Classical Era (Meaning and Explanation)

We explain what the classical era and the periods in which it is divided. In addition, what are its general characteristics and how was its end.

CLASSICA COLISEO ARCHITECTURE ROMA — In the classical era it corresponds to the flowering of the Greco -Roman civilization.

What is the classical era?

The “classical era” or “classical antiquity” is A period of history located between high antiquity (when the first civilizations of ancient near East appeared) and low antiquity (the transition to the Middle Ages).

This period It corresponds to the flowering of the Greco -Roman culturelocated in the Mediterranean basin and the coasts of the Middle East. It includes the moment when Greek civilization reached its maximum artistic, philosophical, architectural and economic splendor and the development of the Hellenistic period, during which the Greek culture extended by the East and was, in turn, influenced by cultural elements of local cultures.

Also It includes the development of Roman culture in the Italian Peninsula and its conquest of the Mediterranean region and the Near East.

Both civilizations constitute a fundamental history of current western culture, because in its bosom institutions, practices and ways of thinking that continued to influence European societies for centuries.

Location of the classical time in time

The classical era Start in the 5th century BC. C.with the end of the war between the cities-states of ancient Greece and the Persian Empire. The Greek armies obtained the victory against the Persian invader. Thus a new feeling of greatness and cultural trust was founded among its inhabitants.

Depending on the sources consulted, this beginning It can be considered even earlier, in the seventh century BC. C.with the mythical foundation of Rome in 753 a. C.

Similarly, the classical era culminates in the 5th century d. C.with the Christianization of the Roman Empire of the West, its fall and disintegration before the invasion of the Germanic peoples of the north and east of Europe. From then on the Middle Ages begins.

Classical Greece (from 510 to 330 to. C.)

Between the eighth centuries and IV a. C., The Greek polis had a time of splendor, economic wealth and cultural development. Thebes, Athens, Corinth, Miletus and Sparta stood out for their artistic, architectural and military advances. In addition, they promoted the deepening of mathematical knowledge, philosophers and the study of nature. In Athens, the period that goes from 490 and 404 a. C. is known as the Golden agedue to its cultural, political and economic splendor.

The main features of the splendor of Greek culture were the following:

Philosophy. The philosophical discipline was born in the seventh century BC. C., and had its splendor during the 5th century. C. The thinkers questioned the origin of life and the functioning of nature, and exalted rational thinking to know and understand the world in which they lived. Plato and Aristotle, among other philosophers, are exponents of Greek classical philosophy.
Study of nature. Other thinkers, such as Heraclitus, Zenon, Anaxagoras, Parmenides or Empédocles studied other issues related to nature (such as astronomy or botany).
Medicine. From this era they date the studies of Alcmeón and Hipocrates, who investigated the human body and developed important advances in medicine.
Arts. During the classic period, there was a great promotion of arts. Some cities, such as Athens, became centers for artistic development, both for visual arts (such as sculpture) and for performing arts (such as theater). From this period dates the architecture of Fidias and the plays of Sophocles, Esquilo and Euripides.
Policy. Each polis maintained its political independence and established its own system of government. In Esparta, for example, an aristocratic government was established that had different magistrates (some temporary and other life). In Athens, a system of democratic government that incorporated the political participation of the people was developed for the first time in history.

You may be interested: First Agricultural Civilizations

In the second half of the 5th century BC. C., The rivalry between Athens and Sparta, the two most powerful polis, increased and generated the formation of two coalitions: The Delos League (Athenian) and the Peloponnese League (Spartan). The different polis of the region were aligned on one side or another and, from 431 a. C., they faced the Peloponnese war. By 404 a. C, the Delos League was finally defeated. However, these decades of war weakened all the polis that were involved in the conflict.

The Hellenistic period (from 330 to 146 a. C.)

Classical era — Alexander the Greek came to dominate Greece, Egypt, India, Persia and Central Asia.

Macedonia, located in northern Greece, was a kingdom of Greek culture that From the middle of the fourth century BC. C., its military expansion began. Filip II’s campaigns were victorious thanks to their innovative military tactics, which combined the use of cavalry and infantry. In 338 a. C., the Macedonians defeated the Athenians in the battle of Queronea and imposed themselves over the entire region. The Greek polis lost their autonomy and were subjected to the Corinthian League, headed by the Macedonians.

