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The Archaic Period

By Vickie Chao

More than 5,000 years ago, the Minoans on the island of Crete built a great
civilization that officially ushered the Greeks into the Bronze Age. As that culture
reached its peak around 1600 B.C., another great civilization, the Mycenaean
civilization, began to flourish on mainland Greece. At the time, the Greeks were among
the most advanced people on Earth. They knew how to fashion weapons using metals.
They made beautiful potteries. They produced striking statues. And they constructed
magnificent palaces.

For a long while, the Greeks' authority had gone unchallenged. But the Dorians
changed all that with their invasion at the onset of the 12th century B.C. Now with the
Mycenaean civilization crushed, the once blissful days turned bleak. From that point on
to about 800 B.C., the Greeks were in the Dark Ages. For nearly three hundred years,
they had nothing of any significance to show for it; it was as if they were living inside a
cultural vacuum. When they at last emerged from it, however, they spun such a rich
civilization in the so-called Archaic Period that its impact can still be felt today!

During the days of the Archaic Period, the Greeks established numerous city-states.
Originally, those city-states were all governed by monarchies. But by the middle of the 7th century B.C., one of
them decided to break the ranks and try something totally different. That particular city-state was Athens, and the
person who made it happen was Solon (638 B.C. - 558 B.C.) Solon was a famous Athenian lawmaker. He saw
how harsh the existing Draco's laws were and, subsequently, how much his fellow citizens were suffering. To
make the current legal system more humane, he issued a new set of laws and abolished many severe punishments.
One of them was to bar creditors from forcing debtors into slavery.

Solon's reforms had a profound bearing in Athens. For example, in the new constitution he introduced, he
divided the Athenians into four groups based on their wealth. People from the top two classes could become
members of the Areopagus; they were the effective rulers of Athens. People from the third class could become
members of the Boule or Council of Four Hundred; they were the advisors to the Areopagus. Lastly, people from
the fourth or the poorest class could have their own Assembly; they were entitled to elect local magistrates and
vote on matters presented by the Council of Four Hundred. Because Solon encouraged all Athenian citizens to
take part in running public affairs, he helped to lay the foundation of democracy. Later, around 508 B.C.,
Cleisthenes (also spelled as Clisthenes or Kleisthenes), the archon (chief magistrate) of Athens, aligned himself
with the immensely popular Assembly by placing powers directly in the hands of people. Thanks to him, the
world's first democratic government was born.

Needless to say, democracy was a very crucial achievement across the entire span of the Archaic Period (800
B.C. - 500 B.C.) But it was certainly not the only one. In terms of arts, the Greeks from this era were particularly
fond of making happy-looking statues. Later, scholars gave this unique style of beaming expression a neat name.
They called it the Archaic smile.

In terms of architecture, the Greeks developed two distinct orders, the Doric and the Ionic. Both use columns
as structural supports. There are three major differences between the two styles. First, an Ionic column has more
flutes on its shaft than a Doric one. Second, all Doric columns normally rest directly atop a common platform,
whereas each Ionic column stands on an individual base. Third, the capital of a Doric column is smooth. It flares
from the column to meet a square abacus. But the capital of an Ionic column is fancier. It is topped with paired
scroll-like ornaments or volutes.

In terms of entertainment, the Greeks organized their first Olympic Games in 776 B.C. at Olympia. Originally,
they used the occasion to honor their most powerful deity, Zeus. Every four years, the Greeks held competitions
for various sports, such as running, long-jump, and wrestling. All free male Greek citizens, regardless of their
social status, were entitled to participate in the games; female contestants were very rare. Notably, to let female
athletes have a chance to compete as well, the Greeks also staged the Herean Games every four years to bestow
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their respect for Hera (Zeus' wife). The Olympic Games lasted for nearly twelve centuries, long after the end of
the Archaic Period. It was discontinued by the Roman Emperor Theodosius I in 393 A.D. He banned the event
because he considered it a pagan (non-Christian) culture.

In terms of literature, after spending nearly three hundred years in the Dark Ages, the Greeks once again began
writing. Famous writers such as Aesop and Homer all penned their masterpieces during the Archaic Period.
Their works were so inspiring that they continue to attract fans from all corners of the world.

The Greek civilization from the Archaic Period truly revolutionized our societies. Without it, the concept of
democracy might not have been born at all. Without it, modern buildings might not look as sturdy and elegant as
they are today. And without it, Greek mythology might have been lost forever. In short, without Greece's
Archaic Period, our world history would be completely different!

The Archaic Period

Questions
1. Which of the following about Greece's Archaic Period is true?
A. It was immediately preceded by the Mycenaean civilization.
B. The world's first Olympic Games took place during this period.
C. It was destroyed by the Dorians.
D. It began around 1100 B.C.

2. How many classes did the Athenian society have in Solon's days?
A. Five
B. Four
C. Three
D. Six

3. Who was credited for forming the world's first democratic government?
A. Draco
B. Cleisthenes
C. Solon
D. Plato

4. Which of the following architectural orders was created by the Greeks during the Archaic Period?
A. The Tuscan order
B. The Corinthian order
C. The Composite Order
D. The Ionic order

5. Which of the following Greeks was NOT from the Archaic Period?
A. Socrates
B. Cleithenes
C. Solon
D. Homer
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6. For how many years did Greece's Archaic Period last?

A. 300 years
B. 200 years
C. 800 years
D. 500 years

7. Originally, who could join the Olympic Games?

A. All free male Greek citizens
B. All slaves in Greece
C. Every free Greek citizen
D. All free female Greek citizens

8. What was an Archaic smile?

A. It was a happy expression found on statues from Greece's Classic Period.
B. It was a happy expression found on statues from Greece's Minoan civilization.
C. It was a happy expression found on statues from Greece's Dark Ages.
D. It was a happy expression found on statues from Greece's Archaic Period.

9. Which of the following about the Doric order is correct?

A. Each Doric column has paired, scrolling volutes.
B. It was developed by the Romans.
C. Each Doric column stands on an individual base.
D. A Doric column has fewer flutes than an Ionic one.

10. Who banned the Olympic Games?

A. Julius Caesar
B. Alexander the Great
C. Theodosius I
D. Nero

In your opinion, what was the Greeks' most crucial achievement during the Archaic Period? Explain your
reasons.
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Suppose the Greeks had never come up with the idea of democracy. What would our history have been like?