Ancient Civilizations: Mesopotamia, Egypt, Minoan, Mycenaean, Etruscan, Roman

Flashcards covering key vocabulary, concepts, and architectural terms from the Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Minoan, Mycenaean, Etruscan, and Roman civilizations, based on lecture notes for exam preparation.

Cuneiform

A unique Mesopotamian writing system where scribes pressed wedge-shaped marks into clay with reed styluses, developing into a logo-syllabic system adaptable across languages.

Mesopotamia

Refers to the 'land between two rivers,' the Tigris and the Euphrates, known for its foundational advancements in civilization.

Ziggurats and Temples (Mesopotamia)

Early religious centers in Mesopotamia, reflecting the spiritual life of the period.

Arches (Mesopotamian)

Self-supporting curved structures used in early Mesopotamian engineering.

Vaults (Mesopotamian)

Extended arches used in Mesopotamian engineering, contributing to monumental architecture.

Buttresses (Mesopotamian)

Supports against walls in Mesopotamian engineering, aiding in the creation of large, durable buildings.

Ishtar Gate

A prominent example of glazed architecture from Mesopotamia.

Sumerian City-States

Early Mesopotamian urban centers with organized social and political structures, influencing later Akkadian, Babylonian, Assyrian, and Chaldean cultures.

Priest King (Sumeria)

The leader of each Sumerian city-state, holding both political and religious authority.

Babylonians

An ancient Mesopotamian civilization known for excelling in astronomy and establishing a single code of laws under King Hammurabi.

Assyrians

A Mesopotamian civilization that introduced innovations like the spoked wheel and aqueducts, demonstrating advanced engineering.

Standard of Ur

An artifact from the third millennium BC exemplifying Mesopotamian artistic forms, depicting scenes of war and peace with a hierarchical scale.

Djoser's Step Pyramid

The first pyramid constructed in ancient Egypt, located at Saqqara.

Purpose of Pyramids (Egypt)

To preserve the Pharaoh’s body and memory for the afterlife.

Egyptian Temples

Typically included a dromos, courtyard, pronaos, hypostyle hall, and sanctuary, with pylons marking gateways.

Obelisks

Tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monuments ending in a pyramid-like shape, symbolizing the sun god Ra in Egyptian temples.

Mastaba

An early rectangular, flat-topped, mudbrick tomb form in Egypt that evolved into pyramids.

Great Pyramid of Giza

The most famous Egyptian pyramid, exemplifying advanced engineering with intricate passageways and protective measures.

Amarna Period

A brief interlude in Egyptian art under Pharaoh Akhenaten that permitted more realistic representations than traditional formal styles.

Ankh and Lotus

Common motifs in Egyptian art emphasizing the connection between the divine and the earthly.

Minoan Civilization

A Bronze Age civilization that flourished on the island of Crete, rediscovered by archaeologist Arthur Evans at Knossos.

Minoan Religion

Likely matriarchal, centered on fertility and nature, notably lacking monumental temples or tombs.

Knossos Palace

The largest Minoan palatial complex, known for its multi-story structure, advanced plumbing, drainage systems, and legendary labyrinth.

Linear A

An undeciphered Minoan writing script.

Linear B

A Mycenaean writing system adapted from Minoan Linear A, representing the earliest form of the Greek language, used for palace records.

Minoan Art Motifs

Including naturalistic sea-themed frescoes (dolphins, octopuses), spirals, circles, and depictions of bull leaping rituals.

Dry Masonry

A construction method used in Minoan palaces where stones are fitted together without mortar.

Labrys

The double axe, a prominent symbol of royalty in Minoan culture.

Mycenaean Civilization

A warlike society that spread across mainland Greece, known for its fortified hilltop cities and a strong emphasis on military prowess.

Wanax

The supreme authority in Mycenaean society, a king who controlled religion, economy, and military.

Cyclopean Walls

Massive stone walls constructed from large limestone boulders by the Mycenaeans, named for their immense size.

Megaron (Mycenaean)

The central hall of Mycenaean palaces, a rectangular room with a central hearth, throne, and columns, serving as a ceremonial and political center.

Tholos Tombs

Beehive-shaped Mycenaean tombs, such as the 'Treasury of Atreus,' indicative of elite burial practices.

Greek Design Ideals

Central goals of Greek architecture and art, emphasizing symmetry, proportion, balance, harmony, and the Golden Ratio.

