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2.1. War and politics in the fifth century BC
1. Classical Greece was a period of around 200 years, including the 5th and 4th centuries BC. The classical Greece opened and closed both with wars with Persians. It started from the Persian Wars to the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. Classical Greece was the golden days of ancient Greece, played a very important role in the development of the Western Civilization. Much of modern Western politics, arts including architecture, sculpture, literature, drama, science and philosophy derives from this period. During the classical period Athens was the largest and most powerful city state, the cultural and political center of the whole Greek world. Most of what we call the ancient Greece today is actually the Classical Athens.
2. Playwrights Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides, historians Herodotus and Thucydides, philosopher Socrates, physician Hippocrates all lived in 5th century BC Athens. Hippocrates is “the Father of Medicine”.
3. Let’s look at part of the famous Hippocratic Oath: “I swear by Apollo and by all the gods and goddesses, making them my witnesses, that I will use treatment to help the sick according to my ability and judgment, but never with a view to injury and wrong-doing”.
4. Delian League. After the Persian Wars, some Greek city states tried to unite themselves against the danger of another Persian invasion. In 478 BC, Delian League was formed. The name of the league came from the city they met, Delos. Its purpose was to liberate Greek cities in Asia Minor still under Persian control. As the only sea power Athens naturally became the leader. Another power Sparta didn’t join the league because it was struggling with the domestic problems, constant revolts of helots, the state’s serfs. This League ensured the power and prosperity of Athens. Athens took an imperialistic policy. Other members have to pay cash contribution to the league but that is in name only, actually they paid to Athens; half of the spoils should give to Athens. Spoils are valuable things seized by war. Pro-Athens poppet governments were established and Athenian garrisons built in each city. Athens was an Empire now.
5. Pericles.
The fifth century BC of Athens is called the Golden Age of Athens. Athens became the super power with political hegemony, economic growth and cultural flourishing. One reason of these achievements was Athens had a great leader Pericles.
Pericles’ life time was from 461 to 429 BC, this time Athens was led by Pericles is called The Age of Pericles. He was a great orator, general and a Demagogue. Orator is someone who is skilled at making speeches. Because most of offices were elected by lot annually, we can say Athenian democracy was formally run by amateurs, not professionals. Real political power actually came from generals and popular leaders. They are very good at using speeches to influence people. They were called demagogue. But gradually this word got negative meaning. Today demagogue refers to someone tries to win people's support by appealing to their emotions rather than using reasonable arguments.
6. Most of the surviving structures on the Acropolis including the Parthenon were built by Pericles. The great bronze statue of Athena was the work of the Athenian sculptor Phidias. This huge statue stood there for thousand years until it was transported to Constantinople, the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire, and finally destroyed by a rioting crowd in 1203. No one knows what the original one looked like, maybe like this.
7. And this is what left today
8. Pericles’ funeral oration was his most famous speech. It was a speech at the public funeral in honor of all people died in war. The speech was delivered at the end of the first year of the Peloponnesian War in 431BC.
9. “Our constitution is called democracy because power is in the hands of the whole people. When it is a question of settling private disputes, everyone is equal before the law”. This is the origin of the famous phrase “equal justice under law.”
10. The Peloponnesian War (431–404 BC) was a war fought by the Delian League led by Athens against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. It was also an international war because Persians fought on the side of Sparta. At first Sparta invaded Attic, but they couldn’t conquer Athens even a terrible plague killed 30% of Athenians including Pericles. At the same time Athenian naval fleet raided the coast of the Peloponnese. At first Athens was the winner. In 421 BC the two sides signed the peace agreement. In 415 BC, the new Athenian leader Alcibiades led a massive force to conquer Sicily but the entire force had been lost, 200 ships, 50,000 soldiers. The commander Alcibiades fled to Sparta. Finally in 404 BC by the help of Parisian troops Sparta conquered Athens. Athens surrendered unconditionally.
11. Look at the map, red color the Delian League led by Athens, blue color the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta. And this is Sicily.
