Chapter 5 Ancient Greece review

Homer

A poet credited with writing two epic poems, the Iliad, about the Trojan war, and the Odyssey, about the journey home from that war. His stories are the source of much Greek mythology.

Herodotus

Known as the father of history, he wrote the first in-depth book of history based on his own research of the Persian wars. He was interested in many cultures and a good storyteller, but some of his reports may be inaccurate.

Thucydides

The second great historian of ancient Greece. His book described the Peloponnesian war. It includes many famous speeches and is respected for its reliability.

Pericles

The main political leader in the golden age of Athens. He gave a famous speech about democracy in tribute to warriors who died fighting against Sparta. He died soon after in a pandemic.

Sophocles

One of the great writers of Greek drama. One of his most famous tragedies was Antigone, the story of a brave woman caught between the laws of her city and the laws of the gods.

Socrates

A Greek philosopher in the golden age of Athens. He taught by asking questions. He famously said that "the unexamined life is not worth living." The Athenian government sentenced him to death for corrupting the youth.

Aristotle

A Greek philosopher who was the student of Plato and the tutor of Alexander the Great. He was known for studying many things, from politics and literature to biology. He believed that the best life was lived by developing the virtues in your character.

Alexander

A Greek military leader who took power after his father, a king, was assassinated. He conquered the Persian empire and established a huge empire before dying at a young age.

Timeline: the first recorded Olympic Games

776 BC/BCE

Timeline: when major democratic reforms took place in Athens

c. 500 BC/BCE

Timeline: when Alexander the Great died

323 BC/BCE

polis

A city-state, the basic political unit in the peak centuries of ancient Greece. It had an urban center surrounded by land for farms and grazing.

acropolis

A citadel or fortified hilltop, which was usually the oldest part of a Greek city and the easiest place to defend against attack.

hoplite

A Greek warrior who fought on foot, often with armor, a shield and sword or spear.

phalanx

A military formation formed by a group of warriors standing shoulder to shoulder to form a sort of wall with their shields.

trireme

A Greek ship used in war. It was powered by three levels of rowers. It could go very fast and destroyed other ships by ramming into them.

monarchy

A form of government with one strong leader. Power is passed down through a family.

aristocracy

The upper class in an ancient society, the wealthiest and most powerful group. Often their wealth was based on owning land.

oligarchy

Government run by a small group, usually of elite members of society.

tyranny

Government with a strong leader who generally takes power by force.

democracy

Government where people hold the power.

direct democracy

In a direct democracy, citizens can participate in assembly debates and vote on laws, as in ancient Athens.

ostracism

To ostracize means to exclude or banish. In ancient Athens, once a year citizens would vote to kick one person out of the city for 10 years. It was considered a protection of their democracy.

tragedy

A form of drama which ends badly for the main characters. Usually they are the causes of their own downfall through excessive pride, stubbornness or defying the will of the gods.

comedy

A form of drama filled with jokes, which often criticize powerful members of society. In ancient Athens, comedy proved their tolerance for free speech.

These periods of Ancient Greek history are in ALPHABETICAL order: Archaic, Bronze Age, Classical, Dark Age, Hellenistic era, Roman era.

Put them in CHRONOLOGICAL order, from earliest to latest.

Earliest to latest: 1) Bronze. 2) Dark. 3) Archaic. 4) Classical. 5) Hellenistic. 6) Roman.

Timeline: The Classical era, or the Golden Age of Athens, is at its peak.

450 BC/BCE