Humanities Classical Age - Classical Beliefs and Ideals Vocabulary (copy)

Monotheism

Belief that there is only one deity, an all-supreme being that is universally referred to as God

Zarathustra (Zoroaster)

Spiritual founder of Zoroastrianism; aka Zoroaster

Ahura Mazda

God of Zoroastrianism

Zoroastrianism Influence

Helped to shape the major Abrahamic religions (Judaism, Christianity and Islam) through the influence of the Persian Empire

Judaism

One of the world's oldest monotheistic religions; one God, incorporeal and eternal, who wants all people to do what is just and merciful

Hebrews

Ancient people living in what is now Israel and Palestine; descendants of Abraham

Yahweh

Hebrew name for God in Judaism

Covenant

Promise/deal (Relationship); God offers land and protection, Abraham returns with his and his descendants' devotion to God

Circumcision

"Cutting into flesh" to show covenant with God - devotion

Prophet

People who speak with God; Abraham (founding father of the covenant) Jacob/Israel (led Israelites, fought an angel), Moses (led the Israelites out of Egypt, told Tanakh via God), Judah (only surviving kingdom→Judaism named after him)

Torah

Law of God revealed to Moses; Ten Commandments (basis of Jewish laws)

Exodus

Israelites leaving slavery in Egypt through the strength of Yahweh choosing and saving them

Synagogue

Jewish houses of worship; aka shuls, temples

Jesus of Nazareth

God's incarnation/God's son/the Messiah in Christianity; aka Jesus Christ

Saint Paul

Christian apostle who spread the teachings of Jesus

Church of the East

Original Christian appearance in the East (Persia); later known as the Orthodox Church

Emperor Constantine

Made Christianity the main religion of Rome while in power; developed Constantinople

New Testament

Second part of the Christian Bible after the Old Testament (Tanakh in Judaism); details Jesus' teachings

Trinity

Holy Trinity; the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit; ways God presents himself to the people

Hinduism

World's oldest religion

Vedas

Holy book of Hinduism

Brahmin

Members of the highest caste; intellectuals and teachers

Upanishads

Later part of the Vedas; basis of later Hindu philosophy

Brahman

The ultimate reality; our current reality is fake

Samsara

Cycle of death and rebirth

Karma

The net good/evil a person has done, deciding their fate

Moksha

Liberation from samsara impelled by the law of karma - Union with Brahman

Dharma

Performing the duty/nature expected of you(r caste); performing your dharma properly could lead to better karma

Mahabharata

One of the two major Sanskrit epics of ancient India; emphasized the importance of dharma

Bhagavad Gita

Part of the Mahabharata; encourages people to live life with purity, strength, discipline, honesty, kindness and integrity in order to find our purpose and to live it fully; tldr: be a good person

Vishnu

The great retainer god/god of preservation; Arjuna was an incarnation of him

Buddhism

Nirvana, karma, reincarnation

Siddhartha Gautama

Founder of Buddhism; aka Buddha; prince who saw suffering in the world and meditated under a bodhi tree for 49 days to reach enlightenment (bodhi)

Nirvana

Final goal of Buddhism; no worldly desires or suffering

Stupas

Mound-like or hemispherical structure containing relics used as a place of worship for Buddhists

Theravada Buddhism

Oldest form of Buddhism; belief of self liberation through one's own efforts

Mahayana Buddhism

Newer form of Buddhism; belief of one follower's efforts to save all of humanity; Greater accessibility and Nirvana was achievable in daily life

Bodhisattva

Person who has achieved nirvana but stays out of compassion (epitome of Buddhist values)

Jainism

Religion with belief in nonviolence to attain moksha

Ahimsa

Principle of causing no harm to other living beings

Warring States Period

446 BCE-221 BCE China; characterized by warfare, bureaucratic and military reforms, and consolidation

Ban Zhao

One of the first female historians; Han Chinese

Legalism

Rigid Chinese philosophy; people are bad → harsh punishments and rewards to control

Han Fei

Founder of Legalism

Confucianism

Chinese philosophy from warring states period; harmony and order will come if people follow rules of ethics; ruler/subject, father/son, elder/younger brother, husband/wife, teacher/student

Confucius

Founder of Confucianism; adult life securing political position to spread ideas; impact on East Asia as a thinker and a teacher

Analects

Book of teachings of Confucius

Filial Piety

Respect for parents and ancestor; Respect for elders

Daoism

Ancient Chinese philosophy from the warring states period; go with the flow because going against nature is futile

Laozi

Founder of Daoism

Daodejing

Written by Laozi; teaches "the way," teaches how to maintain peace, and contains ideas and philosophies of Daoism

Athens

Capital and heart of Ancient Greece

Zeus

Greek God of lightning and the heavens

Classical Ideal

High standard of perfection; each person should have a harmonious blend (sometimes called balance) of physical, mental, and spiritual aspects

Kouros

Statue of a standing nude representing youth

Kritios Boy

One of the earliest statues of the Classical period (first to have an off center balance

Homer

Major author of Ancient/Classical Greece; wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey

Iliad

Major ancient Greek epic poems by Homer; story of the Trojan War in which the Greek city-states fight Troy for Helen; Death of Hector

Odyssey

Other major ancient Greek epic poem by Homer; Odysseus' 10-year struggle to return home after the Trojan War

Epicureanism

Philosophy founded in Athens by Epicurus; rejected determinism and advocated for pleasure as the chief good in life; the greatest pleasure is being released from anxiety and mental pain

Stoicism

Philosophy founded in Athens by Zeno of Citium; virtue, the highest good, is based on knowledge; indifference to fortune, pleasure, and pain

Parthenon

Greek temple dedicated to Athena

Pantheon

Roman temple dedicated to all of the gods and goddesses of Hellenism

Colosseum

Oval amphitheatre in the center of Rome; home to blood sports (gladiators as entertainment to the monarch and masses); built under emperor Vespasian

Aqueduct

Wtercourse constructed to carry water from a source to a distribution point far away; usually attributed to Romans

Carayatids

Columns shaped like women

Barrel Vault

Arch constructed in one direction; used to soften the edges of a room and/or make it appear larger

Dome

Arch rotated around a central point; a rounded vault forming the roof of a building or structure; cupolas are domes built on top of other domes

Oculus

Circular opening in the center of a dome or in a wall