Western Civilization I (Egypt, Mesopotamia)

The oldest - Mesopotamia

Urban civ
Sumer created confederation. Live close to each other, not with blood, need law, authority
Sophisticated organization
Sumer had Impact on later civ on law and religion
Law: justice function was semiprivate
General principle- an eye for an eye ! (Past on succeeding civ (Judaism))
Impact on those who follow them, conquered by new wave of migration
Babylonic civ had a Hammurabi’s code. Codified what Sumer established.
Religion Sumer started – then following them
Believed in many gods, which had human shame, some parts of animals, believed in some
stars. Developed magic which supposed to protect from evil power of gods.
Now Human is the highest creature in world. But the Sumer did not think that. Did not
believe in reward, no hope in afterlife.

Egypt
Not that pessimistic as Mesopotamia (Gloomy outlook Left mark on future)
China didn’t care what is outside(expansion), the same as Egypt
People kept channels in good shape
As for economy, government controls everything, like trade (monopoly)
Religion was similar to Sumer (astro-stars)
However, only good gods, except of one. + Life after death (turn into paradise)
Science (math and astronomy) passed on to the Greeks. Sumer more advanced
Egypt Good in medicine, even surgery with head even. Many great discoveries. Europe
benefited from them.

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Judaism
We enjoy special dignity from God. Impact on ancient Israel
Political tradition: for 200 years they didn’t have certain authority, lived as a confederation of
tribes- foundation of political tradition in antiquity.
The basic unit - clan or tribe, each of that clan had own local authority, not democratic,
however represented natural authority of each unit.
Jews Lived under their own authority, relied on themselves, had different character of
authority.
Descended from one ancestor, that’s why they were equal
Monarchy was made to combine efforts
Jewish kings had not strong power
Lawgiving belongs to God.
Prophets had special relationship with God, holy men, through whom God spoke, telling
them what they should repent, they were fearless, they were guardians of political tradition.

Jewish notion of liberty:

Important because illustrates important point of civic liberty: national tradition, organic
growth means that they face various challenges, so community response (no revolutionary
changes)
Jews were equal, considered to be member of community, no exclusion, political power
involves people.
Acknowledging of higher law
 Biblical & Rabbinical Judaism
Based on Torah (5 books) + having a centre in Jerusalem (religious life)
Lived in diaspora
Cruel interruption, they forced to leave, no right to return
Unusual- they survived by stressing
The religious authority comes to Rabbinical Judaism, they are not priests, they teachers of
law (Torah)
What develops is uniqueness of Jews and their experience
Because they merited the fact that they were chosen
Hostility toward Christians
Christians were impostors
They stole Jewish tradition
Unfriendly hostile – sneering interpretations of Christian origins

Christianity
Rooted Judaism
Later on, assimilation of Greek intellectual
Message of Christianity was filtered: love understood as specific kind of love, love in terms
of caritas, caring other human beings indiscriminately, unconditional God’s love
Man and woman are the highest creations (adopted children of God)
All humanity are neighbours, brothers and sisters
Understanding of freedom related to religion
Free will, we are not determined
Political side is different
Christianity brings new idea, demand autonomy in religious sphere, demanded privilege
The united to make decision= church
Christianity was persecuted, who refused- put to death. It was not constant, that’s why they
survived
Church is independed
Christianity became state religion, dominant religion
The state began to exercise Church, the consequence- the origins of the corruption in the
Church

Greece
Crete
Greek Mycenaeans culture
Aristocratic society
The Dorians destroyed Mycenaeans
‘Dark Ages’ Middle Ages
Cultural regress
Small states
Homer!
Aristocratic society: honor and courage
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Greek believes (!)- the highest species in Earth

Greek Culture inspired to do best, active life, stress on military virtues and aristocratic

Originated small city states(independent entity, state in which power comes from citizens,
the idea of polis is some sort of democracy) – polis
Citizens were equal, citizenship was a valued thing
Wealth
fundamental duty – to be a soldier
poor were excluded from power
international politics = relations with neighbours
assembly taught to be serious
Polites – citizenship (idiotes- opposite)
Attractive model for other ethnic states, it spread through Mediterranean area
Large part of population was excluded in votes, because of poverty

Greek colonization
Greeks continued to spread to the coast of Mediterranean Sea to Crimea, Black Sea

