Ancient Greece Flashcards
0
Q
What was the primary activity of the Minoans and what two major cultures influenced their ideas?
A
Trade
Egypt and Mesopotamia
1
Q
After what legendary king did the British archaeologist sir Arthur Evans name the culture he found on Crete?
A
Minos, The legendary king of Crete
2
Q
Where is the massive palatial capital of Minoan culture?
A
Knossos
3
Q
Shrines:
A
Areas dedicated to the honor if gods or goddesses
4
Q
Frescoes
A
Watercolor paintings done on wet plaster
5
Q
Five things learned from Minoan frescoes
A
- Importance of sea to Minoan people
- Minoans worshipped the bull
- Mother goddess also worshipped
- Women appear freely in public
- Women most likely had more rights than women in other ancient civilizations
6
Q
4 potential causes of the fall of Minoan civilization
A
- Volcanic eruption on nearby island
- Earthquake destroying palace
- Immersive wave drowning inhabitants
- Invaders
7
Q
Who replaced the Minoans and left is with a written record we can decipher?
A
Mycenaeans
8
Q
What type of language did the Mycenaean people speak?
A
Indo-European language
9
Q
What did Mycenaean kings build on the mainland and how did they rule?
A
Thick walked fortresses from which they ruled surrounding villages
10
Q
What two groups fought against each other in the Trojan war, where was Troy likely located and who is said to have won?
A
The Mycenaeans (Greeks) and Trojans
Modern day Turkey
The Greeks won
11
Q
Straits
A
Narrow water passages
12
Q
Who excavated Turkey and may have found the location of Troy?
A
Heinrich Schliemann
13
Q
Who invaded from the north causing a “dark age” and forced many Mycenaeans to flee?
A
The Dorians
14
Q
Blind poet to whom the Iliad and odyssey are attributed to?
A
Homer
15
Q
Who is Achilles and what does he struggle with on the Iliad?
A
The mightiest Greek warrior
He was unfairly treated and insulted by his commander
16
Q
Who is Odysseus and what is his primary challenge in the Odyssey?
A
Greek hero and king of Ithaca
He runs into any obstacles in his way home- sea monster, race of cyclops, sorceress who turns him into swine, etc
17
Q
What there major values do the Iliad and the Odyssey advocate for Greeks?
A
Heroes display…
- Honor
- Courage
- Eloquence
18
Q
What would Greek civilization eventually accomplish after its emergence from the Dorian invasion?
A
Greek civilization would both dominate the region and extend the influence of Greek culture over most of the western world.
19
Q
Polis
A
City state
20
Q
Describe he geographical and political organizational differences between Greek and Egyptian/Persian civilizations.
A
E/P- rose in fertile river valleys w/organized irrigation works
G- city-states, rugged + rocky terrain, many islands
21
Q
What was caused by the existence of many fiercely independent city states of Greece?
A
Rivalry (leading to war)
22
Q
What divided Greeks from one another?
What connected Greece to the world outside?
A
Mountains
Seas
23
Q
Itema that Greeks traded or traded for throughout the Mediterranean
A
Traded- olive oil, wine, marble
Received- grains, metals, ideas
24
What extremely important thing did the Greeks adopt from the Phoenicians?
Alphabet
25
What did population growth force many Greeks to do and what was the impact of this?
Leave their one overcrowded valleys
Scattering of Greek civilization---> trade, ideas, culture
26
Acropolis
High city
27
Citizens
Free residents
28
Lifestyle of most Greek men
Spent time outdoors in the marketplace, debating issues
29
Who held all political power on Greece?
Male landowners
30
Monarchy
Government in which a hereditary ruler exercises central power
31
Aristocracy
Rule by hereditary land elite
32
Oligarchy
Power on he hands of small, wealthy elite
33
What replaced bronze in weaponry and armor around 6500 Bc in Greece?
Iron
34
Phalanx
Massive tactical formation of heavily armed foot soldiers
35
How did the phalanx style of fighting help reduce class differences?
It put the defense of the city state in the hands of ordinary citizens
36
Who originally settled and built the city state of Sparta?
Dorians
37
Helots
State owned slaves
38
What did the fact that the vast majority of the people living on Sparta-controlled lands were helots mean in regard to the way Sparta organized itself?
Spartans outnumbered---> burial system of strict control
39
Who advised Spartans two kings?
A council of elders
40
What qualifications were there to be a citizen of Sparta and how were they organized?
Male, native-born
Spartans over age 30
41
What is an ephor and what was their job?
Officials who ran day-to-day affairs
42
What did Sparta do it's weakly infants?
Abandon them to die
43
What age did Spartan boys enter military barracks?
7
44
Describe life in agoge for spartan boys
Coarse diet
Hard exercise
Rigid discipline
45
What age could a spartan man marry?
