote means that in Athens even poverty is not a bad thing and wealth is not something to flaunt. It also says that Athenian people and any people that are poor need to try to get out of poverty and that Athens/Athenian people are not judge mental unless you do not try to get out of poverty. This shows independence because Sparta has their own terms on what they would and would not do and Athens would interact with other city-states but would not judge.
Greece can best be defined in this way as democratic, treatment of women being unfair, and separate from other civilizations because of their independence.
