The Ancient Greek City-States Thebes & Corinth Essay

In the ancient Greek city-state, it was not only the way of government that was specific but also the social life. “Common issues are solved together, so the nature of thinking is dialogic. An extremely important role is played by rhetoric, while sometimes political and oratorical art is identified. Area (agora) and dispute (agon) – the place and method of decision-making. Themselves, the general decisions are made in the form of the law (Nomos), which in turn must correspond to justice (dike). There is no compulsory conflict between justice and law. More often they exist in unity. At the same time, the laws themselves in Greece generally did not exist in a systematized form: a few Greek monuments of law have never had the same meaning as the eastern codes had.” Ancient Greek law also notes the apparent amorphism of legal materials that have reached us on stone and bronze carriers, in the form of retellings of ancient historians, philosophers, poets, speeches of outstanding speakers.

Ancient Greek city-states (policies) were of small size – an area of ​​100-200 km and a population of 5-10 thousand people (of which 1-2 thousand are full-fledged male warriors), which facilitated, in the presence of a favorable objective and subjective conditions, the establishment of a democratic system. Approximately from the middle of the VII century. BC. representatives of the nobility (eupatrida), who had previously captured a large part of the community foundation and control over the organs of community management, were forced to significantly weaken the economic and political influence (Morris 2006). At the same time, tyrants usurped power in policies, and a number of outstanding statesmen who had obtained their powers by law were deployed to the eupatridians.

In the classical period, Corinth competed with Athens and Thebes in trade and control over transportation through the isthmus. Also until the middle of the VI century BC. E. he was the largest supplier of black-figured ceramics to other cities of the entire Greek world. However, later leadership was transferred to Athens (Hansen 2006).

Ancient Corinth, founded in the 10th century BC, was the richest port and the largest city in ancient Greece. The strategic location is made possible to maintain complete control over the narrow isthmus connecting the Peloponnese Peninsula to the mainland part of Greece. In addition, the city was a powerful trade center in which goods were exchanged from two ports located near the isthmus.

Thebes was founded on the territory of central Greece. Thebes were on a hill, and beneath it lay a huge fertile plain. The policy was founded by the Phoenicians who came to these lands more than 3 thousand years ago. Initially, Thebes called Cadmium. They were a very powerful city-state of ancient Greece.

Historical facts and evidence of contemporaries indicate that Corinth had a reputation as a “city of sin and vice”. This is not particularly surprising given the city’s location at the intersection of the sea and land routes. In Corinth, merchants of all stripes, sailors, robbers, and adventurers. However, some observers of ancient history held the view that such a reputation was in the habit of slander coming from Athens, the purpose of which was to vilify the history of Corinth (Westaway 2002). The presence of thousands of women of easy virtue in the temple of Aphrodite, described in the works of Strabo, is also easily refuted by the historical facts and materials of excavations. No doubt, Corinth, like all the port city of the time, had at their disposal a small “army” of prostitutes, but they were not at all sacred.

How was the ancient city of Thebes arranged? The land, which was located around the residential area of ​​the policy, was well watered, which contributed to the rapid growth of beautiful greenery. Therefore, the fields turned into pastures and fed a huge number of horses, which famous Thebes. Fruit trees also grew here. The city was surrounded immediately by two rivers – Ismen and Dirk.

In the city of their waters formed a kind of pool. He was called the Source of Ares. In addition to it, in Thebes was located the Oedipus pond and there was a water pipe, starting from the sources of Kieferon.

The Theban acropolis was called Cadmeia. He stood on a small hill. Not far from Elektra’s gate was the most important temple of Thebes. It was richly decorated and decorated with unique ancient sculptures of the hands of Scopas and Phidias.

Ancient Corinth cannot be described as a young, dynamic city, whose inhabitants were not obsessed with observing traditions. Streets and squares were filled with people of different nationalities and social status – any of them could both become rich and fall to the very bottom of the social pit. The heart of the city, the forum, was surrounded by the ancient Greek gods – Apollo, Asclepius, Aphrodite.

As already mentioned above, Corinth had two important ports, allowing his merchants to enter the sea bays. This could only mean one thing: the townspeople could successfully trade, which means they were provided with everything necessary. It is worth noting that before the capture of Corinth by the Romans, he was more powerful and powerful than the great Athens. While in Athens the sages discussed the mission of man in this world, and in Sparta, the warriors perfected their martial art and, often, massacred in bloody battles, the Corinthians were much more pragmatic: they conducted uninterrupted trade with neighboring cities and even other countries.

Thebes had weight in the political arena of Greece, even in very ancient times. The rulers of this policy have always sought to become more majestic and dominate over other, small city-states. The predominant importance of Thebes was also in the composition of the Boeotian Union.

Such cities as Coroneia, Thespia, Tanagra provided Thebes with soldiers and if hostilities or simple skirmishes began, they unconditionally went to war.

The reign of Thebes at first had a monarchical order. However, he quickly gave way to the rule of the aristocracy. The government consisted mainly of rich people and representatives of the nobility. The meetings of those in power took place in the Acropolis (Grote 1857).

