Hieu 201 - Liberty University PDF

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What is Western Civilization? The civilizations of Europe and the Americas, influenced by the Greeks, Romans, Jews, and the church, which changed and developed over the course of history from the ancient Greeks to the post-enlightenment This course goes from What is History? History is the story of mankind’s attempts to survive, develop, and grow. It is a narrative of the past, but more than that is a reconstruction of the past. Finding what truly happened, what the real story is. It is very complex, but knowing it helps us grow and learn as we advance. Egyptian vs Mesopotamian Societal Foundations There are many differences between these early civilizations. And these differences actually hail from the one thing they have in common; religion. The Egyptians are situated in an area that is stable, with regular and predictable events, and suitable for life. This leads the Egyptians to view their gods as loving and protective of them as a people group and this influences Egyptian society in the way they interact with others, deal with death, learn, etc. But the Mesopotamians live in an area that is unpredictable, an area subject to random natural disasters, war, etc leads the Mesopotamian religions to be pessimistic. This also influences their culture and how they engage with each other and their neighbors. Timeline: Creation c. 4000-10,000 BC

Greek Golden Age 5th Century BC

Flood ? BC

Alexander the Great

Tower of Babel ? BC

Hellenic Age

Sumerians, first known civilization c. 3000-3500 BC

Greco-Roman Age

Akkadians c. 2334 BC

Birth of Christ c. 0 AD

Abraham c. 2100 BC

John’s Revelation c. 100 AD

Babylon c. 1894 BC

Roman Republic c. 509 BC

Hittites c. 1600 BC

Roman Empire c. 27 BC -

Exodus c. 1500 BC Phoenicians c. 1200 BC Assyrians c. 1250 BC King David c. 1000 BC Jonah c. 786 BC Homer c. 700 BC Neo-Babylon c. 626 BC

Babylonian Captivity c. 586 BC Persia c. 550 BC Persian Wars c. 490-479 BC Samaria The Sumerians created the first writing system, and have some of the oldest stories and poems. They also invented a 60 based math system, same as we use for keeping time. They had a powerful army and quickly advanced both scientifically and militarily, but vanished after integrating into nearby societies, adopting other religions, customs, etc. Akkadians The Akkadians continued the developments of the Sumerians, with further development in government. Establishing more cities and regions and systems to govern said cities in regions. Additionally the established the first known postal service. Babylon The first Babylonian empire created the Code of Hammurabi, the oldest known written law code/code of justice, which has had tremendous impact on laws of the Middle East and the West. Hittites The Hittites where the first to develop iron. Though many groups would still use bronze for tools and weapons for hundreds and even thousands of years. Phoenicians The Phoenicians where the first society to develop an alphabet, rather than a writing style that was dependent on pictures and drawings. Assyrians More successful at empire building than any society yet, the Assyrian capital was Nineveh. The Assyrians used terror and cruelty to bend their subjects into submission, conducting public torture and executions. This is largely why Jonah didn’t want to go to Nineveh. The Assyrians’ pure brutality and evil would make going to their capital and criticizing their ways a death wish. Neo-Babylonians (also known as the Chaldeans [Cal-dee-ans]) Mesopotamia developed further under the Neo-Babylonians. One of the most famous kings was Nebuchadnezzar, and under Neo-Babylonian rule the region developed greatly in the field of agriculture as well as urban life. Part of urban development was the creation of city courts which had an assembly

