THE MEDITERRANEAN DURING ANTIQUITY – G AND R FOOTPRINTS

« 1 / 2 THE MEDITERRANEAN DURING ANTIQUITY – G AND R FOOTPRINTS G and R civilisations = 2 major M powers during A. M constituted a fundamental crossroad of civilisations for centuries. Contacts could be violent (= roman conquest / war between G city-state) or peaceful (= many trades)  How did those contacts between areas around the M permit the construction of an ancient, shared culture? Political evolution of ancient M 4 th c BC, edge of G domination: area not unified + composed by city-states + inter-civilisations exchanges multiply = G joint culture spread, it’s an Hellenistic period. 4 th c AD, domination of the R empire: an unified area + stable borders + moment of deep changes because the empire was being Christianised + barbarians called “invasions”. 1) Ancient Greek Mediterranean 1) City-states to the conquest of the M 1 st G city-states appeared in 8 th c BC:  a sovereign state consisting of an independent city (the atsy) and its surrounding territories (the chora). The notion of G city-state encompasses the community of human beings living in it and the physical territory it expands on. Several types of governments in G cities were applied depending on the location and the era: Democracy: a system where the pop has all political powers and where the powers aren’t in the hands of 1 person.

(=Athens) Monarchy: system where the powers are in the hands of a King (=Sparta) Tyranny: system where the powers are in the hands of someone who seized the powers by force.

(=Athens for a moment) Oligarchy: system where powers are in the ands of a group of pop with money and high social status (=Thebes) Despite their autonomy, G city-states shared a joint culture = same language, same religion (Olympian Gods, panhellenic shrines like the Parthenon), same rites (Olympic Games). G city-states started to establish colonies all across the M.

A metropolis could smart many colonies. 2) Athens, an hegemonic thalassocracy Greco-Persian Wars (-490/-479)  war between G and Persian empire.

Athens = key role because they had to protect the treasure of the League + they were the hegemon Delian League (-478)  alliance of 300 G city-states led by Athens.

Had a lot of successes by increasing military powers.

Athens = key role because they had to collect + protect the Treasure + they were the hegemon. Acropolis  acropolis is a hill above Athens that contains many religious buildings.

Athens used the Treasure of the League to renovate it. Thalassocracy  a nation whose powers rely on a powerful navy and army Athens war at least partly one as the loss of their naval power led them to loose the Peloponnesian War against Sparta 3) Pericles and the Athenian democracy 2 / 2. »