▲ Territory of ancient Sparta
Sparta (Doric Greek: Σπάρτα, Spártā; Attic Greek: Σπάρτη, Spártē) was a prominent city-state in ancient Greece. In antiquity, the city-state was known as Lacedaemon (Λακεδαίμων, Lakedaímōn), while the name Sparta referred to its main settlement on the banks of the Eurotas River in Laconia, in south-eastern Peloponnese.[1] Around 650 BCE, it rose to become the dominant military land-power in ancient Greece.
Since the fall of Mycenaean civilization, the Greek world has entered a long dark period. This was known as the time of the invasion of the Dorians claimed by Homer and Hesiodos.
In Greek mythology, it was an era claiming that gods and heroes appeared, but in fact, massacre, looting, arson, destruction, and rape were common.
Cain slaying Abel by Peter Paul Rubens, c. 1600
It was similar to what happened after Cain killed Abel. Just as Cain's descendants built mankind's first civilized nations, barbarians who conquered Greece built the first Greek civilizations.
Sparta, Athens, Thebes and Argos, symbolizing classical Greek civilization, appeared during this period.
Sparta, famous for homosexuality and perverted sex, emerged as the strongest country, creating the first hegemony of the classical Greek world.
The Spartans became the first hegemony of the Greek world, conquering and enslaving their brothers Messenians.
Athens, Thebes, and Argos imitate Sparta's actions as Sparta becomes a hegemony through slavery.
During the Archaic period the relative wealth of Messenia in fertile soil and favourable climate attracted the neighbouring Spartans. The first Messenian War broke out—as a result of the murder of the Spartan king Teleclus by the Messenians, it was claimed, which, in spite of the heroism of King Euphaes and his successor Aristodemus ended in the subjugation of Messenia by Sparta (ca. 720 BC). Two generations later the Messenians revolted and under the leadership of Aristomenes kept the Spartans at bay for some seventeen years (685 BC—668 BC). Descriptions of this revolt indicate that Messenia was allowed to retain a certain degree of autonomy after the first war, since they describe battles between organized armies on both sides. However, the stronghold of Ira (Eira) finally fell after a siege of eleven years. As the object of the Spartans was to increase the number of lots of land for their citizens, many of the conquered Messenians (those who did not manage to leave the area) were reduced to the condition of Helots.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Messenia_(ancient_region)
Movie 300 says that the Spartans were great fighters, but I claim they are gay and pedophile.
Delian League ("Athenian Empire") shown in yellow, Athenian territory shown in red, situation in 431 BC
The city of Athens (Ancient Greek: Ἀθῆναι, Athênai [a.tʰɛ̂ː.nai̯]; Modern Greek: Αθήναι Athine [a.ˈθi.ne̞] or, more commonly and in singular, Αθήνα Athina [a.'θi.na]) during the classical period of ancient Greece (480–323 BC)[1] was the major urban centre of the notable polis (city-state) of the same name, located in Attica, Greece, leading the Delian League in the Peloponnesian War against Sparta and the Peloponnesian League. Athenian democracy was established in 508 BC under Cleisthenes following the tyranny of Isagoras. This system remained remarkably stable, and with a few brief interruptions remained in place for 180 years, until 322 BC (aftermath of Lamian War). The peak of Athenian hegemony was achieved in the 440s to 430s BC, known as the Age of Pericles.
As Sparta ruled the entire Peloponnese and emerged as Greece's greatest power, Attica's Athens emerged as a rival.
The Spartans were Dorians, and the Athenians were Ionians, but the two nations divided the Greek world and divided the hegemony.
The two countries contributed to the expansion and development of the classical Greek world while maintaining checks and balances.
When Sparta and Athens became hegemony, the situation in China on the other side of the earth was similar when the classical Greek world and civilization were born and expanded.
