Download Athens - Educade

Athens
This scroll contains information about your role as Athenians. You should work together to
share this information with one another so you all know it. As a group, decide what your group
symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your name from your character card
and choose a symbol to represent yourself.
Your special ability as Athenians is to force another team to decide as a group what
to do in 20 seconds instead of a leader deciding; if they can’t all say what they want to
do in unison, they forfeit their action the leader would do. This requirement must be
explained in detail before the 20 seconds starts. You can do this once per turn.
Athens is one of the most powerful city-states in all of Greece. The city is named after
Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Because of this, education and the arts are greatly valued. Boys
go to school to learn reading, writing, arithmetic, music, arts, and physical fitness. Theaters,
pottery workshops, athletic events, religious festivals, and great thinkers all come together in
Athens. Athens’ location on the coastal flatlands of Greece allows it to be the center of trade
and culture in the ancient world. Merchants trade goods in the harbor and spread knowledge
all around the Aegean Sea. Athens also has a fine army.
Women are not given equal rights in Athens. They are not educated and are married
in their early teens. They wear long heavy clothes to cover their bodies and are rarely seen outside of their homes. Women are not allowed to take part in the government. Athens is unique
during this time for having a democracy instead of a king. All citizens are required to debate
and vote on the laws. However, only adult men are considered citizens.
Athens is the most important city in Greece, and shipping is one of the most important operations, so merchants are one of the most important people in the Greek world. Without the shipping trade bringing food and lumber and crafts between the city-states around the
Aegean Sea, people would starve or die from the elements. Of course, their success is due to
the sea god Poseidon and the wind god Aeolus for allowing merchants to have speedy passage
between ports. From the mainland, merchants bring amphorae of wine, honey, and olive oil.
From the lands of Ionia, they bring timber and gold. From the southern Mediterranean, they
bring linen, grain, and jewelry.
Student children in the city-state of Athens go to primary school to learn reading and
writing, mathematics, music, and physical education. In secondary school, they study philosophy, drama, poetry and learn about the cosmos. They also must continue physical training,
so some students run up and down the giant rock hill next to the city in their spare time. The
fastest ones might compete in the Olympic Games one day. After their studies, some might
enter military school. Only males attend school in Athens.
The style of ceramics that is popular right now is for potters to make the background
of the pot black and paint human figures in red. They paint scenes like athletes performing
in the Olympic Games. They do this by drawing onto unfired clay with charcoal. Then,
they paint over the background with a special mix of clay water. When the pottery is fired,
the background portions turn black, while the charcoal is wiped off and the figures they drew
remain red. Athenian pottery is exported all around the Mediterranean.
Builders in the city-state of Athens are incredibly busy, as the city has undertaken an
enormous construction project in the past few years. Athens is situated between the Mediterranean Sea and a giant, flat rock. Previous generations have built temples to the goddess Athena
atop that rock, but they were destroyed in the Persian wars. They are now helping to erect new
structures on top of the rock, buildings that will be larger and more elaborate than was there
before. Plans include several temples for the gods Athena, Poseidon, Demeter, and Zeus, plus a
larger temple dedicated to Athena, patron god of Athens.
Soldiers in Athens begin training in military school when they turn 18. Since Athens
is at peace, they get to spend their days in the city and take part in the government. The government of Athens is a democracy, which means that all male citizens get to vote on legislation and select local leaders. The Assembly, as it is called, is held every month, and thousands of
men participate. A police force of slaves patrols the agora on Assembly days. They carry ropes
dipped in red paint to stain the clothing of men who try to avoid participating. If they catch
someone, the person is embarrassed in front of the community and forced to pay a fine.
An actor in Athens might be a comic poet, which means they deliver humorous poems and
speeches about the goings on in the city. Most of their material revolves around the politics
of the city. Athena’s laws are decided on by the Assembly, which is made of up all of the adult
male citizens. They decide on issues with a majority vote. The comic writes poems and performs short skits near the agora to persuade people to think a certain way. If they are entertaining, they might influence people’s opinions.
Vocabulary
Lumber - wood for building
Ports - place where ships and boats can dock
Amphorae (picture)
Ionia - An ancient region of western Turkey
Timber - wood
Linen (picture)
Philosophy - examination of basic concepts such as truth,
existence, reality, causality, and freedom
Cosmos - whole universe
Ceramics - hard fired clay
Charcoal (picture)
Fired - cooked with fire
Exported - ship goods abroad
Patron - protector
Legislation - laws
Agora - marketplace
Sparta
This scroll contains information about your role as Spartans. You should work together to share
this information with one another so you all know it. As a group, decide what your group symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your name from your character card and
choose a symbol to represent yourself.
