Ancient Greece: History, Political Geography, and Legacies

This set of vocabulary flashcards covers the historical features, architectural styles, and cultural legacies of Ancient Greece as presented in the lecture notes.

Ancient Greece

A civilization that emerged on the shores of the Aegean Sea approximately $4,000$ years ago and is credited with laying foundations for Western civilization.

Democracy

A governing system based on the people's will, which developed as a direct democracy in Athens during the $5^{th}$ century BCE under leaders like Solon and Cleisthenes.

Polytheism

The religious belief in or worship of more than one God, which was central to the religion of ancient Greece.

Twelve Olympian Gods

The pantheon of Greek deities, including Zeus, Hera, and Apollo, who were believed to live on Mount Olympus, the highest mountain in Greece.

City-states (Poleis)

The typical community structure in ancient Greece, consisting of an urban centre and surrounding land territory, such as Athens or Sparta.

Agora

A designated space within a city-state used for civic and commercial activities.

Architectural Orders

The combination of specific column styles with an entablature; the Greeks created the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian orders.

Entablature

The horizontal part of classical architecture that rests on columns and consists of the architrave, frieze, and cornice.

Doric Order

One of the three classical Greek architectural orders characterized by massive and plain columns.

Ionic Order

A classical Greek architectural order featuring slenderer and more ornate columns.

Corinthian Order

An architectural order similar to the Ionic in its base and column but distinguished by ornate capitals.

Parthenon

A marble temple dedicated to the goddess Athena, built between $447$ and $432$ BCE on the Acropolis of Athens.

Athena statue

A statue housed in the Parthenon that stood over $12\,m$ high and was surrounded by Doric columns on three sides.

Acropolis

Derived from the Greek words akro (high) and polis (city), it refers to a citadel or complex built on a high hill.

Propylaea

The monumental entrance structure to the plateau of the Acropolis of Athens.

Erechtheion

The second most recognizable temple on the Acropolis, known for the Porch of the Maidens featuring six caryatids.

Caryatids

Female figures used as supporting columns, specifically featured on the Erechtheion temple.

Ancient Olympic Games

A sporting event held every four years at Olympia in honour of Zeus, beginning in $776$ BCE.

Stadion

A foot race of one stadium track length, approximately $192\,m$, which was the sole event for the first $12$ Olympics.

Princess Europa

A figure from Greek mythology abducted by Zeus to Crete; many scholars believe the continent of Europe was named after her.

Philosophy

A system of thought developed in the $6^{th}$ century BCE by thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle concerning human nature and ethics.

Tragedy

A genre of Greek theatre consisting of plays about Greek mythology and religion.

Comedy

A genre of Greek theatre that involved actors and a chorus in extravagant costumes poking fun at personalities and culture.

Contrapposto

A sculptural posture where one leg carries most of the weight, causing the hips and spine to bend to achieve realism.

Akroteria

Ornaments of palms or figures used to decorate the corners and central apexes of a temple roof.