Sparta one of the most important Greek polis, one of the largest
Belong to Dorian tribes
Confiscated land, each Sparta had to have farm to maintain himself and his family.
They turn the local populations to serves, not slaves (helots)
Land divided this way to each one to be equal
The strongest military power
New generations Started inherit farms let to the Sparta’s decline, reduced to minor place
Homosexuality was really common in Greece, especially in Sparta
Constitution – Sparta was very own polis
Exercise, to be prepared for fight, have courage was required, not an option
Strict Oligarchy like commissars under communism
The popular Assembly was a Weak position – screaming, who screamed louder – winner (not
serious institution)

Athens
Started as monarchy, turned to oligarchy
Athens was the place of violent, brutal civic conflicts, that was connected
Wine and olives need a lot of money, only wealthy became wealthier. At the same time poor
often fool into dead, they sell themselves and their child - slavery
Draconian law introduced law, punished by death

Solon – wise man, reforms – beginning of democracy in Athens

Cancelled debt and prohibited slavery
Only foreigners were slaves, non-Greeks
He admitted the poor to the Popular Assembly and courts
Limited democracy, however Greeks lived in direct democracy
Cleisthenes let to debates (yes or no)
Ostracism was an institution let to expel, bringing less more civilized way to deal with losers
Then assembly voted
That was the beginning of full democracy
Persian Empire
2 wars
Persia Controlled the oldest human civilizations
Greece was under developed, poor по сравнению с Persian Empire
Greeks were Capable to build a navy fleet
Although Persian won a land war, their fleet was destroyed, that’s why the empire was afraid,
so they decided to withdraw. Greeks defend their independence

Delian League
People Pay to contribute a large fleet (Athens propaganda – ‘you pay- we provide ships’)
It turned into Athenian Empire
They build Long Walls, which were Linking Piraeus and Athens
Felt secure under the walls
Surrendered because of a plague

Consequence of Persian wars:

Poor gain preponderance in the Athenian regime, the period of prosperity, it became the
centre of the world (art, sciences)
Mutilation was very common
Greek society was Egalitarian

After the war:

Unlimited democracy
People’s Assembly Could do anything they wanted, can initiate, the poor can be paid to
participate
Meant gradual corruption of a great democratic state
Turned into democratic tyranny, one cannot defend themselves
Many Athenian leaders betrayed to escape
The end – Peloponnesian War
Athens never regained
Athenian Democracy teaches that it needs canter balance in forces, should be mixed with
some elements of monarchy and oligarchy.

Greek culture
Full speed of development
Empires brought peace
Incredible eruption of genius

Philosophy meant knowledge, brought enormous high, originated historiography

To get to know reality, developed schools

Greeks Engaged in scientific activities

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Rome
Enormous impact on development of Europe and western civilization.
753 BC
510 BC – monarchy
(44) BC- republic
30-478 AD – The Empire
Rome at the beginning had aristocratic nature
Started as a small entity
Expanded, but not satisfied
Rome had citizens army, maintaining big army was very costly because They served for
money
Hadrian built limes (borders)
Bilingual and ruling elite was bilingual, schools maintain by the Greeks
Exposed to Hellenistic culture, mixing Greeks and other people who were conquered by
alexander the great

Differences between Hellenistic and Greece: Greeks has enormous impact in terms of politics
In Hellenism Rulers are treated as gods

In the point of view of Romans Greeks were degenerated people because they worship the
rulers (laughed but then tried to similes)

Why did the romans rise to greatness?

-Simplicity of life and contempt for luxury
-Conservatism - Romans did not like quick changes, this is contrast to Greeks, who were
ready to take risk
-Devotion to community - first belong to community, then to your family, they had heroes
who sacrificed family members
-should be stressed – obstinacy – roman national character, where they did not give up easily

-army played a very important role

Originally, army composed of citizen-soldiers
Remuneration for soldiers, state pays because soldiers cannot have their own business –
stipendium
-legion; often were moving from one place to another, they always built the campus
-severe discipline

-allies
Punished more who resisted more
Confiscation of land (one time suffering)
Limited citizenship
Auxiliary military units – that Is why they Were capable of organizing such a huge army

