CHAPTER 5 Greece and Iran, 100030 B.C.E..

I0.

Ancient Iran, 100030 B.C.E. A0. Geography and Resources 10. Irans location, ounded y !ountains, deserts, and the "ersian Gul#, le#t it open to attac$ #ro! Central Asian no!ads. %he #unda!ental topographical #eatures included high !ountains on the edges, salt deserts in the interior, and a sloping plateau crossed y !ountain strea!s. &0. Iran had li!ited natural resources. 'ater (as relati)ely scarce, and Irans en)iron!ent could only support a li!ited population. Because o# the heat, irrigation net(or$s had to use underground tunnels. Construction and !aintenance o# underground irrigation net(or$s (as la or*intensi)e and ad)anced under a strong central authority. Iran had !ineral resources+copper, tin, iron, gold, and sil)er+and plenti#ul ti! er. B0. %he Rise o# the "ersian E!pire 10. %he ,edian $ingdo! in north(estern Iran helped to destroy the Assyrian E!pire in the late se)enth century B.C.E. %he "ersian Achae!enid dynasty (as related to the ,edian court y !arriage, and in --0 B.C.E., Cyrus o)erthre( the ,edian $ing and uilt a larger "ersian e!pire that included ,edes and "ersians. &0. %he "ersian E!pire (as uilt up y a series o# three $ings. Cyrus, Ca! yses, and /arius I. Cyrus captured the $ingdo! o# 0ydia 1-23 B.C.E.4, thus ringing all o# Anatolia under his control, and later too$ ,esopota!ia 1-35 B.C.E.4 30. Ca! yses de#eated Egypt and sent e6peditions to 7u ia and 0i ya. 8nder /arius I, the role o# the ,edes declined as the "ersians asserted greater do!inance. /arius e6tended the e!pire east to the Indus )alley and (est to European %hrace. C0. I!perial 9rgani:ation and Ideology 10. ;ro! /arius on, the e!pire (as di)ided into t(enty pro)inces< a satrap (ho (as related or connected to the royal court ad!inistered each pro)ince. %he position o# satrap tended to eco!e hereditary. =atraps in distant pro)inces had considera le autono!y. &0. "ro)inces (ere re>uired to pay annual tri ute. %he central go)ern!ent tended to hoard so !uch gold and sil)er that these !etals eca!e scarce and !ore e6pensi)e. %he pro)inces (ere crossed y a syste! o# (ell*!aintained roads that con)erged on the capital city o# =usa 1in south(estern Iran4, and garrisons (ere installed at $ey locations. 30. %he "ersian $ings de)eloped a style o# $ingship in (hich they (ere held aloo# and !a?estic, !asters o# all their su ?ects and no les. @ings o(ned and ad!inistered )ast tracts o# A$ings landB in areas around the e!pire. 20. @ings acted as la(gi)ers, ut allo(ed each people o# the e!pire to li)e in accordance (ith its o(n traditions. @ings !anaged a central ad!inistration at the capital o# =usa and also per#or!ed cere!onies at "ersepolis, in the "ersian ho!eland. -0. %he !a?or religion o# the "ersian E!pire (as Coroastrianis!. %he origins o# this religion are unclear. %radition ascri es the Gathas 1the hy!ns o# Coroastrianis!4 to Coroaster 1Carathustra4, (ho li)ed so!eti!e et(een 1D00 and -00 B.C.E.

