Lecture on Ancient Greece

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to Ancient Greece as described in the lecture notes.

polis (plural: poleis)

The Greek word for city-state, a collection of independent city-states rather than a single nation.

arête

The Greek concept of excellence that emphasizes the pursuit of virtue and moral excellence.

Minoans

An ancient civilization that flourished on the island of Crete, known for advanced architecture and the myth of the Minotaur.

Mycenaeans

A civilization that followed the Minoans, known for their fortresses and being prominent in Greek mythology.

Dark Ages

A period from about 1100 to 750 BCE characterized by a decline in literacy and cultural development after the fall of the Mycenaeans.

aristocracy

A government in which power is held by the nobility or a privileged upper class.

tyrant

A ruler who holds absolute power, originally meant as someone who came to power with popular support.

Cleisthenes

Known as the father of Athenian democracy, he reformed the political structure of Athens.

direct democracy

A system of government in which the citizens directly participate in decision-making.

ostracism

A practice in ancient Athens where citizens could vote to banish a person from the city for ten years.

agora

The central public space in ancient Athens used for assemblies and markets.

helots

State-owned serfs in Spartan society, subjected to agricultural labor.

agoge

The rigorous education and training program mandatory for all male Spartan citizens.

phalanx

A military formation of heavily armed infantry soldiers in ancient Greece.

trireme

An ancient Greek warship with three rows of oars on each side, used during naval engagements.

Delian League

An alliance of Greek city-states led by Athens, formed to deter Persian aggression.

Hellenistic

The period following Alexander the Great's conquests, marked by the spread of Greek culture across the Eastern Mediterranean and Asia.

Socratic Method

A form of cooperative argumentative dialogue based on asking and answering questions to stimulate critical thinking.

Hippocratic Oath

An ethical code for the practice of medicine, attributed to the ancient Greek physician Hippocrates.

oracle

A priest or priestess in ancient Greece who acted as a medium through whom prophecies were given.