The Hellenistic polis Flashcards
(47 cards)
What were the basic features of a stoa?
covered walkway
colonnaded open side
back proper wall
What was a ‘quintessentially Hellenistic’ feature of the built environs of a polis?
a stoa
What kind of things could happen in a stoa? (3)
business and commercial meetings
administration
leisurely conversation
What is the modern term for the bouleuterion? What was the main function of the boule that used it?
council house
Arrange the agenda for the assembly
What feature of a theatre was a Hellenistic innovation?
curved seating
What was function of gymnasion?
Facilitated the physical, mental, and social education of young men in a polis
What was function of a palaestra?
wrestling teaching, often associated with a gymnasion
Around how many self-defined Hellenistic poleis are there?
1000+
What are the traditional features of a polis? What are the features of HELLENISTIC poleis? Problem with this hell characterisation?
independent political Greek community, often democratic, and embodying the values of autonomia and autrarkia.
Directly subordinate to royal powers, new foundations in Near E, m and m oligarchic, and autonomia more only in speech.
Self-definition as poleis and understanding of their own identity and autonomy is apparent in evidence from communities.
What was peer-polity interaction?
The interactions of poleis w similar status in horizontal plane (as opposed to vertical interactions w royals and dynasties etc)
What evidence is there for Hellenistic peer polity interaction?
decrees, letters, and embassies sent between poleis
When was the decree betw Knossos and Miletus? Intention? Significance?
3rd cent BCE
Limit the impact of piracy by making a mutual agreement to not buy/sell slaves of the other community.
Represents the intention of poleis to make connections, without committing to much in particular (e.g. there was no extradition agreement in this decree)
What was asylia in Hellenstic world?
inviobility - a status that could be requested by cities from royals or other cities. Any successful state would then by protected from war or piracy as well as be exempt from any tax or tribute under the auth of the relevant party
Example of request for asylia? Significance?
Teos approach Athamanians for status; 205-1 BCE; Aths recognise Teos as sacred, inviolable, and free from tribute.
Part of wider plan by Teos to build up dossier of connections like this (ath being far away and an unlikely threat, it was not important in itself) AND Aths were able to strengthen diplomatic links, validating their claims of Greek heritage - mutual benefits
What preserved decree demonstrates a dominant-subord state dynamic?
Rhodes and Hierapytna (Crete)
Rhodians requested and got full access to teh ‘city, harbours, and naval bases’, have military assistance from H whenever requested, and support when under attack
What was isopoliteia? Example?
Exchange of rights between two communities’ citizens, essentially providing their ppls with dual citizenship. Same tax rates in each city, same rights, but maintenance of their own constitutions.
Pergamon and Temnos, early 3rd cent
What was sympoliteia?
The blending of constitutions between communities that essentially meant the two were of one constitution.
What is striking in the context of Hell dynasties with the inter poleis interactions?
absence of royal intervention, even in the dealings of royal cities (e.g. Pergamon)
What was proxeny? Significance? Example?
Honouring of an individual with rights and privileges from foreign state.
Way of initiating wider diplomatic polis relationship.
Proxeny for Aristodamna (c3rd BCE) - Lamians honour Aristodamna, travelling poetess, as their proxenos, for her celebration of polis history
What diplomatic language became more intense and arguably more tenuous in Hellenistic world? Example?
Kinship diplomacy - historical/mythical ancestors used to create links between poleis; emphasis on ‘remembering’ the link as if it was always there but needed to be rediscovered.
Kytenion approached Xanthus with extensive mythical family tree eventually making a connection. They intended to get money for their walls but this fails YET decree set up by Xanthus recognising kinship still.
What key example provides v good evidence for diplomacy and relationships between Hell poleis AND w royals?
Magnesia on the Maeander and the festival of Artemis Leucophryene.
Approached 200+ other cities to provide funds for their new festival, many of whom replied, the texts of which were recorded on city walls.
What decree from Dreros on Crete is preserved? Significance?
Oath to be taken by ephebes in commitment to fiercely oppose neighbour Lyttos, likely a result of territorial and resource conflicts.
These kinds of conflicts were always running alongside wider dynastic conflict, and likely more pression for ppl in Hellenistic world.
When did Rhodes declare war on Byzantium? Why? Signif?
220 BCE
Byz had started raising trade taxes on ships going through Hellespont to Black Sea; this generates complaints from Greek poleis directly to hegemon Rhodes; they initially attempt diplomacy but this fails so they pursue military action.
No royal interference despite larger conflict.
What example of royal intervention in Crete demonstrates the ways in which royal interference could occur in G poleis interactions? Signif?
Relationship had built up between Itanos (E Crete) and Ptolemy Philometor in 2nd cent; he dies and other states take advantage of situ with an attack on the now considerably weaker Itanos.
Hell royals could be implicated in local conflicts thus influenceing peer-polity interaction BUT ALSO the G states could benefit from intervention by royals as Itanos had done.
