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Ancient Greece
Greek Gods (10 slides)
Greek Epics (10 slides)
Greek Democracy (10 slides)
Greek Wars (10 slides)
Greek Philosophers (10 slides)
Greek Influences (10 slides)
Greek Gods
God?
Agnosticism
(no one can know)
Atheism
(there is no God)
Monotheism
Pantheism
Polytheism
(there is one God) (everything is God) (there are many gods)
EXAMPLES:
EXAMPLES:
EXAMPLES:
EXAMPLES:
EXAMPLES:
Skepticism
Existentialism
Judaism
Buddhism
Shinto
Pluralism
Secularism
Islam
Daoism
Greco-Roman
Relativism
Nihilism
Christianity
Animism
Sikhism
Non-religious
* Catholic
* Orthodox
* Protestant
Hinduism
Maya/Aztec/Inca
Postmodernism
Greek Gods
The Titans
In Greek mythology, the Titans were a race of gods of Earth and
Heaven. The first twelve Titans were Oceanus, Hyperion, Coeus,
Cronus, Cruis, Iapetus, along with the Titanesses Mnemosyne, Tethys,
Theia, Phoebe, Rhea and Themis. Sometimes, other gods are included
with the Titans (Hyperion’s children: Eos, Helios and Selene, Coeus’s
daughters: Leto and Asteria, Oceanus’ daughter Metis, and Cruis’s
sons: Astraeus, Pallas and Perses).
According to Greek mythology, the Titans were overthrown by a race of
younger gods called the Olympians in the War of the Titans.
Greek Gods
The 12 Olympians (below) are distinguished separately from the
Titans and from other minor Greek gods. Sometimes Dionysus, Hades,
and Persephone are included with the Olympians as well.
Zeus – (Chief) god of sky and air
Hera – (Chief) goddess of marriage
Poseidon – God of the sea
Demeter – goddess of harvest, nature
Athena – Goddess of Wisdom
Hestia – Goddess of the earth
Apollo – God of poetry, music, sun
Artemis – Goddess of hunting
Ares – God of war
Aphrodite – Goddess of beauty
Hephaestus – God of blacksmiths
Hermes – Messenger of the gods
Greek Gods
See if you can match the descriptions to
the pictures and determine who is who…
The 12 Olympians:
Zeus – (Chief) god of sky and air
Hera – (Chief) goddess of marriage
Poseidon – God of the sea
Demeter – goddess of harvest, nature
Athena – Goddess of Wisdom
Hestia – Goddess of the earth
Apollo – God of poetry, music, sun
Artemis – Goddess of hunting
Ares – God of war
Aphrodite – Goddess of beauty
Hephaestus – God of blacksmiths
Hermes – Messenger of the gods
Sometimes Dionysus, Hades, or
Persephone are included with the
Olympians
Hephaestus
Ares
Hermes
Zeus
Demeter
Dionysus
Athena
Hera
Hestia
Poseidon
Artemis
Aphrodite
Apollo
Greek Gods
Heracles, who the Romans called ‘Hercules’, was a
divine hero and the mythical son of Zeus. In Greek
mythology Heracles was associated with masculinity,
royalty, courage, ingenuity, strength and intelligence. His
character is still popular in video games, movies and on
television.