20
46
Activities and rights of Spartan women
Exercise +strengthen body to prepare for childbirth
Obey father+ husband
Right to inherit property
47
Describe how Spartans viewed trade, travel, and new ideas
Looked down on trade
Forbade travel
No use for new ideas
48
What group held power in Athens by 700 BC?
Landowners
49
What groups gradually grew discontented with the aristocracy in Athens?
Merchants, soldiers, foreign artisans a, farmers
50
Democracy
Government by the people
51
Reforms of Solon
Outlawed debt slavery and freed those sold into slavery due to debt
Opened high offices to more citizens
Granted citizenship to done foreigners
Gave Athenian assembly more say in important decisions
52
Tyrants
People who gained power by force
53
Reforms of Pisistratus
Gave farmers loans and land taken from nobles
Building projects--> jobs for poor
Gave poor citizens greater voice- weakening aristocracy
54
Reforms of Cleisthenes
Broadened role of ordinary citizens in government
Set up council of 500 members chosen from all citizens ages 30+
Council prepared laws considered by assembly and supervised day-to-day work of government
55
Legislature
Lawmaking body
56
In what ways was the democracy in Athens very limited?
Only citizens could participate in government (citizens only landowning men)
57
How were women viewed by men in Athens? What area of public life could they excruciating a significant role?
Women must be guided by men
Religion
58
Six areas of learning explored by young Athenian men who could afford it
```
Reading
Writing
Music
Poetry
Public speaking
Military training
```
59
What factors helped unite Greek city states despite their tendency to attack and kill one another?
```
Language
Culture
Ancient heroes
Festivals
Same gods
```
60
Four Ancient Greek gods and descriptions
Zeus- ruler of humans and gods
Ares- god of war
Aphrodite- goddess of love
Athena- goddess of wisdom
61
Greek word for foreigners?
Barbaroi
62
How did the Ionian geek city states of Asia Minor feel about Persian rule despite having a largely self governing situation?
They rebelled against Persian rule
63
What did Athens so to help the Ionian Greek city states?
Sent ships
64
Where did punitive Persian force land against Athens and what was the result of this battle?
Marathon- plain north of Athens
The Persians retreated to their ships and Athenians celebrated
65
Who encourages the Athenians to build a fleet of warships on preparation for battle with the Persians?
Themistocles
66
Who sent a much larger force to Greece to crush the Athenians later in 480 BC?
Ceres
67
Who defended the narrow opening at Thermopylae and what was the result of this battle?
Leomidas (warrior king) and small spartan force
Spartans are deafeated
68
What did the Persians do to Athens
Burn it down
69
What happened to the Persian fleet at Salamis and who watched it by the shoreline?
Athenian warships drove into Persian boats with underwater battering rams
Ceres
70
How did the victory over Persia change how the Greeks viewed themselves?
It increased Greeks sense of own uniqueness
71
Alliance
Formal agreement between 2+ nations or powers to cooperate and come to one another's defense
72
Delian League? What was its original purpose?
Alliance between Athens and other city states
Defend against Persia
73
How did Athens use the Delian league?
Used its position of leadership to create an Athenian empire
Used money from allies to rebuild Athens
74
What paradox to Athens come to represent with regard to the ideas of democracy and freedom?
It enforced it's will abroad (use allies' money and forced them to stay) but leaders were championing freedom at home
75
Who led Athens during much of its Golden age?
Pericles
76
Direct democracy
Explain how it differs from modern democracies
Citizens take part directly in day-to-day affairs of government
Modern- participate indirectly through elected representatives
77
What reform did Pericles Institute which allowed a broader democracy?
Pericles believed all citizens, regardless of social class or wealth, should take part in government
78
Stipend
Fixed salary
79
Jury
Panel of citizens who have the authority to make final judgment in a trial
80
Ostracism
Vote to banish a public figure who they saw as a threat to democracy
81
How did the rebuilding of the Acropolis and other programs help Athens?
Athens became the cultural center of Greece
82
What other Greek league rose up to counter the power of the Delian league and what power led it?
Peloponnesian league
| Sparta
83
How long did the Peloponnesian war last?
27 years
84
What major problem caused the weakening and eventual loss of the Peloponnesian war by Athens?
Geographic disadvantage-
Sparta inland = powerful army
Athens cannot attack with navy
85
What did Sparta do to Athens at the end of the peloponnesian war and what did they refused to do?
Stripped Athenians of their fleet and Empire
| did not destroy Athens
86
What were early Greek thinkers driven by?
The belief that events were caused by the whims of gods
87
Philosophers
"Lovers of wisdom"
88
Logic
Rational thinking
89
What was most important to the sophists?
Success
90
Rhetoric
The art of skillful thinking
91
From whom do we learn about Socrates?
Plato
92
Socratic method is a question and answer learning method.
| Why was the seen as a threat to many Athenians?
It threatened accepted values and traditions- shows his doubt
93
What was Socrates accused of and what happened to him?
