Classical Greece Flashcards
Include all vocabulary, key terms and events
Mycenaean
First people to settle in Greece about 2000 B.C.
Trojan War
The war between the Mycenaeans and Troy around 1200 B.C.
Dorians
A new group who moved to Greece around 1200 B.C>
Homer
He was a great Greek poet who wrote epic poems
Epic
A long poem telling traditional stories
Myth
Traditional stories about their Gods
Polis
Greek city-state
Acropolis
Fortified hilltop in an Ancient Greek city
Monarchy
State ruled by a king, rule is hereditary, some rulers claim divine right, practiced in Mycenae by 2000 BC
Aristocracy
State ruled by nobility (wealthy people), rule is hereditary and based on family ties and social rank and wealth, social status and wealth support rulers’ authority, practiced in Athens prior to 594 BC
Oligarchy
State ruled by a small group of citizens, rule based on wealth or ability, ruling group controls military, practiced in Sparta by 500 BC
Direct democracy
State ruled by its citizens, rule based on citizenship, majority rule decides vote, practiced in Athens
Tyrant
Powerful individual who gains control of city-states government by appealing to poor for support.
Democracy
Government controlled by its citizens, directly or through reps
Helot
Society of ancient Sparta, a peasant bound to the land
Phalanx
Military formation of foot soldiers armed with spears and shields
Direct Democracy
All the citizens vote directly, there are no representatives
Classical Art
Sculptures that are graceful , strong and perfectly formed. Their face was serenity.
Tragedy
gifted abilities or tragic flaw
Comedy
made fun of politics and respected people and ideas
Peloponnesian War
War between Athens and Sparta. Athens had a stronger Navy, Sparta had a stronger army. Sparta marched into Athens and burned the food supply. Pericles brought other people into city walls while they were carrying plagues. The plague wiped out 1/3 of Athens eventually causing the, to sign a truce.
Philosopher
a person engaged or learned in philosophy, especially as an academic discipline.
Socrates
Greek philosopher. As represented in the writings of his disciple Plato, he engaged in dialogue with others in an attempt to define ethical concepts by exposing and dispelling error
Plato
- ancient Athenian philosopher; pupil of Socrates; teacher of Aristotle. a specialist in philosophy. The humanities are often preoccupied with thinkers of the past, such as the ancient Greek philosophers Socrates
Aristotle
- a towering figure in ancient Greek philosophy, making contributions to logic, metaphysics, mathematics, physics, biology, botany, ethics, politics, agriculture, medicine, dance and theatre.
Philip II
He dreamed of taking control of Greece and then moving against Persia to seize its vast wealth. Philip also hoped to avenge the Persian invasion of Greece in 480 B.C.
Macedonia
- Kingdom located just north of Greece that had rough terrain and a cold climate.
Alexander the Great
Philip’s son, who after Philip’s death immediately proclaimed himself king of Macedonia. Because of his accomplishments over the next 13 years gave him this name.
Darius III
The Persian King who was defeated by Alexader the Great.
Hellenistic
New culture that emerged after Alexander the Greats conquest. Blend of Greek, Egyptian, Persian, and Indian Culture
Alexandria
center of commerce of Hellenistic cities, located at the mouth of the Nile in Egypt and named after Alexander the Great
Euclid
Great mathematician that wrote “the elements”, a book filled with geometric theories and proofs still used today
Archimedes
Mathematician that discovered Pi as well as the law of the lever
Colossus of Rhodes
Statue of the Greek sun God Helios
