In recent times, It has become a priority for many institutions to provide the public with important information on the issue of race. This is a result of the consistent rise of the black lives matter movements globally and how far back this division has been around.
In recent times, most talks of race have a border around blacks, with a consistent increase in people searching for black lives matter essays on the rise. Education institutions have continued to focus on educating students on the importance of racial inclusion. It is generally now coursework in colleges. Some students even have to perform research essay writing on the topic, while there are institutions that offer help with essays and related education pieces.
The issue of race can be traced back to early civilizations. In Ancient Greece, the issue of race did not only on black people. It was more about statuses. The division was taught in institutions that would, in recent times can, be likened to a college, high school or university.
The diverse races of Ancient Greece were ultimately divided into three major groups. The Alpine race, the Nordic race, and the Mediterranean race. These races made up the population and demographic of the Ancient Greek community.
If you are a student or someone who needs to take an academic course or lesson on the diversity of races with Ancient Greece as the research focus, then this piece is for you.
The Mediterranean race
The Mediterranean race was considered the most influential race, not just in Ancient Greece but also in Ancient Egypt and Ancient Rome. They were a subrace of the caucasian race. The Mediterranean race was predominant in areas near the Mediterranean. This includes South Europe, North Africa, Western Asia, Central Asia, and South Asia.
A well-formed head characterized the Mediterranean race. They were elongated from front to back and moderate in breadth. Their faces were primarily oval, with dark brown or black eyes that defined them. The Mediterranean race was also predominantly black in complexion. They are mostly handsome with mental prowess and primarily monarchical in their government.
Social status (upper or Athenian class)
The Mediterranean race formed the majority of the upper class, referred to as Athens. Athens was the highest in the social hierarchy of Ancient Greece. They were distinguished people born to Athenian parents, and we're the rich and powerful demographic of Athenian society. The Mediterranean race held most of the political and militaristic powers within the state.
This class is, however, further subdivided into three categories which include:
The Aristocracy: These were the most revered sub-class. This is because they were the people making the diplomatic and military decisions in the state. They were the top politicians, military and officials. They were elites who owned vast lands.
The villagers were the subclass who owned not such vast and productive lands. They were nonetheless very influential in the production processes of Ancient Greece.
The merchants: The merchants were the top businessmen in Ancient Greece. They didn't necessarily own lands but could control the trading and manufacturing endeavour. This gave them enough leverage to mix with the aristocracy.
The Alpine race
Alpine was a name given to identify a sub-race of the caucasian race, characterized by a short head and broad face, with a cephalic index of 88. The Alpine race was believed to have migrated from central Asia during the Neolithic Revolution, splitting the Nordic and the Mediterranean races. This definition was dated in the early 20th-century by anthropologists.
They were predominant in Central Europe and parts of western/Central Asia. They were also mainly distinguished by their moderate stature, neotenous features (physiological development), and cranial (skull) measurements.
Social class (middle class or metics)
The Alpine race formed most of the metic's social hierarchy in Ancient Greece. They were born as free men but received less of the privileges that the Mediterranean race wielded. This was because they were essentially foreigners and could not be granted the rights of born Athenians.
The Alpine race couldn't hold titles or lands and was not allowed political offices. However, they could still serve in the military. They were also required to pay taxes on the same evaluation as the upper class. This class has only one subdivision;
Free men were formerly enslaved people that won their freedom lawfully. They acquired essential social privileges, which the original middle class all enjoyed.
The renowned philosopher Plato was a born member of the metrics class.
The Nordic race
The Nordic race was Ancient Greece's most unpopular and degraded racial faction. "Nordic" was coined from the French word Nordique. It is referred to as a northern by French-born anthropologist Joseph Denniker. They were characterized by physical traits such as light skin, light eyes, tall stature, and a dolichocephalic (more length than width) skull.
They originated from Northwestern and northern Europe and were peculiar to populations like Alglo-Saxons, Germanic people, French, Celts, and Balts.
Social status (Enslaved people)
Enslaved people were the primary workforce in Ancient Greece. They were strangers or members of conquered families bred and sold to the highest bidders. The Nordic race formed the majority of this social class as they were believed to be foreigners and lawless people.
Enslaved people were owned and traded like commodities in Ancient Greek society. There were coerced to accomplish laborious tasks. This includes ploughing farmlands and mining silver and bronze. Tending to the domestic needs of their masters and the women as sexual objects. Enslaved people in Ancient Greece were employees that had no freedom whatsoever.
In ancient Greece, enslaved people were also acquired as spoils of war. When Athens and the middle class went to war and conquered any territory and lands, the elite members who belonged to that territory were either killed or kept as enslaved people. This was a tradition to crush the possibility of that very territory rising ever again.
In the social hierarchy of ancient Greece, the Nordic race, predominantly alongside some other minor factions, was the lowest. They came about as people who migrated from lost territories searching for necessities and protection. The upper and middle-class members offered those amenities and security at the cost of their freedom.
Conclusion
This article has focused on the different races and social statuses in the time of Ancient Greece. The information in this article can work well for reading purposes and as an information text for people who may need to make a book or educational story concerning the era and its role in modern times. Additional help on Ancient Greece races and social status can be found in an educational library.