Doric Order

A simple, sturdy Greek column order with fluted shafts and a plain capital, lacking a base, representing strength and masculinity.

Ionic Order

A more slender Greek column order featuring scroll-shaped volutes on its capital, conveying feminine elegance.

Corinthian Order

The most ornate Greek column order, adorned with leafy acanthus capitals, rare in classical Greece but popular with the Romans.

Entablature

The structure resting on the columns in Greek architecture, including the architrave, frieze (often with sculpted reliefs), and cornice.

Pediment

The triangular gable formed by the roof's slope at the ends of a Greek temple, often filled with sculptural scenes.

Peristyle

A surrounding colonnade of columns enclosing a temple or courtyard in Greek architecture.

Parthenon (Athens)

A celebrated Doric order temple dedicated to Athena on the Acropolis of Athens, renowned for its perfect proportions, sculpture, and refinement.

Acropolis of Athens

A sacred hilltop complex in Athens containing important temples, altars, and gathering places, symbolizing democracy and religious devotion.

Naos/Cella (Greek)

The central room of a Greek temple, typically housing a cult statue.

Peristyle Houses (Greece)

Greek homes characterized by a central courtyard surrounded by rooms, fostering communal living.

Etruscan Civilization

An ancient, mysterious people of central Italy known for their advanced society, unique language, and influence on early Rome.

Etruscan Women's Status

Etruscan women uniquely owned land, attended public events, and participated in banquets, seen as equals to men.

Etruscan Urban Planning

Advanced city planning that included grid layouts, paved streets, and sophisticated drainage and sewer systems.

Etruscan Temple Design

Characterized by being raised on high platforms, featuring deep front porches supported by columns, and often having a triple cella (three-part sanctuary).

Etruscan Tombs

Carved into rocks or mounds and decorated like houses for the dead, complete with frescoes depicting banquets and joyful scenes, reflecting a strong belief in the afterlife.

Fasces

An Etruscan symbol of power and authority (a bundle of rods) that influenced later Roman symbolism.

Roman Regal Period

The early monarchy of Rome, marked by its legendary founding by Romulus and leadership by seven kings, the last of whom were of Etruscan origin.

Roman Republican Period

A phase in Roman history where two elected consuls led the state, characterized by expansion across Italy and the rise of figures like Julius Caesar.

Roman Imperial Period

Beginning with Octavian/Augustus as the first emperor, an era of stability, expansion, and monumental architecture.

Pax Romana

A prolonged era of stability, expansion, and monumental architecture within the Roman Empire under Augustus and his successors.

Roman Engineering

Innovations including extensive roads, gravity-fed aqueducts, and the use of concrete, which enabled the construction of domes and vaults.

Colosseum

A massive Roman amphitheater seating 50,000 spectators, famous for hosting gladiator fights, naval battles, and featuring an underground hypogeum.

Pantheon

A Roman temple dedicated to all gods, notable for having the largest unreinforced concrete dome in history and a central oculus as its sole light source.

Oculus (Pantheon)

The circular opening at the center of the Pantheon's dome, serving as the only light source and a symbolic link to the heavens.

Aqueducts (Roman)

Sophisticated gravity-fed water systems that delivered water across vast distances to public baths, fountains, and private homes.

Roman Grid Systems

Urban planning featuring streets at right angles and rectangular blocks (e.g., Cardo Maximus, Decumanus Maximus), often met at the forum.

Forum (Roman)

The heart of Roman civic life, surrounded by basilicas, courts, markets, civic halls, and temples, often adorned with triumphal arches.

Thermae (Roman Baths)

Vast Roman complexes that combined bathing with social activities, featuring sophisticated heating systems (hypocausts) and communal areas.

Hypocausts

Sophisticated heating systems used in Roman baths to warm the air and water beneath raised floors.

Amphitheaters (Roman)

Large, oval-shaped open-air venues used for gladiator contests, public spectacles, and other events.

Domus

A type of Roman home, typically centered around an atrium which served as the main living area.

Villas (Roman)

Luxurious suburban Roman homes featuring elaborate gardens, dining areas, and sometimes private baths, reflecting a lifestyle of leisure.

Roman Architectural Orders

Adaptations of Greek orders, with the introduction of the Tuscan and Composite orders, often more decorative than their Greek counterparts.