Roman Government
Roman authority provided stability
The government changed very slowly, under pressure
tends to oppress minority
Main reason of the success
Mixed government that included 3 forms, the division of government
1) Monarchy, elected 2 consuls for 1 period (it was sufficient) represented royal power
2 Censors for 5 years, counting people, putting them in classes categories
Dictator – extraordinary institution only for 6 months
2) Aristocracy: Senate – foreign affairs important power (because Rome was always in
war); Roman elite was small, limited number of families
During the empire number grew
3) Democracy (elected for life) predominance of bad oligarchy element
Strong conservatism
4) Patricians and plebeians
1st killed the last king, considered themselves as only
2nd treated as foreigners (not citizens, could not vote) undertook fight, they wanted to
be admitted
ultimately gain emancipation in 287 BC
tribunes of the people – personal inviolability + veto power (negative power) when
Rome changed to empire, they offered from those tribunes
Aftermath of Conquest:
public land was grabbed by wealth
poor population was swelling
slavery began to play larger role (80 per cent of free inhabitants) –
reduced number of soldiers because of rapid decline of small farms
proletarii were not worker, completely idol doing nothing
brutal exploitation of provinces
brothers of radical movements – Gracchi
Principate: as a result of civil war Augustus won
He was consul for life, he is the first against equal
Didn’t abolish previous institutions
Arbitrary power,
Emperor absolute power Resulted as power by the roman people – they were thankful for this
Imperial authority Has a democratic mandate
Power came from the people
Roman people sovereign

The Roman Empire

What changed for better?
Perfect administration
End of abuses in provinces (protecting local people)– fundamental change
Former poleis – Romans spread order towards western provinces
Economic integration – certain provinces specialized at certain things, produced for a market
Gradual Romanization of provinces – people started to speak Latin, open citizenship to elite
of provinces
No separatism
Rule Brought many benefits than loses
Provided peace
Building limes– play very important role in the west
Could bring grain from other provinces – no hunger for a long time
Assimilating Greek achievements, culture, not great inventors
Spread of art, literature etc. (Romans were like sponge)
Roman law has an impact until today, introduces many principles
Customary law changed that law expresses the will of the sovereign
Building roads, bridges, aqueducts – Romans were origins of this
Get news Within a week (stations equipped with horses) ordinary people could not use it

Late Roman Empire

Corruption and Decline

Degeneration of many (Tiberius, Caligula, Nero, Domitian) – excellent emperors but terrible
at the same time
Spread of moral corruption
Growing number of proletariats
Professional Army extremely costly
Enlisted more and more foreigners

Local life maintains level of citizenry

Politics - Conflict for aims
Citizenship Emerges through fight, people take decision to their own hands
Municipalities was a phenomenon because it preserved citizenship
This sort of citizenship Persisted in Rome.

Period of Gradual decline

Rome is Invincible giant, seen to be indestructible
Should kept to huge army, they have to be paid
Barbarization of the army
Diocletian: Demanded prostration, he put final touches by his despotism
His idea of Splitting power did not work

Constantinople became the only Emperor

Responsible of stopping persecution of the Christian church
AD 395 the final split between East and West = 2 separate empires
Currency – gold and silver
Debase – put less silver or gold

Gradual passage to a Middle Ages

Ortega y Gasset
Created bureaucracy running the empire
Society became fuel
Barbarian won and split Europe thrown a thousand years back

The Fall
The west has no way to defend themselves against Germanic tribes
Everyone expects the byzantine emperors

Roman religion & Christianity

Very serios and pious
Unlike Romans, Greeks Treated them like fairy tails
Practical – I will give you, if you give me
Romans, on the contrary, dealt so many people, who believed in their own gods because
Romans conquered almost the whole world
Accepted Greek gods, but changed their name
High magistrates were priests
Spiritual emptiness
Judaism exclusive religion was not proclitic religion

Christianity open to all

Blame one of the reasons of decline
Romans betrayed traditional gods
Persecution began on the first century
Makes public worship of Augustus and Romo
Very often suffer problems
Loosing original message, under increase influence of the state.

