Home Region: Southeastern Europe (Europe)

Classical Crete

500 BCE 323 BCE

D G SC WF R CC

EQ 2020 gr_crete_classical / GrCrCls

Preceding Entity: Add one more here.

710 BCE 500 BCE Archaic Crete (gr_crete_archaic) [continuity]

Succeeding Entity:

No Polity found. Add one here.

General Description

Population and political organization
In terms of the island’s population at this time, estimates vary for a minimum of 200,000 to a maximum of 1,000,000 people; however, the most likely estimate is of 450,000-500,000 people. ^[1] Political, military and religious control in Cretan city-states was exercised by the Kosmoi (Κόσμοι), a board of 3 to 10 nobles, annually elected by the Ecclesia, the body of free male citizens. One of the Kosmoi, known as protokosmos or stratagetas, was the president of the board. The council of elders, the Gerousia, whose members were chosen among the best Kosmoi, had legislative and juridical authority. ^[2] ^[3]

[1]: (Chaniotis 1987, 194-195) Angelos Chaniotis. 1897. ’Κλασική και Ελληνιστική Κρήτη’, in Panagiotakis, N. (ed.), Κρήτη: Ιστορία και Πολιτισμός, edited by N. Panagiotakis. Heraklion: ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ ΔΗΜΩΝ & ΚΟΙΝΟΤΗΤΩΝ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ.

[2]: (Willetts 1965, 56-75) Ronald F. Willetts. 1965. Ancient Crete. A Social History. London: Routledge and Kegan Paul.

[3]: (Chaniotis 1987, 196-199) Angelos Chaniotis. 1897. ’Κλασική και Ελληνιστική Κρήτη’, in Panagiotakis, N. (ed.), Κρήτη: Ιστορία και Πολιτισμός, edited by N. Panagiotakis. Heraklion: ΣΥΝΔΕΣΜΟΣ ΔΗΜΩΝ & ΚΟΙΝΟΤΗΤΩΝ ΚΡΗΤΗΣ.

General Variables

Identity and Location

1 Utm Zone

1 Original Name

1 Capital

Temporal Bounds

1 Peak Years

1 Duration

Political and Cultural Relations

1 Supracultural Entity

1 Succeeding Entity

1 Relationship to preceding Entity

1 Polity Succession

1 Degree of Centralization

Language

1 Linguistic Family

1 Language

Religion

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale

1 Population of the Largest Settlement

1 Polity Territory

1 Polity Population

Hierarchical Complexity

1 Settlement Hierarchy

1 Religious Level

1 Military Level

1 Administrative Level

Professions

1 Professional Soldier

1 Professional Priesthood

1 Professional Military Officer

Bureaucracy Characteristics

1 Specialized Government Building

1 Full Time Bureaucrat

Law

1 Professional Lawyer

1 Judge

1 Formal Legal Code

1 Court

Specialized Buildings: polity owned

1 Market

1 Irrigation System

1 Drinking Water Supply System

Transport Infrastructure

1 Road

1 Port

1 Canal

1 Bridge

Special-purpose Sites

1 Mines or Quarry

Information / Writing System

1 Written Record

1 Script

1 Phonetic Alphabetic Writing

1 Nonwritten Record

Information / Kinds of Written Documents

1 Scientific Literature

1 Sacred Text

1 Religious Literature

1 Practical Literature

1 Philosophy

1 Lists Tables and Classification

1 History

1 Fiction

1 Calendar

Information / Money

1 Token

1 Precious Metal

1 Paper Currency

1 Indigenous Coin

1 Foreign Coin

1 Article

Information / Postal System

1 Postal Station

1 General Postal Service

1 Courier

Information / Measurement System

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications

1 Wooden Palisade

1 Stone Walls Non Mortared

1 Stone Walls Mortared

1 Settlements in a Defensive Position

1 Modern Fortification

1 Moat

1 Earth Rampart

1 Ditch

1 Complex Fortification

1 Long Wall

Military use of Metals

1 Steel

1 Iron

1 Copper

1 Bronze

Projectiles

1 Tension Siege Engine

1 Sling Siege Engine

1 Sling

1 Self Bow

1 Javelin

1 Handheld Firearm

1 Gunpowder Siege Artillery

1 Crossbow

1 Composite Bow

1 Atlatl

Handheld weapons

1 War Club

1 Sword

1 Spear

1 Polearm

1 Dagger

1 Battle Axe

Animals used in warfare

1 Horse

1 Elephant

1 Donkey

1 Camel

Armor

1 Wood Bark Etc

1 Shield

1 Scaled Armor

1 Plate Armor

1 Limb Protection

1 Leather Cloth

1 Laminar Armor

1 Helmet

1 Chainmail

1 Breastplate

Naval technology

1 Specialized Military Vessel

1 Small Vessels Canoes Etc

Economy Variables (Luxury Goods) Coding in Progress.

