Classical Greece: Culture, Politics, and Warfare

Nike

Goddess symbolizing speed, strength, and victory.

Victoria

Roman equivalent of the Greek Goddess Nike.

Delian League

Alliance formed to defend against Persian attacks.

Aristides the Just

Leader known for fair tribute assessments.

Kimon

General who shaped the Delian League's effectiveness.

Pericles

Leader during Athens' golden age of democracy.

Athenian Democracy

System allowing citizens to vote and hold office.

Archonships

One-year positions selected by lottery in Athens.

Jury Pay

Compensation enabling poor citizens to participate.

Ostracism

Exile of a citizen for political reasons.

Peloponnesian War

Conflict between Athens and Sparta, longest in Greece.

Long Walls

Fortifications connecting Athens to its port Piraeus.

Helot Revolt

Spartan uprising leading to tensions with Athens.

Thirty-Year Peace Treaty

Agreement to avoid interference between Athens and Sparta.

Plague of Athens

Disease outbreak causing significant population loss in 430 BCE.

Corinth

Wealthy city-state allied with Sparta.

Persian Control

Dominance over Greek city-states, challenged by Athens.

Naval Victory Monument

Purpose of Nike's statue on Greek ships.

Tribute

Annual payment by states to maintain the Delian League.

Apollo Sanctuary

Location of Delian League treasury and meetings.

Aegean Sea

Region where Athens defended against Persian forces.

Public Responsibility

Criteria for government positions based on ability.

Citizenship Law

Limited citizenship to men with citizen fathers.

Radical Democracy

Political system emphasizing broad citizen participation.

Cultural Advances

Achievements in rhetoric, philosophy, and literature in Athens.

Spartan Government

Conservative oligarchy focused on land power.

Athenian Empire

Expansion driven by the Delian League's influence.

King Brasidas

Spartan leader killed in battle, leading to temporary peace.

Alcibiades

Athenian general who shifted allegiances and strategies.

Syracuse Campaign

Failed Athenian attempt to conquer Sicily's powerful city.

Lysander

Spartan general who innovated naval combat tactics.

Aegospotami

Site of decisive 405 BCE battle leading to Athenian defeat.

Thirty Tyrants

Spartan-installed rulers who terrorized Athens post-war.

Thucydides

Historian who documented the Peloponnesian War objectively.

Parthenon

Iconic temple in Athens, symbolizing wealth and power.

Phidias

Sculptor who designed the Parthenon and Athena's statue.

Sophocles

Playwright who expressed Greek ideals through drama.

Acropolis

High city in Athens, location of the Parthenon.

Cella

Inner chamber of the Parthenon housing Athena's statue.

Hubris

Excessive pride leading to downfall, avoided in art.

Aeschylus

Playwright addressing justice and societal issues.

Euripides

Dramatist exploring themes of human experience and morality.

Aristophanes

Comic playwright who critiqued society through humor.

Masonry Techniques

Advanced building methods learned from ancient Egyptians.

Frieze

Decorative panel on the Parthenon depicting historical scenes.

British Museum

Current location of many Parthenon sculptures.

Statue of Athena

12-meter tall statue made of ivory and gold.

Cultural Peak

Fifth Century BCE Athens' height of artistic achievement.

Persian Support

Provided ships to Spartans, aiding their naval efforts.

Exile of Alcibiades

Forced departure impacting Athenian military leadership.

Melos

Island attacked by Athens, leading to its population's enslavement.

Corinth and Thebes

City-states that encouraged Spartan actions against Athens.

Thebes

City-state that briefly defeated Sparta and led Greece.

Phalanx

Military formation using deep ranks and long spears.

Epaminondas

Theban general who innovated military tactics.

Philip of Macedon

King who united Macedonians and defeated Greeks.

Battle of Chaeronaea

338 BCE battle where Philip defeated Greek forces.

Alexander the Great

Son of Philip, renowned for vast military conquests.

Persian War

Conflict where Alexander defeated the Persian Empire.

Battle of Gaugamela

Decisive 331 BCE battle leading to Persian defeat.

Hoplite Phalanx

Greek infantry formation emphasizing close combat.

Hellenistic Age

Period after Alexander's death, marked by cultural diffusion.

Alexandria

Cities founded by Alexander, centers of Greek culture.

Seleucus

General who ruled the Asiatic region post-Alexander.

Ptolemy

General who established a dynasty in Egypt.

Cleopatra

Last ruler of the Ptolemaic Kingdom in Egypt.

Antigonus

General who seized control of Macedonia and Greece.

Citizenship

Only men held citizenship rights in ancient Greece.

Metics

Foreign residents in city-states, treated like women.

Slavery

Institution where individuals had no rights or freedoms.

Greek Philosophy

Early thought focused on nature and truth.

Socrates

Philosopher who shifted focus to ethics and knowledge.

Cultural Diffusion

Spread of Greek culture through Alexander's conquests.

Greek Art

Influential style admired and imitated across cultures.

Greek Language

Unifying force in Alexander's diverse empire.

Military Innovation

Advancements in tactics and formations during Greek wars.

Legacy of Warfare

Men's roles in warfare shaped citizenship and rights.

Cultural Resistance

Local customs preserved despite Greek cultural influence.

Atom

Tiny particles that make up matter.

Sophists

Teachers of logic and rhetoric in ancient Greece.

Socratic Method

Inquiry method using questioning to challenge beliefs.

Plato

Socrates' student who founded the Academy.

Dialogues

Plato's writings featuring Socratic discussions.

The Good

Concept influencing Christian ideas of God.

Aristotle

Plato's student who founded the Lyceum.

Lyceum

Aristotle's school for scientific research.

Hellenistic Architecture

Architecture reflecting non-religious public buildings.

Foreshortening

Technique making objects appear larger than distant ones.

Greek Ideals

Artistic focus on calmness, youth, and proportion.

Halicarnassus

Location of Mausolus' famous tomb, a wonder.

Seven Wonders

Famous ancient constructions, including Mausoleum.

Doric Order

Simplest architectural column style in ancient Greece.

Ionic Order

Column style characterized by scroll-like capitals.

Corinthian Order

Most ornate column style with elaborate capitals.

Arch of Constantine

Roman arch featuring Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian styles.

Sculptors

Artists creating lifelike statues of young men.

Public Buildings

Structures like theaters and gymnasiums in Hellenistic period.

Private Architecture

Buildings reflecting wealth, such as tombs.

Asclepius

The healing god associated with Greek hospitals located at sanctuaries.

Hippocrates

The most famous Greek doctor known for his oath for caring for the sick and studying the body as a whole.