Greek Civilization and Art Study Guide

Comprehensive practice flashcards testing key architectural orders, historical battles, democratic institutions, philosophical concepts, and artistic monuments of Classical and Hellenistic Greece.

In the Doric order architectural diagram shown, the rectangular sculpted or plain space alternating with triglyphs across the frieze is the __________.

metope

In the Ionic order architectural diagram shown, the characteristic scroll motifs forming the capital are known as __________.

volutes

The Classical Ionic temple shown, erected on the Athenian Acropolis between 426–421 BCE, is the Temple of __________.

Athena Nike

The vessel type shown, decorated with red-orange figures over a black slip and utilized for mixing wine with water, is a red-figure __________.

calyx-krater

The prominent Classical temple shown, built between 447–432 BCE by architects Iktinos and Kallikrates on the Athenian Acropolis, is the __________.

Parthenon

The high-relief architectural sculpture shown from the Parthenon depicts a fierce mythological combat between a Lapith and a __________.

centaur

The continuous low-relief marble frieze from the Parthenon shown is commonly interpreted as depicting the civic and religious __________ procession.

Panathenaic

The reclining goddess statues shown from the Parthenon east pediment display delicate 'wet drapery' and witness the birth of __________.

Athena

The modern Nashville reconstruction shown represents the ancient chryselephantine cult statue designed by Pheidias named __________ Parthenos.

Athena

The monumental temple in Athens shown, which incorporates Corinthian acanthus-leaf capitals and was completed in 131 CE under Emperor Hadrian, is the Temple of __________.

Olympian Zeus

The dramatic Hellenistic sculpture shown, illustrating extreme pathos as sea serpents attack a Trojan priest and his sons, is __________.

Laocoön and His Sons

The dynamic high-relief Gigantomachy relief from the Pergamon Altar shown portrays the suffering Giant __________.

Alkyoneus

The Hellenistic marble sculpture of Aphrodite discovered on the island of Melos shown is commonly known as the __________.

Venus de Milo

The Hellenistic genre sculpture depicting childhood and playful everyday movement shown is titled __________.

Boy with a Goose

The Hellenistic realistic work shown displaying advanced age, wrinkles, and an everyday subject clutching a wine vessel is the __________.

Old Drunkard

The Hellenistic statue shown portraying a muscular satyr resting in an unguarded and relaxed pose is the __________.

Barberini Faun

At the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE, combined troops from Athens and Plataea overcame the Persian army under the strategic leadership of __________.

Miltiades

During the 480 BCE Persian invasion, Greek resistance at the narrow mountain pass of Thermopylae was famously led by King __________.

Leonidas

The critical Greek naval victory of 480 BCE, guided by the naval strategy of Themistocles near Athens, was the Battle of __________.

Salamis

In 479 BCE, Greek allied forces in Boeotia secured a major land victory against Persian forces under the leadership of __________.

Pausanias

In Classical Athenian democracy, the Council of 500 responsible for managing day-to-day administration and setting the Assembly's agenda was the __________.

Boule

The democratic selection of councillors, jurors, and key public officials by lottery in Athens was termed __________.

sortition

The fundamental democratic reforms that restructured Classical Athens were established by Cleisthenes in __________ BCE.

$$508/507$$

The pottery shard ballot onto which Athenian citizens inscribed a political figure's name during an exile vote was an __________.

ostrakon

Early Greek theatrical tragedy developed out of choral performances honoring Dionysus called the __________.

dithyramb

The Classical playwright who dramatized Xerxes' overconfidence following the defeat at Salamis in the 472 BCE tragedy The Persians was __________.

Aeschylus

In Classical Greek tragedy, the concept describing reckless pride or arrogant overstepping is termed __________.

hubris

In Classical philosophy, whereas Plato argued that Forms exist beyond the sensible world, Aristotle maintained that form resides __________ material things.

within

After Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BCE, his territorial empire was partitioned among rival Macedonian generals termed the __________.

Diadochi

In Epicurean thought, mental tranquility is referred to as ataraxia, whereas freedom from physical bodily pain is termed __________.

aponia

In the theological philosophy of Philo of Alexandria, the transcendent divine Word mediating between God and the physical universe is the __________.

Logos

The monumental temple in Athens shown, which incorporates Corinthian acanthus-leaf capitals and was completed in 131 CE under Emperor Hadrian, is the Temple of _________.

Olympian Zeus

The dramatic Hellenistic sculpture shown, illustrating extreme pathos as sea serpents attack a Trojan priest and his sons, is _________.

Laocoön and His Sons

The dynamic high-relief Gigantomachy relief from the Pergamon Altar shown portrays the suffering Giant _________.

Alkyoneus

The Hellenistic marble sculpture of Aphrodite discovered on the island of Melos shown is commonly known as the _________.

Venus de Milo

The Hellenistic genre sculpture depicting childhood and playful everyday movement shown is titled _________.

Boy with a Goose

The Hellenistic realistic work shown displaying advanced age, wrinkles, and an everyday subject clutching a wine vessel is the _________.

Old Drunkard

The Hellenistic statue shown portraying a muscular satyr resting in an unguarded and relaxed pose is the _________.

Barberini Faun

At the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE, combined troops from Athens and Plataea overcame the Persian army under the strategic leadership of _________.

Miltiades

During the 480 BCE Persian invasion, Greek resistance at the narrow mountain pass of Thermopylae was famously led by King _________.

