5. pre classic cultures

8/8/2019 5. Pre Classic Cultures

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Pre-civilizations

in the Paleolithic and Mesolithic Age

60 000 years ago: Aborigines in Australia.

30 000 years ago in Europe: Chauvet caves,

wall paintings, religious cults. Hunter-gathering communities in Europe,

Asia, Africa, S. America.

Nomadic cultures; migrating, temporarilyresiding in caves.


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Beginning of civic lifestyle:

the Neolithic Age Switching from nomadic to civic lifestyle; building

houses of clay and straw.

Jericho (Tel-As-Sultan), near Qumran, vicinity of theDead See. Use of natural walls to settle. A first civic

(city-like) culture?Domesticating animals, agriculture.

6 000 Farming in Greece, Egypt, Far East; pottery.

5 000 Middle East: gold and copper melted.

5 000 Neolithic settlements in Banpo, China.

Sumerians of Mesopotamia.

3 000 BC. INDIA, EGYPT, CRETE.


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THE SUMERIANS

The Sumerians, a non-Semitic tribe

spoke the language that was quite different

than languages spoken by Semitic tribesin the region.

The Sumerians came from the Persian Golf and

settled in Mesopotamia.


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SUMERIAN CULTURE

7000 BC. settled in Mesopotamia and

established cities: Ur, Uruk, Nippur

Paradise-like, fertile land between the Tigris

and Euphrates Rivers, yet requiring

communal work, communication and laws.

Overproduction: storage of surplus,

transport, commerce and recording thetransactions (written language).


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Sumerian culture Polytheism:

An = supreme god

Enki = god of sea and water

Ki = goddess of the earth

Enlil = god of air, wind, weather and fertilityEa = god of magic and creativity,

Ninkisi = goddess of pleasure and brewing.

System of hierarchic priesthood: The temples. Treatment of wounds: plasters immersed in herbal

extracts and ritual hymns to gods


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SUMERIAN WRITTEN LANGUAGE

B

y 3000B

.C. The cuneiform (Latin: cuneus = wedge)writing started to register

the trades, records of properties, codes of law, customs,

medicinal prescriptions, astronomic events, prayers

and poems.

Scratched on clay tablets,

- first as pictograms

- later as ideograms

- and finally as alphabet.


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From Sumerian to Hebraic and Greek alphabet

The cuneiform script a universal systemfor any language (Babylonian, Aramaic,

Hebrew) spoken in the region.

1300 BC. Phoenicians replace the old system of 600symbols by new system of 30 symbols (letters)

representing the consonants.

It served as a basis for

- old Hebraic alphabet and

- old Greek alphabet.


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Cuneiform system evolved

The "Epic of Gilgamesh"- the oldestcuneiform script written on clay tablets.

It tells the story of the king of an ancient

Sumerian city - Uruk (ca. 2500 BC).


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Old Babylonia: Hammurabi clan

The antagonized Mesopotamian clans and citiesunited by Hammurabi dynasty as the Old Babylonia.

The king Hammurabi (r. 1795 to 1750 BC)

proclaimed a code of civil and criminal lawcarved as cuneiform text upon a stone monument.

On behalf of gods and goddesses, the ruler

publicly proclaims the laws - valid for all citizens(tough: Eye for eye).


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THE ANCIENT HEBREWS Hebrews = The wanderers, the nomads.

1800 BC. Abram (Abraham) of Semitic Mesopotamian clanof Terah in Ur, moves from Ur to Canaan.

In Hebron, Palestine, (presumably) tombs of Abraham &Sarah and Isaac & Rebecca.

Abraham's grandson Jacob took name Israel. Egyptian dynasty (Ramses II) turns the Israelites into slaves.

Moses leads them through the desert, the Red Sea andMount Sinai back to Canaan.


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ISRAELITES

At Mt. Sinai, God reveals to Moses the moral code = the

Ten Commandments. (Decalogue).

After Moses death, Joshua continued as the leader of the Exodus.

King David famous for his Psalms & capturing Jerusalem as a capital ca. 1000 BC.

