The formation of statehood in Greece was facilitated by the location of the state in a territory with favorable living conditions.
On these lands were natural resources, the ice-free coast of the sea, and many islands. What was the foreign and domestic policy of ancient Greece? What goals were pursued? You will learn about all this by reading the article.
The emergence of cities and domestic politics
On the Greek islands, the first cities began to appear in the third millennium BC. Around the same time, Minoan civilization arose in Crete.
Palaces were erected, which later became the political, economic, religious and cultural centers of Greece. Independent states gradually began to form on the mainland.
Little is known about the politics of ancient Greece at that time. Only information about the events of the Trojan War has survived to our times. Even prominent Greek historians called these times "centuries of darkness."
Further history knows the fact that the territory of Greece was captured by the primitive tribes of the Dorians. The country's development has stalled. But the prerequisites created gave a further political and economic impetus to development. The state entered an era of prosperity, including social. By the sixth century BC, a rather rapid development of Greek cities began.
Cities were called policies, they were inhabited by people who own land, just citizens, industrialists and artisans. They owned property and, as a result, citizenship.
Living in cities were divided into free and slaves, so in the policies there was a struggle between different sections of the population. Ordinary citizens constantly struggled with the aristocracy. Over time, the situation returned to normal, and state government was established - tyranny, which means “single-man rule”.
Such changes have contributed to the development of the economy. Goods and first money appeared, the role of citizens without property increased. The role of money increased, traditions and moral standards adopted in cities began to change. Social conflicts between different strata of the population living in cities escalated. This weakened the country, so soon the king of Macedonia conquered Greece.
Greece fell apart. Many independent associations appeared that fell under the yoke of the Romans. The philosophers of the future in their treatises have long comprehended how this could happen.
Forms of government
From time immemorial it is known that the beginning of world democracy was laid in Ancient Greece. But there were forms of government in this country that were very different from democracy.
The great Aristotle called democracy "politics", suggesting that rule can be both aristocratic and monarchical. He divided the forms of government into three types, in which everything is done for the common good. Accordingly, he identified three deviations of the board, calling them perverted. In this situation, the ruling elite was guided exclusively by selfish interests. As the form of government was called during this period, they called the ruler of the country (tyranny - tyrant). Everything depended on the regime that prevailed at the moment.
The world of Greek politics is quite widely known during the Cretan-Mycenaean period. He is characterized by a monarchical system of government, called Vanaka, which means "master, lord, king." The power was ruled by the Basileus. They were the main ones in military affairs.
Rulers
Only thanks to the works of Homer did the contemporaries get the names of many rulers of ancient Greece and simply famous personalities. We know Odysseus, Diomedes, Nestor, Achilles, the dynasty of Atrides, Labdakids, Neleids. It was believed that they are descendants of the gods, but, despite this, the dynasties of monarchs in Greece did not take root.
In the 7-6 centuries BC, tyrants began to rule in the country. Despite their ruthlessness, it was they who made the greatest contribution to the development of the country that we now know.
Let us recall Periander, Pisistratus, Kipsel and many others, about whom ancient Greek historians and writers told us. Their presence in power turned out to be fleeting, which cannot be said about the rule of Dionysius, the tyrant and ruler of Syracuse. He was elected an autocrat strategist during the war. The war ended, and he ruled for the rest of his life, which overtook him right on the throne.
City management was carried out by the magistracy, which was headed by the so-called archons (leaders). But this body was present only during the democratic periods of government.
The ruler of ancient Greece was called a tag. One of these tags was Jason Fersky, who made a great contribution to the formation of Greece.
Most of the policies of Ancient Greece were democratic or oligarchic. In a democracy, all free citizens had the right to vote; in an oligarchy, only those who were rich. Pericles is a good example of a democrat leader. Due to his great influence on the people, he was often called a demagogue, that is, "ruling over the people."
Under Alexander the Great, his strategists and warriors of the highest echelon, Demetrius and Antigonus, already called themselves kings. Time passed and the monarchs began to be raised to the level of the gods. Each of the rulers believed that he was the king and therefore can transfer power by inheritance.
