Download Ancient Greece P 182-189 The Greek World: (1

Ancient Greece
P 182-189
The Greek World: (1-3)
The rough terrain meant settlements were isolated and self-sufficient, and the proximity
to the sea encouraged trade and provided access to other cultures. Greeks developed a polis, or
city-state which was a city, town, or village that controlled the surrounding countryside. Athens
and Sparta were the most powerful.
Athens: (4)
Known for its democratic government and flourishing culture. Free Athenian men spent
time discussing philosophy and politics, free women could not participate openly in politics. At
least 40% of the population was enslaved. They could buy their freedom but never gain full
rights as citizens.
Sparta: (5-6)
Known for its military strength. Young boys and girls were taken from their homes to
live in dormitories and underwent rigorous physical training. From age 20-60 men belonged to
the army. Only after age 30 could they live with their wives.
The Challenge of Persia: (7)
490 B.C. Persian forces landed on the Plain of Marathon, 26 miles from Athens and were
defeated. A messenger ran to Athens, said, “Nike” (victory), and died. Ten years later, 300
Spartan soldiers held off 180,000 Persians but Athens was burned. The Greeks defeated the
Persian fleet, this allowed Athens to assume the leadership of Greece and reach the height of
political power and cultural brilliance.
The Age of Pericles: (8-9)
Pericles had Athens rebuilt and new temples and statues soon symbolized the greatness of
Athens. The greatest symbol being the Parthenon.
Sculpture:
Artists presented human forms, they studied how muscles and bones work together.
Their realistic sculptures reflect this new knowledge.
The Olympics: (10)
Athletics was highly valued in ancient Greece. Held every four years in Olympia, they
were elaborate festivals that focused on religion, poetry, and music as well as sports. Only men
could compete, usually only wealthy men had time to train, practice, and travel to Olympia.
Architecture:
Each city-state had an acropolis, or a fortified area at the highest point in the city, where
temples were built. Three main styles, or “orders” of Greek architecture: Doric order, plain,
Ionic order, light, delicate, Corinthian order, most elaborate.
The Heroic Ideal: (11-13)
The Greek heroic ideal was based on the aristocratic warrior but valued all-around
excellence, the ability to do well at whatever was required, from sailing a ship, to delivering a
speech. The Iliad and Odyssey were used in schools to teach Greek students the values of loyalty,
courage, and honor. A Greek hero strove to realize his human potential to achieve personal
excellence, which the Greeks called “arête” in a hero, it meant complete development of qualities
such as physical strength, intellectual ability, and bravery and endurance through his willingness
to fight, the hero protected his family and friends, preserved his home, and earned his reputation.
The Good Life: (15-17)
The Homeric epics are objective and impersonal. Sappho’s lyric poetry celebrated the
beauty of the world, the pleasures and pains of love, the joys of family life, and the power of art
to transcend death. The Greeks made great advances in science, medicine, and philosophy.
Philosophy is the methodical use of reason to discover the truth. The Sophists were an
influential group of ancient Greek philosophers who taught that there was no absolute right or
wrong. Socrates, a critic of the Sophists and teacher of Plato, believed individuals could
discover the truth within themselves through rational inquiry.
The Tragic Vision: (18-20)
Athenians created Greek drama, tragedies were performed at religious festivals and often
explored the relationship between humans and the gods. In the process, they raised important
questions about life. Central to Greek tragedy is the fall of a great man- the tragic hero, whose
fate is partly brought about by a flaw within his or her own character. The tragic hero’s aim was
to inspire audiences to examine their own lives, to defend their beliefs, and to cleanse their
emotions of pity and terror through compassion for the character.
Legacy of the Period:
The ancient Greeks are responsible for founding, among other things, philosophy,
democracy, and science, including astronomy, geology, biology and physics.