Classical Greece Test Flashcards
Persian Wars
Def-A series of battles between the Greeks (multiple city states) and the Persian Empire
Signif.: Greeks won
-Persia was not able to invade the Greek mainland
-was a time when competitive Greek city-states came together to fight a common enemy and were successful
-Parthenon Metopes were symbolic of these battles
Pericles
Def.: an athenian politician who commissioned the building of the parthenon
Signif.:
-His three goals were to beautify Athens, strengthen the Athenian Empire, and build up Athenian democracy
Minoans
Definition: A Greek speaking people that lived on the island of Crete
Signif.:
- Had a powerful society, and influenced the Mycenaean to increase seaborne trade, which helped spread arts and sciences.
-influence Greek religious culture, art, politics ,and writing.
Dorians
Definition: An ancient greek race that took control of Mycenaean land after the Mycenaean government collapsed after the Trojan war.
Signif.:
-They were a less advanced society, so the economy collapsed, and writing stopped completely, so there is no documentation of this time period.
Myths
Definition: Traditional stories about gods.
Signif.:
-Through myths, the ancient Greeks tried to understand both nature and human nature.
Hubris
Definition: excessive pride in oneself and one’s achievements.
Signif.:
-It often leads to the destruction of the heroine in many greek myths and tragedies.
Philosophers
definition: individuals determined to seek truth, believed that the universe is subject ot laws, and people can learn to understand these laws through logic.
Signif.:
-Advanced many achievements in religion and science
-helped greeks understand and improve the world and their society.
Aristotle
Definirion: A student of Plato who questioned the nature of humanity and the world
signif.:
-Invented a method for arguing using logic, which is a predecessor to the scientific method.
Plato
Definition: A student of socrates who believed that the perfect society was split into three social classes, the wealthy being the ruling class, and a ruler was picked from the ruling class.
Singif.:
-Invented the class system which was used in Europe and throughout the world for centuries
Socrates
Definition: A philosopher who Belived that the universe was subject to laws, and people can understand these laws through logic. encouraged self-examination.
Singif.: Was exectued for his ideas, and encouraging questioning of athenian culture.
Lyric Poetry
definition: poetry accompanied by a lyre.
Signif.;
-dealt with emotions and desires
-a predecessor to modern songs.
Homer
Definition; a famous greek storyteller
Significance: wrote epics, including the Iliad, which is based off of the Trojan war
-much of what is known about Ancient Greece is based on his writing.
Thucydides
Definition: Greek historian, believed that certain types of events and political situations recur over time, and that through studying hte past, we can gain a better understanding of the present.
Signif.:
-his concept of recurrence one of the pillars of modern historical study
Herodotus
Definition: A Greek historian who wrote a book on the persian wars
Significance:
-His book is considered the first form of historical writing.
Athena
Defintion: The greek goddess of wisdom and war
Signif.: The Parthenon, is a temple to her and the city of athens, was named after her.
hera
Definition: The goddess of motherhood and marriage
Signif.; one of Zeus’ wives
Aphrodite
Definition: Goddess of love and beauty
Signif.: Her art demonstrates the Greek beauty standard, which still continues today
Zeus
Definition: god of lightning, king of the gods
signif.; considered the most powerful god by the greeks
Arete
Definition: virtue and excellence, that Athenians could demonstrate on the battle field in combat or in an atheltic contest
Significance:
-an example of the competitive and perfectionist nature of athenian society, their value of honor as well.
Aegean and Ionian Seas
Def.:The seas southern of the mainland, containing thousands of greek Islands
Signif.:
-Was an important trade and transportation route in Greece. Brought resources and led to the spread of ideas and language throughout greece
Drama
Defin.: A form of greek Theater (drama) sponsored by the state, an expression of civic pride and a tribute to the gods.
Tragedy
Defin.:Tragedy often featured a powerful hero with a flaw that causes their downfall, which was often hubris, or excessive pride.
Singif.:
-Demonstrated the Athenian value of humility and balance
Comedy
Defin.: a form of drama that made fun of politics, respected people, and ideas
Signif.: Demonstrated the freedom and openness of democratic Athens
Mycenaeans
Def.A people of Greece originally from the Eurasian steppes that migrated to Greece and had strongly defended cities and strong rulers.
Signif.:
-They dominated the Greek city-states and greek culture
Classical art
definition: Art in ancient greece that serves as the standard of excellence for later Western art forms
Signif.:
-This art prioritized balance and ideal beauty, as opposed to realism.
Troy/ trojan war
Defin.: A city of the Bronze Age that was attacked by Greece during the Trojan war, over the kidnapping of Helen of Troy.
Signif.:
-Still important and notable today
-The story of the Trojan Horse warns us of the dangers of deception.
-An example of the Greek city states working together in times of war
-One of Homer’s most notable works, The Iliad, is about the Trojan War
The Iliad
Defin.: A poetry epic by Homer telling the story of the trojan war.
Signif.:
-One of Homer’s most notable works
-most of ours and the world’s knowledge of the Trojan War comes from the Iliad
Elgin Marbles
defin.: a collection of Ancient Greek sculptures from the Parthenon and other structures from the Acropolis of Athens
Signif.:
-Was taken most likely illegally from the Parthenon, and Greece wants them to be returned.
-one of the greatest arguments between the British Museum and its imperial-era artifacts over returning to their home countries.
Paris of Troy
Definition:
In The Iliad and other greek historical accounts, Paris is a prince of Troy who kidnapped Helen, the wife of King Menelaus
Signif.:
-Started the Trojan War
Daedelus and Icarus
defin: Daedalus, a mythical inventor who created the labyrinth, created wings made of feathers and wax to escape from Crete where he and his son, Icarus, were held captive by King Minos.
Signif;
- their story is a prime example of the dangers of hubris, a common athenian theme.
metope (meh-tuh-pee)
Defin.: the surviving set of what were originally 92 sculptures at hte Parthenon
Signif.:
-as the British Museum has possession of them, there has been much debate as to whether they belong to Greeceor Britain
==Epic Poetry
Defin.: a narrative poem about a heroic deed or myths.
Signif.:
-was one of the earliest forms of Greek literature
- The most notable epic poems were by Homer, and included the Iliad and the Odyssey
