Classics 10: Chapter 2 The Cultural Context of Classical MythChapter 2: The Cultural Context of Classical MythI. Greek GeographyPrincipal Areas of GreeceThe Aegean Greek WorldII. The Six Eras of Greek History All dates BCE1. Early/Middle Bronze Age 3000–1600 BCEThe Origin of the Greeks 2100 BCE?2. The Late Bronze Age 1600-1150 BCEThe “Lion Gate” at Mycenae“The Mask of Agamemnon”2. The Late Bronze Age 1600–1150 BCESlide 133. The Dark Age: 1150–800 BCE4. The Archaic Period: 800–490 BCESlide 16Slide 17Slide 18Persia vs. Greece (490-479 BC)5. The Classical Period: 490–323 BCESlide 21Slide 22Slide 236. The Hellenistic Period: 323–30 BCEIII. Greek Cultural AttitudesGreek Society: MalesHomosocial Society“The Penetration Paradigm”Greek Society: FemalesStages of a Woman’s LifeGreek Culture Not OursClassics 10: Chapter 2The Cultural Context of Classical MythI. Greek GeographyII. The Six Major Eras of Greek HistoryIII. Greek Cultural Attitudes: Males, Females, SexChapter 2:The Cultural Context of Classical Myth“Myths reflect the society that produces them. … They cannot be separated from the physical, social, and spiritual worlds in which a people lives or from a people’s history.”I. Greek Geography•Greece not rich in minerals or tillable land–Diet: olives, grapes, goat’s milk; not a lot of meat•Rich in limestone, marble, and clay–Greek material culture = temples and pottery –Valuable evidence for gods and myths•Mountainous terrain encourages political independence of cities and spawned local myths of city founders •Aegean Sea the greatest natural resource •Importance of trade and colonizationPrincipal Areas of Greece–Macedonia –Euboea–Boeotia (Thebes)–Attica (Athens)–Peloponnesus–Argolis (Mycenae)–Laconia (Sparta)–Elis (Olympia)–See page 21 of your textbook for a map (and inside both covers)The Aegean Greek World•Greek cities like frogs around a pond•Pond = Aegean Sea•Mainland Greece, Thrace, Asia Minor, Crete, and all the islands in between•Greek culture exists on the sea as much as on the mainlandII. The Six Eras of Greek HistoryAll dates BCE3000–1600: Early/Middle Bronze Age 1600–1150: Mycenaean (Late Bronze) Age 1150–800: Dark Age 800–490: Archaic Period 490–323: Classical Period 323–30: Hellenistic Period1. Early/Middle Bronze Age3000–1600 BCE•Early Bronze Age (3000–2200 BCE) peoples in the Greek area not yet “Greek” in their cultural habits, as far as we can tell•Mainly agricultural peoples, but bronze tools and weapons•Minoans (on Crete): unwalled cities, shipping networkThe Origin of the Greeks2100 BCE?•Migration of a people, whom we call the Indo-Europeans – first around 2100 BCE?•Mother language for many languages now•More warlike than aboriginal peoples•Started building elaborate palaces toward the end of the Early Bronze Age and beyond (2200–1450 BCE)2. The Late Bronze Age1600-1150 BCE•Known also as the Mycenaean Age•People called “Mycenaean” because the city of Mycenae is one of their main sites–They may have called themselves “Achaean”•The city of Mycenae taken over by Indo-Europeans around 1650 BCE•Amazing city walls and gate of Mycenae still intactThe “Lion Gate” at Mycenae“The Mask of Agamemnon”Discovered by Heinrich Schliemann in a shaft grave at Mycenae in 1876For a complete bio:“Schliemann of Troy: Treasure and Deceit,” by David Traill (one of UCD’s own!)2. The Late Bronze Age1600–1150 BCE•Cities ruled by powerful and rich warrior kings; organized economies and armies•Perhaps the Mycenaeans destroyed the Minoan sites on Crete in 1450 and then ruled Crete•Mycenean writing system: Linear B–Not translated until 1952; proved to be an early form of Greek; uses symbols for syllables not single letters2. The Late Bronze Age1600–1150 BCE•Great heroic legends of classical myth set in this period•Historically related to a conflict with Troy in about 1230?–Perhaps the Trojans were Mycenaean Greeks themselves? •Other Mycenaean sites: –Thebes (Oedipus?), Athens (Theseus?)3. The Dark Age: 1150–800 BCE•Great Mycenaean palaces destroyed around 1180–1150 BCE•The Dorian Invasion (?)•Social disorganization, depopulation and impoverishment•Very little material remains, no writing•Period of migration of Mycenaean Greeks across the Aegean (via Athens)–Ionia and Aeolis on the western coast of modern-day Turkey4. The Archaic Period: 800–490 BCE•Invention of the Greek alphabet (24 characters)–Includes symbols for vowels, not just consonants; reflects spoken sounds•Rebirth of commerce; cultural revival•Colonization from Italy to Turkey•Greek economy thus decentralized and competitive, not like landed/river monarchies such as Egypt and Mesopotamia •6th century innovation of coined money spurned economic growth even more–Coins needed to be portable, permanent, reliable in weight and value4. The Archaic Period: 800–490 BCE•Literature first written down (750-700)–Homer: Iliad, Odyssey–Hesiod: Theogony•Creation of the Greek polis: “city-state”–Urban core plus surrounding plain–“Citizenship”: an identity outside of family–Competition between city-states constant–Greek cultural fundamentally competitive4. The Archaic Period: 800–490 BCE•The “new” economy strains old social orders within city-states (myths = part of culture wars)–Period of conflict between the old, landed aristocracy (the aristoi, “best men”) and the new business class–Cultural norms still defined by aristocracy•Period of tyrants (650-600 BCE) as rulers of cities–Individual strongmen without backing of the aristoi–Perhaps can be thought of as populists–Negative connotation of the word tyrant from the hostility of the literate aristoi4. The Archaic Period: 800–490 BCE•Toward the end of the Archaic Period was a series of conflicts with Persia•Persia conquers the Greek cities on the western coast of Turkey (560 and after)•Mainland Greeks drawn into the conflict•Victory of outnumbered Greeks defines new age for Greece and the free “West”, now set against the Persian “East”Persia vs. Greece (490-479 BC)5. The Classical Period: 490–323 BCE•A democracy in Athens (508 BC)–Cleisthenes overthrows a tyrant; designs democracy–Power of the people (< Gk ‘demos’)–All free men vote and participate in all major activies of the administration of city; officials chosen by