In 336 a. C., Alejandro Magno, son of Philip II, assumed the tronó and continued with the expansion campaigns initiated by his father. In a decade he managed to conquer vast territories and build the greatest empire, which covered the regions of Greece, Egypt, Anatolia, Levante, Mesopotamia and Central Asia (to the Indo River).

However, to Alejandro’s death, the struggles for succession ended up dismembering the empire in various kingdoms, whose borders were modified with the military future of the different political forces of the region.

Towards the 1st century a. C., the Roman Republic began its territorial expansion And he ended up conquering the Hellenistic kingdoms, weakened by internal disputes and constant military pressure.

This period was characterized by the formation of a new culture. With their military conquests, The Macedonians expanded the Greek culture by Asia and Egypt. In turn, this culture received the influence of oriental beliefs, values and styles. As a result of this combination, Hellenistic culture was developed. Its main characteristics were:

Language. In this period the Koiné: A Greek dialect combined with the different local languages. It worked like one Frank linguathat is, a language understood by all that facilitated communication between different peoples.
Culture and patronage. Cities such as Alexandria, Pergamum and Antioch enjoyed the importance of the Athens, Thebes and Sparta polis. Hellenistic cities stood out as cultural urban centers. Its rulers promoted the creation of educational institutions and libraries, and encouraged the arts. The patronage was also developed as a cultural relationship: the noble elites hired philosophers and scholars, and contributed to the development of scientific knowledge of mathematics, geography, medicine, philosophy or physical.
Religious syncretism. During the Hellenistic period, in the different kingdoms the local cults were combined, from the East (such as the cult of Serapis, Isis or Cibeles) with the classic pantheon of the gods and Greek mythology.

Ancient Rome

Ancient Rome was a civilization that was established in the Italic Peninsula and conquered much of Europe, North Africa and the Near East. Its history is usually divided into three stages, according to its form of government: monarchy (753-509 a. C.), Republic (509-27 a. C.) and Empire (27 BC.-476 AD).

Timeline of the classical era

5th century a. C.

Medical Wars (Greece Vs. Persia): 499-449 a. C.
Peloponnese War (Athens Vs. Sparta): 431-404 a. C.

Fourth century a. C.

Corinth War (Sparta vs. Athens, Argos, Corinth, etc.): 395-387 AC
Start of the Macedonian invasion: 346 a. C.
Death of Alexander the Great: 323 AC
Macedonia division in three kingdoms from 301 a. C.

1st century a. C.

Rome conquers the Samnitas, Etruscos and Gauls between 280 and 275 a. C.
Punic wars begin in 264 a. C.
Macedonic wars begin in 214 a. C.

Second century a. C.

End of Macedonic Wars in 148 a. C.
End of Punic Wars in 146 a. C.
Syrian wars (192-188 BC), Rome conquer Asia Minor.

1st century a. C.

Creation The Roman Empire in 27 a. C.
Julio-Claudia dynasty (27 BC.-69 AD)

1st century d. C.

Flavia dynasty (69-96 d. C.)
Antonina dynasty (96-180 AD)

Second century d. C.

The Roman Empire reaches its greatest territorial extension in 117 d. C.
Severa dynasty (193-235 AD)

Third century d. C.

Crisis of the third century (235-284 AD)
Division of the Roman Empire in two in the year 285 d. C.
Division of the Roman Empire into four (Tetrarchy) in the year 293 d. C.

Fourth century d. C.

Officialization of Christianity as an imperial religion in the year 380 d. C.
Start of the invasions of the Germanic peoples in 386 d. C.
Definitive division of the Roman Empire in the West and East in 395 d. C.

5th century d. C.

Disintegration of the Roman Empire of the West from the invasions of the Germanic tribes, between 406 and 476 d. C.

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References

Ancient History II. The classical world. Javier, CP, & Pilar, FU (2015). UNED Editorial.
“Introduction” in The Mediterranean world in the ancient age: Hellenism and the rise of Rome (pp. 3-20). Grimal, P. (1992). Twenty -first century editors.
Ancient Greece. Political, social and cultural history. Pomeroy, Burstein, Donlan & Tolbert (2011). Ed, critic.
The Roman Empire. Economy, Society and Culture. Garnsey, P. and Saller, R. (1991) Ed. Criticism.