Chapter 5 Vocab Flashcards
Trojan War
A war, fought around 1,200 B.C., in which an army lead by Mycenaean kings attacked the independent trading city of Troy in Anatolia
Homer
“The Greatest storyteller of all time”; according to legend, he is blind; wrote The Iliad and The Odyssey
Epic
A narrative poem celebrating heroic deeds
Myth
A traditional story about gods (Normally Greek gods)
Polis
The fundamental political unit in ancient Greece; also known as a city-state
Acropolis
A fortified hilltop where citizens gathered to discuss city government
Monarchy
A government in which power is in the hands of a single person for life
Aristocracy
A government in which the power is in the hands of a hereditary ruling class or nobility
Oligarchy
A government in which power is in the hands of a few people-especially one in which rule is based upon wealth
Tyrant
In ancient Greece, a powerful individual who gained control of a city-state’s government by appealing to the poor for support
Democracy
A government controlled by its citizens either directly or through representatives
Helot
In the society of ancient Sparta, a peasant bound to the land
Phalanx
A military formation of foot soldiers armed with spears and shields
Persian Wars
A series of wars in the fifth century B.C., in which Greek city-states battled the Persian empire
Direct Democracy
A government in which citizens rule directly rather than through representatives
Classical Art
The art of ancient Greece and Rome, in which harmony, order, and proportion were emphasized
Tragedy
A serious form of drama dealing with the downfall of a heroic or noble character
Comedy
A humorous form of drama that often includes slapstick and satire
Peloponnesian War
A war, lasting from 431 to 404 B.C., in which Athens and its allies were defeated by Sparta and its allies
Philosopher
A thinker who uses logic and reason to investigate the nature of the universe, human society, and morality
Socrates
Famous Greek philosopher that was ONLY supported by the people who could understand his teachings, which were intended to make people question their moral character
Plato
Famous Greek philosopher that was taught by Socrates; Wrote The Republic which was about what he thought was a perfectly governed society
Aristotle
Famous Greek philosopher that was taught by Plato; His ideas are what today’s scientific method is based off of
Philip II
Father of Alexander the great; led very highly trained Macedonian army that was later used to conquer most of the known world by his son using the phalanx formation
Macedonia
Kingdom located directly north of Greece; Home of Philip II and Alexander the Great
Alexander the Great
Came to power after Philip II was assassinated; Led huge army against almost all of known world and never lost
Darius III
King of Persia that fought against Alexander the Great, but he ended up leaving the battlefield every time, leaving behind his wives and kids
Hellenistic
Relating to the civilization, language, art, science, and literature of the Greek world from under the reign of Alexander the Great to the late second century B.C.
Alexandria
Famous Egyptian city named after Alexander the Great; Foremost center of commerce and Hellenistic civilization
Euclid
A highly regarded mathematician who taught in Alexandria whose work we still use in today’s geometry
Archimedes
Hellenistic scientist out of Syracuse; Accurately estimated the value of pi
Colossus of Rhodes
An enormous Hellenistic statue that formerly stood near the harbour of Rhodes