Corrupting the youth and failing to respect the gods
Condemned to death
94
How did Plato feel about democracy and what was the name of the school he founded?
He did not trust it
Academy
95
What did Plato believed could be accomplished rational thoughts?
People could discover unchanging ethical values,
recognize perfect beauty,
and learn how to best organize a society
96
What was the name of Plato's book about government?
The Republic
97
into what three classes did Plato divide society and who should rule this ideal society?
Workers to produce the necessities of life
soldiers to defend the state
philosophers to rule
98
How did Plato view women?
Men surpassed women mentally and physically, but some women are superior to some men
99
Who is Aristotle?
Plato's most famous student
100
Why was Aristotle suspicious of democracy and how does he think people should live?
He thought it could lead to mob rule
Good conduct meant pursuing the "Golden mean", a moderate course between extremes
101
What is the name and significance of the school set up by Aristotle?
Lyceum
When the first European universities evolved, their courses were based largely on the works and ideas Aristotle
102
What is the goal of Greek architecture and explain the long-term significance of it.
name it's most famous building
To convey a sense of perfect balance to reflect the harmony and order of the universe
Many public buildings throughout the modern day world have incorporated Greek architectural elements in their designs
Parthenon
103
How did Greek sculptors try to depict gods and humans in their statues?
Early- rigid, lifeless- like Egyptian works
Later- lifelike- depicted in most perfect, graceful form
104
What are the only surviving paintings by the Greeks we still have today?
Paintings on pottery
105
Who were some great Greek poets and what subject matter did each concern themselves with?
Homer- stirring tales
Sappho- love and beauty of her island home
Pindar- celebrated victors on athletic contests
106
What did Greek dramas evolve out of, to what god were dramas mostly devoted and on what were they usually based?
Religious festivals
Dionysus
Popular myths and legends
107
Name three major Greek playwrights and a play written by each
Aeschylus- Oresteia
Sophocles- Antigone
Euripides- The Trojan Women
108
Tragedies
Plays that told stories of human suffering that usually ended in disaster
109
What was the main purpose of tragedies?
To stir up and then relieve feelings of pity and fear
110
Comedies
Humorous plays that mocked people or customs
111
Who is Aristophanes and what play did he write
The author of almost all surviving Greek comedies
Lysistrata
112
Why is Herodotus known as the "Father of History"
He went beyond listing names of rulers or the retelling of ancient legends
113
How did Thucydides improve on some of the contributions made to history given by Herodotus?
he wrote about the Peloponnesian war and, although he was Athenian, he tried to be fair to both sides
Showed the need to avoid bias
114
How did the Greeks view Macedonia?
Backwards, half-civilized land
115
Who did Philip II (king of Macedonia) hire to teach is son, Alexander the Great?
Aristotle
116
What methods did Philip II use to gain territory and influence throughout Greece?
She built a powerful army and through threats, bribery, and diplomacy he formed allies with city states-others he conquered
117
Assassination
The murder of a public figure
118
What was the state of the Persian Empire under Darius III at the time of Alexander?
Weak/ bad shape
119
How far did Alexander eventually march to the east and why did he stop and return?
Through Asia minor into Palastine and south to Egypt
To take Babylon
120
To whom did Alexander say his empire should be given at his death?
"The strongest"
121
How was Alexander's empire divided after his death?
Macedonia and Greece
Egypt
Most of Persia
122
What was Alexander's most lasting achievement?
The spread of Greek culture
123
Who settled in the cities founded by Alexander and his generals?
Greek soldiers, traders, artisans
124
Assimilated
Absorbed
125
What two things did Alexander do to encourage the blending of Eastern and Western cultures?
Married Persian woman and adopted many customs
Urged soldiers to follow his example
126
What four major cultures did Hellenism blend together and what city was at the center of it?
Greek Persian Egyptian Indian
| Alexandria
127
How many people lived in Alexandria, Egypt and what were two of its major attractions?
Almost 1 million people
Markets w/wide range of goods- marble, spices, ivory
440ft tall lighthouse/ Pharos
128
How did Hellenism change the rules of women?
Women can read and write--> philosophers, poets
129
What's new philosophy rose out of the political turmoil during the Hellenistic period?
Stoicism
130
Who was the founder of stoicism and what did he urge followers to do?
Zeno
Avoid desires and disappointments by calmly accepting what life gives
131
Pythagoras
Derived formula to calculate the relationship between the sides of a right triangle
132
Euclid
Wrote The Elements, a textbook that became basis for modern geometry
133
Aristarchus
Argued earth rotated on its axis and orbited the sun
134
Eratosthenes
Showed that the earth was round and accurately calculated it's circumference
135
Archimedes
Applied principles of physics to make practical any inventions like the lever and pulley
136
Hippocrates
Studied causes of illnesses and looked for cures
137
What is the Hippocratic oath?
Set ethical standards for doctors
