Greek Culture

Doric

columns that lack bases and are relatively simple in design

Ionic

columns that have bases (unlike Doric columns), and also have volutes (the spiral decoration at the top of the column).

Corinthian

columns that have bases, more elaborate detail on the column itself, and feature more elaborate volutes, often in a floral style.

Vases

Served a practical purpose in Classical Greece (storing food and exportable items), but also served as an art form. Scenes generally depict daily life or mythology.

The two major styles of Classical vase painting

1. Black-figure (black figures against a reddish background), and

2. Red-figure (reddish figures against a black background)

Greek art/sculptures

More life-like in the Classical period, but not more realistic. They depict the Greek ideal of arete (excellence). They also only portray the perfect or ideal form.

Greek women

Had limited rights, ideally remained absent from public events and concentrated on raising children and serving as devoted wives. (Exceptions to this included visits to relatives, attending supervised religious ceremonies, and retrieving water.)

Artemis

The chaste goddess of the moon and of the hunt. Hunted and remained childless, neither of which was typical of Greek women.

Athena

The chaste goddess of wisdom and war; neither war nor remaining

childless typical of Greek women.

Hera

Goddess of marriage; did represent the ideal Greek woman as she

symbolizes spousal devotion.

Herodotos

“father of history” recorded stories from his travels and wrote his most famous work called “The Histories” about the Persian wars, which he saw as a continuation of an ongoing tradition of conflict between east and west.

Recorded whatever he heard during his travels, especially about other cultures. Thus, he often wrote strange, fantastical tales about the places he visited. This earned him the nickname:“father of lies.”

Thucydides

Athenian general who recorded the history of the Peloponnesian War. He didn’t record myths like Herodotus, but did insert speeches for the individuals he wrote about for dramatic purposes.

He also gave credit in his writing to collective groups rather than individual people or heroes.

Died before he finished his history of the Peloponnesian War.

Xenophon

An Athenian who began his history where Thucydides left off.

Greek theatre

Greeks ushered in new conventions in performing arts, such as “drama” as we know today. They also invented the formal setting for drama, as a large semi-circular structure with tiered seating, allowing for good acoustics and focus on the stage.

The largest preserved ancient theater is at Epidauros, which could seat up to 15,000 people.

Two varieties of drama

Tragedy and comedy. Tragedy was considered reputable and popular. Drama performed by all-male casts, wearing suitably dour or funny grotesque masks.

Aristophanes

This Athenian poked fun at the politicians of his day, the Peloponnesian War, and gender roles (Comedies were also used for social commentary.)

Aiskhylos

Wrote Persians, a tragedy that imagined the reaction of the Persian court to the news of Xerxes’ misadventures in Greece. It attempted to use a foreign perspective, imagining the perspective of the Persians while written for a Greek audience.

His most famous work is the Oresteia trilogy. About the curse on the House of Atreus. Made up of 3 plays:

1. Agamemnon

2. The Libation Bearers

3. The Furies (Eumenides)

Sophokles

Wrote tragedies about the ancient legends of Thebes. These are called the Oedipus trilogy: Oedipus Rex, Oedipus Colonnus, and Antigone, who chose to bury her dead brother even though he was considered an enemy of her city-state.

This tragedy was also a commentary on how polis demanding too much from its citizens.

Euripides

Popular with the people of Greece, in spite of never being a big winner of the play festivals.

Limited the role of the gods in his plays, and often times created characters who were morally corrupt or unlikeable as his heroes.

Most famous work is Medeia about a scorned wife who seeks revenge on her husband.

Philosophy

New genre emerging in the Classical Period which means “love of wisdom.”

This genre was originally tied to science; both sought using rational rather than mythical explanations for how the world works. Over time, this genre focused more on ethics.

This was often teachers (in this capacity they were known as sophists). Esteemed for their wisdom, wealthy families send their sons to acquire education.

Sokrates

A philosopher who questioned what he considered silly traditions and conventions.

As a teacher, he put students on the spot, asking them direct questions and forcing them to re-examine, justify, or abandon their assumptions (called the Socratic Method).

Not everyone appreciated his philosophy; he was condemned for corrupting the youth and forced to poison himself with hemlock.

Plato

Studied under Sokrates.

His philosophy focused on the inner, metaphysical forms of things, like ideas relating to goodness and ethics.

He believed in future rewards for good conduct in life, laying groundwork for some ideas later found in Christianity.

His philosophy also led him to advocate for his own brand of government, a “Republic” ruled by educated elites and by a philosopher king

He founded The Academy, an important school.

Metaphysical

abstract thought or subjects, such as meaning

of existence, or truth

Aristotle

A student of Plato. His philosophy focused on the intended purpose of things.

He also compiled lists and categories of things so that he could compare, classify, and better understand information.

He believed political power rightly belonged to the rich and educated.

He founded his own school, called the Lyceum, and taught Alexander the Great. By the Middle Ages (Medieval Period), Aristotle is the most revered Greek philosopher.

Diogenes

he challenged and abandoned all traditional assumptions like loyalty and obedience to the polis.

He lived in austerity (plain and simple living), thus their ideas did not appeal to the wealthy.

Epikouros

Him and his followers (the Epicureans) believed that life is nasty, brutish, and short. Therefore, you should enjoy the time you have, live life to the fullest while one is still around to enjoy it. Pleasure and comfort are good for the soul.

Zeno & Stoics

They believed that the way to get through life reasonably free from pain was to engage in moderation in all things.

Did not embrace the highs and lows of life, instead they refused to allow themselves to feel too much happiness or too much pain.

Believed the universe was guided by an organizing principle called “logos” or divine reason.