MMW 11: All Key Terms

Demagoguery

A leader that tries to gain power by appealing to people’s emotions instead of using facts of good reasoning and often manipulates public opinion through fear. Ex: Adolf Hitler

The “Laws” of Athens for Socrates

Because Athens raised and protected Socrates, they believed he owed the city loyalty.

• Sense of duty as a solider

• Sense of duty as a philosopher

  • Gadfly on a once great but now lethargic house

• Sense of duty as a citizen, a “son of Athens”

  • Accepts the jury’s verdict with grace

  • Treats the laws of the polis as his parents

  • One should either persuade or obery

  • Rejected eye for an eye justice

• Death as his final duty

What were the accusations

Corrupting the youth, not believing in the gods of the city, (accused of introducing new gods and causing kids to rebel)

“Gadfly to a lethargic horse”

Gadfly - an annoying insect that bites horses

Lethargic horse - Socrates says the city of Athens is like a slow horse that has become lazy

Socrates his someone who keeps the city awake, similar to a gadfly even if they find him irrating/annoying

Socrates’s daemon

An inner voice/spiritual sign that guides him, telling him when to stop doing wrong things

Crito’s appeal to Socrates

Crito tries to give Socrates arguments to escape prison. 1. Your friends will look bad if you don’t escape, 2. You are abandoning your family 3.The verdict was unfair 4. You are choosing your enemies wishes

Meaning of “Apology”

A defense speech (explanation of your actions, behavior, and defense against accusations)

Critias and “The Thirty”

Critias - one of the most extremem oligarchs in Athens, former associate of Socrate’s, became leader of the Thirty Tyrants

The thirty - Sparta accepted an oligarch government after losing war, known as the thirty tyrants

What did they do - demoguargy, ruled with fear, unfair, replaced democracy, and affected how people viewed Socrates in a negative light

Lysander

Spartian military leader who defeated Athens and controlled them afterwards, giving the Thirty Tyrants power

Socrates

Greek philosopher from Athens who believed in seeking truth and virtue, was put on trial for not believing in the city’s gods - heresy

Expedition to Sicily

A military attack by Athens on Sicily that was a complete fail, weakening Athens

Nicias vs. Alcibiades

Nicias - Athenian general who was against the Sicilian Expendition

Alcibiades - Young and persuasive politician who supported the expedition.

People sided with Alcibiades because he was persuasive, then later was accused of religious crime and led while Nicas was forced to lead the expedition, causing a diaster

“The Old Oligarch’s Critique”

Criticizes Athenian democracy, believing wrong people have political power, rigged to help the poor, the poor stay powerful because Athens depends on their labor,the city intentionally makes allies weaker, he prefers a hierarchy.

The Boule

council of 500 citizens that ran the government of Athens, meant to be so ordinary citizens could participate in the democracy (selected by lottery)

Pericles as “strategoi”

Strategoes = a general in Athens who led armies

• Periciles served as strategos from 443-429, leading Athens during the Golden Age

He strengthened democracy, built Athen’s empire, launched major building projects and led part of the Peloponnesian War

Cleon vs. Diodotus

Athenian politicians who argued during the Mytilenean Debate with different views on punishment, justice, and empire

Cleon believed in harsh fear based punishment while Diodotus was rational and believed in being smart not angry

Mitylene rebellion on Lesbos 428

Mytilene (city on the island of Lesbos) tried to leave the Athenian Empire. Originally allies, they wanted independence and planned to rebel, asking Sparta for help. Athens found out and sent a fleet to stop the revolt, causing Mytilene to surrender in 427

Challenges of secession from League

Athens had the strongest navy, Tribute; cities were required to pay or provide ships and if they stopped, Athens treated it as a rebellion. Athens attacked other cities who tried to leave, unfair politics supporting the poor and not everyone else, economic dependence, no other alliance (Persia was a threat, Sparta wasn’t willing to help; no backup)

Helot rebellions

Helots - serfs/state-owned slaves in Sparta

Rebelled due to harsh living conditions, forcing to farm for their ‘spartan masters"“, little freedom, mistreated.

First major rebellion (464 BCE), caused by an earthquake that weakened Sparta

These revolts caused Sparta to have a stronger military meant to keep the Helots under control

Peloponnesian Confederation

Peloponnesus - city-state

• Strongest military power led by Sparta, created to protect against outside threats and Athens Delian League

Athenian legal system

Run by citizens, people argued for themselves with on lawyer, any free man over the age of 18 could vote.