Coroastrianis! posited the e6istence o# a dualistic uni)erse in (hich the god o# good, Ahura!a:da, (as loc$ed in an epic struggle against the god o# e)il, Angra ,ainyu. Coroastrianis!s dualis! !ay ha)e had an in#luence on Eudais! and thus on Christianity. II0. %he Rise o# the Gree$s, 1000-00 B.C.E. A0. Geography and Resources 10. Greece is part o# the ,editerranean ecological :one, an area in (hich all the )arious lands ha)e a si!ilar cli!ate, si!ilar seasons, and si!ilar crops. %his characteristic o# the ,editerranean :one is highly conduci)e to !igration, trans#er o# crops and technology, and trade. %he Gree$ culture area itsel# included the Gree$ !ainland and islands and the (estern edge o# Anatolia. &0. %he areas inha ited y the Gree$s relied entirely on rain#all, ha)ing no (ater resources su##icient #or irrigation. 0i!ited (ater and li!ited, thin ara le soil !eant that the area could not support large populations. Greece had #e( !etal resources and little ti! er, ut it did ha)e plenti#ul har ors. B0. %he E!ergence o# the "olis 10. %he A/ar$ AgeB that #ollo(ed the ,ycenaean period lasted #ro! 11-0F00 B.C.E. %he /ar$ Age ended (hen contact and trade (ith the ,editerranean lands (as reesta lished. %he "hoenicians played an i!portant role and pro)ided an alpha etic (riting syste!. %his egan the Archaic period 1F002F0 B.C.E.4 &0. 9ne o# the nota le #eatures o# the Archaic period (as e6plosi)e population gro(th. "ossi le causes o# this population gro(th include the shi#t #ro! a pastoral to an agricultural econo!y and i!portation o# #oods and ra( !aterials. %he e##ects o# population gro(th included ur ani:ation, speciali:ation, and the de)elop!ent o# the polis. 30. %he polis 1city*state4 (as an ur an center and its rural territory. Characteristic #eatures o# the polis included an acropolis, an agora, #orti#ied (alls, and pu lic uildings. %here (as no sharp distinction et(een ur an and rural areas or their inha itants. 20. %here (ere #re>uent (ars et(een the )arious city*states. %he Gree$s de)eloped a style o# (ar#are that used hoplites+a close #or!ation o# hea)ily ar!ored in#antry!en (ho (ould try to rea$ the ene!ys line o# de#ense. %he soldiers (ere !ostly #ar!er*citi:ens (ho ser)ed #or short periods o# ti!e (hen called. -0. 'hen population gro(th outstripped a)aila le resources, the Gree$s sent e6cess population to coloni:e other areas in the ,editerranean and Blac$ =ea. Coloni:ation rought the Gree$s into closer contact (ith other peoples. 30. Coloni:ation introduced the Gree$s to ne( ideas, ut it also sharpened their sense o# Gree$ identity. 9ne o# the !ost signi#icant ne( de)elop!ents o# this period (as the in)ention o# coins in 0ydia in the early si6th century B.C.E. D0. Increasing prosperity and the gro(th o# a !iddle class in Archaic Gree$ society led to the e!ergence in the !id*se)enth and si6th centuries B.C.E. o# one*!an rule y tyrants, (ho reduced the po(er o# traditional elites. %he tyrants (ere e)entually e?ected and go)ern!ent de)eloped in one o# t(o directions. oligarchy or de!ocracy. F0. Gree$ religion in)ol)ed the (orship o# anthropo!orphic s$y gods, !any o# (hich represented #orces o# nature. %hese gods (ere (orshiped at state cere!onies. =acri#ice (as a central part o# religious practice and helped to create a sense o# co!!unity. In addition, Gree$s sought ad)ice #ro! oracles such as the oracle o# Apollo at /elphi and also re)ered #e!ale #ertility deities. C0. 7e( Intellectual Currents

10. /uring the Archaic period, Gree$s egan to de)elop the concepts o# indi)idualis! and hu!anis!. &0. %he pre*=ocratic philosophers o# the Archaic period also egan to >uestion traditional Gree$ religion. Instead, they tried to e6plain rationally (hy the (orld (as created, (hat it is !ade o#, and (hy it changes. 30. In the late si6th century B.C.E. a group o# AlogographersB in Ionia egan to gather in#or!ation on the )arious peoples o# the ,editerranean, the #ounding o# i!portant cities, and the ac$ground o# i!portant Gree$ #a!ilies. %heir !ethod o# in)estigationGresearch, historia, (as adopted y Herodotus in his Histories. 