Your special ability as Spartans is to hold fast and retaliate. If anyone tries to dislodge your columns, you can discard two Statue cards (they are not used) and resist
the displacement. The other group loses their column. Furthermore, you can then
take away any column from the other group (they can resist that with a Statue Card,
but an advanced crane does not count). Both effects and cards must be spent at once,
this cannot be split into two abilities.
Sparta is located in the mountains of southern Greece, and does not have easy access to
a harbor. Because they are somewhat cut off from trade, their economy revolves around physical
power. Spartans are strong warriors. They train their bodies from childhood and are the most
powerful soldiers in the land. They conquer many others for food and goods, and use prisoners
of war as slaves. Instead of coins, they use heavy iron bars as money so it is difficult to steal.
They suffer a high death rate because of their lifestyle.
Women have more rights in Sparta than in any other city. They go to school and can
read and write. They are fed the same nutritious food as men, and are encouraged to be strong
and athletic. They even compete in sporting events! Women in Sparta are allowed to walk
around the city by themselves. They wear knee-length skirts that allows them to run. They are
permitted to own land and often control the wealth of their husbands.
Famous Spartans include King Menelaus and Helen of Troy, the face that launched
1,000 ships.
Vocabulary
Harbor - water where ships anchor
Sparta has the most powerful military in all of Greece. That is because both boys and
girls receive physical education in primary school. Boys begin their army training at the age of
seven. The city-state of Sparta is located in a very mountainous region. It is hard to farm and
it is hard to access the harbor. Spartan soldiers are very good at conquering and taking food
from other cities. Soldiers wear a red cloak to show off how great the military is. They make
offerings to Sparta’s patron, Ares, god of war.
Cloak - outer clothing
There is a Council of Elders in the city-state of Sparta. Sparta has two kings who
are in charge of the army. The kings and the Council of Elders write the laws together. The
Council is made up of 28 citizens over the age of 60. The laws are then either passed or vetoed
by a vote from the citizens of Sparta, called the Assembly. Elder Councilmen are elected to
the Council and serve until they die. Spartans worship the gods Ares and Artemis. Ares is the
god of war, and Artemis is the goddess of the hunt. Some of them, in their spare time, practice
throwing the discus. .
Wrestling - martial art spot
There are five ephors, or overseers, in Sparta, each in charge of a different village. Because the two kings of Sparta are often away at war, the ephors are necessarily to enforce order
at home. They are elected by the Assembly, which is made up of all male citizens of Sparta.
They only serve for one year, but during that year, they probably have more power than any
other person in the city. Every autumn, the ephors help control the native population of Sparta
by allowing people to kill helots. Helots are slaves who were taken from conquered cities.
A perioikoi in Sparta is someone who is not a citizen, but who is free. While they
cannot vote in the Assembly, they are allowed to own land, serve in the army, and travel to
other cities. They help control the helots and make sure that they do not escape. The helots are
conquered people. They are slaves to the Spartans and do agricultural work. There are far more
helots than there are citizens, but the perioikoi help make sure that they do not revolt.
Spartans believe that all citizens should be strong and healthy and educated. Both
men and women are taught how to read and do arithmetic, but the focus of education is in
strengthening your bodies. Some people teach physical education, which includes running,
wrestling, and boxing. Spartans are the strongest in the land! Everyone knows that if Spartan women give birth to a sickly baby, they will leave it to die on the hillside. No one wants to
raise a weak child.
Sparta is located in a very mountainous region. Therefore, farmers can only sustain small animals like chickens, goats, and pigs. Chickens provide the city with eggs and goats provide the
city with milk. All of these animals also provide meat when they are slaughtered. Eggs are used
in funeral offerings.
Patron - protector
Discus - disk thrown in track-and-field
Assembly - government meeting
revolt - rebel against government
Boxing - martial art spot
Sustain - support
Funeral offerings - gifts brought to funeral
Corinth
This scroll contains information about your role as Corinthians. You should work together to
share this information with one another so you all know it. As a group, decide what your group
symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your name from your character card
and choose a symbol to represent yourself.
Your special ability as Corinthians is to force a blind trade of Statue cards with any
other group during the Civilization Game. You must have one to give them, and
they must have one to give you. You can pick which one of yours to trade, but you
must randomly pick one of theirs. You can only trade with one group per turn.
Corinth is a wealthy city located in the very center of the Greek world. The city is on a
tiny strip of land, called an isthmus, situated between the Ionian and Aegean Sea, and between
the Peloponnesus and mainland Greece. Poseidon is their patron god. They are an ally to Sparta.