Greek Gods
Greek Gods Appearing in Homer’s The Odyssey…
Aphrodite (goddess of beauty and love)
Apollo (god of music, light)
Ares (god of war)
Artemis (god of moon, hunting)
Athena (goddess of wisdom, justice)
Circe (goddess of sorcery, herbal medicine)
Demeter (goddess of harvest, fertility)
Dionysus (god of wine, fertility)
Eos (goddess of wind, dawn)
Gaia (goddess of earth)
Hades (god of the underworld)
Hebe (goddess of youth)
Hephaestus (god of fire)
Hera (Chief goddess of marriage)
Hermes (messenger of the gods)
Oceanus (god of the ocean)
Persephone (goddess of the underworld, plants)
Poseidon (god of the sea)
Themis (goddess of law, justice, order)
Zeus (chief god of light and sky)
Greek Gods
Greek Gods mentioned in Homer’s The Iliad…
Major Deities aiding
the Greeks
Hera
Athena
Poseidon
Minor deities –
Iris
Thetis
Proteus
Neutral Deities
Zeus
Hades
Hermes
Hephaestus
Major Deities aiding
the Trojans
Artemis
Apollo
Aphrodite
Ares
Minor deities –
Eris
Leto
Scamander
Phobos
Deimos
Greek Gods
Here are some other well-known stories from Greek mythology…
Minotaur: a half bull-half human stepson of King Minos
Metamorphoses: a story by Roman writer Ovid about
mythological Greek figures who have undergone
transformations
Cupid and Psyche: a mythical love story, similar to a
beauty and the beast story since Psyche was a beautiful
princess and Cupid was her invisible, divine husband
Greek Gods Word Sort
Word
Example
Definition
1
a divine being
god
belief in multiple gods
2
The Iliad
3
4
5
myth
Zeus
divine hero
a fictitious story
Heracles
one of 12 Greek gods
Zeus
Olympian
polytheism
a powerful demi-god
Greco-Roman
Greek Gods Word Sort
Word
Definition
Example
1
god
a divine being
Zeus
2
divine hero
a powerful demi-god
Heracles
3
myth
a fictitious story
The Iliad
4
Olympian
one of 12 Greek gods
Zeus
5
polytheism
belief in multiple gods
Greco-Roman
Greek Epics
Much of what is known about Greek Gods and Greek
mythology is known through the writings of ancient Greece. Three
types of ancient Greek stories to know about are tragedies, epics,
and comedies. Sometimes, tragedies and epics could be the same
thing.
Greek Comedy – a form of theater telling a comical, non-disastrous
story that is ultimately harmless
Famous writers of Greek Comedy: Aristophanes, Athenaeus,
Menander
Greek Epics
Much of what is known about Greek Gods and Greek
mythology is known through the writings of ancient Greece. Three
types of ancient Greek stories to know about are tragedies, epics,
and comedies. Sometimes, tragedies and epics could be the same
thing.
Greek Tragedy – a form of theater telling a dramatic, often
mythological story that may or may not end in tragedy
Famous writers of Greek Tragedy: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides
Greek Epics
Much of what is known about Greek Gods and Greek
mythology is known through the writings of ancient Greece. Three
types of ancient Greek stories to know about are tragedies, epics,
and comedies. Sometimes, tragedies and epics could be the same
thing.
Greek Epic – a lengthy poem about heroism and significant to a
culture
Famous writers of Greek epics: Homer, Sophocles, Herodotus,
Euripides
Greek Epics
One of the best-known writers from ancient Greece is Homer.
Some sources rank Homer’s two works The Odyssey and The Iliad in
the top ten epic stories of all time. Here is one such list.
Top 10 Epics
(listverse.com)
10 Aeneid (Virgil) – Roman
9 Don Juan (Lord Byron) – English
8 Paradise Lost (John Milton) – English
7 The Divine Comedy (Dante Alighieri) – Italian
6 Mahabharata (Vyasa) – Indian
5 Beowulf (anonymous) – Danish
4 Metamorphoses (Ovid) – Roman
3 The Odyssey (Homer) – Greek
2 Epic of Gligamesh (anonymous) – Mesopotamian
1 The Iliad (Homer) – Greek
Greek Epics
Copy of The Iliad from the 500s AD
Homer’s The Iliad
Considered the greatest epic of all time, The Iliad describes a
conflict between the city-states of Greece and the people of Troy.
Although many historians agree that some elements of the story may
have been based on a real historical conflict in the 1200s BC, most of
the story is mythology.
The story only covers a few weeks near the end of the Trojan
War, but it refers back to other parts of the story that led up to the war.
The conflict began when Paris, from Troy, abducted a Greek woman
named Helen. She was the daughter of Zeus and wife of Spartan king
Menelaus.
Greek Epics
Trojan Horse
Copy of The Iliad from the 500s AD
Homer’s The Iliad
Led by Spartan King Menelaus and his brother, the Mycenaean
King Agamemnon, a collection of Greek states went to destroy Troy. A
ten-year siege against the city of Troy took place, also called the Trojan
war. Also fighting for the Greeks were: Odysseus (King of Ithaca),
Diomedes (King of Argos), Nestor (King of Pylos), and half-divine
Achilles.
On the Trojan side was King Priam (old), his son Hector, Paris
(who abducted Helen), and the warriors of Troy. What finally ended the
war was the Trojan Horse. The Greeks left a giant wooden horse as a
gift at the gates of Troy with Greeks hidden inside. It was wheeled
inside, and the hidden Greeks came out to open the gates for the
Greek armies, who soon overran the city. Achilles was struck with an
arrow in his heel.