20. Herodotus (ent eyond the si!ple collection and recording o# in#or!ation to o##er e6planations as to (hy the Gree$s and the "ersians had gone to (ar. In doing so, Herodotus in)ented the discipline o# AhistoryB in its !odern sense. /0. Athens and =parta 10. =parta (as a polis located in the "elopponese in southern Greece. In order to assure its supply o# #ood, =parta too$ o)er the !ore #ertile land o# ,essenia and ensla)ed the ,essenians. ;ear o# an uprising o# their ,essenian sla)es inspired the =partans to create a se)erely ascetic and highly !ilitari:ed society in (hich all =partan !ales trained #or the ar!y and de)oted their li)es to the needs o# the state. &0. Athens had an unusually large hinterland 1Attica4 that supported a population o# a out 300,000 in the #i#th century B.C.E. Athens (ent through a period o# rule y tyrants in the si6th century B.C.E. 30. In the late si6th and early to !id*#i#th centuries B.C.E., Athens e?ected the tyrant #a!ily and de)eloped a de!ocracy. "ericles co!pleted the transition to de!ocracy in the 230s*2-0s. %he popular organs o# go)ern!ent included the Asse! ly, the Council o# -00, and the "eoples Courts. III0. %he =truggle o# "ersia and Greece, -&33&3 B.C.E. A0. Early Encounters 10. In 255 B.C.E. the Gree$ cities o# Anatolia, aided y Eretria and Athens, staged a #i)e*year re)olt against "ersian rule. %his led to the "ersian 'ars+t(o "ersian attac$s on Greece. In the ;irst "ersian 'ar, the generals o# /arius I captured Eretria and attac$ed Athens 1250 B.C.E.4. %he attac$ on Athens (as #oiled (hen Athenian #orces de#eated the "ersians at ,arathon. &0. In the =econd "ersian 'ar, Ier6es led a large ar!y and a #leet against the Gree$s in 2F0 B.C.E. ,any Gree$ city*states su !itted. In southern Greece, =parta organi:ed the Hellenic 0eague, an alliance o# city*states that de#eated the "ersians. %hen the Gree$s, led y Athens and organi:ed in the /elian 0eague 12DD B.C.E.4, (ent on the o##ensi)e and dro)e the "ersians out o# !ost o# the eastern ,editerranean 1e6cept Cyprus4. B0. %he Height o# Athenian "o(er, 2F03&3 B.C.E. 10. %he Classical period o# Gree$ history 12F03&3 B.C.E.4 (as !ar$ed y the do!inant role o# Athens, (hich su ordinated the other states o# the /elian 0eague and eca!e an i!perial po(er. Athenian po(er (as ased on the Athenian na)y. &0. %he $eys to the strength o# the Athenian na)y (ere technological inno)ation and the use o# lo(er*class !en as ro(ers. %he !a?or technological inno)ation (as the de)elop!ent o# the trire!e+a #ast, !aneu)era le 1D0*oar oat. %he use o# lo(er*class ro(ers !eant #urther de!ocrati:ation o# Athenian society as these !en, reali:ing their i!portance, de!anded the #ull rights o# citi:enship. 30. Athens used its po(er to carry out pro#ita le trade and to e6tract annual tri ute #ro! su ?ect states. %he (ealth o# the e!pire !ade it possi le #or Athens to

construct i!pressi)e pu lic (or$s, put on grand #esti)als, and support de)elop!ent o# the arts and sciences. 20. %he t(o !ost in#luential philosophers o# the Classical period (ere =ocrates and "lato. =ocrates turned the #ocus o# philosophy to ethics, pro ed the precise !eaning o# (ords, and created the =ocratic !ethod o# >uestion and ans(er. He (as tried on charges o# corrupting the youth and not elie)ing in the gods o# the city and sentenced to death. -0. =ocrates disciple, "lato, (rote dialogs e6ploring concepts such as ?ustice, e6cellence, and (isdo!. "lato taught that the (orld as (e see it is a pale re#lection o# a higher, ideal reality. "latos intellectual acti)ity is representati)e o# the transition #ro! oral to (ritten culture. "lato read and (rote oo$s, and he #ounded a school, the Acade!y. C0. Ine>uality in Classical Greece 10. Athenian de!ocracy (as )ery li!ited in its scope. 9nly #ree adult !ales participated in Athenian de!ocracy. %hey accounted #or a out 10 or 1- percent o# the total population. 