Foreign policy
The foreign policy of Ancient Greece was of an occupational character. The rulers sought to conquer as many lands and peoples as possible. The Greeks subjugated nearby cities and countries as a result of victorious wars or by signing a voluntary accession treaty.
Heroes
In ancient Greece, it was believed that heroes could only be born from a mortal man and a god from Olympus. Children born in this way possessed unusual abilities and great power, but were mortal. The presence of the demigods on earth was the result of the will of their parents. They had to ensure that justice and order reigned in the world of people. Heroes were revered, legends about them and their actions were passed from one generation to another.
A heroic act is not necessarily a military feat. The hero of Ancient Greece could be a warrior, doctor, traveler, husband of some goddess, ancestor or prophet. They were all mortal, but their life after death is amazing. Having completed their earthly journey, they continued to live on the islands for the blessed or on. Levka, and some of the most prominent heroes, are on Olympus.
Heroes of Ancient Greece who died in battles were buried in the ground. Burial places were also places of worship, which were called heroes. There were incidents when the same character had several shrines.
It's no secret that ancient Greek legends and myths have such a number of heroes that remembering them is not easy at all. Here are just the most famous:
- the founder of Cadmea was the victor of the dragons;
- Perseus chopped off the head of the jellyfish Gorgon and defeated the terrible monster - Kit;
- Theseus killed the Minotaur, which ate people;
- Jason brought the Golden Fleece to Greece;
- Daedalus conquered the sky.
Ancient heroes can be listed endlessly. All of them performed some feats or actions that benefited people. But they managed to do this only thanks to the support of their heavenly relatives.
There are heroes in these myths that almost everyone knows about. For example, the son of Zeus is Heracles. He was in the service of an unworthy king for twenty years and it was at the request of this ruler that he accomplished his twelve exploits, which the whole world knows about. This is the Hydra killed by him with constantly growing heads, and the victory over the dragon, and the dug through the Strait of Gibraltar, and the defeated three-headed dog Cerberus. The deeds of Hercules are admirable. He ultimately took part in the Olympians' war with the younger gods, who rebelled. It should be noted that Hercules was a simple man who helped celestials.
One of his latest exploits is the liberation of Prometheus. Prometheus showed the hero the way to the Hesperids, and he, in gratitude, killed with the arrow an enormous eagle, daily flying to peck the titan's liver.
Seven wise men
These are thinkers and public figures very revered in ancient Greek politics. Their wisdom was that they gave purely everyday advice that could be useful to any person. This is not a science or a philosophy. This consciousness is on a purely everyday level. Proverbs, sayings with a very deep and instructive meaning.
The wisdom of the seven sages was written by Karl Marx, Hegel and many other prominent people. Their names were made public at the Archon of Damascus in Athens (582-581 BC). Historians cite various combinations of names in accordance with ancient sources, but four remain unchanged: Thales of Miletus, Biant Priensky, Solon of Athens, Pittak of Mitilensky. Moreover, the mathematician and philosopher from Miletus always comes first.
The earliest list of the seven wise men was given by Plato in Protagoras, where the legend about them is also presented for the first time. In addition to the mentioned persons, it includes Chilon from Sparta, Cleobulus from Linda and Mison from Hena.
Diogenes Laertius included in the list of Anaxagoras, Aristoderm, Lin, Pisistratus, Pamphilus, Orpheus, etc.
Helots and their rebellion
In the third century BC there was an uprising of helots. They invaded the Peloponesse. The invaders occupied the most fertile lands. Local residents left their homes, and the remaining people found themselves in a position dependent on foreigners. This was presented as the restoration of justice and legal power in the territories of the descendants of Hercules.
The invaders made Sparta the main city. Both rulers and tsarist troops settled here. There were two royal dynasties. They ruled together, and civil unity and equality became the basis of government. It regulated the lifestyle of society. Slaves were state and attached to plots of land that belonged to families from the ruling dynasties. Helots gave the owners only part of the harvest they collected, which was strictly fixed. The foundations of this state were laid by Tsar Lycurgus, who was almost a legend.
