A brief introduction to Greek Antiquity
The main concern of the Greek Antiquity was the formation of autonomous cities. This peculiar state organization did not develop overnight, nor did it have the same state structure in all places. However, it clearly gave the stigma of the political self-consciousness of the ancient Greeks. In the classical era, political and law equity expanded with a significant expansion of the body of citizens.
During the archaic and classical times, the political unity of the Greeks was not ideal for either the rulers or the rulers. Citizens wanted to live independently and autonomously within the confines of their own limited territory. Although the Greeks felt that they were a racial, linguistic and religious unit with a common origin, common language and common worship customs, the idea of their political unification was foreign and disgusting.
The vision of a political confederation of Greeks, of a generalized alliance (which could be considered a harbinger of their political unification) came as a result of the hegemonic tendencies, first of Sparta and then of the strengthened Athens. The only way to achieve this was through violence and coercion. But Athens was defeated in the Peloponnesian War and Sparta was unable to capitalize on its victory.
The political unification of the Greeks (except those living in the West) was achieved by the Macedonian king Philip II, and of the Eastern Mediterranean, almost entirely, by Alexander the Great. The Persian dream of an ecumenical empire, as described by Herodotus, was not fulfilled by the Successors with the fierce wars between them but by the Romans. The conquest of Greece by Rome is, in this sense, a continuation of the expansionist policy of the Persians and the Macedonians during the 5th and 4th centuries. In this context, it is worth wondering what has remained unchanged and what has changed in the formation of Hellenism.
The technology of war has undergone significant changes in this millennial history. The hoplite phalanx, the organic participation of the cavalry in the battles, the mass utilization of the peltas, the oblique phalanx, the Macedonian sarissa, the siege engines and the catapults, the triremes and the warships with the most rows of oars, the war elephants Roman legion were some of the many improved methods for dealing more effectively with the enemy.
In politics, perhaps the most important legacy of the archaic era was the rule of law, and of the classical era, democracy and the development of rhetoric. The art of persuasion was not lost when the conditions of political freedom that had made it a necessary weapon for anyone who wanted to have a public speech were curtailed. On the contrary: the diligence of the language and the expressive ability were considered distinctive features of the Greek way of perceiving things and spread in areas unrelated to politics.
In the field of high culture, the development of philosophy and science, poetry and art indicated the typically Greek search for the beautiful and the true in reason and art. However, the most important technological change achieved by Greek antiquity was probably the invention of phonetic writing and the gradual spread of literacy. The written word complemented the oral as a means of disseminating knowledge, especially the specialized (scientific, philosophical and philological), and the ancient societies prepared to receive one of the most important changes in every respect: the first religion of the Book which was to acquire a universal scope.
Who is who in Greek antiquity
Ancient Greeks who for one reason or the other have gone down to posterity. It is sometimes difficult to know whether a person in antiquity or mythology really existed or not, so if you can’t find the name you’re looking for here, have a look at the Who is Who in Greek Mythology as well. We have tried to separate the names as clearly as possible but in some instances the line between reality and myth is very vague.