Greek Epics
Homer’s The Odyssey
The Odyssey is a loosely related sequel to, or at least related
to The Iliad. In The Odyssey, the story turns to Odysseus, who fought
for the Greeks and King Agamemnon in The Iliad. Odysseus begins
the journey home after the fall of Troy. It takes him ten years to reach
Ithaca after the Trojan War. On his way, he passed by the legendary
‘sirens’*, a six-headed sea monster named ‘Scylla’, and a whirlpool
called ‘Charybdis’.
* Sirens: monsters posing as
beautiful singing mermaids who
draw in ships to crash on the
rocks so they can devour the crew
Scylla
Charybdis
Greek Epics
Homer’s The Odyssey
Upon returning, Odysseus finds that many men had tried to
marry his wife Penelope in his absence. He then competes in an
archery competition with the men (shooting an arrow through ten axe
heads), and then kills them all with his bow and arrows.
The ten axe heads
Odysseus = trouble in Greek
(since he gives trouble and
runs into trouble)
Greek Epics
Can you figure out which words go in which section of the Venn Diagram?
Hint: there are 7 for each part of the diagram
Journey home
Penelope
Written by Homer Achilles
Helen
Tragedy Sirens Sea monster
King Agamemnon Whirlpool
Troy
Included gods
People died Greece
Archery contest
Odysseus
King Menelaus
Hector
Trojan Horse
Featured heroes
Epic
both
Greek Epics
both
Troy
Epic
Helen
Tragedy
King Agamemnon
Greece
Written by Homer
Trojan Horse
Included gods
King Menelaus
Featured heroes
People died
Hector
Achilles
Sirens
Sea monster
Archery contest
Journey home
Penelope
Odysseus
Whirlpool
Greek Philosophers
The birthplace of Western philosophy was Ancient
Greece in general and Athens in particular. Although there
were countless Greek philosophers, three names stand
above the rest because of the impact they had on
philosophy: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle. Socrates was
the teacher of Plato, and Plato was the teacher of Aristotle.
Any philosopher before Socrates is called a ‘pre-Socratic’
(meaning before Socrates).
Parmenides
Heraclitus
Pythagoras
Anaximander
Thales
(636546BC)
700BC
(611547BC)
(580520BC)
600BC
(535475BC)
(515445BC)
500BC
Hippocrates
(470410BC)
Socrates
(469399BC)
Plato
(427- Aristotle
347BC)
(384322BC)
400BC
Diogenes
Zeno
(336264BC)
Euclid
Epicurus (325(341- 265BC)
271BC)
(412323BC)
300BC
200BC
Greek Philosophers
A common topic discussed by the Pre-Socratic philosophers
was the ‘stuff’ of the universe. What is everything really made of?
Today, we know that everything can be broken down into subatomic
particles, which make up atoms, which combine to make compounds.
But for these philosophers, they determined that everything was made
of either earth, wind, fire or water. Some philosophers debated the
existence of a fifth element, a “quintessential” element.
wind
5th element?
earth
fire
water
Parmenides
Heraclitus
Pythagoras
Anaximander
Thales
(636546BC)
700BC
(611547BC)
(580520BC)
600BC
(535475BC)
(515445BC)
500BC
Hippocrates
(470410BC)
Socrates
(469399BC)
Plato
(427- Aristotle
347BC)
(384322BC)
400BC
Diogenes
Zeno
(336264BC)
Euclid
Epicurus (325(341- 265BC)
271BC)
(412323BC)
300BC
200BC
Greek Philosophers
Another well-known philosophical disagreement was between
Parmenides and Heraclitus. Parmenides believed that everything was
in a state of “being”. He said that although things might appear to
change, nothing ever really changes. All the ‘stuff’ of the universe
remains the same. On the other hand, Heraclius argued that everything
is always changing, always becoming something new.
“We can speak
and think only
of what exists.”
Parmenides
Parmenides
Heraclitus
Pythagoras
Anaximander
Thales
(636546BC)
700BC
(611547BC)
(580520BC)
600BC
(535475BC)
(515445BC)
500BC
Hippocrates
(470410BC)
Socrates
(469399BC)
Plato
(427- Aristotle
347BC)
(384322BC)
400BC
Diogenes
Zeno
(336264BC)
Euclid
Epicurus (325(341- 265BC)
271BC)
(412323BC)
300BC
200BC
Greek Philosophers
Socrates
Most of what we know of Socrates was written down by
his followers like Plato. Socrates eloquently discussed and
effectively debated a wide range of topics such as ethics,
politics, logic and epistemology (how you know what you know).
