A first history of Greece

Preface

The history of Greece is, in general, very perplexing to children, from its involving events connected -with a number of small states, the names of which are for the most part new to them. Even to read it with a map does not materially lessen the difficulty; for children, especially girls, rarely know much of ancient geography ; and whilst they are laboriously searching for the unknown places, the thread of the history is interrupted, and their attention perhaps irrecoverably distracted.

With the view of lessening this evil, a short chapter has been prefixed to the following history, containing the name of the Grecian states, and the chief places mentioned as connected with them. And it may perhaps be found that, by giving children a lesson in the ancient geography of Greece, before they begin to study its history ; and making them as well acquainted with the divisions of the country as they are with those of England, they may be better able to comprehend what otherwise might appear

6 PREFACE.

only a confused account of petty wars ; — uninteresting, and unimportant.

The facts contained in the history have been mainly derived from the work of Bishop ThirlwalL

GEOGRAPHY OE GREECE, &c,

Countries.

Attica .

Megaris Bceotia .

Phocis .

Locri Epicnemidii

Locri Opuntii.

Locri Ozolae .

Doris.

iEtolia.

Acarnania,

Thessalia

GEECIAN STATES.

Chief Towns, &c.

Athens, with its ports,— Piraeus, Phaleruin, and Munychia. Eleusis, Decelea, Marathon. The river Ilissus, Mount Pentelicus, Mount Parnes.

Megara.

Thebes, Platsea, Leuctra, Cheronaea, Thespia, Tanagra, Mount Cithaeron, Mount Helicon.

Delphi, Mount Parnassus.

Alpeni.

Amphissa, Naupactus.

Thermopylae, Demetrias, the Yale of Tempe, the district of Magnesia, Mount Olympus, Mount (Eta, Mount Ossa, the Hills of Cynoscephalae.

Achaia, Argolis Elia

Laconia Corinthia Sicyonia Arcadia

THE PELOPONNESUS.

Olympia,

Ithome, Messehe.

Sparta, Helos, Sellasia, the river Eurotas.

Corinth.

Sicyon.

Mantinea, Megalopolis.

Macedonia . . Pydna, Amphipolis, the Peninsula of Chalcidice, containing the towns of Olynthus and Potidaea.

Thrace . . . The peninsula called Chersonesus, containing the towns of ^Egos Potami and Sestos. The river Strymon.

Epirus . . . The district of Molossia, Dodona.

Illyria.

Italy . . . Crotona, Ehegium.

Sicily (Island) . Syracuse, Segesta, Selinus, Catana.

Eubcea (Island) . Eretria, Chalcis, Artemisium.

Lesbos (Island) . Mitylene.

The islands of Salarais, JEgina, Thera, Melos, Delos, Paros, Andros, Scyros, Crete, Corcyra, Ithaca, Samos, Zacynthus, Cephallenia. The three small islands of Arginusae off the coast of iEolis in Asia Minor. Sphacteria (off the coast of Laconia.)

GEOGRAPHY OF GREECE.

ASIA MINOR.

Countries.

Chief Towns, &o.

Pamphilia .

. The river Eurymedon.

Mysia .

. Lainpsacus, Abydcs.

Jjithynla.

Lydia .

. Sardis, Magnesia. The river Pactolus,

Ionia .

. Miletus, Ephesus.

Caria .

. Myus.

Cilicia .

. Issus.

^lolis.

PERSIA, ItfDIA, &a

Media .

. Ecbatana.

Susiana

. Susa.

Parthia.

Sogdiana

. The river Oxus.

Bactriana.

Gedrosia.

Armenia.

Assyria

. Babylon, Arbela or Gaugamela.

Phoenicia

. Tyre.

Palestine

. Jerusalem.

The rivers Hydas ipes, Zaradrus, and Indus.

EGYPT.

The desert of Libya, and the city of Alexandria.

The Pontus Euxinus; now called the Black Sea. The Propontis ; now the sea of Marmora.

The iEgean Sea; now the Archipelago.

The Hellespont (straits connecting the Propontis with the J2gean Set); now the Straits of the Dardanelles.

Contents

pa as

CHAPTEE I.

