Greek Final Vocab

Alexander the Great

King of Macedon who created one of the largest empires in history (336–323 BCE) and spread Greek culture through conquest.

Antigonid Kingdom

Hellenistic dynasty founded by Antigonus I that controlled Macedon and parts of Greece after Alexander's death.

Anyte

Hellenistic poet from Tegea; one of the earliest female poets with surviving epigrams.

Apology

A defense speech; famously, Plato’s Apology recounts Socrates' defense at his trial in 399 BCE.

Archimedes

Greek mathematician and inventor from Syracuse, known for contributions to geometry, physics, and engineering.

Archon/Archontes (ἄρχων; ἄρχοντες)

Chief magistrates in Athens; the nine archons held religious, military, and judicial authority.

Areopagus Hill

A rocky outcrop in Athens used as a council site and court, especially for homicide cases.

Aristophanes

Playwright of Old Comedy known for sharp political satire, including plays like Lysistrata and Clouds.

Assembly (ἐκκλησία)

The democratic citizen assembly in Athens that made major decisions on war, laws, and policy.

Attalid Kingdom

Hellenistic kingdom in Pergamon founded by Attalus I, known for cultural patronage and the Great Altar.

Bacchae

A tragedy by Euripides exploring Dionysian rites, identity, and divine retribution.

Battle of Issus

333 BCE victory by Alexander the Great over Darius III of Persia; a turning point in his conquest.

Clouds

A comedy by Aristophanes that criticizes Socratic thought and the Sophists.

Colonies vs. Cleruchies

Colonies were independent settlements; cleruchies were Athenian-controlled with citizens retaining Athenian ties.

Council (βουλή)

Athenian council of 500 citizens drawn by lot, that prepared matters for the Assembly.

Delian League

An alliance led by Athens, originally formed against Persia, which evolved into an Athenian empire.

Dikasts (δικασταί)

Jurors in Athenian courts, often drawn by lot; central to democratic justice.

Distaff

A tool for spinning wool; symbol of women’s domestic roles in Greek society.

Dying Gaul

Hellenistic sculpture of a wounded Gallic warrior emphasizing emotion, realism, and dignity in defeat.

Dyskolos

A comedy by Menander; a prime example of New Comedy focusing on domestic life and character.

Ephialtes

Athenian reformer who reduced the Areopagus' power, empowering the Assembly and popular courts (~462 BCE).

Erinna

A female poet of the Hellenistic period known for lamenting themes in short epigrams.

Euclid

Mathematician of the Hellenistic era; wrote Elements, foundational to geometry.

Euripides

An Athenian tragedian known for psychological depth and strong female characters (Medea, Bacchae).

Great Altar of Pergamon

Massive Hellenistic monument featuring a frieze of the Gigantomachy, blending drama with art.

Hellenistic Art

Characterized by realism, emotional expression, and dynamic movement (e.g., Laocoön, Dying Gaul).

Kleroterion (κληρωτήριον)

Allotment machine used to randomly select jurors and officials in democratic Athens.

Lysistrata

Aristophanes’ comedy in which women withhold sex to force men to end the Peloponnesian War.

Macedon

Kingdom in northern Greece that rose to power under Philip II and Alexander the Great.

Melian Dialogue

Passage in Thucydides where Athens justifies dominance over Melos and illustrates realpolitik.

Melos (Athenian Massacre)

Island that resisted Athenian rule in 416 BCE; its male population was executed, and women were enslaved.

Menander

Greek playwright of New Comedy; his works focus on daily life, love, and mistaken identity.

New Comedy

Greek comedic style post-400 BCE focused on domestic situations, less political than Old Comedy.

Nossis

Hellenistic female poet from southern Italy; wrote epigrams on love and female experience.

Numismatics

The study of coins that helps historians understand economics, propaganda, and iconography.

Old Comedy

Early form of Greek comedy featuring bold political satire and fantastical plots (e.g., Aristophanes).

Parabasis

In Old Comedy, when the chorus addresses the audience directly, often delivering commentary.

Peloponnesian League

Spartan-led alliance of Greek states opposed to Athenian expansion.

Peloponnesian War

Prolonged conflict (431–404 BCE) between Athens and Sparta chronicled by Thucydides.

Pentekontaetia

Fifty-year period between Persian and Peloponnesian Wars marked by Athenian imperial growth.

Pericles

Athenian statesman during the Golden Age who promoted democracy and led during the early Peloponnesian War.

Philip II

Father of Alexander who unified Macedon and reformed its military before conquering Greece.

Plague in Athens

Devastating epidemic (430 BCE) during the Peloponnesian War that killed many, including Pericles.

Plato

Philosopher and student of Socrates who founded the Academy and wrote dialogues like Republic.

Plutarch

Greek biographer and moralist known for Parallel Lives, which compares Greek and Roman figures.

Pnyx

Athenian hill where citizens gathered to hold Assembly meetings.

Ptolemaic Kingdom

Egyptian dynasty after Alexander, founded by Ptolemy I; culturally Greek and centered in Alexandria.

Second Athenian League

Revived alliance led by Athens in 378 BCE to resist Sparta; more egalitarian than the Delian League.

Seleucid Kingdom

Hellenistic kingdom covering Syria and Persia, founded by Seleucus I after Alexander's death.

Socrates

Athenian philosopher focused on ethics and questioning who was executed in 399 BCE.

Socratic Method

Dialectical questioning technique used by Socrates to expose contradictions and seek truth.

Sophists

Traveling teachers of rhetoric and philosophy criticized by Plato and Socrates for moral relativism.

Thucydides

Historian of the Peloponnesian War known for emphasizing empirical evidence and human motivations.