Plato called him a ‘gadfly’ since he was always stinging his
opponents in debates and dialogue. Socrates made famous the
process of asking questions to lead someone to a certain truth
or conclusion. Today, this process is called the ‘Socratic
Method’.
Parmenides
Heraclitus
Pythagoras
Anaximander
Thales
(636546BC)
700BC
(611547BC)
(580520BC)
600BC
(535475BC)
(515445BC)
500BC
Hippocrates
(470410BC)
Socrates
(469399BC)
Plato
(427- Aristotle
347BC)
(384322BC)
400BC
Diogenes
Zeno
(336264BC)
Euclid
Epicurus (325(341- 265BC)
271BC)
(412323BC)
300BC
200BC
Socrates
Greek Philosophers
Socrates made more enemies than supporters toward
the end of his life. He questioned Athenian democracy, and
even seemed to support Sparta (Athens’ enemy in the recent
Peloponnesian War). He also believed that he knew more
than anyone since he knew that he didn’t really know anything.
He made many powerful people look foolish in proving over and
over that they really didn’t know anything either. He was
eventually put to death for ‘corrupting the youth of Athens’ and
for not believing in the Greek gods.
Parmenides
Heraclitus
Pythagoras
Anaximander
Thales
(636546BC)
700BC
(611547BC)
(580520BC)
600BC
(535475BC)
(515445BC)
500BC
Hippocrates
(470410BC)
Socrates
(469399BC)
Plato
(427- Aristotle
347BC)
(384322BC)
400BC
Diogenes
Zeno
(336264BC)
Euclid
Epicurus (325(341- 265BC)
271BC)
(412323BC)
300BC
200BC
Greek Philosophers
The execution of Socrates
Jacques Louis David (1787)
Greek Philosophers
Plato
Plato was present at the execution of his teacher and
friend, Socrates. Many of his writings focus on Socrates as well.
Plato himself founded a school called the Academy, and
engaged with topics like logic, ethics, mathematics, and
science. Plato believed that society would be better governed
by a wise philosopher-king, not by democratic rule. He also
made famous several theories about metaphysics and reality,
such as the theory of forms.
Parmenides
Heraclitus
Pythagoras
Anaximander
Thales
(636546BC)
700BC
(611547BC)
(580520BC)
600BC
(535475BC)
(515445BC)
500BC
Hippocrates
(470410BC)
Socrates
(469399BC)
Plato
(427- Aristotle
347BC)
(384322BC)
400BC
Diogenes
Zeno
(336264BC)
Euclid
Epicurus (325(341- 265BC)
271BC)
(412323BC)
300BC
200BC
Greek Philosophers
Plato’s theory of forms
Example: How do you tell a chair apart from something that’s not a chair?
It has 4 legs – but so does a cow
It’s made of wood – but not all chairs are made of wood
It is something to sit on – but I can sit on many things that are not chairs
It has a back support – but so does a couch, which does not look like a chair
No matter how precise you get with your definition, the point is this: Plato argued that
there is a perfect form of ‘chair-ness’ out there somewhere, and all the chairs that
we know as chairs are just imperfect examples of ‘chair-ness’
Parmenides
Heraclitus
Pythagoras
Anaximander
Thales
(636546BC)
700BC
(611547BC)
(580520BC)
600BC
(535475BC)
(515445BC)
500BC
Hippocrates
(470410BC)
Socrates
(469399BC)
Plato
(427- Aristotle
347BC)
(384322BC)
400BC
Diogenes
Zeno
(336264BC)
Euclid
Epicurus (325(341- 265BC)
271BC)
(412323BC)
300BC
200BC
Greek Philosophers
Aristotle
Plato is among the greatest philosophers of all time. He
was Aristotle’s teacher and believed that Aristotle’s talents as a
thinker had surpassed his own. In fact, Plato referred to
Aristotle as ‘The Philosopher’ and ‘The Brain’. Aristotle went
on to be the personal teacher for Alexander of Macedon, who
became Alexander the Great and conquered most of the
known world at the time.
