Show Menu
Cheatography
  1. Home >
  2. Education >

Intro to Classical Civilization Cheat Sheet (DRAFT) by

Intro to Classical Civilization notes

This is a draft cheat sheet. It is a work in progress and is not finished yet.

Overview

Defini­tion:
Classical Civili­zation refers to the study of the ancient cultures and societies of Greece and Rome, which have profoundly influenced Western civili­zation.
Scope:
This field encomp­asses history, litera­ture, philos­ophy, art, and archit­ecture from approx­imately 800 BCE to 500 CE, examining the cultural, political, and intell­ectual legacies of the ancient Medite­rranean world.

Historical Context

Ancient Greece:
Geogra­phical Setting: Located in the southe­astern part of Europe, consisting of a mainland and numerous islands.
 
Archaic Period (c. 800-480 BCE): Develo­pment of city-s­tates (poleis), the establ­ishment of democracy in Athens, and the creation of the first major literary works like Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey.
 
Classical Period (c. 480-323 BCE): Marked by the Persian Wars, the height of Athenian democracy, the Pelopo­nnesian War, and the cultural achiev­ements in philos­ophy, drama, and the arts.
 
Hellen­istic Period (c. 323-31 BCE): Following Alexander the Great's conquests, Greek culture spread throughout the Medite­rranean and Near East, blending with local cultures to create a cosmop­olitan civili­zation.
Ancient Rome:
Geogra­phical Setting: Initially centered on the city of Rome, located on the Italian Peninsula, Rome eventually expanded to dominate the entire Medite­rranean basin.
 
Roman Kingdom (c. 753-509 BCE): The early monarc­hical period of Rome’s history, mythically founded by Romulus.
 
Roman Republic (c. 509-27 BCE): A period charac­terized by the establ­ishment of a republican government with elected officials, the expansion of Roman territory, and internal political struggles.
 
Roman Empire (27 BCE - 476 CE): Beginning with Augustus, the empire expanded to its greatest extent under Emperor Trajan, eventually splitting into Eastern and Western Empires. The Western Roman Empire fell in 476 CE, while the Eastern Empire, or Byzantine Empire, continued until 1453 CE.

Key Concepts & Themes in Classical Civili­zation

Polis (City-­State):
The fundam­ental political unit of ancient Greece, consisting of a city and its surrou­nding countr­yside. Key poleis included Athens, Sparta, Corinth, and Thebes.
 
Athenian Democracy: A direct form of democracy where citizens partic­ipated in decisi­on-­making assemb­lies. Important instit­utions included the Assembly (Ekklesia) and the Council of 500 (Boule).
Imperi­alism:
Both Greece and Rome engaged in territ­orial expansion. In Greece, this was seen during the Hellen­istic period under Alexander the Great. In Rome, imperial expansion was a hallmark of both the Republic and the Empire, with territ­ories spanning Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Major Figures in Classical Civili­zation

Greece:
Homer (c. 8th century BCE): Author of the Iliad and Odyssey, epic poems that form the corner­stone of Greek litera­ture.
 
Socrates (469-399 BCE): Philos­opher who developed the Socratic method of questi­oning, laying the groundwork for Western philos­ophical thought.
 
Pericles (c. 495-429 BCE): Athenian statesman during the city’s Golden Age, known for advancing democracy and commis­sioning the building of the Parthenon.
 
Alexander the Great (356-323 BCE): Macedonian king whose conquests spread Greek culture throughout the Medite­rranean and Near East.
Rome:
Julius Caesar (100-44 BCE): Military general and statesman who played a critical role in the demise of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire.
 
Augustus (63 BCE - 14 CE): The first Roman emperor who establ­ished the principate and ushered in a period of relative peace known as the Pax Romana.
 
Virgil (70-19 BCE): Roman poet best known for the Aeneid, an epic that became Rome’s national epic.
 
Cicero (106-43 BCE): Roman orator, statesman, and philos­opher, renowned for his speeches and writings on rhetoric, politics, and philos­ophy.
 

Social Structure and Daily Life

Greek Society:
Social Classes: Divided into free citizens, metics (resident foreig­ners), and slaves. In Athens, citize­nship was limited to free-born males, while women, slaves, and foreigners had limited rights.
 
Education: Boys were educated in rhetoric, philos­ophy, and physical training, while girls were primarily educated at home.
 
Women’s Roles: Women in ancient Greece generally had fewer rights and were expected to manage the household and raise children. In Sparta, women had more freedom and were trained in physical education.
Roman Society:
Social Hierarchy: The Roman social structure was divided into several classes, including patricians (arist­ocratic families), plebeians (commo­ners), and slaves. The paterf­amilias held absolute power within the family.
 
Slavery: Slaves were a signif­icant part of the workforce and could be found in househ­olds, agricu­lture, mines, and as gladia­tors.
 
Family Life: Roman families were patria­rchal, with the paterf­amilias (male head of the family) having control over all family members.
 