Map of the Five Hegemons during the Spring and Autumn period of Zhou Dynasty
The Five Hegemons (Chinese: 五霸; pinyin: Wǔ Bà) refers to several especially powerful rulers of Chinese states of the Spring and Autumn period of Chinese history (770 to 476 BCE), sometimes alternatively referred to as the "Age of Hegemons". There are various lists of five hegemon rulers of those certain states which rose to power over the other states of this time period, states which were also formed during the period of dissolution of a once real and strong central state, namely the empire of the Zhou dynasty. The Hegemons mobilized the remnants of the Zhou empire, according to shared mutual political and martial interests. An especially prominent Hegemon was Duke Huan of Qi.
However, it is difficult to describe because the mainland of China is much larger than the Greek Peninsula and has a rich population and resources, so that many hegemony countries have appeared.
So, I cite the English wiki. I hope you understand that.
If I was good at English like @valued-customer, I would have written more about Chinese history. However, I speak English at the elementary school level in the United States.
If there are Spartans and Athens who created the ancient Greek world, China has The Five Hegemons (Chinese: 五霸; pinyin: Wǔ Bà). The Five Hegemons (Chinese: 五霸; pinyin: Wǔ Bà) are countries built by different peoples.
The concept of hegemony arose out of the weakness of the Eastern Zhou dynasty. Whilst its predecessor, the Western Zhou dynasty, was also feudal in nature, the centre was strong enough to command the obedience of most of its vassals, as well as to maintain a central army. The death of King You of Zhou and the sack of the Zhou capital in 771 BC rendered the position of the central court untenable and eventually dependent on the protection of neighbouring states.
The concept of the Hegemon was important to the Interstate relations during the Spring and Autumn period, since the Hegemon was nominally charged with underwriting the stability of the whole system, often heading a league of smaller states whose security was to some extent guaranteed by the state, in exchange for tribute.
After the fall of The Western Zhou (Chinese: 西周; pinyin: Xīzhōu; c. 1045[1] – 771 BC), which was called the Mycenaean civilization of China, the warlords of China fought for supremacy.
More than 100 countries fought the war, and the Five Hegemons (Chinese: 五霸; pinyin: Wǔ Bà) emerged as powers conquered the lesser.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_Zhou
Sima Qian ([sɨ́mà tɕʰjɛ́n]; traditional Chinese: 司馬遷; simplified Chinese: 司马迁; pinyin: Sīmǎ Qián; c. 145 – c. 86 BC)
Sima Qian ([sɨ́mà tɕʰjɛ́n]; traditional Chinese: 司馬遷; simplified Chinese: 司马迁; pinyin: Sīmǎ Qián; c. 145 – c. 86 BC) was a Chinese historian of the early Han dynasty (206 BC – AD 220). He is considered the father of Chinese historiography for his Records of the Grand Historian, a general history of China in the Jizhuanti style (紀傳體) covering more than two thousand years beginning from the rise of the legendary Yellow Emperor and the formation of the first Chinese polity to the reigning sovereign of Sima Qian's time, Emperor Wu of Han. As the first universal history of the world as it was known to the ancient Chinese, the Records of the Grand Historian served as a model for official history-writing for subsequent Chinese dynasties and the Chinese cultural sphere (Korea, Vietnam, Japan) up until the 20th century.[2]
Sima Qian ([sɨ́mà tɕʰjɛ́n]; traditional Chinese: 司馬遷; 145 – c. 86 BC) compares Greek historian Herodotus.
Korean, Chinese, and Japanese historians all claimed his successors, and imitated his book "Grand Historian" (tàishǐ 太史, variously translated as court historian, scribe, or astronomer/astrologer).
Sima Qian ([sɨ́mà tɕʰjɛ́n]; traditional Chinese: 司馬遷; 145 – c. 86 BC) recorded a list of The Five Hegemons (Chinese: 五霸; pinyin: Wǔ Bà).