of judges similar to a jury, and the establishment of trade guilds for craftsmen which used collective bargaining to secure better deals. Persia Unlike the Assyrian Empire, the Persians allowed more freedom and autonomy which kept subjects happy. The Persians allowed people to keep their religions, customs, and many of their leaders. The Persians understood that subjects must be somewhat happy or they will surely revolt. The Persians also had a very large and ordered system for government, and this system as well their style of rule would influence future empires. The Persian Empire was the largest and longest lasting empire in the ancient world. The campaign lasted 25 years and secured an empire that reached from the west bank of the Nile, as far east as India’s Hindu Kush, and as far north as Armenia and the north western bank of the Black Sea. The Persians had large cities with specialized labor, organized government that included highways and a system of provinces and governors, an efficient language and writing system, monumental architecture, a religion with a system of moral values, and a strong military. The Hebrews Known as the Hebrews, the Israelites, and the Jews, they have an incredibly unique history both inside and outside the Bible. The Hebrews were completely different than the regional neighbors. While their neighbors worships hundreds and even thousands of gods within nature, the Hebrews worship one God outside of nature. While their neighbors valued human life and human dignity very little, the Hebrews expressed a level of value and importance of human life and human rights unheard of in that region of the world. The Hebrews had a robust economy which dominated the region and writing and poetry was in a renaissance. The study of the Hebrews remains invaluable to historians due to their welldocumented history and their continued bloodline. No other people group from history has been so well documented as the Hebrews. It provides insight into how man viewed his position in the universe, the struggles of the average person, a firsthand account of the political and military events, and the Hebrew legacy is the Western Tradition. The very foundation of Western Civilization is based on the Hebrew view of law, morality, and nature. Hence the term “Judaic-Christian values,” because even the Christian values find their foundation and core with Judaic principles. Most historians hold the view that the Bible is important as it provides valuable insight into the ancient world, but they do not believe that it is God’s word. One of the biggest arguments made to this point is that it was not written by research historians and therefore is not accurate. But the issue with this argument is that it places a 21st century standard on an ancient work that was written before research historians even existed. But there are arguments that can be made that establish reliability.

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The Bible was written (with the exception of some of the earlier books such as Genesis) by people with firsthand experience as events happened The Bible, unlike other historical texts from the region, does not try to edit out embarrassing or unflattering aspects of history. Which is contrary to how civilizations surrounding them behaved

Legacy of the Hebrews: How the Hebrews were unique and contrasted with their neighbors, revolutionizing thought  View of God  Monotheistic (one god)  Sovereign (not bound by anyone or anything)  Transcendent (not a part of nature of creation)  Good (does not exist simply to enslave humanity)  View of Man  Created by God (personal creation in God’s image/personal relationship, given free will, aspect we share with God)  Ethical system and moral choice (free will to choose between right and wrong)  Dignity and autonomy (human lives and choices matter)  Covenant  Blessings and judgements (known by God’s word, blessings and judgments are not random and do not change by God’s mood)  Entire nation (community responsibility to behave, not just a single king or priest)  Justice (God’s law applies to everyone equally and does not change with wealth or status)  Hebrew Historiography  View history as linear (history has a beginning which leads to an ultimate end)  Purposeful (history has a purpose and lesson to teach)  Past, present and future (holding prophesy as reliable and as trustworthy as recorded history)  Prophets  Social justice (equality in treatment of others, charity, love , etc)  Universalism (Hebrew God is God of the universe, not just themselves)  Individualism (each person is unique and can play a role in serving God)  Hebrew Scriptures  Legal codes  Poetry  Music

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Basis for Christianity  Jesus was a Jew and His teachings reflect and draw from the Old Testament Messianic Future  The desire for a savior to save mankind

