HIST 10 World Civ
Lect. # 5

I. Revolution (508 BCE) [video (Part I)]
         A. Rise of Cleisthenes
                1.Youth
                            • Privileged youth
                            • Herodotus' account of family acquistion of wealth
                            • aristocrat
                            • Athenian (in Helles)

                2. Athens
                            • Acropolis (a stronghold)
                            • More a village than a city (initially)
                                       - smell
 [video (Part II)]
                                       - women cloistered
                                       - reading and writing a rare skill
                                       - life expectancy 15 years                    
                                       - brutish and nasty
                            •NOT a democracy (prior to 508 BCE)
                                       - common people did not matter to ruling elite
                                       - Aristotle characterized as a world riven by inequalities

                3. Ancient Greek World
                            •  geographic constraints
                                      - physically (topographically) divided
                                      - World of empires: Egypt, Persian,
                                      - Mountains, islands and fragmented valleys
                            •  City States (Polis)
                                      - Fiercely independent with unique history and culture
                                      - 1,000 city states at time of Cleisthenes (not unified)
                                      - Argos & Corinth both more respectable than Athens
                            •  Sparta
                                      - Martial culture
                                      - Barracks center of male life
                                      - Lifestyle stripped of comforts (cloak, gruel, etc.)
                                      - Ruthless expansionist: Helots
[video (Part III)]
                            •  Oral Tales of Heros
                                      - Illiad
                                      - Odyessy
                                      - Achilles
                            •  Greek Ideal: Man of Action

                4. Mid-6th Century Athens
                            • Pisistratus (d. 527 BCE)
                                      - Tyrant - 547 BCE
                                      - Sought support from common Athenians
                                      - Rise in production of olive oil
                                      - Rise in trade and Athenian wealth
                                      - Son, Hippias, inherits rule

[video (Part IV)]
                            • Athenian Society (Description of Athens class structure)
                                      - Potters (lower class)
                                                       + Vases (not valuable at time)
                                                       + Competitive spirit and design
                            •  Rule of Hippias
                                      - Brother's death transforms him
                                      - Tyranny became harsh rule in revenge for his brother's murder
                                      - Cleisthenes captures and banishes Hippias
[video (Part V)]

         B. Greek Society
                1. Olympics
                            • Founded in 776 BCE
                                      - Originally elitist, but by the 6th century more egalitiarian
                                      - Battle skills: chariot racing, running, wrestling, boxing
                                      - Prize: wreath of olive leaves and FAME
                                      - Spectators from across Greece sometimes as many as 40,000 people
                                      - Only men could participate and even enter arena

                2. Competitive Politics
                            • Isagoras seizes power in 508 BCE
                                      - support from Spartans
                                      - siezed Athens
                                      - Throws Cleisthenes and 700 other families out of Athens
                                      - Common Athenians turn on Isagoras, seized power, expelled Spartans
[video (Part VI)]

         C.Revolution in Athens (507 BCE)
                1. New Government for New Situation
                            • Cleisthenes Recalled
                                      - Established Pynx (assembly)
                                      - One person, one vote: Athenian Democracy
                                      - Not "organized government" as we understand democracy today
                2. Persians
                            • Felt threatened by rising presence of Greece