The Siege of Troy ...... 13

CHAPTER I. THE SIEGE OF TROY. b. c. 1184

The History of Greece is more confused at first than that of many other countries. It goes back into years so long past away, that we cannot learn any thing certain about them ; and, instead of being the account of what happened to one great nation, it tells us of the events which befel several small states.

Greece is in the south-east of Europe. If we were to describe it now, we should say that it is bounded on the north by Turkey ; on the east by the Archipelago and Asia-Minor ; and on the south and west by the Mediterranean. In former times the Archipelago was called the iEgeum Mare, or iEgean Sea ; and Turkey was divided into Macedonia, Illyria, Thrace, Epirus, and other kingdoms.

Greece is a beautiful and fertile country, producing olives, vines, figs, corn, and all the necessaries of life ; and, being so far to the south, the climate is very warm and pleasant. But it must have been much more beautiful in ancient days, 2 when it contained a number of cities and towns, adorned with splendid buildings ; besides temples ornamented with rows of pillars, and statues, and carvings. These things are now in ruins, but even the portions that are left are far superior to the works of the present day : for the Greeks were especially famous for their skill and taste ; and, indeed, no nation has ever equalled them in these respects.

The southern part of Greece was in ancient days called the Peloponnesus. It is joined to the northern part by the Isthmus of Corinth.

The whole country, but particularly the Peloponnesus, is full of mountains, which seem to have been the natural cause of the number of small states ; since they shut in the people who lived in the valleys, something in the same way as walls shut in the inhabitants of a town. There are a great many rivers in Greece, but they are narrow, and generally dry in the summer. The sea flows round Greece on three sides, and, as it is encircled by a great number of lovely islands, we may well imagine that the inhabitants soon learnt the use of ships and boats, and made voyages from their own land to visit those who dwelt so near them. The animals of Greece were very much the same as ours, except that there were wild boars, and wolves, and bears, amongst the forests and hills, which persons who were bold and hardy used to take pleasure in hunting.

The people who first dwelt in Greece were descended from Japhet the son of Noah. It was from him that all the original inhabitants of Europe came ; as the greater part of Asia was peopled by the children of Shem, and Africa by the children of Ham.

Thus we are told in the Bible that " the sons of Noah that went forth out of the ark, were Shem, and Ham, and Japhet ; — and of them was the whole earth overspread." *

"We do not know how many years passed after the deluge before Greece was peopled, but we learn from ancient writers that the earliest inhabitants were the Pelasgi. They do not appear to have been at all like the savage tribes we read of as being found in parts of America, or Australia, or New Zealand ; for they are said to have understood how to cultivate their land, and keep sheep, and carry on a trade with the neighbouring countries ; and their buildings, though they were very rough, were so strong that the ruins are to be seen in these days. The Greeks used themselves to believe that the old castles of the Pelasgi were the work of a race of giants called Cyclops, for they could not imagine it possible that such huge stones could have been put together by common men.

The next race of people whom we hear of as inhabiting Greece were the Hellenes ; from them the whole country used to be called Hellas. The name of Greece was given to it by the Romans. It is supposed that the Hellenes came from the west, and gained possession of the country by degrees ; not conquering all at once, but living amongst the Pelasgi, and being mixed up with them, until at length, from being only a small tribe, they became masters of the whole land. They were not governed by one king any more than the Pelasgi. There were still different states having their own rulers, though they all spoke nearly the same language. It is also said, that by this time colonies of strangers had settled in Greece from Egypt and Asia, but we know very little about them. The only fact we are quite sure of is, that the Greeks learnt how to form

* Genesis ix. 18, 19.

the letters of their alphabet from the Phoenicians who dwelt on the coasts of Asia-Minor. This gives us an idea that they must have been accustomed to trade with the Phoenicians and be a good deal with them.

