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greek identity - Coggle Diagram
greek identity
geographical extent of the greek world
in the 8th century BC, there was a sharp rise in population as society stabilised and settled in mainland Greece
greece is mountainous and so the population was focussed in the narrow valleys near the coast
expansion was easier to achieve overseas rather than across mountain ranges
throughout the 7th/8th centuries BC, the greek world spread eastwards to the coast of Asia Minor, and westwards to the coast of Spain and africa
the foundation of trading colonies near Phoenicia is evidence of the importance of trade across the mediterranean
the new population made no attempts to join up settlements into regions
the extent to which a greek cultural identity could be said to exist
the greeks were defined as others as "greek" or "hellenes", so were grouped together by foreign powers first
expressed similar views (Panhellenic gods, Olympic Games), but would only come to define themselves as greek in the 5th century BC
the greeks shared the same religion and mythology, although each polis had its own cult and chief god or goddess
the greeks claimed different descent from different races
the spartans believed they were from the dorian race, who emigrated to greece
the athenians considered themselves ionians, who were native to greece
each race had its own dialect, calendar and festivals
some shared experiences brought the poleis together
the Olympic Games were celebrated with a truce across greece for the duration
the greeks recognised the importance of the oracle at Delphi , and each polis would respect the word of the pythia
the greeks were brought together by homer
encouraged the greeks to ask intellectual questions about the gods, fate, responsibility etc
defined and described the gods and gave them an anthropomorphic form
the autonomy of the poleis and relations between them
agriculture was replaced as the path to wealth by industries such as pottery and olive oil production
there was not enough free labour, so slaves were imported
land owning became less important, so land owning aristocracy had less power
political power became about wealth instead of ancestry
in attica, rivalries over trade developed between Athens and Corinth, and later Athens and aegina
argos and sparta vied to be the strongest power in the peloponnese