WIP 1.3 Greeks and Barbarians OCR A Level Classical Civilisation

Barbarophonoi

Homer uses this word to mean 'talk in a foreign language' but it is in a more linguistic sense

Greek language importance

Had words to define complex ideas, so they thought that if the barbarians couldn't speak the language it mean they could not have complex thought in the same way, it also allowed for developed literature like epics, plays and philosphy

Greek oratory skill importance

Talking all the time: trading, assembly, etc. In Book 9 of the Iliad Peleus wants Achilles to be 'a speaker of words and a doer of deeds'

Barbarian influence on Greek gods

Herodotus say Poseidon originally comes from Libya and most of the rest originally come from Egypt

Barbarian influence on Greek art

Took the Egyptian technique of monumental figure sculpture then developed it to make the figures less blocky ('in the round'), made stone temples with Egyptian techniques

Barbaros

Barbarian - makes unintelligible sounds, more negative connotation than Homer's word, used by Herodotus and other writers to describe Persians