CLASS 103 Final Notes

Oral Tradition

The development of poems through spoken word rather than written text, characterized by formulaic elements and stock scenes.

Homer

A legendary figure traditionally credited with composing the epic poems "Iliad" and "Odyssey," central works of ancient Greek literature.

Agonistic Performance

Competitive performances by bards during religious festivals, where rhapsodes engaged in live composition contests.

Kleos Aphthiton

The concept of "undying fame" in ancient Greek epic poetry, where heroes sought to achieve everlasting glory through their deeds.

Lyric Poetry

A genre of poetry that expresses personal emotions or thoughts, often accompanied by musical instruments like the lyre, aulos, or harp.

Archilochus

An early lyric poet known for his iambic and elegiac verses, addressing themes of war, politics, and emotional experiences.

Tyrtaeus

An early Spartan lyric poet whose works often focused on military themes and the virtues of courage and obedience to authority.

Sappho

A renowned ancient Greek lyric poet from Lesbos, known for her emotional and personal verses often centered around themes of love and relationships.

Choral Lyric

Choral poetry sung by a group or "chorus," presenting 1st-person experiences, often consisting of young men or women.

Alcman

Spartan lyric poet composing choral poetry for choruses of girls, known for themes of mythology, moralizing, and beauty.

Pindar

Theban poet composing choruses for young men celebrating athletic victories at festivals like the Pythian and Olympic Games.

Athenian Tragedy

Originating from choral poetry, connected to festivals of Dionysus, featuring competitive drama with 3 playwrights presenting tragedies.

Aeschylus

Oldest of the 5th-century Athenian playwrights, known for plays like the Oresteia trilogy and concern for spectacle in his works.

Sophocles

Playwright with agile language and extensive metaphor use, famous for plays like Oedipus Tyrannus and Antigone.

Euripides

Playwright known for realism and combative agons, with famous works like Bacchae and Medea.

Old Comedy

Introduced in festivals like the City Dionysia, characterized by ribald humor, political satire, and freedom in public life.

Greek Art Periods

Includes Geometric, Orientalizing, Archaic, Classical, and Hellenistic periods, each with distinct styles and cultural contexts.

Polychromic Figures

Designs characterized by fluid and colorful representations of animals and flowers, replacing earlier geometric designs.

Archaic Period

A time frame from 600-480 BCE marked by advancements in sculpture, contact with the Ancient Near East and Egypt, and the emergence of monumental statuary.

Kouros Statue

Free-standing stone sculptures from the Archaic Age, with weight evenly balanced over both feet and detailed musculature, often representing deceased individuals.

Pythagoras

Mathematician and mystic from Samos, known for the Pythagorean theorem, belief in the transmigration of souls, and the concept of the "Harmony of the spheres."

Plato's Theory of Forms

Philosophical concept positing that ideal forms exist beyond the physical world, influencing Plato's views on beauty, government, and the nature of reality.

Aristotle

Philosopher and scientist who emphasized observation and categorization of nature, founded the Lyceum in Athens, and believed in a perfect, unchanging deity as the ultimate goal of the universe.

Archimedes

Mathematician and engineer from Syracuse known for anticipating modern calculus, developing Archimedes' Principle, and creating siege-engines and heat rays.

Hipparchus of Rhodes

Mathematical astronomer credited with cataloguing stars, discovering the precession of the equinoxes, and correcting astronomical errors in an astronomical poem.

Ptolemy

Astronomer from the Roman Period who wrote the Tetrabiblos and the Almagest, contributing to the Ptolemaic System of planetary motion around the Earth.

Hypatia of Alexandria

Prominent mathematician, astronomer, and Neoplatonic philosopher in the 4th century, known for her commentaries on mathematics and astronomy.

Anaximander

Proposed that the single origin of all matter is "the Boundless" or "the apeiron."

Heraclitus

Believed that the origin of all things is fire, as stated in his oracular utterance.

Parmenides

Argued that thinking and being are the same, emphasizing the unity of thought and existence.

Zeno of Elea

Asserted that motion is an illusion, as one only appears to move, supporting Parmenides' perspective.

Humanism

Emphasized human reasoning and intellect as equivalent to the divine.

Protagoras

Declared that humankind is the measure of all things, challenging traditional beliefs and moral traditions.

Sophists

Professional lecturers like Protagoras who traveled, charged tuition, and excelled in debates challenging religious beliefs and moral traditions.

Nomos vs

The debate between human conventions (nomos) and natural order (physis), where sophists like Protagoras excelled.

Agnosticism

Protagoras' belief that humans cannot know anything about the gods, including their existence.

Socrates

Mentored by Plato, faced a politically-motivated trial, and proposed unconventional penalties before his execution.

Epicurus

Founder of the Epicurean School, emphasizing ataraxia (freedom from pain and worry) as the chief goal for achieving pleasure, defined as the absence of pain.

Demosthenes

Celebrated orator from Abdera who warned Athens about the threats posed by Philip of Macedon, known for speeches like "On the False Embassy" and "On the Crown."

Justice & Nature

Early Greek literature, including the Iliad and Heraclitus, connects justice with nature, highlighting the importance of justice in societal interactions.

Solon of Athens

Lawgiver who abolished debt slavery, expanded political participation, and introduced the graphe (indictment) system in Athenian legal proceedings.

Oaths in Trials

Various individuals in ancient Greek trials, including judges, prosecutors, defendants, witnesses, and victors, swore oaths to ensure truthfulness and justice in legal proceedings.