The Records of the Grand Historian list:
Duke Huan of Qi (齐桓公)
Duke Xiang of Song (宋襄公)
Duke Wen of Jin (晋文公)
Duke Mu of Qin (秦穆公)
King Zhuang of Chu (楚莊王)
The Xunzi ([ɕy̌n.tsɨ̀]; Chinese: 荀子; Wade–Giles: Hsün-tzŭ) is an ancient Chinese collection of philosophical writings attributed to Xun Kuang, a 3rd-century BC philosopher usually associated with the Confucian tradition. The Xunzi is perhaps most famous for the emphasis it places on education and propriety,[1] as well as its striking assertion that "human nature is detestable". The text is furthermore an important source of early theories of ritual,[2] cosmology, and governance. The ideas within the Xunzi are thought to have exerted a strong influence on Legalist thinkers, such as Han Fei, and laid the groundwork for much of Han Dynasty political ideology.[3] The text criticizes a wide range of other prominent early Chinese thinkers, including Laozi, Zhuangzi, Mozi, and Mencius.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xunzi_(book)
However, the records of The Xunzi ([ɕy̌n.tsɨ Chinese]; Chinese: 荀子; Wade–Giles: Hsün-tzŭ) were different from Sima Qian ([sɨ́mà tɕʰjɛ́n]; traditional Chinese: 司馬遷; 145 – c. 86 BC).
Alternatively, the Xunzi list:
Duke Huan of Qi
Duke Wen of Jin
King Zhuang of Chu
Helü, King of Wu (吴王闔閭)
Goujian, King of Yue (越王勾踐)
The first two hegemons are widely referred to in contemporary texts and therefore rarely disputed because Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin themselves were officially rewarded the hegemony by the kings of Zhou (King Xi and King Xiang) in 679 BCE and in 632 BCE respectively.
Although opinions differ among scholars in China, I agree with the records of Sima Qian ([sɨ́mà tɕʰjɛ́n]; traditional Chinese: 司馬遷; 145 – c. 86 BC).
Qi in 260 BC
Qi was a state of the Zhou dynasty-era in ancient China, variously reckoned as a march, duchy, and independent kingdom. Its capital was Yingqiu, located within present-day Linzi in Shandong.
Qi was founded shortly after the Zhou overthrow of Shang in the 11th century BC. Its first marquis was Jiang Ziya, minister of King Wen and a legendary figure in Chinese culture. His family ruled Qi for several centuries before it was replaced by the Tian family in 386 BC.[1] In 221 BC, Qi was the final major state annexed by Qin during its unification of China.
Duke Huan of Qi (Chinese: 齊桓公; pinyin: Qí Huán Gōng; died 643 BC), personal name Xiǎobái (小白), was the ruler of the State of Qi from 685 to 643 BC. Living during the chaotic Spring and Autumn period, as the Zhou dynasty's former vassal states fought each other for supremacy, Duke Huan and his long-time advisor Guan Zhong managed to transform Qi into China's most powerful polity. Duke Huan was eventually recognized by most of the Zhou states as well as the Zhou royal family as Hegemon of China. In this position, he fought off invasions of China by non-Zhou peoples and attempted to restore order throughout the lands. Toward the end of his more than forty-year-long reign, however, Duke Huan's power began to decline as he grew ill and Qi came to be embroiled in factional strife. Following his death in 643 BC, Qi completely lost its predominance.
The major state of Qí (齊) became a hegemony about the same time as Sparta.(685 to 643 BC)
The major state of Qí (齊) became China's hegemony at about the same time as Sparta, but it was a coastal zone that developed maritime trade.
So, Qí (齊), unlike Sparta, is dominated by economic power, not military power.
However, it is very mysterious and surprising that the first hegemony appeared in China and Europe at the same time.
I was like seeing a parallel universe.
It's really hard because I'm not a good English writer like @valued-customer. The rest will be described in the next opportunity. I ask for your support and help.
You may not speak English like a native, but you research as well as anyone, and your posts provide great historical perspectives. You have managed to write this OP well, and better than many native English speakers might, because you endeavor to write English well, and not all folks make that effort.
