Ancient Greece Vocabulary Terms

City-states

Political units made up of a city and all the surrounding lands.

Golden Age

A period in society's history marked by great achievements.

Athens

A city-state in eastern Greece and the modern capital of Greece.

Sparta

Military city with one of the strongest armies in Greece.

Hellenistic

Refers to Greek-like culture; helped shape life in Egypt, central Asia, and other parts of the world.

Parthenon

A symbol of ancient Athens, built to honor the goddess Athena.

Direct Democracy

A system of voting where the people came together to make laws and decisions.

Pericles

The most famous leader in all of Athenian history.

peninsula

A piece of land that is almost surrounded by water but is connected to the mainland on one side.

Alexander the Great

Macedonian ruler; one of the greatest military commanders.

civil war

A conflict fought between organized groups within the same state or country.

Myths

Traditional, ancient story often written to explain natural phenomena or events.