Ancient Greece Unit Study Guide

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering key terms, historical figures, and events from the Ancient Greece Honors unit study guide.

Polis

The independent Greek city-state that served as the central unit of political, social, and everyday life in Ancient Greece.

Monarchy

A form of government ruled by a single monarch, such as a king or queen.

Oligarchy

A system of government in which power is held by a small group of select individuals.

Tyranny

A government system where an individual ruler holds absolute power, often seized unlawfully or maintained through force.

Democracy

A system of government where political power is held by the citizens; in Athens, it operated as a direct democracy.

Ionian Revolt

A key uprising that helped trigger and cause the Persian Wars between the Greek city-states and the Persian Empire.

Battle of Marathon

A significant early Greek victory in the Persian Wars where military strategy and geography led to the defeat of Persian forces.

Battle of Salamis

A decisive naval battle in the Persian Wars where Greek military strategy and geographic features enabled a critical victory.

Delian League

An alliance formed by Greek city-states after the Persian Wars, through which Athens gained power and expanded its influence.

Peloponnesian War

The major war between Athens and Sparta driven by growing power, rivalry, and suspicion, which ultimately left the Greek city-states weakened and divided.

Golden Age of Athens

A period of immense cultural, civic, and political flourishing in Athens under the leadership of Pericles.

Pericles

An influential Athenian leader during the Golden Age who developed Athenian democracy and oversaw major cultural and civic developments.

Parthenon

A major monument constructed in Athens during its Golden Age that reveals Athenian culture and civic pride.

Macedonia

The northern kingdom that gained control over Greece after the weakened and divided city-states failed to resist invasion.

Alexander the Great

The ruler of Macedonia who built a massive empire through military conquest and spread Greek culture throughout his conquered territories.

Hellenistic

The term describing the period and culture shaped by the lasting spread and influence of Greek culture across Alexander the Great's former empire.

Socrates

An important Greek philosopher remembered for his focus on questioning and reasoning.

Plato

An influential Greek philosopher who wrote The Republic and explored major ideas regarding government and political philosophy.

Aristotle

A Greek philosopher who engaged in the study of many fields and served as the teacher of Alexander the Great.