Parmenides
Heraclitus
Pythagoras
Anaximander
Thales
(636546BC)
700BC
(611547BC)
(580520BC)
600BC
(535475BC)
(515445BC)
500BC
Hippocrates
(470410BC)
Socrates
(469399BC)
Plato
(427- Aristotle
347BC)
(384322BC)
400BC
Diogenes
Zeno
(336264BC)
Euclid
Epicurus (325(341- 265BC)
271BC)
(412323BC)
300BC
200BC
Greek Philosophers
Aristotle
Aristotle made famous an argument for the existence of an
all-powerful creator. He called this being the ‘uncaused cause’, the
‘unmoved mover’, or the ‘prime mover’. Aristotle reasoned that all
things are effects, that all effects have a cause, and that you can go
back as far as you want, but you must eventually arrive at the first
cause. This first cause, Aristotle stated, could not have been caused
by anything else. Because of this point, many Christian, Jewish and
Muslim scholars have admired Aristotle throughout the centuries.
Parmenides
Heraclitus
Pythagoras
Anaximander
Thales
(636546BC)
700BC
(611547BC)
(580520BC)
600BC
(535475BC)
(515445BC)
500BC
Hippocrates
(470410BC)
Socrates
(469399BC)
Plato
(427- Aristotle
347BC)
(384322BC)
400BC
Diogenes
Zeno
(336264BC)
Euclid
Epicurus (325(341- 265BC)
271BC)
(412323BC)
300BC
200BC
Greek Democracy
DEFINITIONS:
rule of the people
everyone votes on every law
citizens vote for elected
officials who go to make laws
a government using
representative democracy
WORDS:
Democracy
Direct democracy
Representative democracy
Republic
Greek Democracy
Birth of Democracy
The word democracy comes from two Greek words,
‘demos’ (people) and ‘kratos’ (rule). So, democracy literally
means rule of the people. In the 600s BC, Athens was the
largest city-state in Greece and was ruled by a monarch.
Soon, Athens was ruled by an aristocracy where three nobles
were elected to rule each year.
Democracy
(rule by all the
people)
Oligarchy
(rule by few)
Monarchy
(rule by one)
Aristocracy
(rule by wealthy)
Greek Democracy
Birth of Democracy
Not everyone was able to vote, however. Only propertyowning Greek men could vote. Greece is the birthplace of
democracy, but not everyone was included. Women, poor, and
non-Greeks were excluded from the process. But the concept
of having citizens select their leaders was profound.
Democracy
(rule by all the
people)
Oligarchy
(rule by few)
Monarchy
(rule by one)
Aristocracy
(rule by wealthy)
Greek Democracy
By the 500s BC, an Athenian politician Solon took
further steps toward democracy. He pushed to eliminate ‘debt
slavery’, where you would be a slave for someone if you could
not pay back what you owe to them. He did not completely
eliminate slavery, but it is estimated that about 10% of people
were voting citizens during this time.
Solon
Greek Democracy
Around 500 BC, Athenian politician Cleisthenes helped
reform the constitution to allow citizens to submit ideas for
laws to vote on. One of the new laws said that, if 6,000
citizens voted, another citizen could be exhaled from the city
for 10 years. This was one step closer to full democracy as
citizens’ rights continued to increase.
Cleisthenes
Greek Democracy
When the Persian Empire invaded Greece, Athens was the
leading power of the Delian League. 140 city-states united to
defeat the invaders. Athens, with its democratic reforms, was
considered the cultural leader of Greece. Democratic ideals
spread.
Greek Democracy
In the 400s BC, General Pericles took introduced more
democratic changes to Athens. The number of paid public
officials and paid jurors was greatly increased. What is known
as ‘direct democracy’ could also be seen during this time.
direct democracy:
everyone votes on every law
representative democracy:
everyone votes for elected officials
who go to make laws
Greek Democracy
Democratic reforms come to an end with Alexander
When Macedonian King Philip and his son Alexander
the Great conquered Greece, a period of Monarchical rule
once again dominated Greece.
Democracy halted
Democracy
(rule by all the
people)
Oligarchy
(rule by few)
Monarchy
(rule by one)
Aristocracy
(rule by wealthy)
Greek Democracy
Which definitions go to which words?
DEFINITIONS:
a government using
representative democracy
everyone votes on every law
citizens vote for elected
officials who go to make laws
WORDS:
Democracy
Direct democracy
Representative democracy
Republic
rule of the people
Greek Democracy
Democracy today can look very different. It provides
rights and a voice for citizens. What type of government is in
control could be the difference between slavery and freedom.
