The Greek Dark Ages
The period of Greek history between the Dorian invasion about 1150 B.C. is called the Greek Dark Ages. It is called teh Dark Ages because not much is known about this time period and because little change took place in the people's culture. The records we have of the Dark Ages were written later based on oral stories and songs of traveling bards, minstrels, and storytellers. These men passed on traditions and values of the period. Stories of strength courage, skills, family relations, and love passed from one generation to another. Adventures of heroes and warriors were written down by later poets The greatest of the Greek poets was Homer who told the exciting story of the Greek war with Troy and the great adventure of Odysseus' (Ulysses) return from that war. When the Dorians defeated the Mycenaeans in 1200 B.C. a totally new type of civilization rose in its place. The people who survived scattered across the peninsula setting up new cultural units. The Dorians founded a city called Sparta. Refugees from the Mycenae moved to Athens where their love of freedom and beauty became a major aspect of that city's culture. Another city Corinth was built by people of many different backgrounds. As villages and later cities were built the people of different villages rarely saw one another. Travel was difficult and the various cities developed unique cultures without being influenced by each other.
City-states
As the population increased the major cities along with the villages in the surrounding plains and valleys became city-states. Each city-state was a government unit independent of the other Grecian city-states. The people were loyal to their own city-states. The people were loyal to their own city-states but did not feel a loyalty to the idea of a Greek nation. There was a great rivalry between the city-states for economic alliances with smaller nearby villages which they often controlled. The city-states often warred with each other as a result of their rivalries.
Early development
The city centers that developed during this time were different from the citadels of the warlike Myceanaeans. They still used the tops of hills and cliffs for protected areas where they could find safety from attack. Over the years more temples were added to the acropolis which became the center of their city-states. By 600 B.C. a center developed below the acropolis where the people lived and traded. This business section was called the agora or marketplace. In this "downtown" section of the city people bought and sold all kinds of products. People gather in the agora to discuss important business and to give speeches concerning their government. Such speeches became known as politics.
Social classes
During the Dark Ages of Greece society was set up with definite class divisions. The upper classes called the aristocracy were the rulers. The ordinary or common people could be punished for questioning an order given by a member of the aristocracy. Most of the little villages and towns were ruled by a king who generally had a council to advise him. When war threatened the ordinary people were drafted into an army. A few rich people had spacious gardens and their homes were airy with large columns and open courtyards. Most people however lived in simple homes which lined narrow crooked streets. At the foot of the acropolis were the fields where the people grew their food.
Greek influence on world governments
During the Greek Dark Ages four major types of government were introduced Greeks have been ruled by each of these forms of government at one time or another throughout their history. At the beginning of the Dark Ages Greece was ruled by a king in a government known as limited monarchy. This means there were limits on the king's authority. He was not free to do whatever he wanted. The king was guided in his decision by a council made up of the wealthy people in the kingdom. When the king refused to listen to his council and tried to take on more power he was overthrown by the council which then ruled the country. Such rule by a small group of people is called an oligarchy. Many times the only laws the oligarchy passed were those to help the rich. Because the common people were being disregarded they were quick to support another type of ruler called a tyrant. Tyrant has a different meaning today than it had in ancient Greece. Then the tyrant was was a ruler with absolute power to do anything he wanted. He ruled with the consent of the people and tried to help them. Today we think of a tyrant as someone who overthrows the government and rules by using secret police and terror. Examples of the twentieth-century tyrants are Hitler, Stalin, and Mao Tse-tung. When a Greek tyrant abused his power he was overthrown and the people governed themselves. This form of government was called a democracy. When the Greek people grew tired of running their government they usually allowed another tyrant to take control.
Greek Colonies
Overpopulation
As the years passed a grave problem faced the Greeks. Their land was becoming overpopulated. This meant there were more people than the land could support. Food shortages were causing serious problems. In addition to this the early Greeks practiced primogeniture meaning that the eldest so inherited the all the property. Any other sons were forced to remain on the land as servants to their brother or to go out to try to earn a living somewhere else.
Trade
The Greeks had already turned to the sea for foods. Fishermen learned they could sail to nearby islands and distant lands where good farmland was available. Many families began to see migration as the solution to their problems. Money was raised to build sturdy boats and fill them with supplies. Then the people who were willing to risk everything they possessed on a a chance for a new life set sail. These ventures were called kolons meaning limbs. The travelers were considered to be an extension or outgrowth of the mother city-state. It is from the Greek word kolon that we get our modern word colony. The various groups sailing from Greece settled in many different countries. Once established they began to grow crops and to trade with their mother city-state. Food and raw materials were shipped back to Greece. Vases, metal goods, textiles, olive oil, and wine were traded with the colonies. This trade provided jobs for the people remaining in Greece and many of the economic and social problems in Greece were solved. Greek colonies sprang up all over the northern coast of the Aegean Sea and around the black Sea. Along the Dardanelles Strait the Greeks established the city of Byzantium later known as Constantinople. This city was to become the most important city in the Mediterraneans world. So many Greek colonists moved to the southern part of Italy that this area became known as Magna Graecia (Great Greece). Greek colonies were also established on Sicily, on the island of Elba, on the northern coast of Africa, in Spain, and in France. In addition to trade between the Greek city-states and their colonies a lively trade developed between Greek, Egyptian, and Phoenician cities. The Egyptian government even allowed the Greeks to build a trading city in Egypt where they could have their own governors, laws, and courts. On the coast of Asia Minor the colonial cities of Ionia became so important to the Greeks that they were considered a part of Greece. Greek culture developed in Ionia making this area as important as the city-states of Athens, Sparta, and Corinth. Ionia served as a bridge between purely Greek culture and the cultures of the Middle East.
A new form of government
As the colonies added to the wealth of Greece the rulers of the city-sates found them useful in another way. Whenever people became dissatisfied with the government and tried to bring about changes they were banished to the colonies. In this way the aristocrats were able to keep a tight control on their city-states and run things to suit themselves. This prevented rebellions and uprisings among the common people for many years. People with a hunger for freedom and good government however will not remain under harsh rule of bad government forever. A series of revolutions took place in which the government was removed from the power of the aristocracy By 550 B.C. tyrants took over the city-states and divided the land more widely among the citizens. Trade was increased and people were encouraged manufacture trade goods. As jobs, farmland and food became available for everyone the major need for colonies came to an end. As a result few now colonies were started after the sixth century B.C.
Summery
The Greek Dark Ages were the foundation for the development of one of the world's most important cultures. Later we will see how each major city-state developed its own unique culture withing the Greek state. We will see how the Greeks came up with a simpler written language than the world had ever known. This language allowed Greek culture to spread to all parts of the world. Greek became the official language of most of the world's civilizations When we next see Greece we will learn about the flowering of Greek culture known as Classical Greece.