CLEP Western Civ - Ancient Greece

Clep

The early Greeks are called what? Hint: the most impressive of the early sites built is at Mycenae and the kings of this city seem to have exercised influence over the other Greek towns.

Mycenaeans

Mycenae's royal tombs are shaped like what?

Beehives

The Mycenaean entryway is a famous sculpture called what?

The Lion's Gates

The Mycenaeans owed much of their cultural advancement to what people? They learned from them the art of writing and the method of administration that centered on the royal palace.

The Minoans who lived on the isle of Crete

The Mycenaens were at the height of power from about 1400-1200 B.C. when they conquered the Minoans on Crete and sacked what city in Anatolia?

Troy

Around 1100 B.C., the Mycenaeans were destroyed by what two groups of people?

The Sea Peoples raided and the mainland centers were overrun by the Dorians

The Dorians were culturally less advanced and the art of writing and the administrative skills were lost, which ushered in what age in ancient Greek history?

The Dark Age. Little is known from about 1100-800 B.C.

The Greek work "polis" means what?

city-state---this word is also where we get our word "politics"

Loyalty to one's "polis" encouraged fierce regionalism that led to warfare between neighbors and prevented what?

unification of the Greeks as a whole

What peninsula were the Greek city-states located on? It was a mountainous region that hampered overland travel and communication.

The Balkan peninsula

What body of water, located between the Balkan peninsula and Anatolia, made sea-faring an important aspect of Greek life?

The Aegean Sea

After the Greek Dark Ages, the culture revived and there was a surge in rapid population and economic change that destabilized society. There was not enough food for everyone which facilitated establishing WHAT outside of Greece from about 750-500 B.C.?

colonies

Where was the most intensely populated region of Greek colonization? It became known as "Great Greece" to the Romans.

southern Italy

As the wealthy became wealthier, the middle-class became poor, and the poor became overwhelmed by debt that they were sold into slavery, the Greeks experimented with two ideas: extending political power to the lower classes and the guidance of a WHAT who mediated between the classes?

Dictator

During the Dark Ages, the military was made up of small units of wealthy nobles, but around 800 B.C. the focal point shifted to citizen-soldiers who could afford spear and armor. These men were known as what?

hoplites

Hoplites were organized into massive units called what? They could defy cavalry charges.

phalanxes

When social tensions could not be resolved by mutual agreement, a polis might resort to the mediation of a what? Hints: This person received absolute power to restore order to a polis. It was usually a noble who posed as the friend and guardian of the common people.

tyrant--it did not have the negative connotation as it does now

Located in the Peloponnesus, this city-state came to dominate the peninsula after fighting two wars against its neighbor, Messenia.

Sparta

The laws that regulated Spartan society were attributed to a legendary lawgiver. What was his name?

Lycurgus

The citizens of Sparta were known as Spartiates, while the subject people they ruled were known as what?

helots

A third class of Spartan citizens was the merchants who were not citizens and had no political authority. What were they called?

perioikoi

Sparta was ruled by two kings of limited authority who shared power with what two other bodies of power?

Council of Elders (28 men who were at least 60 years old) and an Assembly (all men over the age of 30).

There was a board of five men in Sparta who conducted foreign policy and made sure the generals did not overstep their authority during military campaigns. What were they called?

ephors

In order to defend itself from outside threats, Sparta formed a system of alliances known as what? This achieved a relative level of unity.

The Peloponnesian League

Located in the region of Greece known as Attica, this city was the only one to survive the Dorian migrations.

Athens

Athens was guided by a council named after the god of war. What was this called?

the Areopagus or "Hill of Ares"

In 621 B.C. the nobles of Athens temporarily granted tyrant-like status to this man for the purpose of establishing a law code. Hint: his punishments were very harsh/severe

Draco

In 594 B.C. this man was elected archon and given powers (like Draco) to deal with the crisis of the over-indebted farmers who were threatening violence. He canceled debts and restored freedom to those in slavery, but stopped short of redistributing the land.

Solon

Solon divided Athenian citizens into four classes based on what?

How many units of agricultural produce their land yielded annually. Only the wealthiest class could be elected to the top political offices.

This man ruled Athens securely from 546-527 B.C. He was a benevolent dictator who funded public works and new religious celebrations. He staffed public offices with his supporters and exiled his enemies.

