04: Classical Civilizations in the Mediterranean and Middle East

Question 0

Zoroastrianism

Answer 0

• Animalist religion that saw material existence as battle between forces of good and evil; stressed the importance of moral choice; righteous lived on after death in “House of Song”; chief religion of Persian Empire.
• Chief religion of Persian Empire.
• Strongly affected Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Question 1

Cyrus the Great

Answer 1

• Established massive Persian Empire by 550 BCE, successor state to Mesopotamian empires.
• Formed the Persian Empire.
• Persia one of the largest and most influential classical civiliations.

Question 2

Olympic Games

Answer 2

• One of the pan-Hellenic rituals observed by all Greek city-states; involved athletic competition and ritual celebration.
• United the usually divided city-states.
• Olympic games still are going today (though there was a long intermission and they’re somewhat different).

Question 3

Pericles

Answer 3

• Athenian political leader during 5th century BCE; guided development of Athenian Empire; died during early stages of Peloponnesian War.
• Able to restrain more aggressive views of Athenian democrats.
• Able to bring logic to Athenian politics in tumultuous times.

Question 4

Peloponnesian Wars

Answer 4

• Wars from 431 to 404 BCE between Athens and Sparta for dominance in southern Greece; resulted in Spartan victory but failure to achieve political unification of Greece.
• Main powers of Greece fought against each other.
• Brought disunity that made Greece easier to take over.

Question 5

Philip II

Answer 5

• Ruled Macedon from 359 to 336 BCE; founder of centralized kingdom; later conquered rest of Greece, which was subjected Ti Macedonian authority.
• Founded centralized kingdom
• Brought the Hellenistic Period

Question 6

Hellenistic Period

Answer 6

• The culture associated with the spread of Greek influence as a result of Macedonian conquests; often seen as the combination of Greek culture with eastern political forms.
• Trade flourished and important scientific centers were established.
• Influenced many other cultures.

Question 7

Alexandria, Egypt

Answer 7

• One of the cities founded by and named for Alexander the Great; site of ancient Mediterranean’s greatest library; center of literary studies.
• One of the greatest learning centers of the ancient Mediterranean.
• Helped increase scientific advancements in classical Mediterranean civ.

Question 8

Roman Republic

Answer 8

• The balanced constitution of Rome from c. 510 to 47 BCE; featured an aristocratic Senate, a panel of magistrates, and several popular assemblies.
• One of the political structures of Classical Rome.
• Influenced many governments today including the US’.

Question 9

Punic Wars

Answer 9

• Fought between Rome and Carthage to establish dominance in the western Mediterranean; won by Rome after three separate conflicts.
• Started Rome’s strong military orientation.
• Military tendenciec controlled most of Rome’s history.

Question 10

Carthage

Answer 10

• Originally a Phoenician colony in northern Africa; became a major port and commercial power in the western Mediterranean; fought the Punic Wars with Rome for dominance of the western Mediterranean.
• Player in the Punic Wars
• Helped start Rome’s aggressive military career.

Question 11

Hannibal

Answer 11

• Great Carthaginian general during the Second Punic War; successfully invaded Italy but failed to conquer Rome; finally defeated at Battle of Zama.
• Strong Carthaginian general.
• Brought Carthage to many victories during Punic Wars

Question 12

Caesar, Julius

Answer 12

• Roman general responsible for conquest of Gaul; brought army back to Rome and overthrew republic; assassinated in 44 BCE by conservative senators.
• Ended the traditional institutions of the Roman state.
• Brought the end of the Roman Republic.

Question 13

Augustus Caesar

Answer 13

• Name given to Octavian following his defeat of Marc Antony and Cleopatra; first emperor of Rome.
• First emperor of Rome.
• Established basic structures of Roman Empire.

Question 14

Diocletian

Answer 14

• Roman emperor from 248 to 395 CE; restored later empire by improving administration and tax collection.
• Slightly restored empire from decline.
• Improved Economic and Political SPICEs if only for a short time.

Question 15

Constantine

Answer 15

• Roman emperor from 312 to 337 CE; established second capital at Constantinople; attempted to use religious force of Christianity to unify empire spiritually.
• Made Christianity legal in the Roman Empire.
• Gave Christianity to boost it needed to become

Question 16

Polis

Answer 16

• City-state form of government; typical of Greek political organization from 800 to 400 BCE.
• Greece’s form of government for 400 years.
• Influenced many important political traditions of Greece and other governments.

Question 17

Direct Democracy

Answer 17

• Where people participate directly in assemblies that make laws and select leaders, rather then electing representatives.
• Greece’s government in the Classical Era.
• Influenced many governments of today including the US.

Question 18

Senate

Answer 18

• Assembly of Roman aristocrats; advised on policy within the republic; one of the early elements of the Roman constitution.
• Most important legislative body in Rome.
• Basically controlled all of Rome during the Republic.

Question 19

Consuls

Answer 19

• Two chief executives or magistrates of the Roman republic; elected by an annual assembly dominated by aristocracy.
• Leaders of Rome with primary executive power.
• The head-honchos of Roman politics.

Question 20

Cicero

Answer 20

• Conservative Roman senator; Stoic philosopher; one of great orators of his day; killed in reaction to assassination of Julius Caesar.
• Wrote much about politics and expanded on them.
• Influenced Roman politics.

Question 21

Aristotle

Answer 21

• Greek philosopher; teacher of Alexander the Great; knowledge based on observation of phenomena in material world.
• Stressed importance of moderation and balance in human behavior.
• Shaped the Greek way of thinking.

Question 22

Stoics

Answer 22

• Hellenistic group of philosophers; emphasized inner moral independence cultivated by strict discipline of the body and personal bravery.
• Ethical system from the Hellenistic period.
• Influenced Greece and other’s thinking.

Question 23

Socrates

Answer 23

• Athenian philosopher of later 5th century BCE; tutor of Plato; urdged rational reflection of moral decisions; condemned to death for corrupting minds of Athenian youth.
• Created Socratic principle of rational inquiry by means of skeptical questioning.
• Greatly influenced later Greek thinking and it’s heritage to later societies.

Question 24

Sophocles

Answer 24

• Greek writer of tragedies; author of Oedipus Rex.
• Wrote about human reason and balance in dramas
• Influenced thinking of Greeks

Question 25

Iliad

Answer 25

• Greek epic poem attributed to Homer but possibly the work of many authors; defined gods and human nature that shaped Greek mythos.
• Defined gods and human nature
• Shaped Greek mythos

Question 26

Odyssey

Answer 26

• Greek epic poem attributed to Homer but possibly the work of many authors; defined gods and human nature that shaped Greek mythos.
• Defined gods and human nature
• Shaped Greek mythos

Question 27

Doric

Answer 27

• Along with Ionian and Corinthian, distinct style of Hellenistic architecture; the least ornate of the three styles.
• Main architecture of Greece
• Invented what westerners and others regard as “classical” architecture

Question 28

Ionic

Answer 28

• Along with Doric and Corinthian, distinct style of Hellenistic architecture; the least ornate of the three styles.
• Main architecture of Greece
• Invented what westerners and others regard as “classical” architecture

Question 29

Corninthian

Answer 29

• Along with Doric and Ionian, distinct style of Hellenistic architecture; the most ornate of the three styles.
• Main architecture of Greece
• Invented what westerners and others regard as “classical” architecture