Heliaia - Handled public disputes and public cases (popular)

areopagus - handled serious crimes like murder

Special court - religious or maritime cases

Since it was democratic, it gave regular citizens power and encouraged participation, debate, and civic responsibility

Delian League

A military and financial alliance led by Athens, formed in 378 BCE after the Persian wars, meant to protect Greek cities in the Aegea from Persian attacks. Eventually turned into an empire and started dominating it’s allies by forcing them to pay tribute instead of contributing ships

Thucydides

Wrote “The History of the Peloponnesian War” (c. 460-c. 400 BCE)

“Golden Age” of Athens rebuilt

Period after the Persian Wars (5th century BCE), when Athens rebuilt itself into the richest, most powerful and culturally vibrant city with a better democratic empire under Pericles

Impact of trireme rowers

Trieme rowers = men who powered Athenian warships named “triremes”, 170 poor Athenian citizens rowers each paid to row. Impact: increased democracy, helped in winning battles, contol the Aegean Sea, created social identity and pride (rowers saw themselves as defenders of the city")

Battle of Salamis

(480 BCE) naval battle between Greece (led by Athens) and Persia, fought near the island of Salamis in narrow waters. Why? After burning Athens, the Persian army tried to destory the last of Greek resistance, the greeks went to Salamis and planned a trap

What happened - The persians fleet collapsed and the leader retreated, saving Greece from complete Persian conquest

Lycurgan Constitution

Set of laws and institutions that organized Sparta into a militaristic, disciplined, and highly controlled society — a way of life Spartans believed Lycurgus was created. (dual kingship, Gerousia - council of Elders, 28 elders + 2 kings, ephors, assembly called Apella where male citizens could vote “yes or no” on proposals) Social system:

Lycurgan Constitution -- Social system

Spartiates — full spartan citizens, elite warriors

Perioikoi - free non-citizen inhabitants of nearby towns, craftsmen, merchants

Helots - State-owned serfs, farmed the land, rebelled

Agoge (military training) - boys taken at age 7, lived in barrack

Battle of Thermopylae

(480 BCE), a battle during the Perisan wars where a small Greek force—leg by king Leonidas of Sparta with 300 Spartans, tried to stop the Persian army of King Xerxes at a narrow mountain pass called Thermopylae (the hot gates)

Piraeus

Harbor city of Athens where Athe kept it’s warships (triremes) and trade ships arrived. It was the port of athens where it’s naval base, trade center, and lifeline was.

Silver mines in Sunium or Laureum

Laurion - region in southeastern Attica where Athens had rich silver deposits, helping in being a major source of wealth (paid for the triremes that made Athens powerful)

Sunium - located near Laurion, known for the Temple of Poseidon overlooking the sea

Topography of Hellas

Hellas = ancient Greece

Mountains separated regions creating independent poleis (city-states) like Athens, Sparta, Corinth, with lots of bays and harbors, encouraging seafaring, trade, and naval power, Scattered islands, limited farmland (rocky land), milk Mediterranean climate

Mycenaean Kingdoms

(c. 1600-1100 BCE) - first advanced Greek civilization on the mainland, known for their palace kingdoms. Each Mycenaen region was ruled from a palace (megaron) that controlled trade, agriculture, taxes, military organization, storage

Major kingdoms - Mycenae (most powerful), Pylos, Tiryns, Thebas, Midea, Athens, Argos, Sparta

The lliad

Ancient Greek poem written by Homer (8th century BCE), telling the story of a short period during the Trojan War. Focuses on Achilles’ anger, the death of Patroclus, Achilles’ revenge', a moment of humanity, with them poem ending with Hector’s funeral

Trade and privacy

Due to geography issues (mountainous, not good for farming, lacking large rivers) ancient Greek was separated forcing small independent units to form and trading to be done overseas

Dorian invasions

(1100 BCE), Greek speaking people invaded Southern Greece, destroying Mycenaean palaces causing the collapse of Mycenaean civilization), causing Greece to fall into the Dark Age and lose their writing system

Dark age of illiteracy

Greek colonization of Ionia

(1100-800 BCE) a period of 300 years where the Greeks lost their writing system and no one could ready or write leading to no written documents, historical records, letters, etc. It was regained when they adopted the Phoenician alphabet

Homeric tradition

Storytelling that was passed down by memory and performance, especially during the Dark Age since people could not write. Stories survived by being spoken, sung, and memorized. Homer was the final person who was inherited from all these oral stories

Homeric tradtion = the centuries of oral storytelling behind Homer

Agon (contest)

Any kind of contest or struggle (sports contest, legal trial, political debate, etc), can be seen through olympic games, poltiics, drama theater, courts, etc. It nattered because citizens proved themselves through competition

Arete (well-rounded excellence)

Excellence, virtue, or being the best you can. Being best in every area of live (intelligence, bravery, honor, physical ability, etc). The greeks believed true greatness was being well-rounded, being excellent in every part of your life (physically, mentally, morally, and socially)

Polis (meaning?)