Ancient Greek Development and Influences The Ancient Greeks were greatly shaped by the environment that they lived in. Greek society was closely intertwined with the ocean due to the many islands and large coastlines. The climate is mild and ideal for human survival, and the land is fertile for the growth of crops. The Greeks were also intertwined with the many mountains that surround them. The many isolated islands and mountains caused Greek society to develop not into nations but into independent and separate city states. Each having their own unique culture and specializations. The Spartans were known for their military culture and warrior society, Athens was known for their culture (art, music, food, etc) and philosophy. Another influence on Greek society was the ancient Phoenicians who brought boats and oceanic trade to the Greeks as well as an alphabet. The Mycenaeans and Minoans also had great influence in Greek development. They helped shape the architecture and engineering that is famous in Greece. They introduced large and intricate stone buildings rather than wooden ones, and built some of the first aqueducts. Homer Homer is known as the “shaper of the Greek spirit,” as he articulated a universal order to the world and the ideas of individual excellence. Homer also introduced some of greatest mythologies and stories of the gods. Polis The polis is very unique to Greek culture. The polis was an independent city that functioned as its own nation. It had a government, a military, and a culture that is unique to it. The polis also had a central gathering place for the citizens to come and meet/govern, worship, and trade. Another aspect of the polis is how the citizenship worked. To be a citizen you had to be male, born in the polis to a father who is also a citizen, and own property. Because of this the populations of the polis where very screwed, with a minority of people controlling the majority. Slaves, women, foreigners, and native men without land had little to no influence in the decision making. Patriotism was also a part of the polis, and the polis patriotism was quite radical. Sparta

Athens and Sparta are the two civilizations mentioned the most because of their extreme differences. While Athens was democratic, emphasized culture and thought, and sought to place themselves over others, the Spartans were militaristic, and their culture focused not on thought and sport but on selfdefense and the military might needed to keep the slave population in check. Spartan boys were pressed into military training at the age of 7, and from their first day at training were subjected to brutal training and abuse. Homosexuality was rampant in the Spartan culture, and usually began when the boys first entered training and were abused by their commanders. The Spartan men were some of the greatest fighters the world has ever known, and they were feared throughout the region. Spartan men and boys who were week and unable to fight on par with the rest were either killed or banished. Spartan women enjoyed a high level of freedom that was unheard of in the time period. The women could own property and conduct business, and did not have to be accompanied by their fathers or husbands as women in Athens were. Women were expected to have a contribution to the society. Sparta had a large slave population, and this is the primary reason for the Spartan military. To keep the slaves in check and stop them from rebelling. Cultural Achievement During the Greek golden age the Athenians excelled at architecture, writing, theater, music, philosophy, mathematics, art, medicine, and every other field known to man at the time. Democracy Democracy was an ingrained part of Athenian society, and had been for many generations all the way back to Solon the reformer in the early 6th century. Athenian democracy reached its peak during the golden age following the Persian war. During this mature period the Athenians reached a pure democracy where every citizen voted on each law proposed. It had the Council of 500, which managed ports and other aspects of the city while setting agendas for the general assembly. The assembly was led by Pericles, and his leadership has caused many to refer to the golden age as “the age of Pericles.” In Athens the state represented a community of free, selfgoverning citizens, and embodied the principle of the legal state (which says that government

derives power from law and not from force). This included a constitution, citizenship, equality before the law, and political discourse. Peloponnesian War Leading up to the Peloponnesian War the Athenians were running the Delian league which is a large collection of states that allied together following the end of the Persian war. But Athens used their leadership to extort money from other cities and use the Delian league to their own advantage. In response to this the Spartans, wishing to be left alone, formed the Peloponnesian league. This league worked to defend member states not only from the Persians but also against the Athenians. As Athens continued to expand their power further and further into Greece and the surrounding areas the Spartans felt unsafe and began the Peloponnesian war. Most Notable Greek Contributions -

Reason: The Greeks not only developed many of the longest standings philosophies but they also contributed the system of thinking and questioning that would lead to the creation of countless philosophies throughout time

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Freedom:

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Political freedom: The Greeks developed political freedom in the Polis, the idea of having an assembly, votes, representation, etc.

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Ethical freedom: Though the Hebrews were the first to emphasize free will and human life, equality before the law, etc. The Greeks were the first to argue it out and show reasons for this aside from religious ones.

Humanism: Greek humanism placed emphasis on human ability and greatness. It valued the betterment of people and becoming the best you can be in academic fields, physical fitness, emotional balance, etc. It also greatly removed the influence of religion on human history and focused on man’s actions.

