![]() Opposing parties were permitted to, and encouraged to declare war, after which terms would be set, teams tagged, allies sought, and war wedged. During this period, it can be argued that war did not happen arbitrarily and without a plan, but was the accepted means of settling disputes where the winner takes all (Mikalson, 1991, 17). Thirdly, the role of war and battle in settling the political dispute during the archaic Greek period is spelled out. Specifically, the main reason that the Trojan war occurred was because of Helen, whose two suitors, Paris and Menelaus, refused to settle for more amicable solutions to their dispute of who should have her. This is especially true considering that the issue that led to the major conflict was arguably not worth the deaths and damage that occurred. According to Murray and Wyatt (1999), the extent of a conflict between Troy and the rest of the Greeks, together with the conflict between different kings and warriors, shows that the Greek society at the time was clearly in total disunity (131). ![]() In book 22, Achilles, the lead warrior of Achaeans battles Hector, the lead warrior of the Trojans, whom he blames for the death of his friend, Patroclus. Later, while voicing his disagreement with the idea of fighting Troy, Thersites is beaten up by Odysseus (Homer, 1951, 26). For instance, in book 2 of Odyssey, Agamemnon is urged by Zeus in a dream to attack Troy (Homer, 1951, 19). Iliad tells of the battle of Troy, but also of the many smaller conflicts that contributed to, or happened separately from the major conflict (Murray and Wyatt, 1999, 98). Secondly, the poems tell of the hostile political relationship between different political groups in the region. However, the critical difference is that this is in sharp contrast to the later political arrangement in which all of the Greek cities were united under one king, such as during the reign of Alexander the Great, or the modern times, where most countries are headed by presidents (Lendon, 2005, 240). These examples show that kings who ruled their autonomous kingdoms governed the society of Greece during the 8th century BC. ![]() In the Odyssey, most of these characters are mentioned again, and other kings and kingdoms are also named an example of which is Alcinous, king of Cyclopes (Homer, 4-5). Agamemnon is the king of Achaians, Achilles is the son of Zeus, king of the gods, and Odysseus is king of Ithaca (Powell, 2004, 9-17). All of them are kings of their respective territories. In book 1 of Iliad, the story opens in the tenth year of the war, and several characters are introduced, including Agamemnon, Achilles, and Odysseus. The essay is divided into four main sections, including what we can learn about the politics, religion, economy and technology of the time.įirstly, the poems tell of the political leadership style of the period. Thus, the early archaic period is taken to mean the 8th century BC, which is the period these poems are likely to have been composed (Fox, 2008, 13). From the onset, the archaic period is defined as the period in Greek history from the beginning of the 8th century to the beginning of the 5th century BC (Shapiro, 2007, p. This essay focuses on what we can learn about the Greek society in terms of politics, religion, economy, and technology during the early Archaic period by reading the two works. On the other hand, Odyssey is a poem about the ten-year journey of king Odysseus back to his home in Ithaca after the end of Trojan war, and the many battles and misfortunes he has to face and overcome in the process. Iliad follows Achilles and tells the story of the ten-year Trojan War, and the taking of Troy by a group of other Greek cities after Paris kidnaps Hellen from the brother of the Greek king, Agamemnon. Iliad and Odyssey are epic poems, and while the authorship remains disputed, both poems are generally attributed to Homer (Myrsiades, 1987, 1).
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