The top authorities studied military affairs and went in for sports. The male population was physically strong, organized, knowledgeable of the military craft and sciences, very disciplined. Everything that did not correspond to such principles and concepts was rebuffed. Thus, the top of power and the estates close to it became unusually strong and united.
Some of the helots had some privileges, others were completely powerless. From their ranks recruited soldiers to replenish troops. They were allowed to marry the widows of the deceased. In this case, they could claim to become full citizens.
In the fifth century BC, a powerful earthquake occurred in Sparta. The destruction was catastrophic. Many residents of that period believed that the cause of this was the desecration of the temple of Poseidon. Traditions prescribed that the transgressor, who managed to hide in the walls of the temple, was untouchable, but the local authorities did not follow the traditions, they seized, arrested and executed the guilty. This religious hysteria was the cause of the rebellion of the Helots. Riot was presented as the will of the gods who want the helots to gain freedom.
The rebellion swept Laconic and Messina. The Laconic uprising was unorganized and spontaneously spread to Spartan estates. The Messinians during this time managed to defeat the Spartans garrisons, took their weapons from them, organized troops and went to Sparta. On the way, detachments of other rebels began to join them.
Sparta did not fall after the storm. The Spartan organized, trained and hardened army made itself felt. She managed to defend the city, despite the great destruction from the earthquake. The Helots decided to retreat and took a fortress on Mount Itoma. Many cities came to the aid of the Spartans, but this did not help. This situation lasted ten long years. It all ended with the conclusion of peace. The fortress was liberated, the war ended. The Ilots were given the opportunity of a free exit from the fortress into the territory of Athens.
The Helots did not have weapons and experience of military operations, but managed to organize an uprising against the ruling elite and the army, to win, even partially. As a result, they gained freedom. The history of the Helot uprising is very revealing: a revolution can be successful if it is driven by ideas and principles for which one can die.
Corinthian Congress
At the end of the winter of 338 BC, the constituent session of the congress was held in Corinth. Envoys came from all states except Sparta, which did not pay attention to the appeal. Simply put, she ignored him.
What will be discussed at the congress, was stated by the Macedonian king Philip II in a document that was sent to all invited in advance. The main goal of the congress was to establish peace in all of Greece. For the participating countries, orders were established that became unshakable. Each of the states had to take an oath that would sacredly honor the power of Philip II and not encroach even on his descendants. In general, these were pretty acceptable obligations for any state. But it was also necessary to take into account whether they wanted to swear allegiance to this ruler. Did they really like the fact that it was Philip II who wanted to keep the throne for himself and his descendants. The document spoke about the civil and political world. If someone violated it, the other states that signed this treaty should together repulse the violator.
It was proposed to free the Greeks from all kinds of taxes, a quota was set for the supply of military forces and warships in the framework of the union. They proposed creating the highest political body - the Sanhedrin, which was supposed to include representatives of all union states. The king of Macedonia did not enter into the union; he personified the highest power, was the full-fledged master of all these states.
The union was called the Panellin Union. This event in fact completed the process of submission to the Macedonian king of the Balkan part of Greece.
Anti-Persian sentiment
The dream of the Persians was to conquer Greece. This was necessary for them to establish dominance in the Aegean. Having established it, they would have the opportunity to control trade in this region. The Macedonians had already obeyed Persian rule, but when the Persian fleet approached Chalcis, a terrible storm occurred and most of the ships sank. The Thracians inflicted heavy damage on the ground forces.
By the end of the four hundred years, the anti-Persian democratic party in Athens won the election. Themistocles became an archon.
He was very popular among the people, since he was an implacable enemy of the Persians. This was of great importance, as the Persians threatened raids, the probability of which was really very high. Themistocles began to strengthen Piraeus. Then he implemented the most important of the reforms. According to his decree, the post of archon became elective. The ruler was chosen by lot, and the circle of candidates expanded significantly.
