CLAN1001 OneNote Flash Cards

Flashcards covering Geography, Greek history, Olympian Gods, Creation Myths, Divine Succession, Human origins, Pandora, Prometheus, gods, mortals, The underworld, Heracles, Monsters, Cyclops, and much more.

What geographical features significantly influenced Ancient Greece?

Mountainous terrain and extensive coastline

What are some prominent examples of sea-related myths influenced by the geography of Ancient Greece?

Long voyages of Odysseus and Jason, and sea monsters like Scylla and Charybdis

What are some characteristics associated with mountains in Greek myths?

Wild, uncivilized spaces, settings for divine encounters, associated with gods and mythical beings

What script was used for record-keeping in the Mycenaean civilization?

Linear B

What are major works that emerged during the Archaic Age?

Homer's Iliad and Odyssey

Who are major tragedians during the Classical Age?

Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides

What is Zeus's Roman name?

Jupiter

What are Zeus's key attributes?

Thunderbolt, eagle, sceptre, throne

What is Hera's role?

Goddess of marriage, queen of the gods

What are the attributes and significance of Poseidon?

God of the sea, earthquakes, horses; attribute: Trident

Who is Demeter?

Goddess of agriculture and fertility

How was Athena born?

From Zeus's head, fully armed

What are the key highlights and attributes of Aphrodite?

Goddess of love and beauty; often shown emerging from the sea

What does Ares represent?

Raw violence of war

What makes Hermes unique among the gods?

Messenger god, guide of souls, patron of travelers, merchants, thieves, crosses boundaries

What is Hephaestus known for?

God of fire, metalwork, craftsman of the gods

List Apollo's roles and attributes.

God of music, prophecy, healing; attributes: Lyre, bow, laurel wreath

What is Artemis the goddess of?

The hunt, childbirth

What is Dionysus the god of?

Wine, ecstasy, vegetation

Who are the figures in the three generations of gods?

Uranos, Cronos, Zeus

What is the significance of Gaia in Greek creation myths?

Gaia is the Earth, from whom Uranos (Sky) originates

What is Cronos known for in Greek mythology?

Marrying Rhea and eating their children to avoid prophecy

What are the major mythological battles that Zeus fought?

Titanomachy, Gigantomachy, Typhonomachy

What is the Titanomachy?

Zeus and Olympians vs. Titans

What is the origin of the Giants in the Gigantomachy, and what was the prophecy associated with their defeat?

Giants born from Uranos' blood; only a mortal (Heracles) can help

What is the appearance of Typhon?

Monstrous offspring of Gaia and Tartarus with 100 snake heads

What Near Eastern myths share similarities with Greek creation myths?

Hittite myth (Anu castrated by Kumarbi) and Babylonian Enuma Elish (Tiamat vs. Marduk)

What is Prometheus associated with?

Creation of humans from clay and water, gifting fire and civilization

What are the characteristics of the Golden Race in Hesiod's Five Races of Mankind?

Lived under Cronos; peaceful, idle; became helpful spirits after death

Who created Pandora and why?

Zeus created her as punishment for mankind

What did Pandora's jar contain, and what remained inside?

Contained all evils; Hope remained inside

How was Prometheus punished for his actions?

Bound to a pillar; eagle eats his liver daily

What trick did Prometheus play on Zeus regarding sacrifice?

Divided ox deceptively, leading Zeus to remove fire from humans

How are gods portrayed in myths, and what are their key differences from mortals?

Not morally superior, adulterous, murderous, jealous; key differences: physical power, immortality

Who rules the Underworld?

Hades (Pluto/Dis)

What is katabasis?

Descent to the Underworld

What themes are associated with the Underworld?

Shadowy, bleak existence, no moral judgment in Homeric afterlife

What shift in moral judgment is seen in later visions of the Underworld?

Romanized and highly structured Underworld emphasizing justice, loyalty, and civic duty

How does Homer portray moral judgment, afterlife quality, and Underworld structure?

Absent moral judgment, bleak afterlife for all, vague structure

What does 'hero' mean in Homer and Hesiod?

Any epic figure, often children of gods, but mortal

How did heroic cults originate?

Began c. 750 BCE at Mycenaean tombs; offerings made to dead heroes

Describe the first labour of Heracles

Slay the invulnerable Nemean lion; Heracles strangled it

What is the second labour of Hercules?

Kill the multi-headed Lernaean Hydra; aided by nephew Iolaus

What is the cultural and symbolic essence of Heracles?

Civilizing force overcoming chaos, monsters, and disorder

What does 'monster' mean?

From Latin monstrum - warning, portent, or prodigy; represents a violation of natural or social order

What are the differences in role, gender, and function between Greek and Egyptian Sphinxes?

Greek: monster, female, devours Thebans; Egyptian: symbol of royal power, male, guardian

How did Oedipus defeat the Sphinx, and what does it symbolize?

Using intelligence, not force; symbolizes civilization

What are the origins of the Minotaur myth?

King Minos fails to sacrifice bull to Poseidon; Minos' wife Pasiphae falls in love with it

How does monster-slaying reflect initiation rites?

Sent away from home, face danger (monsters), return as adults ready for society

What is a polis according to Aristotle?

City-state, the natural setting for human life

How does Polyphemus violate xenia?

Violates guest-friendship, a sacred Greek value

What is the nature and behaviour of Centaurs?

Hybrid beings (human + horse); often lustful, violent, and drunken

What do Maenads represent?

Human women in ecstatic, divine frenzy, followers of Dionysus

What is Paiderastia?

socially structured relationships between older men (erastês) and adolescent boys (erômenos)

Why is Achilles' grief excessive?

Refuses food and comfort, mourns Patroclus with feminine gestures

What are common features of the Quest mythic narrative?

Hero travels to distant lands to perform a great deed; often sent by an adversary, helped by a young woman, receives divine assistance

How does TSOA portray Achilles in contrast to the epic?

Portrayed as beautiful, emotional, and non-conforming to masculine ideals.

How were tragic plays used in ancient Athens?

Tragedy served as civic education, exploring ethics, politics, and identity.

How does the Homeric view of the Underworld differ from later visions?

The Underworld is portrayed as a bleak, shadowy place with little differentiation in fate; There is no moral judgment

What is kleos?

Glory

Who are the Muses and what are their domains?

Nine Muses, daughters of Zeus and Mnemosyne, each with a domain

What are the key beliefs of Orphic religion?

Humans have an immortal soul trapped in a mortal body. The body (sōma) is a tomb (sēma) for the soul. The soul undergoes reincarnation and can eventually reclaim immortality.

What is the significance of the Trojan War in Greek myth?

Central event in Greek mythology, marking the end of the mythical/heroic age.

Describe Rome's foundation

Augustus nearly renames himself Romulus to mark Rome’s rebirth. A modern scholarly approach that compares myths across cultures to identify shared themes, structures, and functions.

What does Classical Reception Studies examine?

Examines how classical texts are interpreted, adapted, and reimagined over time.

What is Proto-Indo-European (PIE)?

Hypothetical ancestral language (4500-2500 BCE). PIE speakers likely originated from Steppe Hypothesis Anatolian Hypothesis