His son Solomon: The 1st Temple, The Book of Proverbs, The Song of Songs

After Solomon's death the nation divided into two kingdoms :

Home of Israel (10 tribes) and Home ofJudah (2 tribes).

Taken by Assyrians (721 BC) and Neo-Babylonians (596 BC).Rebelled and punished: The Walls & The 1st Temple destroyed (586 BC),

people fled into exile or kept in the Neo-Babylonia captivity.)

Taken by Persians (537 BC); allowed to return to Jerusalem and to rebuild the Temple.


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JUDAISM contd

During the Neo-Babylonian and Persian occupation

the Israelites spoke both Hebrew and Aramaic.

250 BC. - A.D.68 a Jewish sect The Esseneswrote (or copied?) the Biblical books ofThe Old

Testament, known as The Dead Sea Scrolls


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THE JEWS

165 BC. Hellenization of Jews imposed by

Antiochus IV. Maccabean Revolt.

A.D. 0 Jesus Christborn.

A.D. 132 2nd revolt, Hadrian destroys Jerusalem

and renames it as Aelia Capitolina and the province

as Palestina. Jewish dispersion (Diaspora).


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JEWISH CULTURE

Monotheism: one God, The Lord, caring and loving

Father who demands obedience and love. Rules of divine law (Decalogue); meritocratic

religious leaders (Patriarchs).

Tribal solidarity, respect for elders, family, tradition. Care for children but severe discipline.

Judeo-Christian mentality: fear of sins, guilt,responsibility, humility, hope/belief in eternity.


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ANCIENT EGYPT 3100 B.C.

Polytheism; the names of deities differed in

dynasties and cities.

Anthropomorphic view of deities.

Belief in afterlife: moral conduct in life andbodys preparation for eternity:

mummification, tombs, pyramids.

The heart - a habitat ofthe soul and organ ofmoral behavior.


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EGYPT continued

The brain - an organ of performance (walk, speech)and sleep.

Women highly respected in the Ancient Egypt.

Well developed hygiene, agriculture, irrigation,canals, architecture, geometry, math, astronomy.

Medicinal herbs.


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Eastern cultures: CHINA

5000 BC. Neolithic cultures in the Valley of the

Yellow River, e.g. Banpo village nearXian.

Chinese provinces not unified until the

Quin (Chin) Dynasty 221-206 BC.


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Major philosophies or religions in China

CONFUCIANISM (Kong-Fu-zi 551-479 BC):

Heavenly laws and ethics - eternal and not negotiable.Focus on: ethics, obedience, loyalty, respecting tradition,social hierarchy, care/devotion to family and state,selflessness.

DAOISM (6th - 5th century BC. sage Lao-zi):Individual person as a microcosm which reflects theuniversal macrocosm.

The unity with the universe attainable through meditation.

Belief in sanctity of all life, thus vegetarianism.

Rules of longevity: virtuous conduct, good humor, wisepeace, friendliness, healthy diet and physical exercises.


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BUDDHISM from Tibet, India to China

563-483 BC. TeacherSiddhartha Gautama (known as BUDDHA = The

Enlightened) who integrated selected teachings of Hinduism, Daoism and

Confucianism.

Through decent conduct: humility, gratitude, service, prayer and meditation,

honesty, pride and dignity humans can reach an ideal state of apprehension of

existence and reunify with The One in the eternal state of nirvana.

Calm and contemplative, ascetic behavior, withdrawn from sensory world =

the best way of existing and developing virtues necessary to attain nirvana.

Belief in reincarnation.

Hierarchy of citizens and souls. Low status of women.

Diseases result from imbalance: excessive emotions lead to mental disorder.

Psychotherapy aimed at humility, acceptance of necessities and peace of mind.


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Civilization in the Valleys of the Indus River

Hinduism. Sacred scripts The Vedas -written

in Sanskrit. Polytheism. A virtuous conduct - a chance to

reincarnate in a higher social cast or form ofexistence up to Nirvana.

The essence of things is attainable throughmeditation rather than sensation or thinking.

Purifying the souls: self-discipline, self-denial,

avoidance of material goods and peace.


