Chapter 4 Greek/Greece Vocabulary

Chapter 4 Greece Vocabulary

Isolate

to set apart from others

Debated

discussed by considering opposing viewpoints

Epic Poem

a long poem that tells the deeds of a great hero, such as the Iliad and the Odyssey by Homer

Arete

in early Greece, the quality of excellence that a hero strives to win in a struggle or contest

Polis

the early Greek city-states, an open area consisting of a city or town and its surrounding countryside

Agora

in early Greek city-states, an open area that served as a gathering place and as a market

Tyrant

a ruler who seized power by force from the aristocrats, gained support from the newly rich and the poor, and maintained power by using hired soldiers and fighting tactics

Oligarchy

"the rule of the few"; a form of government in which a select group of people exercises control

Ephor

one of the five men selected each year in ancient Sparta who were responsible for the education of youth and the conduct of all citizens

Acropolis

in early Greek city-states, a fortified gathering place at the top of a hill that was sometimes the site of temples and public business

Phalanx

a wall of shields created by foot soldiers marching shoulder to shoulder in a rectangular formation

Democracy

"the rule of many"; government by the people, either directly or through their elected representatives

Helot

in ancient Sparta, a captive person who was forced to walk for the conqueror

Age of Pericles

the period between 461 BC and 429 BC when Pericles dominated Athenian politics and Athens reached the height of its power

Direct democracy

a system of government in which the people participate in government decision making through mass meetings

Ostracism

in ancient Athens the process for temporarily banning ambitious politicians from the city by popular vote

Oracle

in ancient Greece, a sacred shrine where a god or goddess was said to reveal the future through a priest or priestess

Philosophy

an organized system of thought, from the Greek for "love of wisdom"

Socratic Method

the method of teaching used by the Greek philosopher Socrates; it employs a question-and-answer format to lead pupils to see things for themselves by using their own logic

Hellenistic Era

the age of Alexander the Great; period when the Greek language and ideas were carried to the non-Greek world

Epicureanism

the school of thought developed by the philosopher Epicurus in Hellenistic Athens; it held that happiness is the chief foal in life, and the means to achieve happiness was the pursuit of pleasure

Stoicism

the school of thought developed by the teacher Zeno in Hellenistic Athens; it says that happiness can be achieved only when people gain inner peace by living in harmony with the will of God and that people should bear whatever life offers