The Ancient Greeks

Go to Course: https://www.coursera.org/learn/ancient-greeks

Introduction

**Course Review and Recommendation: "The Ancient Greeks" on Coursera** If you're intrigued by the foundations of Western civilization and want to delve into the complexities of ancient Greek history, "The Ancient Greeks," offered on Coursera, is a must-take course. This meticulously structured survey spans the Bronze Age through to the death of Socrates in 399 BCE, providing a comprehensive view of the pivotal events, figures, and cultural dynamics that shaped ancient Greece. ### Course Overview The course begins with a fascinating introduction to the geographical and archaeological landscape of the Greek world, exploring the early Bronze Age civilizations of Minoan Crete and Mycenaean Greece. Throughout the modules, students will engage with significant historical personalities and events, while also grappling with broader themes such as political evolution, cultural identity, and challenges in historical interpretation. ### Module Breakdown 1. **Prehistory to Homer**: This module sets the stage by discussing the physical geography that influenced Greek civilization and the archaeological evidence from the Minoan and Mycenaean periods. The transition from the collapse of these civilizations into the Dark Ages leads to an analysis of the fundamental cultural narratives established by Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey." This section is rich with insights into how poetry shaped Greek identity. 2. **The Archaic Age (ca. 800-500 BCE)**: Covering a transformative period, this module emphasizes the development of the polis or city-state and the societal changes that came with it. The recovery of literacy, the emergence of the hoplite army, and the poetic contributions of figures like Hesiod are explored, providing a multifaceted picture of early Greek society. 3. **Two City-States: Sparta and Athens**: This module critically examines the contrasting systems of Sparta and Athens, focusing on their political structures, cultures, and key figures like Lycurgus and Solon. It adeptly illustrates how these city-states navigated the challenges of governance and societal evolution. 4. **Democracy and the Persian Wars**: Discover the momentous establishment of Athenian democracy and the significance of Herodotus’s historical narrative surrounding the conflict with Persia. The course emphasizes the socio-political dimensions of these pivotal battles, heightened by Themistocles’ efforts in naval supremacy. 5. **The Great 50 Years (ca. 480-431 BCE)**: Labeled the “Golden Age” of Athens, this period is scrutinized for its political developments, artistic achievements, and societal dynamics, including the often overlooked roles of women in this society. The discussion of Pericles’ influence adds depth to our understanding of democratic expansion. 6. **The Peloponnesian War I**: Engaging with Thucydides’ account, this module presents a stark contrast to Herodotus, focusing on the harsh realities of conflict between Athens and Sparta. Literary insights from Aristophanes introduce a comedic lens to the serious consequences of war. 7. **The End of the War, the End of the Century**: The course concludes with the ramifications of the Peloponnesian War, Socratic philosophy, and an introduction to the influences of Macedonian rulers, which serve as a reminder of the interconnectedness of ancient Greek history beyond the Classical period. ### Strengths of the Course - **Depth and Breadth**: The course does a commendable job in balancing depth with a broad view of Greek history. Each module builds upon the last while maintaining clarity and focus. - **Engaging Content**: Through a mixture of lectures, readings, and discussions, the course effectively engages learners with the material. The rich historical narratives promise to captivate anyone with an interest in ancient cultures. - **Critical Thinking**: The course encourages students to think critically about historical interpretation and the legacy of Greek civilization. - **Accessibility**: As an online course offered by a respected institution, it allows for flexible learning at your own pace, making it accessible to a wide audience. ### Recommendation I highly recommend "The Ancient Greeks" for anyone interested in history, philosophy, literature, or political science. Whether you're a student, professional, or simply a history enthusiast, this course will enrich your understanding of not only ancient Greece but the enduring influence of its political and cultural systems on modern society. The course combines rigor with approachability, making it suitable for beginners and seasoned learners alike. Dive into the fascinating world of the ancient Greeks and uncover how their legacy continues to resonate today!

Syllabus

Prehistory to Homer

We will start our first module with an overview of the physical and geographical setting for our class – “the Greek world.” Then we will move rapidly across many centuries, beginning with two Bronze Age civilizations: Minoan on the island of Crete, and Mycenaean on the mainland. Our evidence for both of these is almost purely archaeological, and so you can consider the ways scholars have interpreted material remains to build a picture of how the societies were structured. After the collapse of Mycenaean civilization, there followed the so-called Dark Ages. These four centuries pose for us the challenge of reconstructing what happened during a long period that has left relatively little evidence. We will conclude this module with an all too brief consideration of the two magnificent Homeric epics, the Iliad and the Odyssey, whose stories and heroes became essential elements in Greek cultural identity.

