I think I was able to figure out why Greeks have started monogamy.
There are several factors and they are all happening at same time.
1. Political structure*
Greek had interesting political structure. Every citizen had right to vote and their assembly always carried sovereignty. Only assembly could vote laws. I will call this assembly general. Why? These is also special smaller assembly. It was task of special assembly to organize work of general. When it will meet, what are topic and similar. What is important to understand fighting for power between general and special assembly.
In democratic polis, there was push for larger voting franchise and more power for general assembly like deciding to accept potential legislation, add amendments or to initiate new legislation. In oligarchic polis there was push for smaller voting franchise and weaker general assembly. In Sparta, very oligarchic state, king had read new legislation and decide which group was screaming louder: one for or one against. Where was legislation written? In special assembly.
Therefore in any Greek polis there was constant political fight between group pushing for more democracy and group pushing for more oligarchy. Sometimes fight got so intense that no compromise was possible. Greeks has special word for situation: statis. Such polis usually finish as military victim.
2. Geography
Greece has a lot of fertile land, not in amount of arable land, but in number of such areas. Many small plots of arable land means lot of small cities. And with mountains all around, cities were well defended. This situation can only breed enemies all around. While mountains do block proper conquest, they don't block raids. And one good raid can turn peasant from poor guy into proper aristocrat with several wives. Best way to get rich in ancient times was successful military campaign.
Small hint: which group was for more war: aristocracy or general population? General population. Aristocrats weren't so keen to welcome newly rich.
3. Frontier
What was New World for conquistadors, Mediterranean Sea was for Greeks. Even the lowliest Greek could go for adventure and chance to become famous, achieve military glory and get rich. What hot-blooded could resist? And reward were great. Enough wealth and fame to easily pick best girls for harem.
Off course, native ruling class hated adventures. Just imagine. 10 years of scheming to centralize power in your clique hands, driving away problematic guys and then problematic guys return home with ship full of gold and mercenary army All adventures need is to be for democracy and they will get 50%+approval rate. And with polygyny open, adventures to get free hand in forming alliances. Maybe even members of ruling clique offer free daughters to form alliance.
4. Comparison with other societies
Polygyny was present in other societies. But ruling class rulership was more stabile. New challengers would be easier to coop-in making whole society more stabile. Greek society was way more volatile. And with most cities having only few hundred citizens, it would be hard to push them over even. Fighting inside, fighting outside, going on adventures.
I believe it was desire to reduce infighting to push monogamy. By cutting on number of potential alliance and ease of changing side, it does make cliques more stabile. This would stabilize society and made rulership of ruling class more firm. Challengers wouldn't anymore be able to use marriage to form broad-based coalition.
Analysis doesn't mention that polis was formed as coalition of several tribes. Welcome more fighting, this time tribal.
*For details more here:
First article in series:
There are several factors and they are all happening at same time.
1. Political structure*
Greek had interesting political structure. Every citizen had right to vote and their assembly always carried sovereignty. Only assembly could vote laws. I will call this assembly general. Why? These is also special smaller assembly. It was task of special assembly to organize work of general. When it will meet, what are topic and similar. What is important to understand fighting for power between general and special assembly.
In democratic polis, there was push for larger voting franchise and more power for general assembly like deciding to accept potential legislation, add amendments or to initiate new legislation. In oligarchic polis there was push for smaller voting franchise and weaker general assembly. In Sparta, very oligarchic state, king had read new legislation and decide which group was screaming louder: one for or one against. Where was legislation written? In special assembly.
Therefore in any Greek polis there was constant political fight between group pushing for more democracy and group pushing for more oligarchy. Sometimes fight got so intense that no compromise was possible. Greeks has special word for situation: statis. Such polis usually finish as military victim.
2. Geography
Greece has a lot of fertile land, not in amount of arable land, but in number of such areas. Many small plots of arable land means lot of small cities. And with mountains all around, cities were well defended. This situation can only breed enemies all around. While mountains do block proper conquest, they don't block raids. And one good raid can turn peasant from poor guy into proper aristocrat with several wives. Best way to get rich in ancient times was successful military campaign.
Small hint: which group was for more war: aristocracy or general population? General population. Aristocrats weren't so keen to welcome newly rich.
3. Frontier
What was New World for conquistadors, Mediterranean Sea was for Greeks. Even the lowliest Greek could go for adventure and chance to become famous, achieve military glory and get rich. What hot-blooded could resist? And reward were great. Enough wealth and fame to easily pick best girls for harem.
Off course, native ruling class hated adventures. Just imagine. 10 years of scheming to centralize power in your clique hands, driving away problematic guys and then problematic guys return home with ship full of gold and mercenary army All adventures need is to be for democracy and they will get 50%+approval rate. And with polygyny open, adventures to get free hand in forming alliances. Maybe even members of ruling clique offer free daughters to form alliance.
4. Comparison with other societies
Polygyny was present in other societies. But ruling class rulership was more stabile. New challengers would be easier to coop-in making whole society more stabile. Greek society was way more volatile. And with most cities having only few hundred citizens, it would be hard to push them over even. Fighting inside, fighting outside, going on adventures.
I believe it was desire to reduce infighting to push monogamy. By cutting on number of potential alliance and ease of changing side, it does make cliques more stabile. This would stabilize society and made rulership of ruling class more firm. Challengers wouldn't anymore be able to use marriage to form broad-based coalition.
Analysis doesn't mention that polis was formed as coalition of several tribes. Welcome more fighting, this time tribal.
*For details more here:
First article in series:
Collections: How to Polis, 101, Part I: Component Parts
This is the first of a planned three part (I, IIa, IIb, IIc, III) look at the structure of the ancient Greek polis, the self-governing ‘city state,’ as part of a larger series on civic …
acoup.blog
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