Socrates and the Fifth Century B.C. Review

Cleisthenes

Athenian leader who established the foundations of democracy, shaping the political system that influenced Greek drama, philosophy, and literature of the 5th century B.C.

Herodotus

5th-century B.C. Greek historian known as the "Father of History," famous for writing The Histories, a narrative account of the Persian Wars and ancient cultures.

Battle of Marathon

key Greek victory over Persia that protected Athenian democracy and helped make possible the cultural achievements of the 5th-century Greek Golden Age.

Battle of Salamis

a decisive Greek naval victory over Persia that saved Greece from conquest and ensured the survival of Athenian democracy and culture.

Themistocles

Athenian politician and general who built Athens' navy and masterminded the Greek victory at Salamis, ensuring the survival of democracy and Greek culture. Spent the second half of his life in exile, eventually serving as a Persian governor

Darius

Persian king who launched the first invasion of Greece, leading to the Battle of Marathon and setting the stage for the conflicts that shaped 5th-century Greek history and culture.

Xerxes

Persian king who led the second invasion of Greece, including the battles of Thermopylae and Salamis, whose defeat preserved Greek independence and allowed Athenian culture to flourish.

Thucydides

Greek historian. Considered the greatest historian of antiquity, he wrote a critical history of the Peloponnesian War that contains the funeral oration of Pericles

Pericles

Athenian statesman, orator, and general who led Athens during its "Golden Age" from roughly 461 to 429 BC. He oversaw a flourishing of Athenian democracy and the empire, championed public works projects like the Parthenon, and was a key figure in making Athens a major cultural and intellectual center of the ancient world

Alcibiades

ancient Athenian statesman and general in the Peloponnesian War. After being accused of a crime (blasphemy), he fled to Sparta and betrayed Athens, then went back and forth between the two--went to Persia at one point too; taught by Socrates

Nicias

General during the Peloponnesian War, didn't withdraw during the Campaign in Sicily and was hated as a result; friend of Socrates

Mytilene

Athenian ally that revolted during the Peloponnesian War, leading to a famous debate over mass execution that illustrates the moral and political tensions of Athenian democracy.

Battle of Syracuse

disastrous defeat of Athens in Sicily during the Peloponnesian War that destroyed its fleet and marked the beginning of Athens' downfall.

Arginusae

major Athenian naval victory late in the Peloponnesian War, notable both for defeating Sparta and for the controversial execution of Athenian commanders who failed to rescue survivors (Eight generals)

Lysander

Spartan general who defeated Athens at Aegospotami, ending the Peloponnesian War and installing oligarchic rule in the city.

Critias

Leader of the Thirty Tyrants, executed 1,500 opponents; associated with Socrates

Charmides

One of the Thirty Tyrants, associated with Socrates

Meletus

Athenian accuser (principal accuser) who prosecuted Socrates for impiety and corrupting the youth, leading to Socrates' trial and execution.

Socratic problem

challenge of determining the real beliefs and character of Socrates, since he left no writings and is known only through Plato, Xenophon, and Aristophanes.

Euthyphro

Socrates uses the Socratic method to show that Euthyphro's attempts to define piety are inconsistent, leading to the philosophical puzzle of whether a thing is holy because the gods love it, or if the gods love it because it is holy

Apology

Socrates defends his life's work of questioning others to seek wisdom, refutes charges of impiety and corrupting the youth, and is ultimately sentenced to death

Crito

Socrates refuses his friend Crito's plea to escape prison, arguing that escaping would violate his principles and the implicit social contract he has with the laws of Athens, which he believes must be upheld even in the face of an unjust sentence.

Phaedo

Plato's dialogue recounting Socrates' final hours, in which he discusses the immortality of the soul and the philosopher's preparation for death.

