1. Warriors , Athletes, & Scholars
Ancient Greece
Warriors , Athletes,
& Scholars

2. Greek City States
Athens: Center of intellect, democracy, arts, freedom
Olympia: Sanctuary to worship the gods, site of the ancient Olympic games
Sparta: Center of military strength, strategy, simplicity

3. Map of Ancient Greece

4. Sparta Ideology of existence centered on the state:
Individual lived & died for the state
“Chosen” soldiers served from ages 7-60
Soldier’s life focused on: simplicity, discipline, self denial
Women were given much individual
freedom & were educated in a similar
manner to men.

5. Athens Named for Athena: goddess of wisdom & knowledge
Reproduction of Ancient Athens, about 120 AD
Developed a democratic government
Great appreciation for the arts, architecture, literature, philosophy, intellect (Mathematics, biology, physics, astrology)
The Acropolis, dedicated to Athena, was the religious shrine and high fortress for the Athenian people. Its walls were built on a layer of limestone rock overlooking the city. Within these walls, the people of Athens built temples and buildings, the most famous, of which, being the Parthenon.

6. Important Philosophers of Athens
Socrates: Set the standard for all western philosophy
Known for critical reasoning
Open discussions that questioned every day life & the “big questions.”
Plato: Student of Socrates, Plato passed on philosophical dialogues & focused on the natural world and how it works.
*Allegory of the Cave & Republic
Aristotle: Student at Plato’s institute. More interested in Science than Plato & Socrates. Believed in “order out of chaos” – give order to the natural world. (Classified plants & animals)

7. Sophocles Family Boyhood Education Social Prominence
From distinguished Athenian family
Father = Sophillus – wealth from slave-manufactured weaponry
Boyhood Education
the usual poetry & gymnastics
Social Prominence
military general/admiral, saw no battle himself
president of treasury board
member of government advisory board
reputation for sanity and diplomacy

8. Sophocles Cont’d. Success in Tragedy Popularity
468 B.C. (28 yrs. old) won Dionysia Competition
Devoted life to theatre
Popularity
Conventional Religion
Certain order in the universe, enforced by fate & gods
One must take responsibility for one’s life
Personality
Loved Athens
Wit, Charm, Wisdom, stability, common sense
Theatrical Devices & Contributions
mechane/deus ex machina “god from machine” [dayus ex makina—phonetically ]
increased # of chorus from 12 to 15
added 3rd separate individual character, more complex plots
Works of Literature:
123 plays in 63 years of writing; 7 survive today
Died 1-2 years before his beloved city fell to Spartans (405 or 406 B.C.)

9. Greek Theater Terms to Know:
Great Dionysia: City Dionysia: annual spring festival in honor of Dionysus, when dramatic competitions were held among three poets selected by the city
Theater of Dionysus: performance site of drama in Athens on the south slope of the acropolis (see below); part of shrine to this god
Chorus: group of men who sing and dance during the plays. They often represent the collective community, but not necessarily the poet's thoughts.
skênê: pronounced "skaynay"; building or tent at back of acting area; often painted for scenery
orchestra: the dancing area; chorus occupies this space
mêchanê: pronounced “makena”- crane used to lift actors above the acting area; usually actors are playing gods here, hence the phrase deus ex machina

10. The Acropolis, dedicated to Athena, was
The theater of Dionysus, under the south side of the Acropolis.  It was here that every year Aeschylus, Sophokles, Euripides, Aristophanes, played their plays during the festival of Dionysus, given by the city.

11. Oedipus What you need to know before reading:
Tragedy:
a favorite among ancient Greeks
At the heart of all tragedies existed the main character’s hubris (pride).
Dramatic Irony:
Contrast between what the character believes to be true in his/her situation –and- what the audience knows to be true as the story unfolds.
Oracle at Delphi:
Delphi = City in Greece considered by ancient Greeks to be the center of the world. A shrine/temple for Apollo existed at Delphi…
Oracle = prophesy
At the temple for Apollo in the city of Delphi, a priestess of Apollo sat on the shrine and when asked a question, mumbled an answer = her oracle. Her words were thought to be prophetic (from Apollo) and often were hard to understand and open to interpretation.

12. Oracle of Delphi “Know Thyself” “Nothing in Excess”
Dating back to 1400 BC, the Oracle of Delphi was the most important shrine in all Greece, and in theory all Greeks respected its independence. Built around a sacred spring, Delphi was considered to be the omphalos - the center (literal navel) of the world.
People came from all over Greece and beyond to have their questions about the future answered by the Pythia, the priestess of Apollo. And her answers, usually mysterious, could determine the course of everything from when a farmer planted his seeds to when an empire declared war.
The two most important concepts that all ancient Greeks subscribed is found inscribed on the Shrine at Delphi:
“Know Thyself”
“Nothing in Excess”

13. Oedipus the King by Sophocles
Two images of Oedipus solving the riddle of the sphinx as portrayed on classic Greek vases.
Statue of a sphinx