Pericles and his reforms
A significant role in the development of cities of Ancient Greece was played by the reforms of Pericles. He was a representative of one of the most notable families in the country and for a long time did not want to take any part in political activities. But due to the onset of difficult times in his hometown, Pericles had to change his mind. At that time there was a serious struggle between the democratic party and the oligarchic, Pericles decided to support the democrats.
Athens was headed by Bule (Council of State), which included 500 adult males with full citizenship. In addition, the Areopagus, whose representatives were 9 archons, who could be selected by voting, was considered the supreme authority. After the first reform of Pericles, the voting was canceled, now the choice of archons was carried out by lot.
Changes in the world of politics have affected the people. Now the citizens of Athens were those people whose parents were Athenians. In order for people from the lower layers to occupy high positions, Pericles has established that they must be paid. Having made a certain amount of money, it was possible to borrow it without difficulty.
Politicians
The most prominent politicians of ancient Greece:
- Aristen. For his political activities, he served three times as a strategist at the Achaean Union. He contributed to the breakdown of the alliance between the Achaeans and Macedonia and their transition under Roman patronage.
- Archon. Three times he was appointed strategist of the Achaean Union. He was assigned to the ranks of the moderate party of Lycort, which advocated the independence and sovereignty of the Achaean Union.
- Thymoxene. Three times he was a strategist at the Achaean Union. He became a member of the Cleomenes War.
In addition, such ancient Greek politicians as Arat Sikionsky, Diey, Lidiad, Filopemen and others were widely known.
Greek Persian Wars
The Persian monarchy was formed in the East in the middle of the sixth century. Its founder was Cyrus the elder. It was during his reign that Greek cities were taxed.
In 499, Aristogor called on the cities of Greece to rebel against the Persians. The Greeks burned the center of the Persian government in Asia Minor - the Sardis. Unfortunately, Sparta, from whom they were waiting for help, did not help them. Only the Athenians responded to the call. The rebellion was crushed, and the Greeks were severely punished. The result was an increase in tribute from cities. The Persian king was given the opportunity to start new wars against the Greeks, motivating this with their rebellion.
It should be added that the patriotism of the Greek people, which did not want to be under the yoke of barbarians, also meant a lot. That is how the Greeks treated the Persians. Such relations between the Greeks and Persians continued for many centuries.
Military battles
Between Greece and Persia, sea battles constantly took place. The goal was set: to get rid of the Persians in the policies of ancient Greece.
The Greek fleet liberated the cities from the Persians one after another. And they immediately began to join the Union in order to join the Greeks and fight the common enemy. But, as always, there were some disagreements. Athens called for continuing the war to a victorious end, and Sparta protested against such a decision, since she was not interested in continuing the hostilities. Relations have become tense.
How could this happen so that countries that united against a common enemy suddenly began to quarrel? The following happened. The Greeks erected structures and high walls around their cities for defense. Sparta took such actions as a lunge in her direction. The conflict was somehow extinguished. After Sparta withdrew from the Union, the whole burden of the military burden fell on the shoulders of Athens. Athens began to create alliances with other cities that were afraid of the Persian invasion. Thus the struggle against the Persians continued.
The confrontation with the Persians ended in the defeat of Athens. The political situation in the Mediterranean has changed. But the maritime alliance gave Athens strength. The commander and politician Cimon organizes an expedition to support the rebels in Egyptian cities that besiege the Persians. Military action moved to Cyprus. Cimon managed to defeat the enemy fleet and free some cities. All these squabbles destroyed the existing treaties and, as a result, the union itself.
The island, called Delos, as stipulated in the contract, for a long time remained the main center and repository of the common treasury of the Union. This is where the name comes from.
The strongest of all members of the Union were Athens. The Athenian fleet was the backbone of the union's armed forces. Other participants replenished the fleet with their ships and supplied him with money. Athens was exempted from all types of contributions. They were only military force. Over time, Athens began to gain more and more strength. At some point, the treasury of the union state was transferred to the Acropolis of the Athenians. So the agreement on the equality of its members was violated. Military operations with Persia continued, more and more new cities were liberated, which joined the union. The Delos Union has acquired critical importance for decades to come.