24 Archaic Greece What is the solution to the double murder mystery of Israelite king Jehoram and Judahite king Ahaziah: Was the murderer the Israelite usurper Jehu (II Kings 9–10) or the Aramaean king Hazael (Tel Dan Stela)? According to the biblical record, during the last century of Aram’s existence, Ramot Gilead in the Transjordan and the northern Galilee appear to have been a continual source of contention between Israel and Damascus The biblical accounts in II Kings describe the ebb and flow to ownership of the land, with Hazael representing the pinnacle of Aramaean conquest, and Jeroboam II (c 782– 748 b.c.e.), the height of Israelite success During this time Assyria occasionally ventured into this arena generally to attack Aram, indirectly benefiting Israel All this political maneuvering came to an end when Tiglath-pileser III ended the independent political existence of Aram in 732 b.c.e Just over a decade later Israel fell to the Assyrians See also Bible translations; Elam; Syriac culture and church Further reading: Dion, Paul E “Aramaean Tribes and Nations of First-Millennium Western Asia.” In Jack M Sassoon, ed Civilizations of the Ancient Near East New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1995; Pitard, Wayne “Aramaens.” In Alfred J Hoerth, et al., eds Peoples of the Old Testament World Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books, 1998; ——— Ancient Damascus Winona Lake, IN: Eisenbrauns, 1987 Peter Feinman Archaic Greece The Archaic Period in Greek history (c 700–500 b.c.e.) laid the groundwork for the political, economic, artistic, and philosophical achievements of the Classical Period Perhaps one of the greatest gifts to Western civilization by the ancient Greeks was the beginning of democratic government and philosophy The seventh century b.c.e witnessed the decline of the old aristocratic order that had dominated Greek politics and the rise of the tyrant For the Greeks the term tyrant referred to someone who had seized power through unconstitutional means Tyrants were often accomplished men from aristocratic families who had fallen from political grace They rode the tide of discontent and demand for more opportunities spawned by population and economic growth to lead the charge against the old aristocracy In order to help solidify their positions they often encouraged trade and business and sponsored ambitious building projects throughout their city-state Tyrannies did not last beyond the third generation as the sons and grandsons of tyrants typically lacked the political skills and base of support enjoyed by their father and grandfather The Archaic Period saw the continuation of Greek migration that had begun late in the Greek Dark Ages An increase in population and the resulting land shortage combined with economic growth, primarily in trade, spurred the movement in search of new lands, colonies, and trading posts The economic expansion brought the Greeks into extensive contact with other peoples and led to the development of Greek colonies throughout the Mediterranean, Ionia, and even into the Black Sea region The growing economic prosperity of the Archaic Period led to cultural changes as city-states viewed building projects, particularly of temples, as expressions of their civic wealth and pride During this period the Greeks used with greater frequency the more graceful Ionic style in their public buildings Colonization and trade had brought the Greeks into more frequent contact with other great civilizations, such as Egypt Some scholars give credit to Egypt and her development of large columned halls as influencing the Greeks and their move toward monumental architecture The move toward monumental architecture was further encouraged as stone replaced wood in public buildings such as temples, treasuries, and the agora as it transformed from a public meeting site to a local marketplace In addition to the use of the Ionic column, relief sculptures illustrating mythological scenes increasingly appeared on the pediments and entablatures of late sixth century b.c.e temples The seventh century b.c.e saw the rise of lyric poetry, a song accompanied by a lyre Unlike epic poetry (such as Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey), lyric poetry is set in the present and tells the interests and passions of the author Lyric poetry provides us with a rare insight to the travails of an individual versus the epic sagas involving entire states The poet Archilochus wrote a poem wishing harm to a man who had rejected the author as unsuitable for his daughter Sappho, a poetess from the island of Lesbos, wrote a hymn to Aphrodite asking for assistance in a matter of love—her love for another woman Both poems speak directly and passionately to the audience on matters of a very personal nature