Leonidas

The critical Greek naval victory of 480 BCE, guided by the naval strategy of Themistocles near Athens, was the Battle of _________.

Salamis

In 479 BCE, Greek allied forces in Boeotia secured a major land victory against Persian forces under the leadership of _________.

Pausanias

In Classical Athenian democracy, the Council of 500 responsible for managing day-to-day administration and setting the Assembly's agenda was the _________.

Boule

The democratic selection of councillors, jurors, and key public officials by lottery in Athens was termed _________.

sortition

The fundamental democratic reforms that restructured Classical Athens were established by Cleisthenes in _________ BCE.

$$508/507$$

The pottery shard ballot onto which Athenian citizens inscribed a political figure's name during an exile vote was an _________.

ostrakon

Early Greek theatrical tragedy developed out of choral performances honoring Dionysus called the _________.

dithyramb

The Classical playwright who dramatized Xerxes' overconfidence following the defeat at Salamis in the 472 BCE tragedy The Persians was _________.

Aeschylus

In Classical Greek tragedy, the concept describing reckless pride or arrogant overstepping is termed _________.

hubris

In Classical philosophy, whereas Plato argued that Forms exist beyond the sensible world, Aristotle maintained that form resides _________ material things.

within

After Alexander the Great died in Babylon in 323 BCE, his territorial empire was partitioned among rival Macedonian generals termed the _________.

Diadochi

In Epicurean thought, mental tranquility is referred to as ataraxia, whereas freedom from physical bodily pain is termed _________.

aponia

In the theological philosophy of Philo of Alexandria, the transcendent divine Word mediating between God and the physical universe is the _________.

Logos

In 479 BCE, Greek allied forces secured a key victory over the remaining Persian forces on the coast of Asia Minor at the Battle of _________.

Mycale

In Classical Athenian democracy, the primary citizen assembly where all adult male citizens debated and voted on state policy was the _________.

Ekklesia

Unlike the direct democracy of Classical Athens, the constitutional system of the United States operates as a representative _________.

republic

Under the Athenian democratic practice of ostracism, a voted exile resulted in banishment from the city for a duration of _________ years.

$$10$$

The legendary Athenian dramatist credited with stepping out from the chorus to introduce the first individual tragic actor in 534 BCE was _________.

Thespis

The Classical Athenian tragedy by Sophocles dramatizing the conflict between divine/familial obligations and Creon's civil laws is _________.

Antigone

In Classical philosophy, Plato maintained that immutable, perfect, non-physical realities known as _________ exist beyond the sensory world.

Forms

Following the conquests of Alexander the Great, the standardized common Greek dialect that spread across the Mediterranean and Western Asia was _________.

Koine

The balanced counter-weighting sculptural stance codified in Classical art by Polykleitos is called _________.

contrapposto

Artistic realism emphasizing advanced age, physical vulnerability, raw emotion, and everyday genre scenes expanded most prominently during the _________ period.

Hellenistic

The Hellenistic period traditionally draws to a close in 31/30 BCE with the Roman annexation of Egypt following the Battle of _________.

Actium

In Hellenistic philosophy, the ultimate practical ethical goal of human flourishing and living well is termed _________.

eudaimonia

The Hellenistic philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium which teaches that virtue is the sole true good is _________.

Stoicism

Philo of Alexandria reconciled sacred scripture with Greek philosophy by interpreting biblical texts through the method of _________.

allegory

Unlike Ionic and Corinthian columns, a Doric column rests directly on the stylobate without an individual _________.

base

Unlike the alternating triglyphs and metopes of the Doric order, the Ionic entablature typically features a continuous band of sculpted _________.

relief

The Attic ceramic technique developed around 530 BCE in which figures remain the natural red-orange of the clay against a painted black background is _________ pottery.

red-figure

The idealized male head shown reflects the Classical tradition's focus on youth, orderly hair, and serene emotional composure rather than realistic _________.

portraiture

The master architects responsible for designing the Athenian Parthenon were Kallikrates and _________.

Iktinos

The Parthenon south frieze metope depicting a battle between a Lapith and a centaur is executed in dramatic, deeply undercut _________ relief.

high

The continuous Panathenaic procession frieze along the Parthenon's cella wall is carved in subtle, shallow _________ relief.

low

The sculpting technique used on the Parthenon east pediment reclining goddesses, where clinging folds delineate the female anatomy, is _________ drapery.

wet

The cult statue of Athena Parthenos was made of gold and ivory plates on a wooden frame, a technique known as _________.

chryselephantine

The flared capitals of the Corinthian architectural order are recognized by their elaborate carving of _________ leaves.

acanthus

The dynamic physical torment and intense emotional suffering captured in Laocoön and His Sons exemplifies the Hellenistic aesthetic of _________.

pathos

The Pergamon Altar frieze depicting Athena defeating the Giant Alkyoneus represents the mythical battle known as the _________.

Gigantomachy

Despite its Hellenistic serpentine movement, the Venus de Milo preserves 4th-century Classical tradition through its calm, idealized _________.

face

Representing a toddler playfully wrestling a bird, Boy with a Goose is a classic Hellenistic example of everyday _________ sculpture.

genre

The unvarnished Hellenistic genre sculpture Old Drunkard depicts an elderly, wrinkled woman clutching a _________ jug.

wine

The Hellenistic sculpture Barberini Faun portrays an intoxicated, resting mythological follower of Dionysus known as a _________.

satyr