Power Point 4 Slides--Ancient and Classic Greece Flashcards
What is Hellas?
Means “The Land of the Greeks”
How does geography shape Greek culture?
Diversity in geography made their culture unique.
Mountains divide the land which leads to independent city-states.
No good rivers connecting settlements.
Fragmentation leads to diversity.
City-states surround the Aegean Sea–it is what unites the Greeks.
What are two important city-states?
Athens and Sparta–2 city-states close geographically but very different cultures.
How does the climate of Greece affect its culture?
Climate is temperate with temperatures ranging from mild to hot. Much of their public activities occurred outside. People gathered and spoke in public and many were able to participate. This helps promote democracy as an idea–that everyone had something to contribute.
What did Greek citizens have in common?
Language and religion.
If you asked a Greek who they were, how would they answer?
The would first identify themselves as a citizen of their city-state since that was their most important connection. Ex. Athenian
What were two important early Greek civilizations of the Bronze Age?
Minoa, Mycenea
Why did the Minoan and the Mycenean societies, along with others, decline during the Greek Dark Ages (around 1100 - 800 BCE)?
Invasions from outsiders, esp. from groups called the Sea Peoples, have been blamed. It was also a general time of upheaval.
What happened in Greek culture during the Dark Ages?
A lot of what we think of as classical Greek culture started to develop during this time period including Greek literature and religion.
Who was Homer?
Poet who wrote down the Iliad and the Odyssey at the end of the Greek Dark Ages. These are two of the most important works in ancient Greek literature. He may have been blind–some question if he actually existed. The stories had been passed down for generations orally. .
What does the Iliad tell us about Greek culture?
It depicts a very warlike Greek culture–covers battles between Greeks and Trojans.
What was the Greek view of the world and the place of gods and humans in it (as we see in Homer’s works as well as others)?
Greeks believed gods existed in a special realm above the Earth and they had a direct connection with humanity, regularly intervening in human affairs.
Human beings are constantly affected by gods’ actions and can interact with the gods.
Gods are members of our society. They are not perfect beings.
Humans and gods are players in the cosmic drama.
What are the key characteristics of the Greek religion?
Anthropomorphic– mostly human like gods.
Polytheistic–many gods.
Stratified–levels of gods.
No true theology–No one set system of worship.
Who were the most important group of gods in Greek mythology?
the Olympians
Who were the Olympians descended from?
The Titans
Who were the Titans and who led them?
Titans ruled in a pre-historic life. Ruled by Kronos and his wife Rhea.
Who were the most important children of the Titans?
Zeus–Main god
Poseidon–god of the sea
Hades–god of the underworld
What was the Greek idea of the afterlife?
Believed everyone went to the underworld–a different form of existence.
What was the story about Kronos and Rhea and their children?
Whenever they had a child, Kronos would eat the child. The child would then exist inside of Kronos.
Rhea doesn’t like this. When they had Zeus, she gives him a rock to eat instead. Rhea took Zeus and raised him on the island of Crete.
Zeus later leads a rebellion against Kronos and defeats him and imprisons him on Tartarus. Zeus frees his brothers and sisters.
The rock that came out of Kronos became Mt. Olympus. (Based on a volcanic eruption.)
What is Zeus like?
Ruler of the gods. Final decision maker. Whimsical. Can be charmed. Has a lot of children, including with human beings.
What is Poseidon like?
Powerful (important in keeping with the power of the sea in Greek life.) He controls the sea, tides, etc.
Who is the wife of Zeus?
Hera
Who are two of the most important children of Zeus?
Athena–Goddess of Wisdom and Skill (patron goddess of Athens)
Apollo–god of Light, Music, and Oracles (adopted by Sparta as their patron god)
Do the gods judge humans?
Greek gods are not judges of morality. They are not always moral themselves. They are powerful but humanlike.
Do humans have free will?
Human beings are born having a fate–cannot alter our destiny in life. You accept your fate.
What is the ultimate crime for the Greeks?
Hubris–excessive pride. You think you are more powerful than the gods and that they did not control your fate.
How does the story of the Odyssey show the relationship of men and gods?
Odysseus fights in the Trojan war and he cursed the gods. He believed he did not need them. The gods punish him by sending him on a 20 year journey home until he will admit he needs the gods. They put him through many trials on the way home until he finally admitted he needed the gods.
What is another work of Greek literature that shows the importance of fate and obeying the gods. (A cautionary tale.)
Sophocles–Oedipus plays (Oedipus ends up killing his father and marrying his mother_)
Which god often is shown with an eagle and/or a lightning bolt?
Zeus
Which god might be portrayed with a lyre, or harp?
Apollo
Which god is portrayed with a trident? (has three prongs on it)
Poseidon
Which goddess was responsible for success and business enterprise?
Athena
Who was Ares?
Greek god of warfare, son of Zeus–shown with shield and sword.
Who is normally depicted with a three-headed dog named Cerberus?
Hades–guards the River Styx which leads to the underworld. He is not one of the main Olympian 12–has his own domain.
Who takes souls across the River Styx to the underworld?
Charon
Who is the god of wine and frivolity, dancing, having a good time?
Dionysius
Who was the goddess of love and desire?
Aphrodite