Corinth has a large army and a huge fleet of ships, owing to its position next to both
the Aegean Sea and the Ionian Sea. This army created the Corinthian helmet, which is used
by Greek troops all over the region. The engineers in the city also created the first trireme,
which is a warship. The trireme has three levels and requires 170 rowers to man the oars. The
front of the trireme has a metal battering ram jutting out that can bash enemy ships.
Corinth is located on a skinny strip of land connecting the Peloponnesus to mainland Greece. It has two harbors, one on each side of the city. Because the people of Corinth
depend on shipping trade for their wealth, the priests worship Poseidon, god of the sea. They
visit the temple of Poseidon daily, and make libations by pouring wine onto his altar. The
other temple in the city is dedicated to Aphrodite, goddess of love. Merchants and sailors doing
business in the city often visit Aphrodite’s temple to find a female companion.
Vocabulary
Corinthian helmet (picture)
Corinth has two harbors, one that leads to the east and one that leads to the west.
There is a track that connects the two harbors, so ships can be pulled over land from one side
to the other. Laborers pull the ships on wheeled sleds, using animals and pulleys to make it
easier. The city charges a fee for ships to pass through, which is one reason why Corinth is so
wealthy.
Trireme (picture)
Corinth is famous for exporting clay perfume pots in interesting shapes. These vessels
are then shipped to various city-states around Greece. Corinth hosts the Nemean Games
every two years in honor of the gods Zeus and Heracles. Athletes from around Greece compete
in various contests, such as archery, foot racing, and discus. The winner of each event is given
Altar - raised table where ceremonies are performed
wild celery.
Corinth is a busy trading port. There is a harbor on either side of the city, bringing
merchants and goods all the time. Corinth’s coins have a Pegasus on one side and a soldier
wearing a Corinthian helmet on the other.
Corinthian soldiers model themselves after the strength of the Spartan soldiers, their
allies. They have the best military in the land, and they were the main reason the Greeks won
the Persian Wars years ago. Corinth is known for creating the style of Greek helmets that
everyone wears nowadays. Made out of bronze, it covers a soldier’s head from the top down to
the chin. Unlike other helmets, it protects the cheekbones. Before leaving for battle, soldiers
make sacrifices to all of the gods by leaving food and wine at their altars.
Oars - wooden poles
Jutting - sticking out
Libation - religious offering
Pulley - wheel with a grooved rim over which a belt or chain can move to
change the direction of a pulling force
Vessel - large container for shipping
Nemean Games - athletic contests
Archery - activity of shooting with a bow and arrow
Discus - disk thrown in track-and-field
Wild Celery (picture)
Pegasus (picture)
Persian Wars - war between the Persian Empire and Greece
Greek helmets (picture)
Byzantium
This scroll contains information about your role as Byzantines. You should work together to
share this information with one another so you all know it. As a group, decide what your group
symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your name from your character card
and choose a symbol to represent yourself.
Your special ability as Byzantines is to trade your Statue card for another one from
the deck. You cannot see it ahead of time, and you must keep your second choice.
You can only do this during the Civilization Game.
Byzantium is a fairly new city at this time. Founded by colonists in 657, it serves as
an agricultural hub and a trading post for the region beyond the Black Sea. In fact, the city
is located at the Black Sea’s only entrance. Because it is not as thickly populated as mainland
Greece, Byzantium has plenty of land to cultivate grain, which is the main export.
Byzantium is a new city located on a small strip of land that stretches between the
Aegean Sea and the Black Sea. The city is located on the southern side, which makes shipping
goods back and forth from the Greek mainland really easy. From Athens, merchants import
wine, olive oil, pottery, honey, and silver. From Byzantium, they export grain and fish. Before
embarking on a trip, merchants visit the temple and make an offering to Poseidon, god of the
sea, and Aeolus, god of winds.
Fishermen in Byzantium have simple wooden boats to take them into the Black Sea or
Aegean Sea. The fish they catch feeds their family, and the rest they sell in the city market. Every few weeks they spend extra time on the water and take in a huge catch with their nets. They
salt and dry these fish for several days, then sell them to merchants traveling to the mainland
who will spend several weeks at sea.
Until 200 years ago, no one inhabited Byzantium, so builders have plenty of room to
spread out. Like any other Greek city-state, Byzantium has a marketplace, called an agora, and
a temple. These were established before long ago. The next structure that should be built in a
Greek city is a theatre.