Entert­ain­ment: Popular forms of entert­ainment included gladia­torial games, chariot races, and theater perfor­mances.

Political Systems and Governance

Greek Govern­ment:
Athenian Democracy: A direct form of democracy where male citizens partic­ipated in decisi­on-­making through the Assembly and the Council of 500. Key positions were often filled by lot, rather than election.
 
Spartan Oligarchy: Ruled by two kings and a council of elders (Gerou­sia), with a focus on military discipline and communal living.
Roman Govern­ment:
Roman Republic: Charac­terized by a mixed consti­tution with elements of democracy (e.g., the Assemb­lies), oligarchy (e.g., the Senate), and monarchy (e.g., the Consuls). The Republic experi­enced signif­icant conflict between the patricians and plebeians.
 
Roman Empire: After the fall of the Republic, Rome transi­tioned to an imperial system under Augustus. The emperor held supreme power, supported by a bureau­cratic admini­str­ation.

Major Wars and Conflicts

Persian Wars (c. 499-449 BCE):
A series of conflicts between the Greek city-s­tates and the Persian Empire, culmin­ating in the Greek victories at Marathon, Salamis, and Plataea.
Pelopo­nnesian War (431-404 BCE):
A protracted conflict between Athens and Sparta, along with their respective allies, which ultimately led to the downfall of Athens and the weakening of Greek city-s­tates.
Pelopo­nnesian War (431-404 BCE):
A series of three wars between Rome and Carthage, resulting in the destru­ction of Carthage and Rome's dominance over the western Medite­rra­nean.
Civil Wars of the Roman Republic (133-31 BCE):
A series of internal conflicts that led to the end of the Roman Republic and the rise of the Roman Empire. Key figures include Julius Caesar, Pompey, and Octavian (later Augustus).

Cultural Achiev­ements

Greek Achiev­ements:
Philos­ophy: The works of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle laid the founda­tions of Western philos­ophy.
 
Drama: The develo­pment of tragedy and comedy, with playwr­ights such as Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides, and Aristo­phanes.
 
Archit­ecture: The Parthenon and the use of columns (Doric, Ionic, Corint­hian) are quinte­sse­ntial examples of Greek archit­ectural achiev­ements.
Roman Achiev­ements:
Engine­ering: The constr­uction of aqueducts, roads, and monumental buildings like the Colosseum and the Pantheon.
 
Law: The develo­pment of Roman law, including concepts like jus gentium (law of nations) and jus civile (civil law), which influenced the legal systems of many modern nations.
 
Litera­ture: Epic poetry, historical writing, and rhetoric flouri­shed, with works by Virgil, Ovid, Livy, and Cicero.
 

Decline and Legacy

Fall of the Roman Empire:
Internal Factors: Political instab­ility, economic decline, and social decay weakened the empire.
 
External Factors: Invasions by barbarian tribes, including the Visigoths, Vandals, and Huns, contri­buted to the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 CE.
 
Legacy: Despite the fall, the Roman Empire left a lasting legacy in law, language, archit­ecture, and govern­ance. The Eastern Roman Empire, or Byzantine Empire, preserved many aspects of Roman culture and continued until 1453 CE.
Cultural and Intell­ectual Legacy:
Western Civili­zation: Classical civili­zation provided the foundation for Western thought, govern­ment, art, and culture. The Renais­sance, in partic­ular, saw a revival of interest in classical learning and ideals.
 
Language: Latin became the lingua franca of medieval Europe and is the root of the Romance languages (Spanish, French, Italian, Portug­uese, and Romanian).
 
Philosophy and Science: Greek and Roman philos­ophical ideas influenced later thinkers in the Enligh­tenment and the develo­pment of modern science.

Study & Interp­ret­ation of Classical Civili­zation

Archae­ology:
The study of ancient sites and artifacts to recons­truct the daily life, culture, and history of classical civili­zat­ions. Key sites include Pompeii, Athens, and Rome.
Histor­iog­raphy:
The study of how history has been written about classical civili­zat­ions, including the works of ancient historians like Herodotus, Thucyd­ides, Livy, and Tacitus, as well as modern interp­ret­ations.
Classical Philology:
The study of ancient Greek and Latin languages and litera­ture, focusing on the interp­ret­ation of texts, the transm­ission of manusc­ripts, and the influence of classical languages on modern languages.
Reception Studies:
The explor­ation of how classical antiquity has been received, interp­reted, and reinte­rpreted in later cultures, including its influence on litera­ture, art, and political thought throughout history.

Conclusion

Classical civili­zation, encomp­assing the cultures of ancient Greece and Rome, forms the bedrock of Western civili­zation
Through the study of their history, litera­ture, philos­ophy, art, and social struct­ures, we gain insight into the founda­tional ideas and practices that continue to shape the modern world
The legacies of these ancient societies remain deeply embedded in contem­porary thought, govern­ance, law, and culture, making the study of classical civili­zation essential for unders­tanding the roots of Western tradition and its enduring influence