The History of Ancient Greece

In this episode, we discuss the life and deeds of the great Athenian statesman, Solon, who, from his position of sole archonship, enacted various economic, political, and legal reforms that would later form the backbone for Athenian democracy in the Classical Period, but in doing so he took a moderate stance to appease everyone, which didn't quiet the ongoing social and economic problems of the state and shortly thereafter factionalism set in, leading to the next phase of Athenian political history (in which aristocratic infighting led to instability for decades and ultimately to tyranny) Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2016/12/025-reforms-of-solon.html

12 Dec 201655min

In this episode, we discuss the early history of Athens beginning with its mythical past, and how and why the later Athenians promoted and propagandized these myths, with a particular focus on their first king Kekrops, the contest between Athena and Poseidon for the city's patronage, the birth of Erichthonios (the "love" child of Hephaistos-Athena-Gaia) who would go onto become king, the life of Theseus, and the death of the final king Kodras fighting the Herakleidai; in historical times, the abolishment of the monarchy in the Dark Ages that gave rise to the oligarchic government (first by the Medontidai and then the Eupatridai); the social organizations of the Athenians; and finally the social and economic crises at the end of the 7th century BC that brought about an unsuccessful tyranny attempt by an Olympic athlete named Kylon and Athens' first written constitution, orchestrated by a shadowy figure named Drakon Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2016/12/024-early-athens.html

5 Dec 201655min

In this episode, we discuss the inner-workings of Sparta's unique political, economic, and social system; included are the diarchy (dual hereditary kingship), the gerousia (council of elders), the apella (assembly), and the ephors (judicial overseers); the so-called Lykourgan land reform and the devolution of Sparta's economy; the roles of the helots (slaves), the perioikoi (non-citizens), and Spartan women; the various steps of the agoge (Sparta's education and military training system) which created spartiatai (full-citizen males); and why this unique system ultimately failed Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2016/09/023-this-is-sparta.html

5 Sep 20161h 8min

In this episode, we discuss the early history of the polis of Lakedaimon (Sparta), including their expansion in the southern Peloponnesos with the 1st and 2nd Messenian Wars (that brought about the formation of the helot system of slavery); Spartan society's social-class tensions and civil strife that led to reform, supposedly by the semi-mythical lawgiver Lykourgos in the 8th century BC, but more likely a gradual process during the 7th and 6th centuries BC; its military growing pains as Sparta suffered a series of losses to their neighbors, Argos (in the Argolid) and Tegea (in southern Arcadia), before eventually defeating them; the life of Chilon, one of the Seven Sages, and his role in making amendments to the Spartan constitution and in guiding foreign policy; and Sparta's ultimate rise to hegemony over their Peloponnesian and Isthmian neighbors, resulting in what modern scholars call the "Peloponnesian League" Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2016/08/022-sparta-ascendant.html

29 Aug 201657min

In this episode, we discuss the culturally unifying importance of the four major Panhellenic festivals in the Greek world (Olympic, Pythian, Isthmian, and Nemean); the history and evolution of the athletic program of the Ancient Olympic games; how the various athletic events that the Greeks participated in were performed; and some famous athletes and their larger-than-life qualities Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2016/08/021-athletics-and-panhellenic-games.html

22 Aug 201651min

In this episode, we describe the new schools of thought that began to percolate in the 6th century BC about our existence and role in this universe absent from the gods, and we detail the lives, influences, and various theories put forth by the earliest of these so-called "Pre-Socratic" philosophers; included among them are Thales, Anaximandros, Anaximenes, Pherekydes, Pythagoras, Xenophanes, and Heraklitos Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2016/08/020-intellectual-revolution.html

15 Aug 201655min

In this episode, we discuss part 2 of 2 on the influential poets whose writings give us insight into the economic, social, and political happenings that reshaped Archaic Greece; in particular, we look at the turbulent history of late 7th and early 6th century BC Mytilene, which finds itself at the intersection of two great poets (Alkaios and Sappho), tyranny, and one of the so-called "Seven Sages” (Pittakos), making it a perfect case study; and the phenomenon of the lawgiver that arose in many city-states in response to all of these economic, social, and political changes Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2016/08/019-poets-and-wise-rulers.html

8 Aug 201654min

In this episode, we discuss the literary changes that took place in the 7th and 6th centuries BC (moving away from grand epic to the more personalized lyric, elegiac, and iambic forms of poetry); and part 1 of 2 on the influential poets whose writings gives us insight into the economic, social, and political happenings that reshaped archaic Greece Show Notes: http://www.thehistoryofancientgreece.com/2016/08/018-from-lyric-to-epic.html

1 Aug 201636min