I have learned much from this post, as well as others you have made. My focus is lately on earlier developments, and my aversion to tyranny and slavery have caused large gaps in my education regarding the early Iron Age civilizations that replace no less bloody Bronze Age empires after their collapse ~1200 BC.
I am very grateful for this post, as I was but vaguely aware of the simultaneous rise of these hegemonies in the East and the West, as you point out. It certainly raises very significant questions regarding that timing.
Thanks!
There is always a typo in my writing. I would be more grateful if you pointed out my typo than praise.Honorable senior @valued-customer, I always appreciate your praise. By the way, I am worried that your compliments may give me arrogance.
In fact, I tried to analyze the history of China with the Bible's Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and Revelation.
However, my English is not enough, so I am comparing ancient Greek history to Chinese history. Ancient Greek history is easier than the Bible.
I am not familiar with the Bronze Age. The iron age of East Asia was 1,000 years behind the Mediterranean. So, East Asian scholars have little interest in the Bronze Age.
The first emperors of China you love appeared in the Iron Age, so historians in East Asia perceive the Bronze Age as a myth. So, I'm curious what you write about the Bronze Age Empires.
For East Asians, the Bronze Age is a myth.
Senior, I always appreciate your advice.
My present research into the origins of civilization is focused long before the Bronze Age. However, bronzes are alloys of copper and other metals, such as arsenic and tin, which developed long before iron smelting become understood. Native copper existed in raw metallic form which was easy to work without any metallurgical knowledge at all, and has been revealed by archeology to have been ongoing for thousands of years in Anatolia and N. America, at least, prior to the current understanding of agricultural development or any social structures more complex than family groups.
Sometime around ~3500 BCE the smelting of ores had been developed by neolithic researchers, and alloys of copper, beginning with arsenical ores, began to be developed because of the far greater durability of bronzes to copper metal items.
Arms and armor made of bronze were far superior to stone and leather, enabling societies possessing bronze technology to outcompete their neighbors, and when this technology developed regionally is considered to be the beginning of the Bronze Age in those locales.
As you point out, some places didn't have much of a Bronze Age, progressing either more directly to the Iron Age, as did China, or remaining at the lithic technology, as did American societies for the most part. While some places in the Americas did develop bronze, it was quite a bit later than that technology had been developed in the Old World, and the more advanced technology of the Conquistadors enabled invading cultures to take advantage of the decimation of Native American peoples by plagues introduced by initial explorers in the 15th Century.
Around ~1200 BCE, a global environmental catastrophe greatly stressed Bronze Age civilizations, which had become quite complex societies dependent on extensive trade networks due to the far poorer availability of tin than copper. A grand solar minimum caused drought and famines globally, which essentially so disrupted cultures locally that mass migrations and invasions were instigated, and these then further disrupted the empires based on bronze technologies, causing all of them to collapse.
It was centuries before similar empires re-emerged after the solar output was restored and by then iron smelting had been developed, no longer requiring relatively scarce supplies of tin for superior weapons to those made of bronzes.
Not long after this is where the above OP begins to discuss the hegemonies that subsequently developed.
Senior, only China has a historical record of the Bronze Age in East Asia. Korea, Japan, and Vietnam have historical records since the Iron Age. So, East Asians are not interested in the Bronze Age.
Since China became an iron civilization, it has become a hegemony in East Asia, and Korea, Japan, and Vietnam, which mimic China, have become iron civilizations.
It is estimated that in the Mediterranean world, iron civilization conquered the Bronze Age civilization, while in East Asia, China's iron civilization spread to neighboring countries.
I am unaware of any evidence of this anywhere. Prior to Iron Age technology, all Bronze Age civilizations had already collapsed. Once the climactic disruption caused by the grand solar minimum had ended, societies again began increasing in complexity and population, and the discovery of iron smelting and ubiquitous presence of iron ores globally made bronze technology obsolete.
In almost no cases did Iron Age technology face Bronze Age technology I am aware of.