'o!en, children, sla)es, and #oreigners did not ha)e the rights o# citi:ens. &0. =la)es (ere !ostly #oreign, accounted #or one third o# the population, and (ere regarded as property. %he a)erage Athenian #a!ily o(ned one or !ore sla)es (ho (ere treated li$e do!estic ser)ants. =la)es pro)ided !ale citi:ens (ith the leisure #or political acti)ity. 30. %he position o# (o!en )aried in di##erent Gree$ co!!unities. In =parta, (o!en (ere relati)ely #ree and outspo$en. In Athens, (o!en (ere !ore con#ined and oppressed. Athenian !arriages (ere une>ual arranged unions o# younger (o!en to older !en. %he duties o# a (i#e (ere to produce and raise children 1especially sons4, to (ea)e cloth, and to coo$ and clean. 20. =ince there (ere no !eaning#ul relations et(een !en and (o!en, !en sought intellectual and e!otional co!panionship (ith other !en. %his ga)e rise to a co!!on pattern o# ise6uality in (hich older !en engaged in e6tended social, intellectual, and se6ual relationships (ith younger !en. /0. ;ailure o# the City*=tate and %riu!ph o# the ,acedonians 10. I!perial Athens aroused the resent!ent o# other Gree$ city*states, (hich led 1in 231 B.C.E.4 to the "elopponesian (ar+a con#lict et(een the alliance syste!s o# Athens and =parta. =parta, (ith a na)y paid #or y the "ersians, #inally de#eated Athens in 202 B.C.E. &0. =partas arrogance then inspired the opposition o# the other Gree$ city*states. %his internal con#lict a!ong the Gree$s ga)e "ersia the opportunity to reco)er its territory in (estern Asia, including the Gree$ co!!unities o# the Anatolian coast. 30. As the Gree$ city*states declined in po(er, the ac$(ard northern Gree$ $ingdo! o# ,acedonia (as de)eloping into a great !ilitary po(er. @ing "hilip o# ,acedonia strengthened his ar!y y e>uipping his soldiers (ith longer spears, using oth ca)alry and in#antry #orces, and de)eloping ne( siege e>uip!ent including catapults. 20. "hilips son and heir Ale6ander 1the Great4 in)aded "ersia in 333 B.C.E. and de#eated the #orces o# the "ersian E!pire. Ale6ander, (ho con>uered as #ar as "a$istan, uilt his o(n e!pire in (hich he !aintained the ad!inistrati)e apparatus o# the "ersian E!pire, used "ersian o##icials as (ell as Gree$s and ,acedonians, and egan to present hi!sel# as a successor to the "ersian $ing. IJ0. %he Hellenistic =ynthesis A0. %he Hellenistic @ingdo!s

10. A#ter Ale6ander died, his e!pire ro$e up into three $ingdo!s, each ruled y a ,acedonian dynasty. %he period o# ti!e co)ered y these $ingdo!s is called the Hellenistic Age 13&330 B.C.E.4. &0. %he =eleucid $ingdo! included the core area o# ,esopota!ia, =yria, parts o# Anatolia, and peripheral possessions including Iran and the Indus )alley. %he peripheral areas (ere entirely lost y the second century B.C.E. %he =eleucids !aintained a "ersian*style ad!inistrati)e syste! and continued Ale6anders policy o# esta lishing ne( Gree$*style cities. 30. %he "tole!ies ruled Egypt and so!eti!es "alestine. %hey too$ o)er the highly centrali:ed and (ell*controlled Egyptian ad!inistrati)e and ta6ation syste!s. %he "tole!ies !ade Ale6andria their capital and acti)ely encouraged Gree$ i!!igration. 20. %he "tole!ies did not uild other Gree$*style cities< the li#estyle and language o# the !a?ority o# the Egyptian population did not change signi#icantly. 7ati)e Egyptians did, ho(e)er, resent Gree$ rule and uprisings (ere increasingly co!!on #ro! the early second century B.C.E. -0. %he Antigonids ruled ,acedonia and the ad?acent parts o# Greece. %he =partans, ho(e)er, as (ell as ne( con#ederations o# city*states, resisted ,acedonian rule, (hile Athens re!ained neutral. 30. Ale6andria (as the greatest city o# the Hellenistic age. 'ith a population o# nearly hal# a !illion, the ,ausoleu! o# Ale6ander, the 0i rary, and the ,useu!, Ale6andria (as a political center, a great center o# learning, and a !a?or trading city. D0. Ale6andria (as a Gree$ city. Its Gree$ residents en?oyed citi:enship and too$ part in the institutions o# go)ern!ent 1the Asse! ly and the Council4. "u lic aths, theatres, and gy!nasiu!s o##ered residents all the a!enities o# Gree$ li#e. %he city also had a signi#icant Ee(ish population that do!inated t(o o# the #i)e residential districts o# the city. F0. Helleni:ation included inter!arriage et(een Gree$s and non*Gree$s, the spread o# the Gree$ language and li#estyle, and a synthesis o# indigenous and Gree$ culture.