Peisistratus

This man replaced the phratries (brotherhoods) dominated by the aristocratic families with the demes (townships of the people). He replaced the four traditional tribes of Athens with ten new tribes. He gave ultimate political authority to the Assembly, made up of all adult male citizens, who decided policy by vote.

Cleisthenes

This practice involved exiling a person for ten years if a vote decided that he was a potential threat to democracy. The voting was done by writing the name of the individual on a piece of broken pottery (ostraka).

ostracism (to be ostracized)

To retaliate for Greek aid given to the Ioanians when they rebelled against Persian control, the Persians decided to invade Greece in 490 B.C. at this king's command.

King Darius I

In 490 B.C. the Persians came against the vastly outnumbered Athenians at a place in Attica (26 miles from Athens). This inspired our word for a 26-mile endurance race). What is the name of this town?

Marathon

10 years after their defeat at Marathon, the Persians attacked the Greeks again. This time Athens partnered with the Spartans and the Peloponnesian League. Sadly, the Spartans lost a key battle at THIS PLACE and the Athenians had to abandon their city.

Thermopylae

After Athens was sacked, the Persians located the Greek fleet and decided to attack. They were lured into a narrow strait and the smaller Greek fleet, led by the Athenians, crushed the Persian fleet which was unable to maneuver. Without a way to supply ground troops, the Persians were defeated on land at this place in 479 B.C.

Platea

Fearing that the Persians would strike again, this leader persuaded his fellow Greek citizens to build walls around the city and its port for defense.

Themistocles

The Athenians wanted to form an alliance system like Sparta's and organized this group:

The Delian League

The Delian League was a naval alliance. Athens supplied the ships necessary to patrol the shores and raid Persian cities, and the other members provided what?

The funds/money to maintain the fleet

This general transformed the Delian League into the Athenian Empire. He also instituted the idea the office-holders be paid for their service. This made it possible for poor citizens to participate in government.

Pericles

During the Golden Age of Pericles' leadership, this temple to Athena was constructed on the hill known as the Acropolis. What is the name of this building?

Parthenon

Greece was now (431 B.C.) organized into two armed camps. What were they?

The Peloponnesian League (led by Sparta)
The Delian League (led by Athens)

In 431 B.C. Sparta attacked Athens, this is called the Peloponnesian War. Athens took a defensive position and retreated behind their walls. What killed at least one-fourth of the population, including Pericles, during this standoff?

an epidemic

This man convinced the Athenians, in 415 B.C., to attack Syracuse, an ally of the Spartans. Athens' attack failed and they never recovered.

Alcibiades

The Persians used the civil war in Greece to their advantage by playing the Spartans (fleet paid for by the Persians) against the Athenians. In 404 B.C., the peace treaty stated that the losing city's defensive walls would be torn down and they could never build a fleet or attempt to revive their empire. Who won?

The Spartans

An oligarchy took over the city of Athens and the classical culture of the Greeks declined. What was this governing body called?

the Thirty Tyrants--they were friendly to Sparta

This term is used to describe Greek culture in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C. because later generations regarded it as the standard by which they measured their own achievements.

Classical

True or False? Romans were entranced by Greek art and architecture so much that they aristocrats adopted Greek as a second language.

True

True or False? The ancient Greeks considered all non-Greeks to be barbarians, regardless of their cultural achievements.

True

Greek religions was polytheistic or monotheistic?

Polytheistic

What athletic contest was first held in 776 B.C. at Olympia to honor the gods of Mt. Olympus?

The Olympics

True or False? The Greeks considered their poets to be divinely inspired, able to answer the central questions of life and death.

True

Name the 12 Olympians

Zeus, Hera, Apollo, Artemis, Poseidon, Ares, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Dionysus, Hermes, Athena, Demeter

True or False? Early Greek poetry was written down and placed in Greek libraries for all to enjoy.

False. It was oral rather than written, for it originated during the illiterate period of the Dark Ages.

What was a Greek poet who memorized thousands of lines of verse called?

Bard

How did the Greeks changed the Phoenicians alphabet?

They simplified the letter-forms and added vowels.

What blind Greek poet is attributed to creating the Iliad and Odyssey?

Homer

What Greek poet wrote "Works and Days" and "Theogony"

Hesiod (c. 700 B.C.)

What Greek poet pioneered the poetic form writing lyrics?

Archilochus

What Greek poet wrote odes of victory for athletic contests?

