Terms, Figures, Authors, Dates (1st Exam) - Classics 311

Citizen

Any male Athenian born to two Athenian parents who had full political rights

Tribe

One of the ten political groups created by Cleisthenes to organize Athenian citizens

Boule

The Council of 500 that prepared laws and managed daily government in Athens

Ekklesia

The Assembly where all male citizens could meet

Deme

A local town or district that served as a citizen's official community

Altar

A sacred structure where sacrifices and offerings were made to the gods

Frieze

A long horizontal band of carved or sculpted decoration on a building

Metope

A square carved panel found between triglyphs on a Doric temple

Pediment

The triangular space at each end of a Greek temple

Cleisthenes and his reforms

Athenian leader (508/507 BC) who reorganized Athens into ten tribes and strengthened democracy

Solon and his reforms

Athenian lawmaker (594 BC) who reduced social conflict through legal and economic reforms

Seisachtheia

Solon's "shaking off of burdens

Persian Conflict (490–480 BC)

The wars between Greece and the Persian Empire

Sacking of Attica (480 BC)

The Persian destruction of Athens and the surrounding region after citizens evacuated the city

Panathenaic Procession

The grand parade honoring Athena during the Panathenaic Festival

Peisistratus

Tyrant of Athens who promoted public works

Tyrant

A ruler who gains power outside the normal political system

Peloponnesian War

The war between Athens and Sparta that ended Athenian dominance

First Part (460–445 BC)

Early fighting between Athens and Sparta before the Thirty Years' Peace

Thirty Years' Peace

A peace treaty between Athens and Sparta in 445 BC that lasted only about 15 years

Second Part (431–404 BC)

The main Peloponnesian War

Amazons

Mythical warrior women often shown fighting Greek heroes

Centaurs

Mythical creatures that were half-human and half-horse

Delian League

An alliance led by Athens against Persia that later became the Athenian Empire

Sacred Way

The road leading from Athens to Eleusis

Jury (basic procedures)

Large groups of male citizens chosen by lot who heard cases and voted without judges

Mysteries/Eleusinian Mysteries

Secret religious ceremonies at Eleusis honoring Demeter and Persephone

Ostrakon (singular) / Ostraka (plural)

Broken pottery pieces used for voting to exile someone through ostracism

Metic

A free foreign resident of Athens who could work and live there but lacked citizenship

Sumptuary Laws

Laws limiting luxury

Greek Ethnic Groups

Regional Greek identities based on shared ancestry

Doric

A major Greek ethnic group

Ionian

A major Greek ethnic group

Bronze Age

Period (c. 3000–1100 BC) when bronze tools

Iron Age

Period (c. 1100–800 BC) after the Bronze Age marked by iron tools and recovery from societal collapse

Archaic Period

Period (c. 800–480 BC) when city-states

Classical Period

Period (480–323 BC) marked by democracy

Bronze Sculpture

Statues cast in bronze

Erastes/Eromenos

A socially accepted relationship between an older male mentor (erastes) and a younger male (eromenos) in ancient Greece

Symposium

A formal drinking party where elite men socialized

Barbarian

A non-Greek

The Thirty

The Thirty Tyrants

Socrates

A philosopher who taught through questioning

Socratic Method

Learning through asking questions that expose contradictions and lead to clearer thinking

Trial of Socrates

In 399 BC

Kouros/Kore Statues

Archaic Greek statues of young men (kouroi) and young women (korai)

City Dionysia

Major Athenian festival honoring Dionysus

Herodotus

Greek historian known as the "Father of History

Archilochus

Early Greek lyric poet famous for personal

Theognis

Greek elegiac poet whose poems focus on morality

Plato

Student of Socrates who wrote philosophical dialogues and founded the Academy

Sappho

Lyric poet from Lesbos celebrated for poetry about love