Greek city-state (Polis included the city center, countryside around it, farms, villages, citizens who governed themselves, polis is both a polis and political system) every Polis was independent and self-governing

Agora (marketplace)

A central marketplace and public meeting space of a Greek Polis, in the heart in the city’s daily life. Merchants set up stalls for people to buy stuff. It was the main marketplace and meeting space of the Greek city-state where people shopped, talked, debated, and ran the city

Acropolis (citadel)

High, fortified hill in a Greek city-state used as citadel, religious center (ceremonial center, especially in Athenas, holding temples shrines and sacred offerings) and last place of defense (people could retreat there if something happened)

akro = high

polis = city

“high - city”

The religious and symbolic center of the polis

Ideal size of a polis

5000 people (number was big enough for defense and economy, but small enough for citizens to know each other and participate in government)

Hoplites

Greek infantry soldiers, named from their shield called a hoplon. Only male citizens could be hoplites. they were citizens-soldiers who fought in tight formations with shields and spears- the key to greek warfare and the defense of the polis

Phalanx

A tight infrantry formation used by Greek hoplites in battle (soldiers stood shoulder to shoulder in rows and columns. Their overlapping shields helping in creating a strong defensive and offensive wall

Solon’s socio-economic reforms

Solon - Athenian salesman and lawmaker, appointed to reform Athens during a time of economic crisis and tension

Solon cancelled debts on farmers, freed Athenians who had become slaves due to debt, reorganization of social classes based on wealth not birth, political reforms (opened political participation to more citizens), economic (encouraged trade and crafts) and legal reforms (made laws accessible and written down)

Pisistratus

Tyrant (absolute ruler) of Athens. Athens had social tensions after Solon’s reform, so Pisistratus promised stability, protection, and benefits for the poor. He helped in strengthening Athens economically and culturally, helping pave the way for democracy. Remembered as a wise Tyrant, not a harsh one.

Cleisthenes

Athenian statesman, known as “Father of Athenian Democracy”, came to power after Pisistratus’s son lost control of Athens. He divided Athens into t10 new tribes, had council of 500 (boule), each tribe sent 50 citizens, citizens could vote to exile someone for 10 years if they became too powerful or threatening, expanded citizen participation (more ordinary male citizens could vote and take part in the government)

Ten Demes

Deme = a local district or village in Athens — the smallest political units in the Athenian democracy

Deme’s became their political identity, responsible for citizen registers, local religious festivals, soldiers for the Athenian army, base for local politics and public duties, They were part of a new democratic system.

To Koinon

“the common thing”, “the common good”, the community as a whole, especially in a polis. Citizens’ duties and laws exist to protect and benefit the community, not just individuals

Autocracy paving way or democracy

Autocracy = rule by one person with total power

They helped citizens and weakened the aristocrats(members of the elite class, initially holding poltical power). After the ruler left, citizens were ready to govern themselves, which paved the way for democracy.

Herodotus

Greek historian from Halicarnassus, often called the “Father of History” since he was one of the first to systematically record events rather than replying on myth or oral stories and explain why they happened. Wrote “he Histories”

Road from Susa to Sardis

Major royal road of the Persian Empire, built by King Darius I to connect the eastern and western parts of the empire

• Allowed for rapid communication across the vast Persian Empire, fast communication, trade, and movement of armies

Ionian Rebellion

(499-493 BCE) uprising of Greek City-states in Iona against the Persian Empire

Ionia was under Persian control. Heavy taxes, desire for independence, support from mainland greece (Athens and Eretria) caused them to rebel. Consequences - Persians tightened control over Ionia, became angry with Athens and Eretria, and sparked the Persian wars

Miletus

A major city-state in Ionia, known for it’s wealth, trade, and intellectual contributions, one of the leading cities in the Ionian league. Miletus was known for merchant activity/trade center, led the Ionian rebellion, birthplace of early Greek philosophers

Darius

(550-486) BCE, known as “Darius the Great” - king of Persia, one of the most powerful Persian rulers, expanding and organizing the empire. He built roads and systems of government. crushed the Ionian rebellion, launched the first Persian invasion of Greece.

