Chapter 3 Flashcards
What was the basic building block of Greece?
The polis. (City-State.)
Which city-states had exceptional political clout?
Athens, Sparta, and Corinth.
Describe the average Greek.
A humble farmer who’s main concern was feeding his family and not philosophy. He may have been familiar with Socrates but it was not his main concern. He was invested in making sure the polis was run.
Describe the Mediterranean climate and what could be grown in Greece.
Hot and dry summers with short wet winters. Could grow grains but olives and grapes grew exceptionally well.
What were the mountains in the South of Greece called?
The Peloponnese.
What was at a premium in ancient Greece?
Farmland.
Where did the people who would eventually settle Greece come from and what type of people were they?
The central steps of Asia. They were Indo-European.
Who was the first proto-Greek civilization?
Minoans.
Where did the Minoans settle?
The isle of Crete.
What kind of society were the Minoans?
A Palace Society.
What is a palace society?
A city or series of cities that contains massive palace style building where the affairs of the region were handled.
Name the impressive palace found by Sir Arthur Evans?
Knossos
What are some important qualities of the palace at Knossos?
Had over 1,300 rooms and spanned over 5 acres.
What two scripts did the Minoans use?
Linear A followed by Linear B.
Which Minoan script best represents a proto-Greek script and is associated with Mycenaean civilization?
Linear B.
Was Minoan society matriarchal or patriarchal?
Matriarchal.
What painting shows people running towards a bull and jumping over it?
Torreador Fresco
True or False: The Minoans traded with nations around the Mediterranean and Egypt.
True
How did Minoan civilization end?
A combination of a weakening natural disaster and conquest by the Mycenaeans.
Where did the Cyclades inhabit?
The islands southeast of mainland Greece including the island of Delos.
What are the Cyclades known for?
Beautiful art and marble sculptures.
What Cyclade island had a special importance for future Greek civilization?
Delos.
What society created the stunning gold mask of Agamemnon?
Mycenaeans or Achaeans.
What type of civilization were the Mycenaeans?
A war-like and brutal civilization that conquered numerous other peoples. They were also a palace society.
What is one famed piece of architecture at Mycenae?
The Lions Gate.
How was Mycenaean society organized?
Not much is known, but we do know they had a warrior aristocracy class.
What other activity were the Mycenaeans good at besides war?
Engineering.
What two scripts did the Mycenaeans have?
Linear A and Linear B.
What famous poet drew from some of the tales of the Mycenaean are?
Homer.
What happened to Mycenaean civilization?
They were mostly conquered by the Dorians.
What are some other theories of what happened to Mycenaean civilization?
They were conquered by the “sea-peoples”. Or a natural disaster triggered a system collapse.
What is meant by the term Dark Ages in the phrase the Greek Dark Ages?
Political organization was on a very limited and local scale. No really massive empires or long-distance trade. Building projects don’t happen and huge empire expansion doesn’t really occur.
What is an epic?
A long poem, over 10,000 lines written in dactylic hexameter.
What is dactylic hexameter?
Six feet per line of usually long-short-short feet.
What are the collection of the epics that draw on epics from other cultures called?
The epic cycle.
What do Homeric epics deal with?
War, gods, death, life, and heroes.
What do scholars believe the troubles in Homer’s epics mirror?
The troubles that were occuring during the Greek Dark Ages.
When did Homer compose his poems?
At the end of the Greek Dark Ages.
What is the Greek Miracle?
Greece becoming more stable and far more prosperous. The cause of the Greek miracle is unknown.
Define the Greek Arete?
The strive for merit and virtue. Real life heroism put into practice.
What idea about Greek interaction in the polis was unique?
Citizenship.
Who were citizens of a typical Greek city-state?
All free males who were not citizens of another city-state.