All these ancient people were idolaters. Their gods were supposed to have their abodes upon the top of a high mountain called Olympus, between Thessaly and Macedonia. The chief of all was Zeus, but there were a great number of inferior deities ; indeed, the Greeks seem to have taken delight in fancying that every town, and river, and hill, had a god or goddess of its own. These special gods are called tutelary deities. The Greeks also supposed that at some peculiar places the will of the gods was declared to persons who went to ask it. They built temples on these spots, and paid great respect to the priests and priestesses who had the charge of them. The most famous of the Oracles, as they were termed, were those of Dodona in Epirus, and Delphi in Phocis. The god Zeus was worshipped at Dodona, and Apollo at Delphi.

There are a great many wonderful stories told of the events which took place in these early times, but there is only one which it is necessary to mention here — the account of the siege of Troy.

Troy was a city of Asia-Minor, and the capital of a small state called Troas. It stood near the sea coast, and was surrounded by strong high walls. About the time when the Israelites were governed by judges, Troy was governed by a king named Priam, Paris, the son of Priam, travelled to Greece, and there was very kindly received by Menelaus king of Sparta, one of the chief cities in Peloponnesus. But instead of being grateful for the attentions which were shown to him, Paris was wicked enough, when he went back to Troy, to carry away with him the beautiful wife of Menelaus — a lady called Helen. Menelaus, as may well be supposed, was exceedingly angry, and so were all his friends, and they agreed to join their armies and go to besiege Troy. For ten years they tried in vain to break down the walls of the city ; and, at last, when they found that all their endeavours were of no use, they formed a plan for getting into it secretly. They made a great hollow wooden horse, which they filled with armed men, and having done this, the whole Grecian army moved away, as if they were intending to give up their attempt. The people of Troy were quite deceived, and very foolishly were persuaded by a man, who was in reality a Greek, but who pretended to be a friend of the Trojans, to make a breach in the wall and take the horse in. They thought then that all their troubles were at an end. But when it became dark night, the soldiers who were hidden inside the wooden horse stole out very quietly, and went as quickly as they could to the gates, and opened them. The Greek armies had returned by this time and were waiting outside the walls. As soon as the gates were opened they rushed in, killed the inhabitants, plundered their houses, and, at last, burned the city to the ground. And thus ended this long war : — b.c. 1184. Almost all that we know about it is from the writings of Homer, the oldest of the Greek poets, who composed two beautiful poems, called the Iliad and the Odyssey. The Iliad describes the war and the siege of Troy ; and the Odyssey tells of the adventures which befel Ulysses, king of the Isle of Ithaca, as he was returning from Troy to his own country.

Chapter II. The Return Of The Heracleids

ABOUT B. C. 1124.

The next great change which took place in Greece was the invasion of the southern part of the country, or Peloponnesus, — so named from Pelops an ancient Greek prince, — by a tribe known as the Heracleids, or descendants of Hercules. The Heracleids are called Dorians, from their having dwelt in Doris in the north of Greece ; but it was always said that they originally came from Peloponnesus, and had a right to return there.

The following is the account which the ancient Greek writers give of these people. We shall see at once, that like almost all old histories of this kind it cannot be quite true.

Hercules, the ancestor of the Heracleids, was said to have been the son of the god Zeus ; for the Greeks were very fond of fancying that their great heroes were descended from the gods. They declared he was stronger than any person who ever lived ; and they kept an account of some of his wonderful deeds which were called the twelve labours of Hercules. The mother of Hercules was supposed to have been the grand-daughter of a king of Argos in Peloponnesus, and Hercules therefore had a right to be king of that state. One of his cousins, however, who was his great enemy, took possession of the throne, and treated Hercules very shamefully during his life, and after his death drove all his children away from Argos. They went for safety to Attica, another Grecian state to the north of Peloponnesus; and Eurystheus, their cruel cousin, followed them with a great army. The people of

Attica were friends to the Heracleids, and helped them in their distress ; and when a battle was fought, the Heracleids conquered, and Eurystheus fled away in his chariot. He was overtaken in a narrow pass amongst great rocks, by Hyllus, the eldest son of Hercules, and there slain. Then the Heracleids returned in triumph to Argos ; but they were not allowed to stay there very long. A dreadful plague broke out which destroyed an immense number of people, and as the chief persons in Argos believed it was a sign that the gods were angry with them, they sent to the Oracle at Delphi, to ask the cause The answer given them was, that the plague was sent because the Heracleids had returned to Argos too soon. Of course after such a warning they did not dare remain, and once more they left their country and went to Attica.