 LIBERAL
….…vs…….
CONSERVATIVE 
Greek Wars
Alexander’s Campaigns
334-323
Peloponnesian Wars
431-404
Conflict that might have led
to Trojan War mythology
Persian Wars
1194-1184
499-449
Golden Age of Greece
1200BC
1100
1000
900
800
700
600
500
400
300BC
Greek Wars
Trojan Wars
Although the Trojan Wars were part of Greek mythology,
some historians believe that the myths were developed
around actual conflicts in the 11th century BC. Ancient Greek
historian Eratosthenes puts the war at 1194-1184BC.
Greek Wars
Persian Wars (499BC – 449BC)
By 500BC, Persia had already conquered many neighboring
groups such as Ionia, setting up tyrants to rule each conquered land,
all answering to Persian King Darius. At that time, Greece was not
unified as one country, but was a collection of powerful city-states.
Some Greek states, like Athens, aided the conquered Ionians in
revolts against the Persians. King Darius used his military strength
to squash the revolts, and then planned to conquer all of Greece in
retaliation. From about 499BC until around 449BC, Persia and
Greece were at war.
Greek Wars
Persian Wars (499BC – 449BC)
On there way to attack Athens in 490BC, the Persian forces were
defeated by the Athenians at the Battle of Marathon. Darius died soon
after, but his son, Xerxes personally led a second invasion of Greece in
480BC. Despite brave efforts from many Athenians and Spartans at the
Battle of Thermopylae, the Persians defeated the Greek forces and were
able to overrun most of Greece. Greek city-states allied together and
defeated the Persians at the Battle of Plataea and the Battle of Mycale.
The film 300
focuses the
role of the
Spartans in
the Battle of
Thermopylae.
Persian King Xerxes as depicted in 300.
Greek Wars
Reflections on the Battle of Marathon (490BC)
The Battle of Marathon is seen as a pivotal moment in
history. If the Greeks had not stopped the Persians, then
all of Greece would have been subject to the Persian
Empire. Instead of a huge influence of Greek culture on
the rest of western culture, there might have been a
Persian influence.
Greek Wars
Peloponnesian Wars (431BC-404BC)
In 431BC, a conflict developed
between Athens and the Peloponnesian
league (Sparta and surrounding areas).
In the first phase of the war included
Sparta invading Attica and Athens
raiding the coasts of Peloponnese, and
ended with a peace treaty in 421BC.
The second phase of the war saw
continued fighting and a failed Spartan
attack on Syracuse (in Sicily). The
third phase of the war is sometimes
called the Decelean War or the Ionian
War. Sparta received help from Persia,
who disrupted areas controlled by
Athens.
Athens vs. Sparta
Greek Wars
Peloponnesian Wars (431BC-404BC)
The war caused once-prosperous Athenian Empire to decline in
power. Sparta emerged as the most powerful city-state in Greece. It also
marked the beginning of the decline of the Golden Age in Greece as the
war destroyed land and possessions, leading to widespread poverty.
Athens was stronger at sea and valued
individuality, beauty, & freedom of thought.
Sparta was stronger on land and
valued duty, strength, discipline
Greek Wars
Military Campaigns of Alexander the Great (334BC-323BC)
Alexander the Great became king of the northern Greek
state of Macedon after his father’s assassination. He was
personally tutored by the great philosopher Aristotle until age 16.
Macedon was already a strong kingdom with an experienced army.
He led armies for 10 years into Persia, eventually overthrowing
Persian King Darius III and controlling all the lands between
Greece and the Himalayas. He never lost a battle and is
considered one of the greatest military leaders in history. He died
of a mysterious illness around the age of 33, and the empire soon
fell apart because of civil wars.
Greek Wars
The Empire of Alexander the Great (323BC)
Greek Wars
Military Campaigns of Alexander the Great (334BC-323BC)
At least 20 cities were named after him, and the spread of
Greek culture throughout the region is due in large part to
Alexander’s military campaigns. Many of Alexander’s
contemporaries considered him to be Achilles in the flesh. In
addition to being the King of Macedonia from 336-323, he was
the Pharaoh of Egypt (332-323), and King of Persia (330-323)
since he conquered both of those empires.
