Even in the midst of wars and political turmoil, what did Greeks have confidence in?
the power of the human mind
Driven by curiosity and belief in reason, what did Greek thinkers, artists, and writers explore?
Greek thinkers, artists, and writers explored the nature of the universe and the place of people in it.
To later admirers, what did Greek achievements in the arts represent?
the height of human development in the Western world.
What belief did some Greek thinkers challenge?
The belief that events were caused by the whims of gods.
To find causes for events, what did Greek thinkers use?
observation and reason
philisophers
thinkers that challenged beliefs and used observation as well as reason to find causes for events
What subjects did Greek philosophers explore?
from mathematics and music to logic
logic
rational thinking
Through reason and observation what did philosophers believe they could discover?
laws that governed the universe
What were some Greek philosophers interested in?
ethics and morality
When debating morality and ethics, what questions did Greek philosophers debate?
what was the best kind of government and what standards should rule human behavior
sophist
a category of teachers who specialized in using the techniques of philosophy and rhetoric for the reason of teaching excellence to predominantly to young statesmen and nobility
rhetoric
the art of skillful speaking
How could ambitious men use clever and persuasive rhetoric?
to advance their careers
The turmoil of the Peloponnesian War led many young Athenians to do what?
follow the sophists
What did older citizens accuse Sophists of?
undermining traditional Greek values
Socrates
an Athenian stonemason and philsopher
What does most of what we know about Socrates come from and why?
his student Plato, because he did not write any books
Instead of writing books, what did Socrates do?
passed his days in the town square asking people about their beliefs
Using what we now call the Socratic method, what would Socrates do in the town square?
he would pose a series of questions to a student or passing citizen and challenge them to examine the implications of their answers
To Socrates, what was the Socratic method?
a way to help others seek truth and self-knowledge
To many Athenians, what was the Socratic method?
a threat to accepted values and traditions
At the age of 70, why was Socrates put on trial?
his enemies accused him of corrupting the city's youth and failing to respect the gods
At the trial, in front of a jury of 501 citizens, what did Socrates offer?
a calm and reasoned defense
What was Socrates' punishment
the jurors condemned him to death
How did Socrates die?
by drinking a cup of hemlock, a deadly poison
The execution of Socrates left Plato with what?
a lifelong distrust of democracy
After Socrates' execution, what did Plato do?
fled Athens for 10 years
When Plato returned, what did he do?
set up a school called the Academy
In the Academy, what did Plato do?
taught and wrote about his own ideas and like Socrates emphasized the importance of reason
With rational thought, what did Plato argue people could discover?
unchanging ethical views, recognize perfect beauty, and learn how best to organize society
In his book The Republic, what did Plato describe?
his vision of an ideal state
What did Plato argue that the state should regulate?
every aspect of its citizens' lives in order to provide for their best interests
What three classes did Plato divide his ideal society into?
workers to produce the necessities of life, soldiers to defend the state, and philosophers to rule
The elite class of philosophers would be specially trained to do what?
to ensure order and justice
Who was the wisest of the philosopher class?
a philosopher-king who would have the ultimate authority
What were Plato's thoughts on women?
in general, men surpassed women in mental and physical tasks, but that some women were superior to men
What were Plato's thoughts on "talented women?"
they should be educated to serve the state
What did Plato believe both men and women should do?
take military training together and raise their children in communal centers for the good of the republic
Who was Plato's most famous student and what did he do?
Aristotle developed his own ideas about government
What did Aristotle analyze?
all forms of government, from monarchy to democracy, and found good and bad examples of each
How was Aristotle similar to Plato?
was suspicious of democracy, which he thought could lead to mob rule
In the end, what kind of government did Aristotle favor?
rule by a single strong and virtuous leader
What question did Aristotle address?
how people ought to live
In his view, what did good conduct mean pursuing?
the golden mean
golden mean
a moderate course between the extremes
What did Aristotle promote as the guiding force for learning?
reason
the Lyceum
Aristotle's school for the study of all branches of knowledge
In the Lyceum on what subjects did Aristotle leave his writings?
politics, ethics, logic, biology, literature, and many other subjects
What largely based their courses on the works and ideas of Aristotle?
the first European universities some 1,500 years later
Plato argued that every object on Earth had what?
an ideal form
What did the work of Greek artists and architects reflect?
a similar concern with balance, order, and beauty
Why did Greek architects sought to convey?
a sense of perfect balance to reflect the harmony and order of the universe
the Parthenon
the most famous example of Greek architecture, a temple dedicated to the goddess Athena
What was the basic plan of the Parthenon?