Several years went by after this, and then Hyllus, the eldest of the race of Hercules, sent again to the Oracle of Delphi, to know if the time had arrived when they might go back to Argos. " Wait," replied the Oracle, " for the third crop, and then return by the Straits." The Heracleids thought they understood this. They waited for three years, till three crops or harvests had been gathered in ; and then they set out for their ancient home across the Isthmus of Corinth. But they were met by the inhabitants of Peloponnesus and defeated. Again and again they tried, and still they never could succeed. More than a hundred years passed during these misfortunes. Hyllus died, and his son ; and it might have been thought that the Heracleids, having suffered so many disappointments, would have given up all idea of being restored to their country. But in the third generation, that is, in the time of the grandson of Hyllus, the Oracle of Delphi was once more consulted, and the answer given before was made clear. " The third crop,* meant the third generation, and by " the Straits," it was intended that they were to pass over to Peloponnesus by sea, and not by land. Then, at last, the Heracleids gained their wishes, and. having crossed the Straits, defeated their enemies, and took possession, not only of Argos, but of the whole of Peloponnesus.

This was the story told by the Grecian poets, but all that we can really believe about it is, that the Dorians did really cross over to Peloponnesus and settle themselves there by degrees.

After this, no great change took place for a great many years. The different states of Greece were like persons belonging to one family, living apart, and often quarrelling with each other, but still not liking strangers to interfere with them. They worshipped the same gods, and consulted the same oracles ; and in order to decide questions which concerned all, or many of the states, they chose particular persons to meet together at stated times and settle what was to be done. These persons formed what was called Amphictyonies, or Amphictyonic councils. There were several of these councils, but the most celebrated is that which used to meet twice a year to arrange all affairs concerning the temple at Delphi.

The Greeks, however, did not keep entirely to their own land and the islands near it. Some of the ancient people, who were driven out of Peloponnesus when the Heracleids or Dorians took possession of the country, went over to Asia-Minor, and settled themselves near the coast ; and in time others followed their example. The Greeks were always inclined to be restless, and to like moving to new places ; and by degrees there were Greek states and cities not only in Asia-Minor, but also in Sicily, and the south of Italy, and the island of Cyprus, and even in Egypt, and Libya, in Africa. The different states were also in the habit of founding colonies in the countries adjoining Greece. There were several of these colonies on the coast of Macedonia. A strong feeling of union existed between the colonies and the state from which they came. The colonies were careful to help what was called the mother-country, whenever it was in any distress. The same gods, it was believed, watched over them both. And in order to remind themselves that they were still one people, the colonies, when they left their native place, were accustomed to carry with them a portion of a fire which the Greeks kept burning in the council hall of the city, where the magistrates met ; and which was therefore considered sacred. This fire they managed to keep lighted, whilst they were on their voyage or journey, and then it was used for the same purpose as before in their new home. It was also a rule amongst them, that if the colonies, in their turn, wished to found new cities in distant countries, the leader of the expedition was always to be brought from the mother country. These colonies greatly increased the power of the Greeks, but they also frequently brought them into difficulties. As they were settled in foreign countries, the monarchs of those countries often interfered with them, and this brought on a war with the parent state. It would not be easy for us to have cities scattered about as the Greeks had ; but in those days, many of the lands near Greece were only inhabited by barbarous tribes, and it was not difficult to land on their coasts and build a town. The difficulty was to keep these towns afterwards, when the tribes were more civilised and united under one king.

But that which more than anything else made the states look upon themselves as one nation, was their custom of all meeting together, at stated times, to amuse themselves with public games.

There were four different kinds of these public ■ games : the Olympic, the Pythian, the Isthmian, and the Nemean. The Olympic were the most celebrated ; indeed the fame of them spread all over the world.

The place where these games were held was a lovely valley, shut in by mountains, and by two rivers, in the state of Elis, in Peloponnesus. For ages and ages this spot was considered sacred. The Greeks thought that it was peculiarly blessed by Zeus, the chief of their gods ; and the people of Elis were allowed to live quietly in times of war, and to enjoy themselves in their homes without being disturbed, because no one liked to interfere with a state in which there was a place so sacred as Olympia.

