Ancient Greek Pre-History, Drama, and Mythology

Vocabulary flashcards detailing Aegean civilizations, Greek tragedy, poetic terms, theatrical mechanics, mythology, and linguistic definitions from the lecture notes.

Minoan Civilization

A sophisticated civilization centered on Crete from c. 2500–1500 BCE, known for its capital Knossos, bull iconography, and development of Linear A and Linear B, which was ultimately destroyed by natural disaster(s?).

Knossos

The capital city of the Minoan Civilization, characterized by an impressively intricate floorplan and murals depicting the dancing, fighting, or worshipping of bulls.

Linear A

A Minoan writing system that remains untranslated.

Linear B

A Minoan writing system that has been successfully translated.

Mycenean Civilization

A Greek civilization centered on Mycenae from c. 1500–1000 BCE, known as the possible home of Agamemnon, famous for Cyclopean architecture, and brought to an end by the Dorian Invasion.

Cyclopean

A strange architectural style associated with the Myceneans characterized by large stone blocks, off-centered structures, and corbel arches built for a cyclops head.

Dorian Invasion

The invasion of horsemen characterized by a minimalist style and curved bronze blades that ended the Mycenean Civilization.

The Greek Dark Ages

A period lasting from c. 1000–700 BCE in which historical records were lost, destroyed, or did not exist in the first place.

Homer

A rhapsode, troubadour, or bard who composed using dactylic hexameter and epithets; debated theories propose he was colorblind, a woman, or a collective group of people.

Theos ek mechano

Literally translated as 'god from the machine'; a crane used in ancient Greek drama to hoist actors on and off stage.

Catharsis

A cleaning or purge of pity and fear that, according to Aristotle's Poetics, is achieved through tragedy.

Mimesis

A dramatic technique defined in Aristotle's Poetics as an imitation.

Hamartia

A protagonist's tragic flaw, translated literally as 'missing the target.'

Anagnorisis

A technique in Greek drama signifying the moment of recognition.

Peripeteia

A dramatic technique in Greek tragedy representing a sudden reversal.

Aesop

A Greek poet and slave living on the isle of Samon around c. 500 BCE.

Calchas

The prophet consulted by Agamemnon who revealed that the winds could only be restored by sacrificing Agamemnon's daughter, Iphegenia, to Artemis.

Clytemnestra

Wife of Agamemnon who took Aegisthus as a lover and avenged Iphegenia's sacrifice by entrapping Agamemnon in a sewn-up bathrobe and hacking him to death with a battle axe.

The Choephoroe (The Libation Bearers)

Part 2 of Aeschylus' Oresteia, in which Elektra convinces her brother Orestes to avenge their father's murder by killing Aegisthus and Clytemnestra.

The Eumenides (The Good Fortunes)

Part 3 of Aeschylus' Oresteia, in which an insane Orestes undergoes a divine trial judged by Athena, who calls on Apollo to magically cure his madness.

Iliad

Homer's epic poem, literally meaning 'the story of Ilium.'

Ilium

The ancient Greek name for the city of Troy.

Corbel Arch

A triangular-shaped arch characteristic of Mycenean Cyclopean architecture.

Epithets

Short descriptive tags used in epic poetry, such as 'king of kings' for Agamemnon or 'the long suffering' for Odysseus.

Drama

A Greek word literally meaning 'action.'

Theatrein

The ancient Greek word meaning 'to watch.'

Paris

Son of Priam who judged the beauty contest between Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite, accepting Aphrodite's bribe of Helen's hand in marriage and triggering the events of the Trojan War.

Immurement

A form of execution meaning to be walled up or buried alive, as ordered by Creon for Antigone.

Comos

An ancient Greek term meaning revelry or party.

Tragedos

A Greek term meaning 'goat,' an animal used in dramatic religious festivals to either sacrifice or claim as a prize.

Automania

An individual battle between champions.

Ball eis korakos

An ancient Greek phrase translating to 'to the crows,' meaning 'go to hell.'

Ars gratia artis

A phrase meaning 'art for art's sake.'

Rhapsein

A Greek verb meaning to stitch or sew.

Erinyes

Mythological entities translated as 'ill-fates.'

Central Meaning of Aeschylus' Oresteia

The thematic realization that suffering is knowledge, encapsulated by the quote: 'Even in sleep, pain, which will not forget, falls, drop by drop, upon the heart, until, at last, comes wisdom, by the awful grace of god.'