Download Teaching Resources Module title: Greece

RD Milns Antiquities Museum Education Program - Teaching Resources
Module title: Greece - Good and Evil Activity 1
Year Level: Year 7
Activity titles:
Medusa: Protector or Villain?
Objective/s:
 To discuss the dualistic nature of Greek gods and goddesses
Outcomes:
 To encourage students to think critically and question modern understandings of good and evil.
Queensland/ Australian curriculum links:
Year 7:
ACDSEH036: The significant beliefs, values and practices of the ancient Greeks, with a particular emphasis on warfare, everyday life, or
death and funerary customs
ACHHS206: Use of historical terms and concepts
ACHHS209: Identify the origin and purpose of primary and secondary sources
ACHHS211: Identify and describe points of view, attitudes and values in primary and secondary sources - distinguishing between a fact
and an opinion
Key Terms:
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Zeus: Zeus, King of the Gods, was the main focus of worship throughout the Greek world. He was thought to have omnipotent power and ruled
over both Mt Olympus and the mortal world alike. He is attributed with: absolute control over the weather, the judgment of humans and gods,
and was ultimately the apex of Classical religion.
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Medusa: The infamous Medusa belonged to the mythical race of Gorgons. Universally feared, it was said that anyone who looked upon her
would be turned to stone. She was famously beheaded in her sleep by the Hero, Perseus.
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Gorgon: Horrifying female monsters from ancient Greek mythology. The most famous of who were Medusa and her two sisters (Stheno and
Euryale). Their image and motif became very important to Greek warriors who would display their cameo on their shields to demonstrate their
strength, courage and ferocity.
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Homer: Still one of the most famous and contentious figures in ancient history, Homer was an epic poet who is generally dated the mid-8
Century BC. He captured the oral tradition of The Odyssey and The Iliad. Very little evidence exists on Homer; historians still debate whether or
not his writings are the work of one man, or the collective efforts of several poets.
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Athena: The Greek goddess of war, daughter of Zeus and eponymous patron goddess of Athens. Considered one of the most important figures
in ancient literature, religion and daily life, she personifies wisdom, arts, crafts and war. Her formidable statue, made of gold and ivory, stood in
her temple on the Athenian Acropolis.
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Poseidon: Poseidon was the subordinate brother of Zeus, and god of the sea, earthquakes and horses. He is considered one of the most
widely worshiped and influential gods of the maritime Greek society. He commanded an unyielding respect from the Greeks, who depended on
seafaring for their existence. Poseidon personified all the qualities of the famously tempestuous Mediterranean and Aegean seas.
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Gaia: Gaia was the original matriarchal Titan-goddess, Mother of Zeus, Hades and Poseidon. She was viewed as both a positive and negative
figure in Greek religion; often nurturing and helpful, but sometimes vengeful and volatile like the Earth itself.
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Titans: The Titans represent a powerful race of deities a generation before that of Zeus and his Olympian contemporaries. Despite Titan
dominance, Zeus and the Olympians launched a rebellion which in turn began the ‘Titanomachy’ (a war between Titans and Gods). Eventually,
The Olympians won and Zeus imprisoned the Titans in Tartarus.
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Macedonian Kings: The kingdom of Macedonia was realised by Phillip II. Through his campaigns he incorporated the northern parts of
Macedon along with territory to the south in mainland Greece. These expansionist feats would be furthered by his son Alexander the Great, who
extended Macedonian rule across most of the known world. While the Macedonian people were barely considered to be akin to the Greek
neighbours to the south, the Macedonian royals were considered to be ‘honorary Greeks’.
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Alexander the Great: (356-323BCE) The Macedonian king Alexander the Great is considered one of the most central figures in the
development of Western history. A prodigious child, he was educated by Aristotle, and soon began to demonstrate the tactical prowess and the
thirst for military victory of someone far beyond his years. After succeeding his father, King Phillip II, Alexander quickly leveraged his military
momentum. In the space of just under a decade he had subdued most of the Eastern Mediterranean and expanded his territory all the way to
Egypt and India. His reign was cut short when he died at 32 under mysterious circumstances in Babylon.
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Recommended Resources:
RD Milns Antiquities Museum Online Collection Database (http://www.uq.edu.au/antiquities/collection/catalogue)
Perseus Digital Library (http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/ ): Excellent online collection of searchable primary and secondary sources.
Barrington Atlas of the Greek and Roman World (http://press.princeton.edu/titles/6773.html ): Comprehensive ancient atlas published by
Princeton University Press, iPad version available.
Pelagios Maps (http://pelagios.dme.ait.ac.at/maps/greco-roman/ ): Online searchable map of the ancient world.
Acropolis of Athens Virtual Tour (http://acropolis-virtualtour.gr/acropolisTour.html): Virtual tour of Athens including Parthenon, Propylia,
Erechtheion and Athena Nike.
Ancient Sources:
Apollodorus, 2.3-5: Medusa and Perseus
Hesiod, Theogony, 270-303: Medusa as mother of Pegasus
Hesiod, Theogony, 885-900: Birth of Athena
Sources can be found online via Perseus or sources books.
Recommend sourcebook – Dillon, M. and Garland, L. (2000) Ancient Greece: Social and Historical Documents from Archaic Times to the
Death of Socrates, Routledge: London.