There is little now to be seen in the plain of Olympia but a few ruins of brick. The mountains stand as they did in the old times, and trees flourish upon them year after year, and the rivers flow in the same tracks ; but all the great buildings and statues have crumbled to dust, and the valley is silent and deserted.

It was very different in the ancient days when the Greeks were a great people. Every fourth year, when the summer days were long, and the moon was bright and full, crowds from all the various Grecian states, and from the colonies in Europe, Africa, and Asia, hastened to Olympia to amuse themselves with the public games, and do honour to the great Olympian Zeus. The temple of the god stood in the middle of the sacred ground. It was a beautiful building, ornamented on the outside with carved figures of sculpture, for which the

Greeks were always famous. A golden statue of Victory was placed in front, and a golden vase at each end of the roof. Beneath the statue hung a shield likewise of gold. Within the temple was the dgure of the god, the work of one of the most famous sculptors that ever lived. It was of an enormous size, and made of ivory and gold ; the ivory was coloured so as to look like flesh. Precious stones, and painting, and gold adorned not only the figure of the gud but the throne on which he sat ; and the whole looked so dazzling and wonderful, that the Greeks forgot that the image was made by the hands of a human being, and they worshipped it. There were several buildings at Olympia besides the temple : in one the victors in the games dined ; in another the regulations relating to the games were made ; and others contained treasures — offerings, from the various states.

But the public games brought people to Olympia, as well as the respect paid to Zeus. The Greeks indeed thought that they showed their devotion to the god by going to these festivals which were dedicated to him ; and the greatest honour which any one could have was to gain the prize on such occasions. There were chariot races, and horse races, and foot races, and boxing and wrestling matches, all of which seem to us of very little importance, but which the Giceks thought of great consequence. And yet the prize wnich was given was only a garland made of the leaves of the wild olive. For the Greeks cared more for nonour than riches, — and no one who had gained the olwe wreath at the Olympic games would have parted with it for thousands of pounds.

It was the same at the Pythian, and Isthmian, and Nemean games. Persons were very anxious to gain the prizes, but only because it was an honour to do so.

The Pythian games were held near Delphi, in honour of a victory supposed to have been gained by the god Apollo over a great serpent. The prize given was a wreath of laurel.

The Isthmian games were so named because they were celebrated p on the Isthmus of Corinth. They were held in honour of Poseidon (called Neptune by the Romans), the god of the sea, and the prize was a wreath of pine leaves.

St. Paul makes mention of these games in his first epistle to the Corinthians ; where he tells the early Christians who lived in the City of Corinth, that they were to strive as hard to obtain heaven, as other persons did to obtain the fading crown or wreath of the public games.

The prize of the Nemean games was a wreath of parsley. These games were celebrated on the plains of Nemea, in the state of Argolis, in Peloponnesus. They were in honour of Hercules, who was said to have killed a savage lion in a forest near.

After some time the Greeks used to date their history from the years when the Olympic games were celebrated. They began to do this about the year b.c. 776, and every four years they called an Olympiad. In speaking, therefore, of any particular event, instead of saying as we might, — it happened so many years after the world was created, or so many years before the birth of our Lord, they would say — it happened in the first, second, or third year of such an Olympiad.

CHAPTER III. THE LAWS OF LYCURGUS. b. o. 884

T would be very confusing to give an account of ach of the Grecian states separately, neither is it necessary, since there were two, which were always considered the chief; and in learning their history we at the same time learn the principal events which took place in the others.

It may, however, be desirable to give a list of the chief divisions of Greece, as it will make the history which follows more clear. In Peloponnesus, or Southern Greece, were Laconia, Messenia, Elis, Arcadia, Argolis, Corinth, Sicyon, and Achaia.

In Greece Proper, or Northern Greece, were Attica, Megaris, Boeotia, Phocis, iEtolia, Locris, Doris, Acarnania, and Thessaly. We shall perhaps gain a better idea of the country by remembering that these divisions were not larger than many of our English counties. The small size of Greece is indeed very remarkable. The whole country was not more than 250 miles in length, and 180 in breadth.