Pindar

What Greek poet wrote love poetry about women being attracted to other women?

Sappho of Lesbos

True or False? Greek drama was one of the many ways that the Greeks honored their gods. It had its origins in religious festivals.

True

What are the two main categories of Greek drama?

Tragedy and Comedy

The plays of this Greek are profoundly moral and religious, focusing on pride for which individuals receive divine punishment. He wrote "The Persians", "Prometheus Bound", and "Oresteia"

Aeschylus

This Greek playwright was also motivated by religious and moral themes, expressing deep sorrow for human beings born into a world of suffering and ignorance. He wrote "Oedipus" and "Antigone".

Sophocles

The Greek playwright did NOT focus on moral/religious themes. He wrote "Medea"--where the evil sorceress escapes rather than receive punishment from the gods.

Euripides

This pre-eminent writer of Greek comedies used his drama to ridicule his fellow Athenians. He wrote "The Acharnians" and "Lysistrata" as well as "The Frogs" and "The Clouds".

Aristophanes

Was Athenian drama written in prose or in verse?

Verse. Prose literature did not appear until the 5th century B.C. and was mostly used in scientific analysis of a subject rather than in the artistic presentations.

An Ionian Greek known as the "Father of History"

Herodotus

This Greek historian wrote an account of the Peloponnesian War. He had been a general and spent the rest of his life interviewing participants from both sides. The account is remarkably impartial and methodically resolved contradictions in eyewitness reports.

Thucydides

The earliest philosophers are known as "Pre-Socratics" and were primarily interested in what?

Physics

This philosopher tried to identify the most basic substance that constitutes all physical objects.

Thales of Miletus

This philosopher believed the prime substance was fire. Famous for this statement: one cannot step into the same river twice.

Heraclitus

Theory of four elements - earth, water, air, and fire

Empedocles

Theorized that physical objects were made up of atoms

Democritus

Believed all reality could be described in terms of mathematical relationships

Pythagoras

"Father of Medicine" - inspired the code of medical ethics

Hippocrates of Cos

Philosopher means what?

Lover of wisdom

What did a "sophist" promise to do for a price?

Make their pupils well-informed and skillful public speakers...this was to translate into successful politicians.

This philosopher considered himself one who helped others learn the truth for themselves (by asking questions) and he did not charge tuition. He did not write any books. Was found guilty of corrupting the morals of the youth and was executed.

Socrates

This student of Socrates wrote "Dialogues" for details of his philosophical doctrines, and founded The Academy.

Plato

Plato's most gifted pupil who founded his own school in Athens, called the Lyceum. He formulated rules of logic that could be applied to any subject of study.

Aristotle

Pediment

A low-pitched gable, especially one that is triangular, as used in classical architecture

Frieze

A sculptured or richly ornamented band (as on a building or piece of furniture)

Doric

These columns had a plain capital

Ionic

These columns were adorned with a pair of volutes, or scroll-like spirals

Corinthian

These columns were the most ornate, adorned with intricate acanthus leaves

This was the temple to Athena

The Parthenon

The statue of Athena that stood in the Parthenon was sculpted by who? He also sculpted an immense statue of Zeus.

Phidias

caryatids

A draped female figure supporting an entablature...columns sculpted to look like maidens

Philip II of Macedonia was whose father?

Alexander the Great

This word means "Greek-like" and describes the culture that resulted from the blending of eastern and western civilization.

Hellenistic...Hellenistic culture lasted from Alexander's death in 323 B.C. to Rome's conquest of Egypt

In 403 B.C. Athens restored their democracy but the dis-unified Greek city-states continued to squabble until this man invaded Greece in 338 B.C. and organized them into an alliance known as the League of Corinth.

Philip II of Macedonia

This young man overthrew the Persians, unified the eastern Mediterranean and the Near East, and created the largest empire the world had yet seen before he reached the age of 33.

Alexander the Great

Where was Alexander when his men mutinied and declared they wanted to return home.

the borders of India

After Alexander the Great died, how was his empire ruled?

It was divided into three kingdoms: Antigonid, Seleucid, Ptolemaic

This man accurately calculated the circumference of the earth

Eratosthenes

This man argued that the earth revolves around the sun and causes day/night by its rotation

Aristarchus

This man developed the astrolabe

Hipparchus

This man established a collection of geometrical theorems in a book called "The Elements"

Euclid