The Legacy of Ancient Greece and Rome

& Judeo-Christian TraditionCalifornia State Standard 10.1

Why do we need this?

• The Greeks developed democracy

• The Romans added representative government

• Representation and citizen participation are important features of democratic governments around the world.

Terms you should know

• Government• Monarchy• Aristocracy• Oligarchy• Democracy• Direct Democracy• Republic• Senate

• First democracy

• Largest and most powerful city state

• Citizens participated in government– Citizens were adult males– Nobles elected to rule city state

Noted Reformers: Solon and Cleisthenes• Solon: When Athens ran into

trouble, he saved the day– Reforms

• Outlawed slavery• Established classes of citizenship• Council of 400 – prepared business

for existing council

• Cleisthenes– Regarded as father of democracy in

Athens– Tried to balance the rich and the

poor– All citizens could submit laws for

debate and passage – Created council of 500 to propose

laws and counsel assembly

Plato• Greatest student of

Socrates• Wrote the Republic

– A vision of a perfectly governed society

– Governed not by rich but by philosopher-kings

• “Until philosophers are kings, or the kings and princes of this world have the spirit and power of philosophy, and political greatness and wisdom meet in one, and those commoner natures who pursue either to the exclusion of the other are compelled to stand aside, cities will never have rest from their evils, no, nor the human race.” Plato – The Republic

Aristotle

• Student of Plato• Examined the nature of

the world and human belief, thought and knowledge

• Wrote “Politics” – “Man is by nature a

political animal; it is his nature to live in a state.”

The Roman Republic

• From kingdom to republic• Patricians versus plebeians• Twelve Tables

– First written law code• All free citizens had the right to protection of the law and laws

would be fairly administered.

• Like Athens, a government with separate branches

• Eventually, the republic collapsed due to war and authoritarian rule.

Roman Law

• All citizens had the right to equal treatment

• Innocent until proven guilty

• Accuser must proved accused guilty

• Unreasonable laws can be set aside

• The Code – 5,000 Roman laws

Judeo-Christian Tradition

• Monotheists

• Humans are created in G-d’s image– Each human being has a divine spark that

gives him or her a dignity that can never be taken away.

• G-d gave human beings more freedom – the ability to choose between good and evil.

Jewish Law and Morality

• Jews had a written code of lawsJews had a written code of laws– Ten CommandmentsTen Commandments

• The ProphetsThe Prophets– Leaders and teachers who were messengers Leaders and teachers who were messengers

of G-d.of G-d.– Attacked war, oppression and greed.Attacked war, oppression and greed.– ““He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and He has told you, O mortal, what is good; and

what does the Lord require of you but to do what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your G-d?” Micah 6:8humbly with your G-d?” Micah 6:8

Christianity• Jesus of Nazareth

– Born a Jew and a Roman subject– Public ministry

• Ideas came from monotheism and Ten Commandments

• “I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

• Roman governor in Jerusalem saw him as a threat because some referred to him as the “King of the Jews”– Put to death by crucifixion – His followers believed him to be the

Messiah – Savior (Christos)• Paul, the apostle, spread the word of

Jesus.– He stressed the equality of all

human beings – a central belief of democracy.

Analyze the similarities and differences in Greco-Roman and

Judeo-Christian philosophy