Byzantine farmers grow wheat, barley, and herbs. The land around Byzantium is
ideal for farming; that is why the Greeks established the city in the first place. The Greek mainland is way too mountainous to produce enough crops for the population. Most of the grain
that they produce is ground into flour and then shipped to Athens by a merchant. They do
not grow grapes in Byzantium-- the climate isn’t perfect-- so farmers’ crops are traded for fine
Greek wine.
Priests in Byzantium spend their days in the temple, helping people make offerings to
the gods. People bring food and wine and sometimes animals to offer to the gods. Greek gods
are fickle, and if they don’t feel like they are getting enough attention, they will make human
lives miserable. For example, one year, the people of Byzantium did not pour enough libations
for the harvest goddess, Demeter. She was most certainly insulted. Demeter sent an insect
plague to eat all of the crops. The harvest that year was very weak.
Merchants in the city-state of Byzantium deal mostly with religious goods, such as statues of
the gods, stones for altars, and jugs of wine. The temple in Byzantium is not very ornate,
so they are trying to organize a team of artists to spruce it up. Some merchants have been in
touch with sculptors in Athens who can make a statue of the god Poseidon for everyone to
worship. They may have also done some business with a local painter, who might be willing to
paint the walls of the temple with scenes from ancient myths.
Vocabulary
Barley (picture)
Herbs - plants used for cooking
Fickle - likley to change
Libation - wine for offering
Altar - raised table where ceremonies are performed
Ornate - elaborately decorated
Spruce - clean
Poseidon - God of the sea
Myth - ancient story
Olympia
This scroll contains information about your role as Olympians. You should work together to
share this information with one another so you all know it. As a group, decide what your group
symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your name from your character card
and choose a symbol to represent yourself.
Your special ability as Olympians is to compete against other groups in a game
of rock-paper-scissors. Once per round (not turn) you can select a group to fight.
Using rock-paper-scissors (there are no ties), decide who wins and loses. Loser must
give up either one Statue card OR one column piece (loser picks).
The city-state of Olympia is considered one of the most sacred sites in all of Greece.
The city honors Zeus, its patron god, by holding the Olympic Games in his honor. This athletic
event, held every four years, brings athletes from all over Greece to participate in the games. An
Olympic truce is called during this time, which means that all wars or grudges are suspended
and Greeks can travel peacefully to and from the games.
The Olympic Games include events such as running, discus, javelin, wrestling, boxing,
chariot racing, and other feats of strength. Artistic achievements are also celebrated with poetry
recitals, musical performances, and displays of craftsmanship. Spectators sit on the grassy hill
next to the stadium. The winners of the game receive an olive branch and a supply of olive oil.
Only free men are allowed to participate in the Olympic events.
There are many oil manufacturers in the city-state of Olympia. Olive trees grow freely
over the land, and the makers pick the fruits when they are ripe. When their whole family
helps, they can fill eight baskets in one day. The olives are then pressed. The resulting olive oil is
shiny and yellow. The olive skins are fed to wild animals. Olive oil is used for cooking, burning
in lamps, moisturizing skin, and making hair shiny. The oil is stored in clay pots and sold at the
agora.
When the Olympic Games occur, a government official scores the athletes. One sport
is the hoplitodromos, in which runners must race while wearing full armor and holding shields.
They often fall from the heavy metal or trip over each other. The hoplitodromos is the final
event in the games. The judges then document the winners of every contest by writing their
names on a scroll.
Sculptors in Olympia work in the artisan workshop in the center of the city. They
carve blocks of marble into statues of the gods. They have made a marble Athena, Hera,
Apollo, and Dionysus. Some sculptors also helped carve a bronze statue of Zeus that was
sailed across the Mediterranean to a new colony. Every four years, Olympia hosts athletic
games with contests of speed and strength. During these games, they get to display their work,
and hopefully find a wealthy merchant who wants to buy something. Some work beside an
ivory sculptor.
Vocabulary
Agora - city square where people can gather to talk or buy things
Marble - dense crystallized rock
Athena - Goddess of Wisdom
Hera - Queen of Gods
Apollo - God of Prophecy
Dionysus - God of Wine
Zeus - Ruler of Gods
Colony - settlement of people
Ivory - material of elephant’s tusks
Builders in Olympia are working on a temple to honor the god Zeus, patron of the
city. Zeus is the king of all gods, so he deserves the most glorious temple ever constructed. The
temple will be built in the traditional Greek style. The site of the temple has already been chosen, in between Mount Kronos and the river. It will consist of a pointed roof held up by Doric
columns, carved with scenes of the god Heracles defeating monsters. The temple is being
made of limestone, but the detailed carvings will be marble.