Gorgias

Socrates debates the nature of rhetoric and justice with the sophist Gorgias and his students, ultimately arguing that the rhetorician's art is a form of flattery, not a genuine virtue, and that true power comes from justice and temperance, not unrestrained pleasure-seeking

Republic

explores the nature of justice and the ideal society, arguing that justice is achieved in an individual and a state when each part performs its proper function, guided by reason and knowledge of the eternal Forms

Athens

leading Greek city-state in the 5th century B.C., known for its democracy, cultural achievements, and contributions to philosophy, drama, and history.

polis

independent Greek city-state that served as the central political, cultural, and social unit of ancient Greece.

Sparta

Greek city-state known for its military-focused society, oligarchic government, and role as Athens' rival during the Peloponnesian War.

sophistry

practice of teaching persuasive rhetoric in ancient Greece, often criticized by Socrates for prioritizing winning arguments over seeking truth.

Problem of the One and the Many

early Greek philosophical question about how a single unified reality can exist alongside the diversity and change of the world, explored by Pre-Socratic thinkers like Heraclitus and Parmenides--being vs. becoming, constancy vs. change

Prometheus Bound

Greek tragedy by Aeschylus in which Prometheus defies Zeus by giving fire to humanity, exploring themes of defiance, justice, and human suffering.

Phidias

Athenian sculptor whose idealized works on the Parthenon reflected the cultural values and civic ideals central to Greek literature, drama, and philosophy.

dualism

philosophical concept, central to Plato and Greek thought, that reality consists of two realms—body and soul—which influences themes of morality, virtue, and the human condition in Greek literature.

Medea by Euripides

Euripides' tragedy about a woman's revenge against her unfaithful husband, exploring themes of passion, justice, and the role of women in Greek society.

Aeschylus

5th-century B.C. Greek tragedian known as the father of tragedy, whose plays like Oresteia and Prometheus Bound explore justice, fate, and moral conflict.

Protagoras

5th-century B.C. Greek sophist who taught rhetoric and relativistic ethics, famously claiming "Man is the measure of all things," and influenced Plato's philosophical dialogues.

entasis

slight curvature of Greek temple columns, like those of the Parthenon, reflecting the classical ideals of proportion, visual harmony, and aesthetic perfection.

idealism

the belief, central to Plato, that true reality consists of perfect, eternal forms, influencing Greek literature, philosophy, and conceptions of virtue and beauty-- allegory of the cave

According to Socrates, what happens when rhetoric is separated from a concern for justice?

Socrates believed that rhetoric divorced from justice becomes a means of manipulation, persuading others without regard for truth or the good, and thus harms both society and the soul.

Why was there such hostility against Socrates in Athens in 399 B.C.?

Socrates faced hostility in 399 B.C. because he was associated with unpopular political figures (Alcibiades, Nicias, etc.), challenged traditional religious and moral beliefs, criticized democratic leaders, and became a scapegoat for Athens' social and political turmoil.

What is the Socratic method and why is it still relevant today?

The Socratic Method is a questioning technique that exposes assumptions and promotes critical thinking, remaining relevant today in education, debate, and ethical reasoning because it encourages careful reflection and reasoned understanding-- basically question everything.

What is unique about Socrates' understanding of justice?

He was against the belief at the time that those with power determined what was just and what was unjust. He believed that anyone could reasonably decide what was just.

Johnson makes the persistent claim that Socrates put people before ideas. What does he mean?

Socrates' main goal was to improve the soul of his fellow citizens through questioning, dialogue, and self-examination. He prioritized helping people think critically, act justly, and understand themselves rather than merely promoting philosophical concepts

Explain Plato's understanding of truth. Describe the world of the Forms by using the allegory of the cave.

Plato understood truth as the knowledge of eternal, perfect Forms, illustrated in the Allegory of the Cave, where the sensory world is mere illusion and the philosopher's task is to perceive and guide others toward the higher reality of the Forms.

How does Socrates' life and teaching demonstrate that the unexamined life is not worth living?

he devoted himself to questioning, self-reflection, and moral integrity, even at the cost of his life, showing that true fulfillment comes from examining one's beliefs and actions.

Who painted the death of socrates

Jacques - Louis David

Who painted the School of Athens

Raphael