Religion Variables Coding in Progress.

Crisis Consequence Cases

1 Crisis Consequence

Power Transitions Coding in Progress.

Instability Events Coding in Progress.

NGA Settlements:

Year Range	Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical) was in:
(500 BCE 322 BCE)	Crete

Home NGA: Crete

General Variables

Identity and Location Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Utm Zone	35 S	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Original Name	Classical Crete	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Capital	absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Temporal Bounds Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More
Peak Years	350 BCE
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Duration	[500 BCE ➜ 323 BCE]
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Political and Cultural Relations Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Supracultural Entity	Classical Greece	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Succeeding Entity	Hellenistic Crete	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Relationship to Preceding Entity	continuity	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Preceding Entity 710 BCE 500 BCE	Archaic Crete (gr_crete_archaic) [continuity]
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Degree of Centralization	quasi-polity	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Language Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Linguistic Family	Indo-European	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Language	Doric Greek	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Religion Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Social Complexity Variables

Social Scale Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Population of the Largest Settlement	4,000 people	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Polity Territory	[210 to 240] km²	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Polity Population	[5,000 to 30,000] people	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Hierarchical Complexity Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Settlement Hierarchy	[1 to 5]	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Religious Level	5	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Military Level	5	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Administrative Level	5	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Professions Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Soldier	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Professional Priesthood	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Professional Military Officer	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Bureaucracy Characteristics Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Government Building	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Full Time Bureaucrat	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Law Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Professional Lawyer	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Judge	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Formal Legal Code	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Court	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Specialized Buildings: polity owned Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Market	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Irrigation System	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Drinking Water Supply System	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Transport Infrastructure Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Road	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Port	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Canal	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Bridge	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Special-purpose Sites Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Mines or Quarry	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Information / Writing System Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Written Record	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Script	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Phonetic Alphabetic Writing	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Nonwritten Record	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Information / Kinds of Written Documents Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Scientific Literature	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Sacred Text	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Religious Literature	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Practical Literature	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Philosophy	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Lists Tables and Classification	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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History	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Fiction	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Calendar	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Information / Money Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Token	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Precious Metal	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Paper Currency	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Indigenous Coin	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Foreign Coin	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Article	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Information / Postal System Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Postal Station	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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General Postal Service	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Courier	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Information / Measurement System Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More

Warfare Variables (Military Technologies)

Fortifications Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wooden Palisade	Unknown Suspected	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Stone Walls Non Mortared	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Stone Walls Mortared	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Settlements in a Defensive Position	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Modern Fortification	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moat	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Earth Rampart	Unknown Suspected	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Ditch	Unknown Suspected	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Complex Fortification	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Long Wall	absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Military use of Metals Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Steel	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Iron	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Copper	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Bronze	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Projectiles Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Tension Siege Engine	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Sling Siege Engine	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Sling	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Self Bow	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Javelin	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Handheld Firearm	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Gunpowder Siege Artillery	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Crossbow	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Composite Bow	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Atlatl	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Handheld weapons Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
War Club	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Sword	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Spear	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Polearm	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Dagger	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Battle Axe	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Animals used in warfare Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Horse	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Elephant	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Donkey	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Camel	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Armor Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Wood Bark Etc	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Shield	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Scaled Armor	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Plate Armor	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Limb Protection	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Leather Cloth	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Laminar Armor	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Helmet	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Chainmail	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Breastplate	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Naval technology Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Specialized Military Vessel	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Small Vessels Canoes Etc	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Economy Variables (Luxury Goods)

Religion Variables

Moralizing Supernatural Punishment and Reward Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)
Moralizing Enforcement is Broad	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Concern is Primary	Absent	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Agentic	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in This Life	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moralizing Supernatural Punishment And Reward	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Commoners	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Targeted	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement in Afterlife	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moralizing Religion Adopted by Elites	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement of Rulers	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Moralizing Enforcement is Certain	Present	500 BCE 323 BCE
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Human Sacrifice Classical Crete (gr_crete_classical)

Variable	Coded Value / Certainty Tags	Year(s)	See More