12. Classical Greece have two great historians. Herodotus (480-420BC) was born in a Greek city Halicarnassus in the Persian Empire. Little is known of his personal life. Roman politician Cicero called Herodotus "The Father of History". His book The History was the founding work of history. It recorded the traditions, politics, geography, and clashes of cultures in Asia Minor, Northern Africa and Greece at the end of the sixth century BC. His history was based on his widely travel and investigation. The most important event in his book is the Persian Wars. Herodotus stood at the Greek side described the war is a conflict of democracy against despotism and slavery. Despotism is a form of government in which the ruler is an absolute dictator not restricted by a constitution or laws. To Herodotus, Persian Empire is despotism, Athens and other Greek states are Democracy, they united against the Parisian invaders.
13. And this is Thucydides 460- 400 BC. He was an Athenian historian and general, 20 years younger than Herodotus. His History of the Peloponnesian War recorded the war between Sparta and Athens. Herodotus recorded history 100 years before him but Thucydides wrote a contemporary history, his military career is part of the war. He was the defeated Athenian commander responsible for the loss of Amphipolis to Sparta in the Battle of Amphipolis in 422 BC, Amphipolis is a northern Greek city controlled by Athens. Thucydides was exiled and then started to write his history. Herodotus believed gods intervened in human affairs but Thucydides focused on human activity. Herodotus is the father of history; Thucydides is the first social scientist or the father of "scientific history" for his objective and impartial attitude, evidence-gathering and analysis of cause and effect. Thucydides had recorded many valuable political speeches like the Pericles’ funeral oration mentioned before.
14. Let’s look at another example: the negotiation between Athens and Milos. Milos is a volcanic island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete. Remember "Venus de Milo”? That is the same island. During the Peloponnesian War Milos tried to remain neutral, Athens invaded the island. Let’s listen to how the Athenians told the representatives of Milos: “the standard of justice depends on the quality of power to compel and that in fact the strong do what they have the power to do and the weak accept what they have to accept.” Finally the Athenian took the city and killed all the men and sold all the women and children into slavery. From this event we can see the brutal side of the Athenians; this brutality toward the other people is also the dark side of the whole Western Civilization.
15. Thucydides Trap
You may have heard Thucydides Trap. Thucydides wrote: "What made war inevitable was the growth of Athenian power and the fear which this caused in Sparta." Based on this idea, a Harvard professor Graham Allison coined the phrase "Thucydides Trap" to refer to when a rising power causes fear in an established power,confrontation or war would eventually happen president Xi Jinping said: "There is no such thing as the so-called Thucydides traps in the world. But should major countries time and again make the mistakes of strategic miscalculation, they might create such traps for themselves." The peaceful rising of China is not a threat to US and the world, the Thucydides Trap should be avoided.
16. Key words: Classical Greece, Age of Pericles, the Peloponnesian War, Herodotus, Thucydides Trap
返回《History of Western Civilization 全英文西方文明史》慕课在线视频列表
Hi guys welcome back
Today we start Chapter 2
Classical and Hellenistic Greece
Classical Greece was a period of
around 200 years
including the 5th and 4th centuries BC
The classical Greece opened and closed
both with wars with Persians
It started from the Persian Wars
to the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC
Classical Greece was the golden days
of ancient Greece
played a very important role
in the development
of the Western Civilization
Much of modern Western politics arts
including architecture sculpture literature drama
science and philosophy derives from this period
During the classical period
Athens was the largest
and most powerful city state
the cultural and political center
of the whole Greek world
Most of what we call the ancient Greece today
is actually the Classical Athens
Playwrights Aeschylus Sophocles and Euripides
historians Herodotus and Thucydides
philosopher Socrates physician Hippocrates
all lived in 5th century BC Athens
Hippocrates is the Father of medicine
Let us look at part of the famous
Hippocratic Oath