Greek Influences
Hellenism = the spread of Greek culture
Due in part to Greek writers and historians, and due in part to Greek
conquerors and military success, much of the Western world has been
effected by the Greeks. The next major power that would control the
lands around the Mediterranean Sea for almost 1000 years was the
Roman Republic, which later became the Roman Empire. Roman
Culture was influenced by Greek culture in countless ways, including:
architecture, religion, government, art, language, currency, and
agriculture. The two cultures were so similar, that historians
sometimes just refer to both Greek and Roman culture at the same
time, saying “Greco-Roman Culture”.
Greek Influences
Explain this cartoon…
Greek Influences
Most of the Roman gods were simply borrowed from Greek tradition.
Can you arrange the words into the correct columns and rows?
Word Sort
Greek
Roman
Venus
Description
Goddess of beauty
Goddess of wisdom Hermes
Athena
Chief god – sky and air
Jupiter
Apollon
God of War
Minerva
Apollo
Mars
Aphrodite
Ares
God of poetry, music, sun
Poseidon
Zeus
God of the sea Neptune
Messenger of the gods
Mercury
Greek Influences
Word Sort
Greek
Aphrodite
Roman
Description
Athena
Venus
Minerva
Goddess of beauty
Goddess of wisdom
Zeus
Apollon
Ares
Hermes
Jupiter
Apollo
Mars
Mercury
Chief god – sky and air
Poseidon
Neptune
God of poetry, music, sun
God of War
Messenger of the gods
God of the sea
Greek Influences
Greek
Hera
Aphrodite
Artemis
Athena
Demeter
Hestia
Zeus
Apollon
Ares
Hephaistos
Hermes
Poseidon
Roman
Juno
Venus
Diana
Minerva
Ceres
Vesta
Jupiter
Apollo
Mars
Vulcan
Mercury
Neptune
Greek Influences
Around the 1400s, Europeans had a
‘rebirth’ or renewed interest in art,
architecture, literature and ideas,
much like the Greeks and Romans
before the Dark Ages.
Dark Ages
Crusades
1000s1200s
Magna
Carta
1215
Greek Influences
The Renaissance (1400s) was a
rebirth of classical Greek art and
ideas. Michelangelo’s The David
is a perfect example.
In the Biblical story, David was a
boy when he killed Goliath. But
Michelangelo made him look like
a Greek god with a chiseled
body, flawless face.
Renaissance artist Raphael even
painted murals where he was
hanging out with ancient Greek
philosophers and gods.
Title: The David
Artist: Michelangelo
Date: 1504
Subject: David after slaying Goliath
Greek Influences
Minerva
Apollo
Socrates Plato Aristotle
Raphael
Parmenides
Ptolemy
Euclid
Pythagoras
Heraclitus
Diogenes
Greek Influences
Democracy: “Rule of the People”
Demos = people … Kratos = rule
Greece
(500s BC)
Roman
Empire
Democracy is
born! Greece
goes from a
tyranny (rule
of one) to an
oligarchy (rule
of few) to a
democracy
(rule of all)
But only
propertyowning, male
Greeks voted.
(400s BC476AD)
Male
Romans
elected
representatives
to make laws
on behalf of
the people.
People voted
to play a part
in
government.
England
(1215 AD)
England
(1688 AD)
A ‘Magna
Locke’s writings
Carta’ is created led to England’s
to give people
‘Glorious
rights and
Revolution’.
protection from The monarchy
the king. It was
lost political
a step away
power to the
from feudalism
people, who
& toward
elect members
democracy.
of parliament to
Later, parliament
make laws.
represents the
England is the
people in
1st modern
making laws.
democracy.
United States
(1776 AD)
France
(1790 AD)
A new nation breaks
away from England,
creating a democratic
republic. Only
white, male
property-owning
citizens could vote.
All races could vote
after the 15th
amendment (Civil
War), women could
vote after the 19th
amendment (1920)
Enlightenme
nt ideals led to
the French
Revolution
where the
king & queen
were
beheaded and
a democracy
was
established
after decades
of instability
and chaos.
Greek Influences
Hellenism
The Greek influence on the rest of western culture
is enormous. From democracy, mythology and art to
language, words and alphabets, many customs and
aspects of western culture can be traced back to the
Greeks.
Hellenism refers to the ‘spread of Greek culture’. In
fact, if you looked at a map of Greece written in the Greek
language, it would say Elláda (Ελλάδα) or Hellas.