The rulers of Thebes aspired to superiority in the political arena, to the possibility of maintaining their hegemony. Most of the military conflicts, which the Thebans themselves often began, were open and sudden. Basically, Thebes protested against those who did not take their domination and conducted activities to counter the politics of the aristocracy. The Thebans attacked such policies.

Corinth was located at the intersection of several sea routes. There were as many as two ports in the city, where merchant ships arrived. The townspeople led a lively trade with foreigners, which means that the city flourished along with its inhabitants. Along with other major cities of ancient Greece, Corinth was very powerful. According to some reports, it was even more important than Athens.

In Corinth, the beautiful temple of prostitutes rose and brought everyone into admiration… Yes, yes, you did not misunderstand, it was the temple of prostitutes! This is not surprising, because this profession is much older than Corinth itself. This temple was dedicated to the goddess Aphrodite, who, as is known from ancient Greek myths, was the patroness of love, including, and carnal.

The indigenous inhabitants of Corinth very well organized their way of life. They practically did not have to work, the main duties were assigned to numerous slaves. The number of townspeople, according to historians, reached 300 thousand people, and the number of slaves exceeded half a million. These figures for those times were simply astronomical.

Alas, but after any heyday comes the time of decline. It happened with the great Corinth. After the invasion of Lucius Mummia of Achaisky – the Roman commander – devastation and suffering came to the city. Lucius was particularly cruel, in his habits was to cut men and steal women into slavery. The beautiful city of Rome simply destroyed.

The rulers of Thebes swiftly promoted the idea of ​​supremacy. To this end, they made an alliance against Sparta, as the most powerful enemy, creating a league of Asian cities. This treaty included Athens.

In the course of numerous skirmishes, Koroneya and other major politicians took part, the Allies of Thebes were defeated. Spartans, in turn, took unprecedented measures to limit the independence of the opposition to Thebes policies. However, the union of Thebes with the opposition Spartans policies, quickly restored. As a result, the Boeotian Union, however, collapsed. During these years, many outstanding leaders of insurgent groups were executed.

Residents of Corinth managed to think about everything so much that they practically did not have to work. According to some reports, the indigenous population of ancient Corinth was neither much nor little – 300 thousand people, which at that time was something of a fantasy for Greece. A comfortable life they were provided with more than half a million slaves.

If you pay attention to the history of any city or even an entire empire, you can see that the period of greatest prosperity always precedes the decline. Not an exception was the city of Corinth, which was destroyed by the Roman strategist and great warrior Lucius Mummia of Achaean. In addition to his talent, which enabled him to conquer cities and states, the military commander had a penchant for cruelty: he cut out all the men in Corinth and sold young girls, women and their children into slavery. The city with its temples, two ports and a mass of houses, the tyrant simply destroyed and burned down.

It is worth noting that in 1833, it was Corinth who wanted to proclaim the capital of free Greece, which was patronized by Germany. This fact suggests that despite the destruction and plundering, Corinth still had a strategic importance for all of Greece. But, as everyone knows from history, the capital of the Kingdom of Greece was a small and sparsely populated settlement in those days called Athens.

The time was inevitable when the Thebes fell under the Romans. They became such rulers over them. The rulers of Thebes were still trying to revive the former, but in punishment for this, the Romans turned the city-state into a miserable, negligibly small settlement.

The Middle Ages, too, did not bring the Thebans anything good. The policy was not revived in these times but was attacked and looted. In the 13th century, Thebes became part of the duchy of Athens, and when they came to ruin, the history of Thebes was marked by the fact that it was declared the capital of the duchy. However, the Turks came and the Thebes again turned into a kind of small town and even a village.

References

  1. Grote, George. 1857. “History Of Greece”. Www.Loc.Gov. http:///rr/frd/Military_Law/Lieber_Collection/pdf/HistoryOfGreece-XII.pdf.
  2. Hansen, Mogens Herman. 2006. Polis: An Introduction To The Ancient Greek City-State. OUP Oxford.
  3. Morris, Ian. 2010. The Greeks: History, Culture, And Society. Pearson Prentice Hall.
  4. Westaway, Rob. 2002. “The Quaternary Evolution Of The Gulf Of Corinth, Central Greece: Coupling Between Surface Processes And Flow In The Lower Continental Crust”. Ftp.Gps.Caltech.Edu. http://ftp://ftp.gps.caltech.edu/pub/avouac/Ge277-2013/Biblio/Westaway-Tectonophysics-2002.pdf.

The terms offer and acceptance. (2016, May 17). Retrieved from

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016.

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

freeessays.club (2016) The terms offer and acceptance [Online].
Available at:

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]

"The terms offer and acceptance." freeessays.club, 17 May 2016

[Accessed: March 28, 2024]
close
Haven't found the right essay?
Get an expert to write you the one you need!
print

Professional writers and researchers

quotes

Sources and citation are provided

clock

3 hour delivery

person