Chapter 5.3 Notes Greek Achievements

5.3- Greek Philosophy Greek Achievements The ancient Greeks made great achievements in philosophy, literature, art, and architecture that influenced the development of later cultures and ideas

5.3- Greek Philosophy Greek Philosophy Socrates Search for knowledge and wisdom Golden age of Greek philosophy 400-300 BCE 3 greatest philosophers of ancient Greece Socrates credited as the first great Greek philosopher What we know about him comes from his student Platos writings Studied broad concepts of truth, justice, and virtue Believed people could learn best by asking questions Developed the Socratic method

5.3- Greek Philosophy Plato student of Socrates, founded the Academy- most important school for philosophers to do their work Best known work on government and his most famous writing the “Republic” Believed every material object that exists was only a reflection of an ideal that did not exist Believed philosophers were best suited to govern because they make “good” decisions- did not agree with Athenian democracy

5.3- Greek Philosophy Aristotle Student of Plato at the academy Most concerned with nature and the world around him Used reason (clear/ordered thinking) and logic (process of making inferences) to understand the natural world People can do the most good by practicing rational thought and logic People could use what they already know to infer new facts Contributed greatly to the development of science Example Birds have feathers and lay eggs Owls have feathers and lay eggs Therefore an owl must be a type of bird

5.3- Greek Literature Greek Literature Homer’s Epics Greeks excelled at poetry, history, and drama Several types of poetry: epic, descriptive, lyric Homer’s Epics Best known for his epic poems “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” which describe the Trojan War, gods/goddesses, and heroes Works not written down originally, but influence many cultures over space and time Basis for Greek education, students had to memorize long passages.

5.3- Greek Literature Other Forms of Poetry Hesiod – wrote descriptive poetry, which described the works of gods and the lives of peasants Greek created lyric poetry- music played to poetry Sappho- first women poet to gain fame Poems were accompanied by music from the lyre instrument Poems dealt with emotions of daily life, marriage, love, relationships Pindar – lyric poet Wrote poems to commemorate public events – Olympic Games

5.3- Greek Literature History Herodotus – first major writer of history Detailed major events of the Persian Wars Best known work “Histories” Did not always use reliable sources – led to erroneous historical information (like the slaves built the pyramids) Thucydides Detailed major events in the Peloponnesian War Used primary sources to construct his history of events More critical of his sources, ignored unreliable ones Xenophon – historian/soldier/philosopher Used personal experiences to describe events in history Helped us learn a great deal about Greek life

5.3- Greek Literature Drama Two types: tragedy and comedy Tragedy focuses on hardships faced by the hero Aeschylus (es-kuh-luhs) – wrote tragedies Plays were about myths and history Best known play is “Oresteia” about the Trojan War Sophocles (sahph-uh-kleez) – wrote tragedies Plays concentrated on the suffering people brought upon themselves due to their own flaws Best known play is a trilogy based on King Oedipus Euripides (yoo-rip-uh-deez) – wrote tragedies Plays were about people’s suffering due to chance or irrational behavior Best known plays are “Bacchae” and “Medea” Comedies focus on satire and exposing social flaws Aristophanes (ar-uh-stahf-uh-neez) – wrote comedies Plays satirized parts of Athenian society – government, religion, social policies Best known plays are the “Clouds” and the “Birds

5.3-Greek Art and Architecture Athenians enjoyed beauty, both written and visual – love of visual beauty expressed in art and architecture Athenians wanted their city to be the most beautiful – constructed public buildings, temples, theatres Parthenon was the grandest of all buildings (page 146.) Set atop the acropolis Impressive size and proportions – power and glory of Athens Housed a giant gold and ivory statue of Athena

5.3-Greek Art and Architecture Sculpture The Athenians used statues and art to decorate their city Greek Architecture would not have been so impressive without the sculptures Greeks were skilled at sculpting the human form Greeks wanted their statues to look life-like, but not necessarily realistic Some statues look as if they are in motion – contrapposto (Discobolus Statue) Portrayed the subject as physically perfect – all statues depict beauty and grace Painting Most Greek paintings that have survived to the modern era are seen on pottery Used two colors – red and black – red was the color of the clay and black was the color of the glaze Paintings depicted movement, depth, and beauty

Assignment WORK ON PROJECT VOCAB CHAPTER 5 CHAPTER 5 QUESTIONS