Module 2 brings us into the turbulent, creative Archaic Age, during which the Greeks acquired a cultural identity distinct from that of their neighbors in the Eastern Mediterranean. They developed their characteristic form of community, the polis, or “city-state.” With a rebound in population, moreover, they founded numerous colonies abroad. In addition, the Greeks recovered literacy, which enabled them to write down law codes for the poleis. The newly established communities had a new form of military organization, the hoplite army, manned by citizen-soldiers. The lyric poets of that era wrote verses that address such great social changes, and also offer vivid accounts of individuals’ emotions and opinions. The module ends with another poet, Hesiod, somewhat later and less famous than Homer, but also very significant. His subjects range from the origins of the cosmos and the gods, to personal ethics, to practical advice about farming.

In Module 3 we will analyze some major political developments in the Archaic Age, which were largely responses to the huge societal changes discussed in Module 2. We will focus on Sparta and Athens. Sparta evolved into a unique hoplite-polis, famed for strict discipline and military prowess. Athens followed a very different path, showing the first traces of democracy. We will also observe how tyrannies arose in many poleis, often, paradoxically, to the community’s benefit. In fact we can now consider the historical effect of individual leaders, like the renowned lawgivers, Lycurgus of Sparta and Solon of Athens. Both men came to be revered as the “founding fathers” of their poleis. Both men also belonged to the legendary Seven Sages, who were famed for their wisdom. The module concludes with a consideration of Peisistratos, who ruled Athens as a tyrant in the mid-6th-century BCE and led the Athenians to new levels of power and prosperity.

Module 4’s sessions will begin by focusing on the crucial decade at the end of the 6th century, when the Athenians instituted full democracy. In fact the development of democracy is one of the principal reasons to study Greek history. Athens was also the adopted home of Herodotus, who was the first author in the West to characterize his writing as history. Herodotus chose to recount the first great clash of cultures in the West, the conflict between Greece and Persia, and his story goes far beyond the war and its battles. He was deeply concerned with how societies define themselves. The breadth of his interests, his insight and his good humor all contribute to the appeal of his work. We will also observe how Athens, under the leadership of the brilliant general Themistocles, began to transform itself into a formidable naval power.

Module 5 surveys the period between the end of the Persian Wars and the outbreak of the Peloponnesian War, which came to be known as Athens’ “Golden Age.” After the Persian Wars, there grew an alliance of Greek states that was meant to maintain security. The allies asked the Athenians to lead the confederation, called the Delian League. We will examine how the league was gradually transformed into an empire dominated by Athens. We will also discuss the extraordinary Pericles, who was a leader in the expansionist Athenian democracy and shaped many of its policies. In addition we will pay some overdue attention to the role of women in Greek society, with a consideration of the character of Antigone and a more general assessment of women’s status. We will conclude with an – again, too brief – account of the great building program that produced the Parthenon and the other renowned monuments on the Athenian Acropolis.

For Module 6, we turn first to Thucydides the Athenian. He “wrote the war” that broke out between the Athenians and the Spartans and their allies and eventually affected almost all the Greek poleis. Thucydides’ method is very different from that of Herodotus. His style seems aloof, austere, dispassionate and scientific, and his narrative is much more tightly focused on the progress of the war. Nonetheless, he also has his own particular modes of interpretation that convey some powerful images and opinions. We will also look at the comic genius Aristophanes, whose Acharnians is a trenchant fantasy about an ordinary Athenian who is sick of the war and makes a private peace with Sparta. The Module concludes with Alcibiades, the dazzling rogue who dominated Athenian political life during the later stages of the war. We will also consider the social milieu in which he flourished.

The final Module brings us to the end of the fifth century and beyond. The charismatic Alcibiades persuaded his fellow citizens to invade Sicily. Eventually they were routed. Along with the events of the end of the war, we will consider the social and economic importance for Athens of foreign residents (metics) and slaves. Despite the catastrophe in Sicily, the Athenians kept fighting for almost a decade. After their final defeat, they endured a period of oligarchic domination and a brief but vicious civil war. Although they resolved it with a general amnesty, it is likely that the lingering anxiety contributed to the prosecution and conviction of Socrates in 399 BCE. In response to prior learners’ requests, the module ends with a lecture about Philip II and Alexander the Great. The Macedonians also offer a salutary reminder that Greek history is a capacious subject that should not be artificially limited to the Classical period.