Greek in the Lyric Age

Causes of Greek colonization

The Greek people were under pressure due to population increase especially from the eighth century and required land for settlement.  The capacity was far beyond the one that their arable land would have accommodated. It is estimated that within the period of 800 BC to 400 BC, their population increased with a factor more than ten.  Their population grew from eight hundred thousand to around ten to thirteen million people (Hynson, Colin pg 65).

According to Hynson, pg 66, due to this exponential population growth, they had to look for a place to expand. They started their expansion as from 750 BC colonizing all areas in all direction. They settled their colony in Algean coast of Asia, Cyprus, Thrace, Marmara Sea and southern coast of the black sea.

The Greece had to find food for the population after the end of the Dark Age. Thus, with the help of the improvements of the shipbuilding, they were able to go overseas in search of the grain. This technology helped them to widen their territory as they wee able to get to places across the sea.

Another reason why the Greece was able to get a big territory to colonize was that they were barely anybody in some areas like the Aegean land. Therefore, they were able to get to such places without any resistance. The Greece was also very organized and they were able to wage war to any resisting community with a lot of ease. This gave them an upper hand more than their counter part making then able to colonize them. They were also technologically oriented with organized system of governance enabling them to rule the territory in a more organized way. They were also trades and hence looking for a place to do their business. This made them spread all over the place and in the process ensured that they controlled the region to ensure that they enjoy the trade without any resistance. This made the emergence of colonization (Hynson, Colin pg 87).

Greek politics and economic status

The Greek had very strong governance. Its city had many kingdoms. There were city officials that represented the king. The king ship was a sort of oligarch that was aristocratic. They had made to be a hereditary thing. However, evolution of governance happened through as tit changed to elected archonship that was done annually. This made the power to be transferred from a single person to the aristocracy (Austin & Vidal-Naquet pg 56).

However, the administration was regularly charged by the emergence of wealthy people forming groups that ruled over a certain region according to their will. These groups or wealth family got back up from the government and their influence made impact in most of the places in the empire. They ruled with the use of popular agenda that helped them to have more influence.

This ruling made the Athen fell in a tyrannical rule in the sixth century. It was after the ending of this rule that made them form the first democratic government where everybody was involved in the participation of the formation of government. This meant that each person had equal privilege in the assembly but the poor people were not supposed to run for any political seat or address the assembly (Austin & Vidal-Naquet pg 51). In addition, the slaves and non-citizen had no rights in the political arena.

According to Austin & Vidal-Naquet pg 82 The Greek in fourth and fifth century BC had the strongest economy in the world. This was brought by advanced industrialization that was in the country. The strength of their economy is demonstrated by the wage that a Greek was bestowed. They were paid three times the Egyptian worker.

Social structure

The social status in the kingdom was determined by a number of factors. Therefore, those entitled full protection of the law were the one born natively in the land. There were no people who regally protected by law were entitled to special right. The slaves were not entitled to any power or status. They were liable of owning properties and family under the mercy of their masters. The social class of each person was charging depending with the amount of properties each gathered or the education background.