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The Vedas sacred texts of Hinduism

The Vedas contain hymns, incantations, andrituals from ancient India.

The Upanishads, continuation of the Vedic

philosophy, written between 800 and 400 B.C.They elaborate on how the soul can be united

with the ultimate truth through contemplation

and meditation.


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The ancient PERSIA (NOW: IRAN) 900-331 BC.

540 BC. Persian king CYRUS conquers the Neo-Babylonian territories, including Israel & Judea.

Persian Empire a chronic threat for the Greeks.

490 BC. The battles at Marathon & Thermopylae.

480 BC. The Persians stopped by the Athenians atSALAMIS (navy battle).

331 BC. Persian king Darius lost to Alexander TheGreat.


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Persian religion: ZOROASTRIANISM

* Monotheism. Teacher and prophet ZARATHUSTRA.

Sacred book: AVESTAThe God Ahura-Mazda and the demon, Angro-Mainyus.

People have free will to follow God or demon.

Illness, as a work of demon, should be treated byexorcism, prayers, incantations and other magic rituals.

Crime, as an act against God; thus severe public

punishment: beating, mutilating, stoning or crucifying.

Zoroastrianism almost extinguished in 8th c.

In 10th c. cultivated by some Arians living in India.


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PRE-CLASSIC & CLASSIC

GREECE 3000-1450 BC. The Minoans, a tribe of Crete.

The Minoans - the 1st European advanced urbancivilization: architecture, hygiene, trade, navigation,trade, metallurgy (gold, silver), writing.

1450 BC. The civilization collapsed due to volcaniceruptions and invasion by the warlike Mycenaeans.


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The Mycenaeans and The Dorians

The Mycenaeans from the Peloponnesus: the king

Agamemnon involved in the Troyan war and won it in1200 BC, but personal tragedy

The Dorians from northern Greece: became a military

power in the region ca. 1100 BC. They used iron weapon;looted and destroyed many cities. 1000 - 500 BC.

Dark Age of Greece; stagnation, city-states warringagainst each other. Polytheist cults and mythology.


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MYTHOLOGY

Hierarchic polytheism. Zeus , Athena, Apollo,Aphrodite, Prometheus, Poseidon, Dionysus .

Behaviour of gods = a projection of human passions.

Human behaviour and fate in hands of gods. see TheIliad. Zeus punishing for curiosity (Pandora box).

Agamemnon instructed by gods to make sacrifice


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Athens

* Athens existed since ca. 1600 BC or earlier.

Since 800 BC. Athens became a centre of arts

Athletic games in Olympia since 776 BC.

500 BC. Persian wars. Athenians beat Persian invaders at

Marathon and Thermopylae in 490 BC.

480 BC. Athens victory in the sea battle at Salamis.

The beginning of the Classic Greece.


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Classic Greece ca. 480 323 BC.From victory at Salamis to death of Alexander

449 - 429 BC. Pericles Golden Age ofAthens: Acropolis rebuilt, supervised by

Phidias.

Parthenonthe temple to Athena goddessof war and wisdom is built.

Music, theatre (Epidaurus, Athens)

Drama: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides Public orations, debates, games gymnasiums.


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Classic Greece ca. 480 323 BC. From victory at Salamis to death of Alexander:

427 BC. PLATOborn.

397 BC. Platonian Academy starts.

385 BC. ARISTOTLEborn.

338 BC. Philip of Macedonia peacefully conquers Athens.Two years later assassinated.

336 BC. His son ALEXANDER THE GREAT starts conquest up to India.

334 BC. Aristotelian LYCEUM starts.

323 BC. Alexander dies. 322 BC. Aristotle dies.

The end of the Classic Greece Period and the beginning of the

Hellenistic Period ( 323 27 BC)


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Pre-classic and Classic Greeks

PRE-SOCRATESIAN PHILOSOPHERS

- COSMOLOGISTS (PHYSISISTS):

Thales, Anaximander, Anaximenes, Heraclitus,

Democritus, Empedocles.

- BIOLOGISTS: Alcmaeon, Hippocrates.

- MATHEMATICIANS: Pythagoras.

