First_Empires

mFirst Empires, ch 4-6 *General -signs 1. Large geographic area 2. Standing army 3. Several groups, multi-cultural 4. Economy shows progress 5. Stable government 6. State religion 7. Political centralization 8. Normally monarchy/imperium 9. Social classes 10. Infrastructure – develop means of communication and transportation 11. National financial plans 12. Technology advances *Particular Greece, Rome, India, and China Greece: the polis * “classical period” – about 700 – 338 BCE * 1800 BCE = Minoans & Mycenaeans * Invasion: 1200 – 700 Dark Ages * Athens and Sparta * Polis/poleis * “citizenship” but….”semi democratic” * Patriarch – head of family * Ex. Sparta (semi-democratic) * Leader: Lycurgus * Spartan Constitution: Follow as if following Apollo. Their system of gov * “Pyramids of power” * Government structure * 2 kings * Council of Elders – Gerousia – implement constitution * General assemble – all Spartan adult Males * 5 ephors – overseers * COmmuity structure * Spartan citizens – equals (women)(10,000-12,000) * Perioika – dwellers around * Messenian (Laconia(400,000)) – helots * Athens, Council of 500 * Age of War: Persian Wars * Xerxes – * large army * punish Athens for supporting rebellion against Persia years before * Thermopolis – 3 day battle * Greeks out numbered 7 thousand to 10 thousand * First time Greece fights together instead of against each other * (Leonidas) king of Sparta * Stand and fight to the death * Only two people got tombstones 1. Woman that dies giving birth 2. A man who died in battle * “Golden Age of Athens” or “Age of Pericles” (479-429 BCE) * Classes * Aristocrats * Middle class – commercial * Peasant (slaves) * Demes = council of 500 (debate = create law) = general assembly (adult (free) Athenia men) * Direct democracy * Hetaire – entertainers * Aspasia * Delain League * Peloponnesain League ** The Funeral Oration of Pericles Athens 1. Trade/luxuries 2. Freedom values/democracy 3. State honors dead a. payed for funeral, education, etc of children 4. family ties important 5. welcome outsiders 6. glorifying their city/patriotic 7. military strength/intellegents 8. way fo life causes military 9. poverty recognize/need to fix 10. within Athens we get along pretty well 11. extra time/leisure time 12. wealth to be used * Peloponnesian War (431-404 BCE) * * Delphi – temple of Apollo – sanuary of the gods * Oracale of Delphi * Pilgrams offered whatever they could afford * Drama originalted from religious ceremonies Cultural Lagacy * Religion with rationalization (') * Polytheistic, pantheon, Mt. Olympus * (Bart Ehrman) not about theology, creed, or ethics, but “gods do what human beings can’t” Ex) Demeter and the seasons * But, re: human reason, “its enthusiasom for puzzling out the world without much reference to the gods” Ex) (142) Socrates (469-399 BCE) * Notes from film * Society (patriarchy, slavery, “homosexuality) * Emphasis on education, Ex) Aristotle (384-322 BCE) * Pedaroasty * Kalos K’ Agothos – Handsome, smart, and good. Physically fit and well groomed Rome General Characteristics: * Good geography * Terrace farming – olives, grapes * Tiber river * Magna Graecia * Etruscans * Celts * Mix of peoples * Strong government, from Republic to Empire * Senate * Augustus Caesar (r. @BCE-14CE) * Concern for Law * Twelve Tables vs Law of Nations * Twelve Tables 1. Infanticide – (Spartan) Physical fitness - strength 2. Public decour 3. Property/inheritance – auscapio 4. Patricians/pleblians 5. Consider more why/ circumstances 6. Serious debt concern 7. Idea fo justice very seriously 8. Trade agreements are binding 9. Generally civil issues 10. Treasenons – bribery serious 11. Romans probably received more conciderate 12. Composition * Promotion of War (but: no overall design' Mare mostrum, need for resources, freedom) Roman Society * Patricains and Plebians to Weath/Status * Paterfamilias, family council * Manus and non-manus marriage * Infant/maternal mortality * One-child law – one healthy child you are a citizen * Two-child law – slave haves oen child they are free. Two they are a roman citizen * Slavery Roman Religion * Roman Pantheon of Deities' * Etruscan and greek influences, also numina * Civic Religion * Jupiter, Vesta * College of Pontifices – Pontifex Maximus (high priest) * Various priests – run state religion * Private cults * “chaotic variety”, “picking and choosing” Christanity in rome * Peter and paul * Cult of emperor/Jupiter * Persecutions (esp. Nero and Diocletian) Constantine (285-337) * Tetrarchy * Edict of Milan (312) – emperor says it. It is law. * Papus (petrine Doctrine) – Pontifex Maximus – Christian leader * Organization * Taxation * Council of Nicea * Easter * Heresy (ex. Arianism) * Nicene Creed – unifi people * “canon” 1. Lack of unity 2. Loyalty to emperor 3. Too much dferas of future Early India * Khyben pass * Government * Hinduism and the castel system * Buddhism (siddharta Gautama @ 566-486 BCE) The “Intermittent” Empire * Ganges River * Role of Aryans' * By 600 BCE many small kingdoms of varying kinds – eventually more unitied by religion and society than government, rajas and maharajas * Example: * Mauryan Ampire (326-184 BCE) * Chandragupta Maurya (320-298 BCE) * Pataliputra, * Kautilya, * Arthasastra * Ashoka (268-232 BCE) * Megestenes – accomplished what Alexander the great couldn’t * Dharma = sacred duty/moral law * Reason(able) – use rational “Brahminical Faith” * “who sought to reduce the infinite variety of Indian cultural patterns into a single recognizable system” (133) * “non-founded” * “non-creedal” * Brahman, athman (Shiva and Vishnu) * Dharma, karma * Transmigration of the soul * Wheel of Life, moksha Caste System * Orginins * Brahmins – priests – educated class * Kshatriya – warriors – land lords * Vaisya – helpers – city craft people * Sudras - laborers * Untouchables – “out castes” * Jatis * Four Noble Truths 1. Everybody suffers 2. Suffer caused by desire 3. End desire – moderation + middle way /8 fold path *