A simple rectangle, with tall columns supporting a gently sloping roof. The delicate curves and placement of the columns add dignity and grace.
How has Greek architecture affected modern architecture?
many public building throughout the world have incorporated Greek architectural elements, such as columns in their designs
How was the art of early Greece similar in style to that of ancient Egypt?
art was stylized and static- images and statues were stiff and lifeless
In what way did the Greeks develop an important and radical artistic skill?
they were able to represent a more realistic human form at rest and in motion
Over time, Greek ideals were reflected in what?
all Greek art forms including architecture, ceramics, and jewlery
What is the art and architecture of ancient Greece considered?
classic
classic
a standard of excellence against which other art forms are compared
Early Greek sculptors carved figures in what kinds of poses while imitating what styles?
rigid poses, perhaps imitating Egyptian styles
Greek sculptors had developed a new style that emphasized what?
more natural forms
While Greek art was lifelike, it was also what?
idealistic
Who did sculptors carve, and how did they carve them?
gods, goddesses, athletes, and famous men in away that showed human beings in their most perfect, graceful form
Where did the only Greek paintings survive?
on pottery
What do paintings on pottery offer?
intriguing views of everyday Greek life
Give examples of scenes painted on pottery.
women carrying water from wells, warriors racing into battle, and athletes competing in javelin contests
To later Europeans, what were Greek literature styles considered?
models of perfection
classical style
referring to to the elegant and balanced forms of traditional Greek works of art
What did Greek literature begin with?
the epic poems of Homer whose stirring tales inspired later writers
Give examples of later Greek poets:
-Sappho sang of love and of the beauty of her island home
-Pindar celebrated the victors in athletic contests
What was the most important Greek contribution to literature?
the field of drama
What did the first Greek plays evolve out of?
religious festivals, especially those held in Athens to honor the god of fertility and wine, Dionysus
Describe Greek plays:
- held on large outdoor theaters with little to no scenery
-actors wore elaborate costumes and stylized masks
-chorus sang or chanted comments on the action taking place on stage
What were Greek dramas often based off of?
-popular myths and legends
-through these familiar stories, playwrights discussed moral and social issues or explored the relationship between people and the gods
Who were the three greatest Athenian playwrights?
Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides
All three playwrights wrote what kind of plays?
tragedies
tragedies
plays that told stories of human suffering that usually ended in disaster
What did the Greeks feel was the purpose of tragedy?
to stir up and then relieve the emotions of pity and fear
Give an example of a Greek tragedy written by Aeschylus
Oresteia
Antigone
-explored what happens when an individual's moral duty conflicts with the laws of the state
-Antigone is a young woman whose brother has been killed leading a rebellion
- King Creon forbids anyone to bury the traitor's body
-Antigone defies King Creon, telling him that the duty to the gods is greater than human law
describe Sophocles and one of his plays
(yeah)
comedies
humorous plays that mocked people or customs
Almost all of the surviving Greek comedies were written by who?
Aristophanes
Lysistrata
shows the women of Athens banding together to force their husbands to end a war against Sparta
How did comedies and tragedies contrast?
tragedy focused on events of the past while comedies ridiculed individuals of the day (political figures, philosophers, and prominent members of society)
Through ridicule, what did comic playwrights sharply criticize?
society
Greeks also applied observation, reason, and logic to the study of what?
history
What is Herodotus often called the Father of History in the Western world?
he went beyond listing names of rulers or the retelling of ancient legends
Before writing the Persian Wars, what did Herodotus do?
visited many lands, collecting information from people who remembered the actual events he chronicled
What Greek term did Herodotus use to define his work?
historie
historie
inquiry
What happened as an effect of Herodotus casting a critical eye on his sources?
he noted bias and conflicting accounts
Despite Herodotus's special care for detail and accuracy what happened in his works?
works reflected his own view that the war was a clear moral victory of Greek love of freedom over Persian tyranny
What did Herodotus invent for historical figures?
conversations and speeches
What did Thucydides write about?
the Peloponnesian War
How did Thucydides describe the Peloponnesian war?
he had lived through the war and vividly describe the war's savagery and corrupting influence on all those involved
What did both writers do?
set standards for future historians
What did Herodotus stress?
the importance of research
What did Thucydides show?
the need to avoid bias