CLASSIC GREECE PHILOSOPHERS :

- SOPHISTS: Parmenides, Protagoras

- SOCRATES

- PLATO

- ARISTOTLE


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THALES of Miletus 640-546 BC

THE WATERas a basic element (physis) out ofwhich all things in the cosmos were made.

Promoted: intellectual freedom of opinions anddiscussion.

His student, ANAXIMANDER(610-547 BC): proposed

the appeiron the indefinite as a basic physis.

ANAXIMENES (588-524 BC): The air as a basicelement of the universe. A more condensed air = the earth,

a less condensed air = the soul.


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Atomism, materialism: DEMOCRITUS of Abdera (460-370 BC)

The world is composed of material Atoms and thevoid.

The soul is material: a set of smooth atoms like

atoms of fire. The soul disappears at the moment of

death. There is no afterlife.

Perception: external layers of atomsEidola (copies of

the objects surface) emanate through the void to

reach our senses where the image is replicated.

Hedonism: Lets enjoy the life now; no afterlife.


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HERACLITUS & ZENO of Elea

HERACLITUS of Ephesus (6th c. BC):

philosophy of change and movement as anessence of existence.

Fire as a basic element of the universe. It

symbolizes eternal movement and change.All things participate in an endless process of change.

ZENO of Elea (495-435 BC) : philosophy ofstagnation:change or movement is not possible.

see his Paradoxes


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EMPEDOCLES 490-430 BC PHISICIST & BIOLOGIST

4 basic elements: FIRE, AIR,WATER and EARTH.They act upon each other according to principles ofattraction and repulsion. The first promotes life,creation and integration, the other one destruction,disintegration and death.

TRANSMIGRATION OF THE SOUL; thus

vegetarianism.


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BIOLOGISTS: ALCMAEON & HIPPOCRATES

Up to 500 BC. the medicine practiced by priests in

the Aesculapian temples (devoted to Asclepius or

Aesculapius god of medicine).

Ca. 500 BC. Alcmaeon of Croton started to teach

medicine based on observations of living animals

and anatomical data from dissected animals.

Health as a harmony/balance.


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HIPPOCRATES of Cos 460-377 BC.

All diseases result from natural causes and as suchmust be treated by natural means.

Natural auto-healing powers of the organism;

the physician is to help the nature to heal. The body and the mind need to restore the basic

harmony by: proper rest, exercise, diet, music,

contact with friends and sometimes

bloodletting.


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Hippocrates, continued

Observations on effects of injury to the brain.

The Art of Healing : description ofmelancholia,post-partum depression, hypomania, phobias,paranoia and hysteria.

The Nature of Man: Empedoclesian elementsapplied as basic fluids (humors):

the black bile (melancholic),

the yellow bile (choleric),

the blood (sanguine),

the phlegm (phlegmatic).

An imbalance of those 4 fluids/humors leads to illnesses.

A holistic treatment has to restore the balance between them.


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Hippocrates

TREATISE ON EPILEPSYDe Morbu Sacro (On the Sacred Disease): theold view of epilepsy as an act of spirit - rejected.

Epilepsy - a natural illness to be treated by useof natural means such as: RELAX, DIET,PEACE.

HIPPOCRATIC OATH: focus on ethics,

respect, devotion, confidentiality.Primum non nocere(above all do not harm)


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MATHEMATICIANS:PYTHAGORAS from Samos (584-495 BC)

Sensory impressions = imperfect ways of knowing.

The essence of reality in mathematical models.

The models of reality created by rational thinking. Mathematics - a magic key to the cosmos.

The body - a prison for the noble soul .

Purification by diet, self-discipline and intellectualexercises.

Liberation of the soul from the body issues.


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PYTHAGORAS

Ways of searching for truth: intellectual

reasoning and spiritual contemplation.

The soul animating element of the universe -

is eternal and re-incarnates.

Its functions:

- feelings, intuitions,

- rational thinking and spiritual meditation.

Human and animal soul has feelings and

intuitions, but the rational thinking and spiritual

meditation are available only to human soul.

5. pre classic cultures

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