CLA160H1 Chapter Notes -Aegean Civilizations
Document Summary
Most of greece s contacts are with middle east or mediterranean lands. Greeks also considered european balkans: just a peninsula extending into the mediterranean, has contact with eurasia through black sea. Aristotle: the hellenic people occupy an intermediate geographical position . Plato: we sit like frogs around a pond : pond=aegean sea (no part of mainland greece is more than 35 miles from the sea) Patterns of fragmentation that is reflected in greek politics and history. Diasporic greeks: colonies found throughout mediterranean and black sea regions, greek city-states reached more than 1500. Due to the diversity, greece never became a unified state: greeks shared common language, some common cultural practices but remained citizens of particular cities. Athenian citizens and corinthian citizens: no national identity or citizenship. Earliest periods are a blend of european war traditions and of influences from western asia and egypt. Material culture emphasizing military display was used to display wealth.
