Key Terms from Ancient Greek Myths and Culture

These flashcards cover key terms, figures, and concepts from the lecture notes regarding ancient Greek mythology and culture.

Clotho

A fate who spins the thread of a person's life from birth.

Lachesis

A fate who determines how long a person will live.

Atropos

A fate who decides how and when a person dies.

Moira

Collectively refers to all the fates who decide the destiny of both gods and mortals.

Epiphany

A visitation from a god, which can occur in a dream or in person.

Libation

An offering to a deity, often in the form of wine or a part of a burnt animal.

Sarpedon

Son of Zeus who was destined to be killed; Zeus wanted to save him but the fates did not allow it.

Lacoon

A priest who warned the Greeks not to let the Trojans into their house and was ultimately killed by sea serpents.

Baetyl

A stone known to house some kind of god or spirit.

Rhyton

A drinking vessel shaped like an animal's head.

Labrys

A double-headed axe found in Minoan and Mycenaean religious sites.

Anemospilia

A Minoan temple known to have human sacrifices.

Krater

A large vessel for mixing wine and water.

Idomeneus

A king who led a fleet during the Trojan War and killed his son due to a promise made to the gods.

Minos

King of Crete who gave his name to Minoan culture and created the labyrinth to house the Minotaur.

Ayia Irini

A bronze age settlement and temple located on the island of Kea.

Phytakop

A bronze age settlement occupied by both Mycenaean and Minoan civilizations.

Rhea

A goddess referred to as the mistress of the gods.

Ennosigaios

An epithet of Poseidon meaning 'earth shaker'.

Dike

The female counterpart of Zeus.

Lesomena

Things said in religious rituals.

Dromena

Things done in religious rituals, such as burials or sacrifices.

Preros

The site of the earliest known temples, considered to have hosted a temple for Apollo.

Hekatompedon

A 100-foot temple of Hera located on the island of Samos.

Kala Rod

A temple built on top of others from Mycenaean times to Roman times.

Thrice

A hero or divine figure possibly an ancestor of the Warax.

Warax

A Mycenaean term for king or lord.

Basileus

Local noblemen who rose to power after the fall of palatial society.

Darades

The father of 50 daughters who killed their husbands on their wedding night.

Argonauts

Sailors who traveled on a ship called Argo with Jason in search of the Golden Fleece.

Wattled osier

Willow branches used for making safe structures while sailing.

Franchti Cave

An archaeological site occupied by humans dating back 38,000 BCE.

Paparellay

A small boat made from plants used for small voyages.

EC frying pans

Oblong pots shaped like frying pans with elaborate decoration.

Akrotiri

A settlement on Santorini preserved by volcanic ash.