Greek Civilizations Final

Classical Period

Basic definition: Period of Greek history from about 480 to 323 BCE marked by major cultural political and intellectual achievements. Additional facts: followed the Persian Wars reached peak power of Athens and Sparta ended with the death of Alexander the Great. Significance: established core political artistic and philosophical foundations of Greek civilization.

Golden Age of Athens

Basic definition: Period of Athenian prosperity and cultural flourishing under Pericles in the mid fifth century BCE. Additional facts: funded by Delian League tribute expanded democratic participation produced major artistic achievements. Significance: shows how empire and wealth fueled Athenian cultural dominance.

Delian League

Basic definition: Alliance of Greek city states led by Athens after the Persian Wars. Additional facts: treasury originally on Delos members paid tribute or ships evolved into an Athenian empire. Significance: explains Athenian imperialism and conflict with Sparta.

Pericles

Basic definition: Influential Athenian statesman during the Golden Age. Additional facts: expanded democracy promoted public building projects delivered the Funeral Oration. Significance: represents Athenian democratic ideals and leadership.

Periclean Building Program

Basic definition: Large scale construction program in Athens funded by Delian League tribute. Additional facts: included the Parthenon employed large numbers of citizens symbolized Athenian power. Significance: demonstrates connection between art politics and empire.

Parthenon

Basic definition: Temple dedicated to Athena on the Acropolis of Athens. Additional facts: built from 447 to 432 BCE housed Athena Parthenos statue used league funds. Significance: symbolizes Athenian religion power and artistic achievement.

Aeschylus

Basic definition: Early Greek tragedian often called the father of tragedy. Additional facts: introduced second actor wrote the Oresteia trilogy emphasized divine justice. Significance: helped shape tragedy as a civic religious art form.

Sophocles

Basic definition: Greek tragedian best known for Oedipus the King. Additional facts: introduced third actor focused on individual character won many dramatic contests. Significance: deepened tragic exploration of fate and responsibility.

Oedipus the King

Basic definition: Tragedy by Sophocles centered on fate knowledge and identity. Additional facts: plague motivates the action Oedipus kills his father unknowingly marries his mother. Significance: classic example of Greek tragic themes.

Euripides

Basic definition: Greek tragedian known for realism and psychological complexity. Additional facts: questioned traditional values portrayed strong women explored human emotion. Significance: reflects intellectual change in late Classical Athens.

Poetics

Basic definition: Philosophical work by Aristotle analyzing tragedy and poetry. Additional facts: defines tragedy explains catharsis emphasizes plot over character. Significance: foundation of Western literary theory.

Aristophanes

Basic definition: Comic playwright known for political and social satire. Additional facts: wrote Old Comedy mocked public figures used exaggerated humor. Significance: provides insight into Athenian society and politics.

Clouds

Basic definition: Comedy by Aristophanes that satirizes Socrates and new education. Additional facts: criticizes intellectual trends portrays Socrates as sophist reflects cultural anxiety. Significance: shows resistance to philosophical change in Athens.

Menander

Basic definition: Playwright of New Comedy focused on everyday life. Additional facts: emphasized domestic situations avoided political satire influenced Roman comedy. Significance: marks shift toward private social themes.

Thucydides

Basic definition: Historian who wrote about the Peloponnesian War. Additional facts: emphasized factual accuracy rejected divine explanations analyzed cause and effect. Significance: model for critical historical writing.

Peloponnesian War

Basic definition: War between Athens and Sparta from 431 to 404 BCE. Additional facts: involved most Greek states lasted nearly thirty years ended Athenian empire. Significance: major turning point in Greek history.

Archidamian War

Basic definition: First phase of the Peloponnesian War. Additional facts: Spartan invasions of Attica Athenian reliance on naval power outbreak of plague. Significance: highlights contrasting military strategies.

Peace of Nicias

Basic definition: Temporary peace agreement between Athens and Sparta in 421 BCE. Additional facts: named after Nicias created unstable truce failed to stop conflict. Significance: demonstrates weakness of Greek diplomacy.

Nicias

Basic definition: Athenian general and politician. Additional facts: supported peace policy led Sicilian Expedition executed after defeat. Significance: example of cautious but ineffective leadership.

