Ancient Greece Material #2

Mycenaeans

a group of people who settled on the Greek mainland around 2000 B.C.

Minoans

earliest Greek civilization that had developed on the island of Crete by 2000 B.C.

Mount Olympus

the highest mountain in Greece, where the ancient Greeks believed many of their gods and godesses lived

Balkan Peninsula

a large peninsula in southern Europe bounded by the Black, Aegean, and Adriatic seas.

Athens

the capital and largest city of Greece; where democracy originated

Sparta

Greek city-state that was ruled by an oligarchy, focused on military, used slaves for agriculture, discouraged the arts

Peloponnesus Peninsula

A mountainous peninsula in southern Greece. Sparta was located on this peninsula.

Attica Peninsula

found on the Greek peninsula; Athens is located here

Knossos

an ancient Minoan city on the island of Crete

Fertile plains

found along the coast of Greece; where farming existed

bronze

the metal used by the Mycenaeans to make a variety of items

Dark Age of Greece

1100 - 800 BCE a time when trade become standstill, written language disappeared, and people lived in isolated villages, famine, no artwork was produced

Dorians

In about 1100 B.C. these people overcame the Mycenaean culture, Greece's earliest culture.

Phoenicians

a maritime people who spread their alphabet to others including the Hebrews, Romans, and Greeks.

Hellenes

what the Greeks called themselves

Greek alphabet

was based on the phoenician alphabet; made up of 24 letters

Greek colonies

400+ colonies, the Greeks increased trade among the Mediterranean region and the people living there

hoplites

armies of ordinary citizens

Ancient Greek citizens

free males who owned land and were born in the polis

acropolis

a hilltop in an ancient Greek city which included a fort and a temple

nobles

rulers of Ancient Greek city-states

iron bars

used by the people of Sparta as money

military

Sparta based their society on this which stressed discipline and obeying rules

Peloponnesian War

conflict between Athens and Sparta

agora

a public open space used for assemblies and markets

assembly

a group of citizens, in an ancient Greek democracy, with the power to pass laws

citizen

someone who has certain responsibilities and rights in his or her country or community

harbor

sheltered place along a coast

philosophy

the study of wisdom and the right way to live

jury

a group of citizens chosen to hear evidence and make a decision in a court of law