Alexander the Great Born 356BC as the son of Philip II the Macedon, a personal student of Aristotle, he was a general and King of Macedonia. He forged an empire that would become one of the largest in human history. Stretching from Greece south through Egypt, through the Middle East and Asia Minor, as far east as

India. It began as a desire for vengeance against the Persians but developed into an obsession for conquest and world domination.

His conquest was achieved through a variety of means. When he took over a land he considered the conquered people as equals to his own people of Macedonia, and his government treated his subjects well. This made people willing to follow him, and his army consisted of people from countless nations and city states. As he conquered land he left a lasting legacy. He did with his military what no military had done before and his strategies are still studied to this day. It would inspire many leaders through history including Napoleon Bonaparte. Another aspect of his legacy was his blending of cultures. Due to his studying under Aristotle he believed that peoples should blend together, combining the best of every culture. By treating his conquered people with respect and by encouraging his men to intermarry, it gave rise to an era known as the Hellenistic Age, in which Greek culture mixed with its surroundings and spurred a golden age in economics, philosophy (in particular Stoicism, which was adopted by the Romans), science, medicine, history, writing, and art. Trade in the region exploded in scale, and cities in the Macedonian Empire could buy and sell wares from around the globe. This cosmopolitan society also lead to the adoption of koine Greek, the language of the New Testament.

Many Christian scholars make the case that God allowed Alexander’s conquest and perhaps even handed Alexander his victories so that the region would have a common tongue in time for the coming of the Messiah. When Alexander died at the age of 33 his empire was divided into Hellenistic Kingdoms. The Kingdom of Lysimachus, the Kingdom of Cassander, the Kingdom of Antigonus, the Kingdom of Ptolemy, and the Kingdom of Seleucus.

Hellenic vs Hellenistic Society: Society’s epicenter is the Polis, and all things are for the good of citizens of the Polis by birthright

Society does not have a single center and all people are members of the society

The Polis is for the good of the citizens, free land owning Greek men of blood decent

Cosmopolitan society with men and women intermingling, and people from other cultures and lands are equal

Trade is regional

Trade is global

Each Polis has its own culture that is Though regional culture is kept, the deemed better than the others, and best of all the societies under the each Polis remains highly empire is mixed, and the independent

Rome in Context Hebrew civilization’s greatest influences on the west was their view on human dignity and individual importance/morality, as well as monotheism. The Greek civilization’s greatest influences on the west was rational thought/philosophy, and democracy. Rome’s greatest achievements and influences on the west was to transcend the narrow political orientation of the city-state and to create a world-state that unified the different nations of the Mediterranean would, to develop one of the largest and most consistent/pragmatic law systems in human history, and the introduction to the rest of Europe of Hellenistic culture.

Roman Republic One of the most interesting aspects of the Roman Republic is how it began as nothing more than a village spread across seven hills, to rule a 50,000,000 person empire in a matter of simply a few hundred years. This was done thanks in part to Rome’s strengths: -

Geography/Climate o Hills give Rome a natural defense o Fertile lands provide ample food o Tiber river helps provide trade and commerce 

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Rome is 20 miles from the sea, so Tiber river can bring sea trade but does not open Rome to sea warfare

Values o Influence from the Greeks to the South and Etruscans in the North o Concept of citizenship 

Though not everyone is socially equal Rome still extended benefits to all citizens

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Rome wished to integrate the best of each culture

o Character

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Tough, frugal, strong, serious, courageous, brave, honorable, persistent

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Loyalty to Rome

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“Paterfamilias” – father of the family, he runs the family but does so with benevolence. This extended outside of family and caused Romans to view their society as a large family and the leader of Rome to be the paterfamilias

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Pragmatism over philosophy

Government o Greatest evil in Roman society was the idea of all power being held by one person, and lead to the creation of government system that existed to stop that from ever happening

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