Alcibiades

Basic definition: Ambitious Athenian statesman and general. Additional facts: promoted Sicilian Expedition switched allegiances frequently influenced Athenian politics. Significance: illustrates instability of Athenian leadership.

Sicilian Expedition

Basic definition: Failed Athenian campaign against Sicily. Additional facts: massive loss of ships weakened Athens severely boosted Spartan confidence. Significance: key cause of Athenian defeat.

Ionian War

Basic definition: Final phase of the Peloponnesian War. Additional facts: Sparta allied with Persia focused on naval warfare ended in 404 BCE. Significance: shows foreign influence in Greek conflicts.

Lysander

Basic definition: Spartan general who defeated Athens. Additional facts: built Spartan navy allied with Persia captured Athenian fleet. Significance: symbol of Spartan victory.

Spartan Hegemony

Basic definition: Period of Spartan dominance following the Peloponnesian War. Additional facts: imposed oligarchies relied on military force short lived. Significance: reveals limits of Spartan power.

King’s Peace

Basic definition: Peace treaty imposed by Persia in 387 BCE. Additional facts: favored Sparta guaranteed Persian control in Asia Minor ended Corinthian War. Significance: demonstrates Persian dominance over Greek affairs.

Epaminondas

Basic definition: Theban general and statesman. Additional facts: defeated Sparta at Leuctra reformed military tactics promoted Theban power. Significance: shifted balance of power in Greece.

Battle of Leuctra

Basic definition: Decisive Theban victory over Sparta in 371 BCE. Additional facts: used innovative formation destroyed Spartan elite ended Spartan supremacy. Significance: major military turning point.

Theban Hegemony

Basic definition: Period of Theban dominance in Greece. Additional facts: followed Leuctra depended on military success ended after Epaminondas died. Significance: shows instability of Greek power shifts.

Demosthenes

Basic definition: Athenian orator who opposed Macedonian expansion. Additional facts: delivered Philippics defended democracy warned against Philip II. Significance: voice of resistance to Macedon.

Isocrates

Basic definition: Influential Athenian rhetorician and educator. Additional facts: promoted Panhellenism supported Philip II emphasized moral education. Significance: highlights power of rhetoric in politics.

Macedon

Basic definition: Northern Greek kingdom that conquered mainland Greece. Additional facts: strong centralized monarchy powerful army expanded influence southward. Significance: ended independence of Greek city states.

Philip II

Basic definition: King of Macedon and father of Alexander the Great. Additional facts: reformed army defeated Greeks at Chaeronea created League of Corinth. Significance: laid foundation for Macedonian empire.

Battle of Chaeronea

Basic definition: Macedonian victory over Greek forces in 338 BCE. Additional facts: Athens and Thebes defeated Alexander commanded cavalry ended Greek autonomy. Significance: confirmed Macedonian dominance.

League of Corinth

Basic definition: Alliance of Greek states under Macedonian leadership. Additional facts: formed by Philip II promoted Greek unity prepared war against Persia. Significance: instrument of Macedonian control.

Alexander the Great

Basic definition: Macedonian king who created a vast empire. Additional facts: conquered Persian Empire founded many cities died in 323 BCE. Significance: spread Greek culture across the eastern Mediterranean.

Darius III

Basic definition: Last king of the Persian Empire. Additional facts: defeated by Alexander fled major battles lost royal authority. Significance: marks collapse of Persian imperial power.

Policy of Fusion

Basic definition: Alexander’s attempt to blend Greek and Persian cultures. Additional facts: encouraged intermarriage adopted Persian customs integrated elites. Significance: promoted cultural unity within empire.

Hellenistic Period

Basic definition: Era following Alexander’s death marked by Greek cultural expansion. Additional facts: monarchies replaced city states new cultural centers flourished cultures blended. Significance: expanded Greek influence beyond Greece.

Hellenization

Basic definition: Spread of Greek culture language and ideas. Additional facts: Greek language became common education spread cultural blending occurred. Significance: explains lasting impact of Greek civilization.

Polybius

Basic definition: Greek historian who studied the rise of Rome. Additional facts: wrote Histories analyzed constitutions emphasized cause and effect. Significance: connects Greek historical thought to Roman power