I swear by Apollo and
all the gods and goddesses
making them my witnesses
that I will use treatment to help the sick
according to my ability and judgment
but never with a view to injury
and wrong doing
After the Persian Wars
some Greek city states tried to
unite themselves
against the danger of another
Persian invasion
In 478 BC Delian League was formed
The name of the league came from the city
they met Delos
Its purpose was to liberate Greek cities
in Asia Minor still under Persian control
As the only sea power
Athens naturally became the leader
Another power Sparta didn’t join the league
because it was struggling
with the domestic problems
constant revolts of helots the states serfs
This League ensured the power
and prosperity of Athens
Athens took an imperialistic policy
Other members have to pay cash contribution
to the league but that is in name only
actually they paid to Athens
Half of the spoils should give to Athens
Spoils are valuable things seized by war
Pro Athens poppet governments
were established
and Athenian garrisons built in each city
Athens was an Empire now
The fifth century BC of Athens is called
the Golden Age of Athens
Athens became the super power
with political hegemony
economic growth and cultural flourishing
One reason of these achievements
was Athens had a great leader Pericles
Pericles’ life time was from 461 to 429 BC
This time Athens was led by Pericles
is called The Age of Pericles
He was a great orator general
and a Demagogue
Orator is someone who is skilled
at making speeches
Because most of offices were
elected by lot annually
We can say Athenian democracy
was formally run by
amateurs not professionals
Real political power actually came from
generals and popular leaders
They are very good at using speeches
to influence people
They were called demagogue
But gradually this word got negative meaning
Today demagogue refers to someone
tries to win peoples’ support by
appealing to their emotions
rather than using reasonable arguments
Most of the surviving structures on the Acropolis
including the Parthenon were built by Pericles
The great bronze statue of Athena
was the work of the Athenian sculptor Phidias
This huge statue stood there for thousand years
until it was transported to Constantinople
the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire
and finally destroyed by a rioting crowd in 1203
No one knows what the original one looked like
Maybe like this
And this is what left today
Pericles’ funeral oration was his
most famous speech
It was a speech at the public funeral
in honor of all people died in war
The speech was delivered
at the end of the first year
of the Peloponnesian War in 431BC
Our constitution is called democracy
because power is in the hands
of the whole people
When it is a question
of settling private disputes
everyone is equal before the law
This is the origin of the famous phrase
Equal justice under law
The Peloponnesian War from 431 to 404 BC
was a war fought by the
Delian League led by Athens
against the Peloponnesian League led by Sparta
It was also an international war
because Persians fought on the side of Sparta
At first Sparta invaded Attic
but they couldn’t conquer Athens
even a terrible plague killed 30% of Athenians
including Pericles
At the same time Athenian naval fleet raided
the coast of the Peloponnese
At first Athens was the winner
In 421 BC the two sides signed
the peace agreement
In 415 BC the new Athenian leader Alcibiades
led a massive force to conquer Sicily
But the entire force had been lost
200 ships 50000 soldiers
The commander Alcibiades fled to Sparta
Finally in 404 BC by the help of Parisian troops
Sparta conquered Athens
Athens surrendered unconditionally
Look at the map
Red color the Delian League led by Athens
Blue color the Peloponnesian League
led by Sparta
And this is Sicily
Classical Greece have two great historians
Herodotus was born in a Greek city
Halicarnassus in the Persian Empire
Little is known of his personal life
Roman politician Cicero called
Herodotus the Father of History
His book The History was the founding
work of history
It recorded the traditions politics geography
and clashes of cultures
in Asia Minor Northern Africa
and Greece at the end of the sixth century BC
His history was based on
his widely travel and investigation
The most important event in his book
is the Persian Wars
Herodotus stood at the Greek side
Described the war is a conflict of democracy
against despotism and slavery
Despotism is a form of government in which
the ruler is an absolute dictator not restricted
by a constitution or laws
To Herodotus Persian Empire is despotism
