Download Greece`s Golden Age

Greece’s Golden Age
Only lasted 50 years (480-430 BCE)
Known to be honest & fair man,
Athens was led by Pericles.
He dominated Athens so much that
from 461-429 it is known as the
Age of Pericles
• Pericles had 3 goals
• 1). Strengthen Athenian
democracy (make it more
accessible to the average
man, like holding office)
• 2). Hold & strengthen the
empire (a strong navy and
overseas trade to get
resources necessary)
• 3). Glorify Athens
(architectural beauties)
• A type of government introduced during this
period was called Direct Democracy – government
in which the citizens rule directly and not through
representation.
The Golden Age also
ushered in the art
standard, Classical
art. Sculptures tried
to capture order,
balance, and
proportion in their
subjects
(This is Laocoon and
his sons being
strangled by a
serpent)
The Dionysius Theater in Athens at base of the
Acropolis
Theater at Epidauros as it looks today
Still active theater, only the seats have
been refurbished
Some theater vocabulary
• Tragedy – a serious drama about common
themes such as love, hate, war, or betrayal.
Had a hero with usually a flaw in character,
often excessive pride or hubis
• Comedy – contained scenes filled with
slapstick situations and crude humor (often
compared to burlesque). Also similar to
American humor in as it was acceptable to
make fun of political leaders or ways of life
Comedy
Tragedy
Old Man
with Red
Beard
Old man with teeth
The Peloponnesian War
In the 1st war, the Athenians stayed behind their
walls as food was delivered at their port, Piraeus
• The 1st war (459-446 BCE) concluded with
no exchange of land (Athens had to give up
what it had conquered)
• This resulted in a treaty called the 30
years peace, but it didn’t last 30 years!
• The 2nd war (431-404
BCE) went back and
forth. A number of
plagues would hit
Athens and would kill
up to 1/3 of the
population (including
Pericles in 429 BCE)
• Athens, exhausted and
broke, with most of
their allies quitting
them, finally
surrendered in 404
• Put in charge to rule
them were 1st tyrants
and then an oligarchy.
The Philosophers
• Philosophers – means “lovers of wisdom”
• Some of their beliefs were that the universe
is arranged in an orderly way and constant
(absolute and unchanging laws), and that
people can understand these laws using
logic & reason
• Sophists, led by Protagoras, questioned the
existence of traditional Greek Gods, and
argued there was no universal standard of
truth
• Socrates
• Disagreed with
Sophists and
thought that
absolute truths
did exist
• During the rule
of tyrants, he
was brought to
court for
corrupting the
youth of Athens.
• He was
condemned and
drank poison
• Plato
• Born into a noble
family
• Student of Socrates
• His works include
concepts on an ideal
government. He
actually didn’t agree
with a democratic
government, but in
favor of Guardians
(wealthy aristocracy
that ruled because
people were
naturally stupid)
• Aristotle – Student of
Plato
• His father was the
court doctor for the
King of Macedonia and
this is how he came to
be known to Philip of
Macedon
• Basically disagreed
with Plato on
everything.
• Believed that the world
could be understood
thru observation
• Like Buddha he
believed one needed to
suffer in order to
understand
Aristotle’s Lyceum in Athens suburb. He was not
only a philosopher, but was considered an expert
in the areas or mathematics, logic, biology, zoology,
politics, and theater.
Section 3 Review
• A form of government that doesn’t use representative s,
but the citizens themselves
• Direct Democracy
• The War fought between Athens (Delian League) and
Sparta & her allies
• Peloponnesian War
• Name the 2 art forms discussed relating to Theater
• Tragedy and Comedy
• Name the 3 major philosophers in chronological order
• Socrates
• Plato
• Aristotle