The Middle Ages

The West begins in the Middle Ages (thousand years)
Medieval people did not know that they were medieval
The dark ages can be applied only to Early Middle Ages
Rapid economic and civilization – High MA
The birth of WC

The church did not deal with a strong authority

Let church to become arrival

Early MA is beginning of civilization

Period of contraction

The trade was destroyed, exchange stopped

Self0sufficiency and primitive lifestyle
Inhabitants moved to countryside because there was food
The rule of the strongest, who controls provinces

Monastery - Lived separately, evolved into monasteries, having own lives, rules
Play enormous role in preservation of ancient skills, copied ancient manuscripts, books
Monks had Skills in crafts, medicine
These skills were passed on to others

Charlemagne (Carolus Magnus) the emperor of the Holy Roman Empire (because it was
Christian)
Necessary to begin urban civilization 1:5

1. Reform of Administration - ended local strongmen

Count had salary
Did not survive his life
Counts – local aristocracy

2. Educational reform
Birth of modern languages
Priests the only class which was littered
Latin as a foreign language
Lewis (Charlemagne’s son) divided Emperor 3 states
France proclaimed independence (no more part of Holy Roman Empire)

Feudalism

Term Does not exist that time

Legal and political dimension, side (vassalage the best way to raise an army)
Give land (there was a lot of land) = you will serve me; you have to maintain yourself
Agreement between great lord (who run provinces) and the king
Vassalage - Mutual agreement, both sided had duties, duty to protect; it was conditional

Economic (manor)
Marxist

Feudalism is Ideological connotations, widely used by Marxists

Vassalage is More concrete, nature of medieval society was arranged
What is crucial - Resulted from military needs; if they getting land they have to serge
Magistrates Turned to local aristocracy and represented not central power, but interests of
aristocracy
Lord should protect his vassals
Feudal Fragmentation
King meant independent sovereign ruler in feudal, medieval titles
State power was limited
The concept - Society must be divided, has different purposes, roles
Commoners deprived many privileges, which nobles enjoyed

Economic nature
Peasants (are nor vassals) - Part of feudal arranges - worked
The main source of wealth(income) comes from agriculture
The owners of larger states were great lords
Trade was like dishonest business
Peasants were renting land (they also need to eat) In form of labour

Slavery dominant mode of production

Slave owners and slaves
Labour made us human
Deep need of activity, creativity

High Middle Ages

1. Quick economic development

Economic revival
Meant several things: more land was brought under captivation
Significant increase of the population

Advanced in ship building

Capable to save a whole year
Contributed to a very rapid economic development
 2. Growth of self-government
Describes a nature of middle society

-Originated in Italy (ancient city states survived during the fall of the Roman Empire)
Tradition of Running their own internal affairs
-Then won the right of self-rule, bribe the emperor by paying high taxes
Nobles were privileged, however, urban Won the struggle – killed ruler aristocracy and
created urban/commercial aristocracy
-In fact, they gained independence, not formally

It spread to France, then spread to the rest Europe

3. Universities

The Holy Roman Empire

Reversed process, varies provinces gained sovereignty

Civil war: Peace of Augsburg
State sovereignty is implemented among principalities
Peace of Westphalia - Weakened the power of the emperor
Multinational Empire with very weak central authority
Gradually come as an institution of the past
Naked power needs/looks for justification
End of feudalism
Estate everyone has its own rights and duties

Renaissance and Geographic discoveries

Wealthy country can hire mercenaries, even if there’s less population

Roman Casted long shadow
turning attention to antiquity
began to study, Latin, geek,
revival of early Christianity
took manuscripts from Byzantine
humanism = original resources
critical research led to exposing foregoes
emergence of secular culture
stressed on attempt of religious reunion
researched the bible itself – the beginning of reformation

Consequences of Geographic discoveries for Europe: the center of powers moved to the sea,
trade
 Reformation and Religious Wars

Destruction of western Christianity

Christianity cannot be considered as a community
Martin Luther initiated Reformation
Excommunication – the beginning of reformation
He stresses that we are corrupted being,
From medieval point of view, priests have biggest chance to salvation
Everyone can interpret the bible church should be subordinated to the state
It led to absolutism

Greek oikoumene

Europe as civilization

1Europe inherits from Greece

Enjoy fool rights, legal equality = civic liberty

2Romans Hellenized themselves

Coming from rome – law

3Christianity

Medieval west and roman empire (embraced 3 continents)

Roman empire represented unified civilization, lived under the same fundamental law, had 2
languages