Chapter 1-8: Key Vocabulary from Introduction and Early Greece

Vocabulary flashcards covering major terms and concepts from the lecture notes on Western civilization and early Greece.

What is the West?

A debated concept describing the cultural-historical tradition rooted in Greco-Roman heritage and later Christian and modern transformations; used in the course to frame discussions of Western civilization.

Western civilization

The broad historical and cultural tradition associated with Greco-Roman heritage, Christian influence, and the later developments that shaped Europe and the Americas.

Athens

An ancient Greek city-state and cultural center that rose after the Dark Ages; key for the development of democracy and intellectual life in Greece.

Attica

The region surrounding Athens in eastern central Greece; provided resources and political influence to Athens.

Peloponnese

The large southern Greek peninsula housing Sparta; a major rival power to Athens in classical Greece.

Polis

The city-state; the basic political unit of ancient Greece, combining urban life with civic identity and political organization.

Archaic Age

The period roughly from 800 to 480 BCE (per notes, ending around 418 BCE) marked by the rise of city-states, colonization, and foundational political and cultural developments; begins with the first Olympic Games.

First Olympic Games

The pan-Hellenic athletic festival traditionally dated to 776 BCE, signaling the start of the Archaic Age in Greece.

Sea Peoples

A confederation of seafaring groups believed to disrupt Bronze Age civilizations in the Eastern Mediterranean, contributing to the collapse of Mycenaean Greece and enabling later Greek polities.

Eastern Mediterranean

The region east of Greece and across the Aegean, including parts of Anatolia, the Levant, and Egypt; a central theatre in Bronze Age collapse and later Greek history.

Ionia

A coastal region in western Anatolia (modern-day Turkey) with Ionian Greek settlements; important in early Greek colonization and political development.

Hoplites

Heavily armed Greek infantry soldiers who fought in a phalanx formation and were central to Greek military practice in the Archaic and Classical periods.

Democracy

A form of government in which free citizens participate in decision-making; Athens is often cited as an early example, though with nuanced context.

Greco-Roman culture

The combined Greek and Roman cultural heritage that profoundly influenced Western philosophy, arts, politics, and thought.

Christianity

The religion that persisted through antiquity, evolving through revivals and reformations, and interacting with Greco-Roman culture across the centuries.

Reformation

The 16th-century religious movement that challenged church corruption and initiated widespread reform within Christianity, shaping Western religious and political life.

Islamic transmission

The role of Islamic scholars in preserving and transmitting Greek science and philosophy to later Europe, helping sustain classical knowledge.

Evidence and sources

The materials (archaeology, inscriptions, documents, diaries, ship records) used to reconstruct the past; interpretive limitations mean sources are often imperfect and subjective.

Archaeology

The study of past societies through their material remains, crucial for understanding ancient Greece when written records are scarce.

Urban living

The rise of cities and city-states as centers of politics, learning, and culture; a key aspect of Greek social and political development.