Athens and other Greek states are Democracy
They united against the Parisian invaders
And this is Thucydides
He was an Athenian historian and general
20 years younger than Herodotus
His History of the Peloponnesian War
recorded the war between Sparta and Athens
Herodotus recorded history 100 years
before him
but Thucydides wrote a contemporary history
His military career is part of the war
He was the defeated Athenian commander
responsible for the loss of Amphipolis to Sparta
in the Battle of Amphipolis in 422 BC
Amphipolis is a northern Greek city
controlled by Athens
Thucydides was exiled and then
started to write his history
Herodotus believed gods intervened
in human affairs
but Thucydides focused on human activity
Herodotus is the father of history
Thucydides is the first social scientist
or the father of scientific history
for his objective and impartial attitude
evidence gathering and analysis
of cause and effect
Thucydides had recorded
many valuable political speeches
like the Pericles funeral
oration mentioned before
Let us look at another example
The negotiation between Athens and Milos
Milos is a volcanic island in the Aegean Sea
just north of the Sea of Crete
Remember Venus de Milo
That is the same island
During the Peloponnesian War
Milos tried to remain neutral
Athens invaded the island
Let us listen to how the Athenians
told the representatives of Milos
The standard of justice depends
on the quality of power
to compel and that in fact
the strong do what they have the power to do
and the weak accept what they have to accept
Finally the Athenian took the city
and killed all the men
and sold all the women
and children into slavery
From this event we can see the
brutal side of the Athenians
This brutality toward the other people
is also the dark side of the
whole Western Civilization
Maybe you heard the Thucydides Trap
Thucydides wrote
What made war inevitable was the growth
of Athenian power
and the fear which this caused in Sparta
Based on this idea
a Harvard professor Graham Allison
coined the phrase Thucydides Trap
to refer to when a rising power causes fear
in an established power
confrontation or war would eventually happen
President Xi Jinping said
there is no such thing as the so called
Thucydides traps in the world
But should major countries time and again
make the mistakes of strategic miscalculation
they might create such traps for themselves
The peaceful rising of China is not a threat
to US and the world
The Thucydides Trap should be avoided
Now let’s look at the key words
Classical Greece
Age of Pericles
The Peloponnesian War
Herodotus
Thucydides Trap
This is the first part War
and politics in the fifth century BC
-1.0 Introduction
--1.0.3 Exercises
-1.1 Greek Bronze Age and Dark Age
--1.1.3 Exercises
-1.2 Greek Gods
--1.2.3 Exercises
-1.3 Archaic Greece
--1.3.3 Exercises
-1.4 Athens and the Persian Wars
--1.4.3 Exercises
-1.5 Discussion
-2.1 War and politics in the fifth century BC
--2.1.3 Exercises
-2.2 Greece in the fourth century BC
--2.2.3 Exercises
-2.3 Classical Greek Philosophy
--2.3.3 Exercises
-2.4 Athenian Drama
--2.4.3 Exercises
-2.5 Alexander the Great and Hellenistic World
--2.5.3 Exercises
-2.6 Discussion
-3.1 Roman Kingdom
--3.1.3 Exercises
-3.2 Early Republic
--3.2.3 Exercises
-3.3 Mid-Republic
--3.3.3 Exercises
-3.4 Late-Republic
--3.4.3 Exercises
-3.5 End of the Republic
--3.5.3 Exercises
-3.6 Discussion
-4.1 Pax Romana 1
--4.1.3 Excecises
-4.2 Pax Romana 2
--4.2.3 Excecises
-4.3 Crisis of the Third Century and Constantine
--4.3.3 Excecises
-4.4 The Victory of Christianity
--4.4.3 Exercises
-4.5 The Fall of the Roman Empire
--4.5.3 Exercises
-4.6 Discussion
-5.1 Early Middle Ages
--5.1.3 Excecises
-5.2 Carolingian Dynasty
--5.2.3 Excecises
-5.3 High Middle Ages
--5.3.3 Excecises
-5.4 Late Middle Ages 1
--5.4.1 Excecises
-5.5 Late Middle Ages 2
--5.5.3 Excecises
-5.6 Discussion
-6.1 The Renaissance
--6.1.3 Exercises
-6.2 Protestant Reformation
--6.2.3 Exercises
-6.3 Italian Wars and Rise of Russia
--6.3.3 Exercises
-6.4 Age of Discovery
--6.4.3 Exercises
-6.5 French War of Religion and Russia’s Time of Trouble
--6.5.3 Exercises
-6.6 Discussion
-7.1 The Thirty Years War
--7.1.3 Exercises
-7.2 English Revolution
--7.2.3 Exercises
-7.3 Three Absolute Monarchs
--7.3.3 Exercises
-7.4 Dutch Golden Age
--7.4.3 Exercises
-7.5 Science and Culture in the 17th Century
--7.5 Text
--7.5.3 Exercises
-7.6 Discussion
-8.1 The United Kingdom
--8.1.3 Exercises
-8.2 The American Revolution
--8.2.3 Exercises
-8.3 The French Revolution
--8.3.3 Exercises
-8.4 Age of Enlightenment
--8.4.3 Exercises
-8.5 West after the 18th century
--8.5.3 Exercises
-8.6 Discussion