A division sometimes consisted of several small states, so independent of each other that they would often make peace or war by themselves ; and yet united together, in other respects, and governed by the same magistrates. There were, for instance, fourteen little states in Boeotia, which were all governed by a number of magistrates, called Boeotarchs, chosen from all the states every year. Thebes was the principal of these states, and the others were considered its subjects. But this arrangement naturally caused a great deal of disturbance. The 3 little states still thought themselves free, and whenever they chose they made an alliance with the people of some distant city or district, and then the inhabitants of the chief state became very angry, and often war was the consequence. It is necessary also to remember that the chief state is often spoken of by itself, when, in fact, the little states were joined with it. In the same way as we often now talk of England's making war or peace, when we mean not England alone, but Scotland, Ireland, and Wales also. This is particularly the case in regard to Thebes.

The principal events of Grecian history are, however, connected with the two great cities of Athens and Sparta. Sparta was the capital of the state of Laconia in Peloponnesus. The Heracleids or Dorians settled themselves there, when first they invaded Peloponnesus ; and though they allowed the people who had lived in the country before they came to remain, yet they made them pay tribute, and would not let them help in the government. In fact the Dorians treated the people they had conquered very much in the same way as the Normans, under William the Conqueror, treated the Anglo-Saxons, after the battle of Hastings.

The Dorians who lived in the city were called Spartans, and the conquered people, Lacedaemonians. But in speaking of them — especially in describing the battle which they fought — they are often called by one name — Spartans. The true Spartans always, however, considered themselves superior to the Lacedaemonians. They were in fact the nobles of the country. There was one town in Laconia which would not yield to the Spartans. This was Helos, a place near the sea-coast. The inhabitants, it is said, tried very much to keep their freed )m ; but endeavours were of no use ; and they were not only conquered like the rest of the inhabitants of Laconia, but were made slaves for ever.

The Spartans were hard masters, and though probably they were not as cruel to the Helots as some writers have declared, yet we know that many of the laws respecting these slaves were very severe. A Helot was forced to live always in the same place, and to wear a peculiar dress, and was kept so distinct from the Spartans that he did not dare even to sing a Spartan song.

The Helots, in consequence of these hardships, were often inclined to rebel, and the Spartans were always suspecting them. It has been asserted that every year a number of young Spartans were ordered to go about the country secretly, with daggers, and kill every Helot who was remarkable for cleverness or strength, or was likely to make a disturbance in the country. On one occasion, when the Spartans were afraid that the Helots intended to rebel, they sent for the bravest and best, who had distinguished themselves in war, pretending that they were going to reward them by making them free ; and when two thousand had assembled, full of joy and gratitude, the cruel Spartans caused them all to be killed.

The Spartans indeed were always a severe, determined people, having customs and manners which made them in many ways unlike other nations ; and as their country was shut in by mountains, they lived a good deal to themselves, and became too proud of their own laws and government to have any wish to improve them.

The person who is supposed to have quite fixed the peculiar habits of the Spartans was Lycurgus, the younger son of a Spartan king, named Eunomus. Lycurgus is said to have lived about 900 years before the birth of our Blessed Saviour, about the same time that king Jehoshaphat was reigning in Judea. Polydectes, the elder son of Eunomus, came to the throne after his father, and died before a child which he was expecting was actually born to him ; so that it seemed as if Lycurgus had a claim to succeed. But Lycurgus was too honourable to take possession of any dignity that might not strictly be his. He therefore told the queen, his brother's widow, that if, when her child was born, it should be a boy, he would not attempt to take the crown for himself, but would only be guardian to the little infant, until he should be old enough to rule for himself. One evening as he was sitting at supper with the magistrates of the city, some messengers came to him, bringing with them a little prince, just born. Lycurgus did not show the least annoyance, but taking the baby in his arms, he laid him in the seat set apart for the king, and turning to the persons present, exclaimed : " Spartans ! a king is born to us." Then, to show how truly glad he was himself, and how much the people ought to rejoice, he gave to the infant the name of " Charilaus," or " People's joy."