Hippias and the “Hill Party”

The song of Pisistratus/Tyrant of Athens. known for continuing his father’s ruling but became harsh and unpopular. After he became ruel, he was overthrown, allowing democracy to develop

Hill Party - a political team in Athens, controlled the acropolis and central city areas-helped in maintaining Pisistratus tyranny.

Miltiades

Athenian general, known for leading Athens to victory at the Battle of Marathon in 490 BCE during the first Persian invasion of Greece by using clever tactics

Battle of Marathon

Fought in 490 BCE during the fist Persian invasion of Greece. Took place on the plain of Marathon, about 26 miles northeast of Athens. The Persians wanted to punish Athens for supporting the Ionian rebellion- Athens had fewer soldiers than Persia. The Greek hoplites won despite being outnumbered due to Miltiades’s clever tactics (flanks encircled the enemy, stronger flanks weaker center), forcing Persian forces to retreat by sea.

themistolces

Athenian political and general, led Athens during the Persian wars and Battle of Salamis and building the Athenian navy, key figure in turning Athens into a naval power. Built around 200 triremes (warships), giving Athens a powerful fleet, and saving Greece from Persian domination

Indus Valley

• Located in South Africa where large-scale cities emerged

The people were mainly farmers who traded with nearby regions, and had a script called the Indus script

• integrated trade network in the Indus Valley

Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro

Major cities of the Indus Valley Civilization, referred to as twin cities due to identical design and layout, had as many as 35,000 residents

• Consists of hundreds of smaller cities in between (300 or more of the same design, smaller scale),

• Every household has it’s own plumbing and bath

Stamped seals

Small square or rectangular objects usually made of steatite, engraved with symbols or images in the Indus script. Used by people int he Indus Valley Civilization, meant for trade and economy

Indus Yogi/”Lord of Creatures”

A human figure seated in a cross-legged, meditative posture surrounded by animals, perhaps symbolizing a deity of animals, fertility, nature, and spiritual control

Symbolism of the bull

Appeared frequently on seals, pottery, and figurines. Bulls were seen as strong and powerful animals, symbolizing masculinity and strength

Lingams

Evokes not just sexual virility but also order, stability, and strength

The Great Bath

One of the earliest public water structures likely used for ritual or religious purposes, yet there was no evidence of temples or tombs.

Aryan Influx

Migration of Indo-Aryan people into the Indian subcontinent around 1500 BCE, from eastern Europe, known as pastoral nomads, referred to themselves as the “Aryo” = noble or free born. Referred to by others as dark-skins, they helped in introducing the Vedic religion

Ashvamedha horse sacrifice

A horse sacrifice ritual performed by kings in Vedic India to assert political power and divine approval. A horse (normally white) was sent to roam freely for a year to assert dominance. After a year, the horse was brought back and ritually sacrificed for prosperity, fertility, and victory

Dravidians

Original People from the Indus Valley Civilization, helping in building cities such as Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro as well as practicing trade, agriculture and trade. After the Aryan-influx, many moved southward.

Dyaus Pitar

The Sky Father, an early Indo-Aryan deity

• Worshipped because the sky was everywhere and they were always on the move (meaning the gods are constant in their life

Varuna

Vedic deity, known as the god of cosmic order, water, and the heavens (celestial god).

• Varuna created the world and ruled it by the standard of rita — the guiding principle of Varuna, the standard for cosmic, moral, and liturgical order, the basis for what is true and in it’s proper place for proper movement and for what is correctly said or done

Rita or "“natural order of things”

Represents the cosmic, natural, and moral law that upholds the universe’s order → set up for later principles of karma and dharma which governed human order and balance

Rig Vedas

Oldest and most important of all the Vedas, with a collection of over 1,000 hymns that were sung to gods of nature, passed down orally (memorized not written,), explaining how the world works and praising the gods.

Indra vs. Virtra

indra - god of thunder and war

Virta - huge serpent or dragon, symbol of chaos, drought, and obstruction.

Indria kills Virtia who was blocking the world’s waters, when he died the rain and rivers returned.

