Ancient Greece Flashcards

Polis

An independent city-state consisting of a walled city that controlled and protected the farmland around it.

Delian League

A group of Greek city-states founded in 478 BCE to protect Greeks in Ionia from Persian attacks, led by Athens.

Helots

Enslaved people in Sparta who were permanently tied to the land and used for agricultural labor.

Mycenaean Civilization

A civilization that developed on the mainland of Greece after the Minoans, known for fortified walls and a monarchy.

Minoan Civilization

An early Greek civilization on the island of Crete, known for its myths and lack of fortifications.

Oligarchy

A form of government where power rests in the hands of a small elite group or individual families.

Monarchy

A form of government in which one person (the monarch) is the leader, often from a line of kings.

Democracy

A form of government that gives power to the people, allowing them to vote for their leaders.

Acropolis

High points in ancient Athens where temples and citadels were built, famously including the Parthenon.

Agora

Open spaces in ancient Greek city-states used as meeting grounds for citizens or assemblies.

Parthenon

A temple built on the Acropolis in ancient Athens dedicated to the goddess Athena.

Hoplites

Citizen soldiers in ancient Greece known for their warfare with spears and shields.

Phalanx

A military formation of hoplites tightly packed together and heavily armed.

Trireme

An oar-powered warship used in ancient Greek navies.

The Iliad

An epic written by Homer about the events surrounding the Trojan War.

The Odyssey

Homer's epic focusing on Odysseus's journey home after the Trojan War.

Direct Democracy

A form of democracy where citizens are randomly selected to serve in government.

Representative Democracy

A form of democracy where citizens elect representatives to serve in government.

Ionic, Corinthian, and Doric columns

Different styles of columns in ancient Greek architecture, each with distinct designs.

Council of Elders

The gerousia; a council in Spartan government consisting of thirty elders including the two kings.

Ephors

Five annually elected senior magistrates in Spartan government who held significant power.

Assembly

Gatherings of citizens in ancient Greek city-states, essential for Athenian democracy.

Sophists

Teachers in ancient Greece known for their skills in rhetoric and philosophy.

Characteristics of Greek geography

Included features such as mountains, valleys, and proximity to the Mediterranean Sea.

Why did small city-states form in Greece?

Natural separations created by mountains led to the development of independent city-states.

Characteristics of a Greek polis

An independent city-state with its own government, law code, and culture.

Structure of Spartan Government

A military oligarchy led by two hereditary kings and the council of elders (gerousia).

Structure of Athenian Government

Centered around citizen participation and assemblies, representing an early form of democracy.

Persian Wars (Causes)

Caused by Ionians' rebellion, Athenian support for them, and Persian retaliation.

Peloponnesian Wars (Causes)

Caused by democratic reforms in Athens and its control over the Delian League.

Dorian invasion / Greek Dark Ages

A period marked by the Dorian invasion that led to a collapse of Mycenaean civilization.

Macedonian Conquest

Phillip II transformed Macedonia into a military power and conquered mainland Greece.

Battle of Marathon

A significant battle where the Greeks defeated a numerically superior Persian force.

Battle of Thermopylae

A battle where Spartan King Leonidas led a small Greek force against a large Persian army.

Battle of Salamis

Naval battle where the Greek fleet defeated the Persian navy.

Battle of Plataea

The final battle of the Persian Wars, resulting in a Greek victory.

Cleisthenes

An Athenian leader known for democratic reforms following the expulsion of Hippias.

Draco

An ancient Athenian lawgiver known for creating a harsh legal code.

Solon

A lawgiver who reformed Athenian laws and is known for his debt forgiveness policies.

Philip II

King of Macedon who transformed his army and conquered Greece.

Pericles

A leading Athenian politician who advanced democracy and ordered a strategic retreat during the Peloponnesian War.

Thucydides

An Athenian general and historian who wrote about the Peloponnesian War.

Peisistratus

A tyrant in ancient Greece who unified Attica and set the stage for Athens’s prosperity.

Socrates

A philosopher known for the Socratic Method, he taught through questioning and was executed for his beliefs.

Plato

A philosopher taught by Socrates, known for his works on political philosophy.

Aristotle

A philosopher who was taught by Plato and made significant contributions to various fields.

Homer

The reputed author of the Iliad and the Odyssey, possibly a figure of myth.

Herodotus

Known as the Father of History, he wrote about the Persian Wars.

Alexander the Great

The Macedonian king known for his vast empire and military conquests.