Patron - protector
Olympia hosts the athletic games honoring Zeus. Every four years, athletes from every
city-state travel to the city to compete in sports like chariot racing, discus, wrestling, poetry
recitals, and foot races. The games also involve religious rituals and a lot of celebrating. Builders just finished building the prytaneion, a building where the presiding priests and officials
will live. During the next Olympic games, the winners will eat and celebrate in the prytaneion.
Inside is located an altar to the goddess Hestia. That is where the Olympic flame is kept.
Altar - raised table where ceremonies are performed
The patron god of Olympia is Zeus, king of the gods. Zeus controls the sky and can
throw thunderbolts when he is angry. His brother Poseidon controls the sea, and his other
brother Hades controls the Underworld. Zeus is married to his sister, Hera, but he often cheats
on her with other goddesses and even sometimes with human women! Zeus has over thirty
divine children.
Doric Columns (picture)
Limestone - rock composed largely of the minerals
Discus - disk thrown in track-and-field
Presiding - ruling
Hestia - Goddess of Heart
Divine - god or goddess
Syracuse
This scroll contains information about your role as Syracusians. You should work together to
share this information with one another so you all know it. As a group, decide what your group
symbol is, and draw it on your badge. Next to that, write your name from your character card
and choose a symbol to represent yourself.
Your special ability as Syracusians is to look at anyone else’s Knowledge Scroll for 30
seconds at any point in the Civilization Game. You have to give it back undamaged.
Syracuse was once described as the most beautiful Greek city. Syracuse was established
as a colony of Corinth, located on the island of Sicily, west of the Ionian Sea. They switched
their style of government a few years ago, and are now a democracy. That means that all citizens
get to take part in writing and voting on the laws. Syracuse is allied with Sparta.
Syracuse is not on the mainland of Greece. It is located on the island of Sicily, which
was once a Greek colony. The ancient Greeks moved to Syracuse because they did not have
enough land to farm and feed all of their inhabitants. Farmers have plenty of land now. They
cultivate fruit trees like figs and apples. Because bees are attracted to the crops, some farmers
also extract honey from their hives. Honey is quite popular in Greek food.
Some farmers grow grape vines, which are used to make wine. Grapes need a lot of
sun to grow, which makes Syracuse an ideal location. They must be protected from birds and
bugs, and the empty vines must be trimmed after harvesting. As soon as the winter season ends,
farmers must work fast to build the frames that the grape vines will grow over. Only after the
frames are built, can they plant cuttings for the new vines. Their wine is shipped to city-states
all over the Mediterranean.
A writer in Syracuse might write poems and short stories, but hope to write an epic
adventure like Homer’s Odysseus. Homer was an ancient Greek playwright who wrote about
the Trojan War and the Greek heroes who fought in it. That was his first adventure, called The
Iliad. The sequel to that story is called The Odyssey. It describes the journey of Odysseus as
he tries to return home after ten years at war. Some talented actors have memorized the entire
epic, and they recite it at special festivals.
Syracuse has an enormous theater and actors stage poetic readings and tragic tales of
woe on its large stage. All of the arts are respected in ancient Greece, from music to painting
to poetry and drama. The great Greek poet Sappho actually lived in Syracuse! Her poems have
been recited many times on this stage. While the patron god of Syracuse is Athena, a popular
god is Dionysus, god of wine and theater.
Athena, goddess of wisdom, is the patron of the city. Priests tend the temple in her
honor, as well as a second temple built for Apollo, god of the sun, music, and poetry. Priests
arrange all of the funerals for deceased citizens. The ancient Greeks believe that the dead travel
to the Underworld, a dark, underground place across the mythical Styx River. Many are happy
to live in Syracuse, where they are allowed to vote in the Assembly.
Syracuse merchants ship goods between the island of Sicily and the city of Corinth.
From Syracuse, they bring jars of grain, pottery, and dried meat. From Corinth, they bring
amphorae of wine, armor, and perfume. If you are sailing on the Ionian Sea, you often see dolphins swimming past. In fact, one of the Syracuse coins has a picture of a dolphin on the back.
Another coin features Arethusa, a mythical nymph who turned into a flowing stream on the
outskirts of the city.
Vocabulary
Colony - settlement of people
Cultivate - plant and grow
Figs (picture)
Grape vines (picture)
Frames - structure to secure vines
Cuttings - clippings from plants
Epic - narrative poem in elevated language celebrating
the adventures and achievements
Tragic - deeply sad
Woe - misfortune
Patron - protector
Tend - care for
Assembly - government meeting
Amphorae (picture)
Arethusa (Picture)
Nymph - spirit of nature