Overview for Archaic Age (750-480 BC):

• Early Greek Economy
• Trade: Why was it important?
• Mercenary soldiers: Who were they, who used them, what influence did they have?
• Coinage: Definition? Purpose and nature of stamps on coinage? Importance of coinage?
• Temples: How were they important to the local economy?
• Delphi: How did it change during this time period?
• Orientalizing Period
• How did the contact change Greek Art?
• How did the contact affect Greek politics?
• How did literacy change Greek Civilization?
• The Polis—Political Innovation
• How was the formation of the polis affected by warfare? Colonization?
• What are the key elements in the definition of the polis?
• What are the key elements in the definition of the ethnos?
• Colonization
• What areas were colonized?
• What are the factors which influenced the choice of a site?
• Describe the (oikist)leader-who was he and what was his role?
• How did colonization affect life on the mainland?
• Warfare and the New Morality
• What were the changes in military equipment?
• What were the changes in military tactics?
• How did these changes affect the Polis?
• Tyranny
• Who were the tyrants?
• How did they rule?
• Why did tyranny arise?
• How did they affect the polis?
• How did they affect Greek religion?
• Presocratic Philosohpers
• What were their overall contributions to Greek civilization and to the Western world?
• What were the hallmarks of their approach to problems?

Sparta (Eunomia)

• What is eunomia?
• Why was Sparta held up as an ideal state?
• What did the Spartan government look like before the First Messenian War?
• When/why did Sparta conquer Messenia?
• What effect did the conquest have on Sparta?
• How did the defeat at Hysiai affect:
• The Spartan military?
• Their view of themselves and the Heroic Code?
• Their constitution?
• What does a Greek constitution refer to?
• What is the key underlying fact of the Spartan constitution?
• What is the Agoge  and the Syssitia?
• What was the position of women?
• What was the function of the Spartan system?
• How did the Persian conquest of Ionia affect Sparta?
• What was Sparta’s response to the Persian conquest?

Athens (Isonomia)

• What was the Athenian state like before Solon?
• What was the lawgiver Draco known for?
• What were the aims, powers, and treatment of the lawgiver?
• Solon
• What was the aim of Solon’s reforms?
• How did Solon’s aim differ from that of Sparta’s?
• What were his reforms? Especially in regard to:
• The abolition of debt
• The four property classes
• The change in the offices
• The council of 400
• Judicial
• The Pisistratids
• Why did the tyranny arise?
• How did Pisistratus seize power?
• What were the important changes Pisistratus made in the following?
• Political arena
• Religious sphere
• Artistic sphere
• Who helped end the tyranny?
• Kleisthenes
• Why did Kleisthenes reform the Athenian constitution?
• What was the key point to his changes, i.e. what is isonomia?
• The tribes:
• How did he reform the tribes?
• Why was the change important?
• The demes:
• What was the key power of the demes?
• What was the Boule:
• who was in it?
• how did citizens become part of the Boule?
• what was its function?
• Assembly: what function did it serve?
• After Kleisthenes
• Generals:
• What was the new system like?
• Ostracism:
• what is it?
• how was it used between 490 and 480?
• Silver mines:
• what is the importance of the find of new silver at the mines?
• how was the silver used?
• who persuaded the Athenians?

The Persian Wars

• Persia
• Who were the Persians?
• How did they treat the peoples the conquered and how did this create a problem for them in terms of the Greeks?
• What was the Ionian revolt?
• What Greek mainland states helped the Ionians?
• Why was the revolt important for the Greek mainland?
• Marathon
• What were the Persian preparations for the war?
• What happened at Marathon?
• Why was this battle important for the Athenians?
• The Next Phase: up to 479 B.C.
• What preparations did Xerxes make for his invasion?
• What was the position of Delphi on the war?
• What was the Greek strategy?
• What happened at Thermopylae and at Artemisium?
• What happened at Salamis?
• What part did Themistocles play in all this?
• What happened at Plataea?

Archaic Age Art and Architecture

• Architecture and Sculpture
• What are a kouros and a kore?
• How did they change throughout the Archaic Age?
• How did the rise of sanctuary sites effect architecture?
• What are the three areas on a temple that had sculpture and what were the representational challenges of each?
• How did the temple sculptures change thematically?
• How are the friezes and columns of the Doric and Ionic orders different?
• Pottery
• What are the Orientalizing style and its characteristics?
• Where did it first spring up in Greece?
• How did the Athenians adapt it?
• What is black figure style?
• What is red figure style?
• Why is red figure style superior to black?
• What types of scenes are portrayed on pottery?

Literature

• Herodotus
• What are the main points of the stories we have studied (Solon & Croesus and Xerxes)?
• What do the terms hubris and nemesis mean?
• How is Herodotus the 'father of history'?
• What focus does his intro (p.153) to his history reveal?
• Review the stories.

Possible Essay Topics:

• Politeia. By the time of the Persian Wars, Sparta and Athens were the two dominant cities in Greece. They each were representative of the two ideals of Greek government (eunomia and isonomia). In your essay either compare and contrast their two constitutions at the time of the Persian Wars or examine in detail the constitution of one of these cities including how that constitution changed during the Archaic Age. Regardless, do not forget to include what the Greek definition of a constitution is.

• 'Structural Revolution.' In our discussion of the Archaic Age it was noted how a change in one part of socity affected another part of society which in turn affected another, etc.--all collectively resulting in a 'structural revolution.' Discuss. Areas you may wish to consider are: the population explosion, changes in metallurgy, changes in military equipment and tactics, the tyrants, colonization, sanctuary sites, trade and near eastern influences, literacy, the polis, the rise of the individual (new thought, poetry, art, politics (Athens)).

• Warfare. Discuss how the changes in warfare affected the concept of the Heroic code and the political system. In your discussion be sure to include a brief definition of the Heroic Code (as in Homer), a brief description of the changes in warfare (equipment and tactics), and how the definition of the Heroic Code changed as a result of the changes in warfare and how the political system changed as well.

Previous Exams: See Discussion Folder