Soma

Terrestrial god —Hallucinogen associated with purification and trance, a god in the Rig Veda

Agni

Terrestrial god —God of fire, messenger to the gods (when priests offer food or sacrifices into fire, Agni carries them up to the gods through smoke and flame

Myth of Purusha

They divided him through sacrifice and he became:

Brahmans (priests) → mouth of Purusha

Kshatriyas (warriors)- → hands

Vaishyas (landowning farmers/merchants/artisans)—thighs

Shudras (servants) → feet

Myth: the whole universe, including the social classes was created from the scarified body of a cosmic giant— everything comes from him

Varna systems (Brahamins, Kshatriyas, Vaishyas, Shudras)

Brahmins - (priests) performed rituals, sacrifice, and religious ceremonies

Kshatriyas - (warriors) king, soilders, generals, protected society, enforced law and justice

Vaishyas - (farmers/traders), economic producers, responsible for agriculture, trade, crafts

Shudras (servant, laborers). Worked for the other 3 varnas, provide labor and service

Jatis

Sub-groups within the larger varna system (jatis are the real everyday social groups people actually lived in). Each jatis created it’s own religious rituals

Upanishads

The birth of the Indian Axial Age. Ancient texts that explain the deepest ideas in Hinduism—the soul, universe, and how to find spiritual liberation

Brahman vs. Atman

Brahman = the infinite, eternal, cosmic reality in Hindu philosophy

Atman = your deepest inner self, your soul—your true consciousness, the core of who you are not your personality, thoughts, or body

Sannyasin

Someone who gives up all worldly attachments to pursue spiritual liberation. They renounce family, possessions, wealth, social identity and life simply often as monks, focusing entirely on mediation, seeking union with Braham and freedom from the cycle of rebirth (samsara)

Siddhartha Gautama

Founder of Buddhism, after reaching enlightenment, he became known as Buddha. His father tried to protect him from all suffering and when he left the palace he saw the four sights: aging, sickness, death, a mendicant, making him realize suffers and left to escape the cycle

Bodhisattva

Someone on the path to becoming Buddha but chooses to delay their own final enlightenment to help other beings reach it first, being filled with compassion.

Bodhisattva was to release all sentient beings from suffering

Tushita Heaven

A heavenly realm in Buddhist tradition. One of the six heavens in the realm of desire, a place where very advanced beings live before becoming buddhas. A bodhisattva’s “penultimate existence(final life)” before becoming a full-fledged Buddha

Kapilavatsu

Home city of Siddhartha Gautama when he was a prince/born and grew up (29 years) before sneaking away. His father built palaces for his son with multiple beautiful women so he never got bored

Four Encounters

Aging, sickness, death, a mendicant which made him want to find a way out of this eternal suffering and escape the endless cycle of rebirth

Symbolic role of Mara

Symbolizes desires that distract the mind - pleasure, craving power, ego or pride. The inner voice of temptation, fear, and doubt that tries to stop someone from becoming free

The Middle Path

Buddha’s teaching that the best way to live is to avoid 2 extremes: extreme luxury, extreme self punishment. It’s not about extremes, it’s about what is reasonable/practical

The middle path = balance. Not too much, not too little, the road to enlightenment

The “rose-apple tree” recollection

A moment in Buddha’s life where he remembered a peaceful childhood meditation (sitting under a rose-apple tree, naturally entering a peaceful calm mental state called jhana) and realized that enlightenment comes from calm balance, not self-torture (when he tried extreme fasting for 6 years which nearly killed him).

Law of Dependent Origination

“everything happens because of something else”. Suffering exist because of ignorance and desire, but if you remove these things, the suffering ends.

Four Noble Truths

existence brings suffering, suffering emanates from desire, cessation of suffering must begin with cessation of desire. These are the foundation of all Buddhist teaching and explain why life is hard and how to overcome it by giving a guide for living and showing that freedom is possible.

Eightfold Noble Path

Right view, intention, speech, action, livelihood, effort, mindfulness, concentration - the practical guide the Buddha gave to end suffering— helps achieve nirvana (freedom from the cycle of suffering, samsara)

Dharma (Buddhist meaning)

The Buddha’s teachings - the guidance he gave to understand life, suffering, and how to reach enlightenment

Sangha

Community of Buddhist practitioners/followers who follow Buddha’s teachings. Provides support, guidance and encouragement on the path to enlightenment

Angulimala

The story of how a man who committed heinous crimes of murder was able to become a monk through Buddha’s teaching which shows that no one is beyond spiritual progress

Challenge to caste system

Buddhism says that your birth does not determine your worth or your ability to be enlightened, directly challenging the rigid caste system.. Anyone can achieve enlightenment, regardless of their birth or social class.