The Culture of Ancient Greece Section 1

After this lesson, students will be able to: –Explain how Greek poetry and fables taught Greek values. –Describe how Greek art and architecture expressed Greek ideas of harmony and beauty. Section 1 Objectives

Greek Mythology Myth – A traditional story about gods and heroes –Some created as a way to explain the unexplainable –Fiction; but some have a real-world connection –Real to the ancient Greeks; a part of their daily life and religion –Again, religion is about keeping the gods happy so they don’t squash you

Greek Mythology The Greeks had numerous gods and goddesses, who ruled over one or more domain. The gods looked and acted more like human beings than like gods. Aphrodite, goddess of love and beauty Ares, god of war Hephaestus, god of fire & blacksmithing Zeus, god of the sky, king of the gods Hera, goddess of marriage Demeter, goddess of agriculture Hermes, god of the market, messenger Poseidon, god of the sea Athena, goddess of wisdom, protector of cities Apollo, god of light, beauty, music, etc. Pan, god of shepherds Not pictured: Hades, god of the underworld Artemis, goddess of the hunt Dionysus, god of wine

Greek Mythology Ancient Greeks built temples and held rituals and festivals to gain favor from the gods.

What Was a Greek Oracle? Greeks believed in fate and prophecy. Oracle – a sacred shrine where a priest or priestess spoke for a god or goddess Most famous oracle was at Delphi

Greek Poetry and Fables Epics – long poems about heroic deeds – Homer Iliad Odyssey –Areté (the Greek idea of excellence)

Greek Poetry and Fables Iliad – Epic about the Trojan War

Greek Poetry and Fables The Trojan War –The Trojan Horse

Greek Poetry and Fables Odyssey – The story of Odysseus’ journey home from the Trojan War

Who Was Aesop? Fable – a short tale that teaches a lesson – Aesop – Greek slave famous for his fables

Greek Dramas Drama – story told by actors who pretend to be characters in a story – Comedies – happy ending – Tragedy – person struggles to overcome difficulties but fails –Euripides – dramatist who questioned traditional thinking about war – Sophocles – dramatist who used three actors and painted scenery to tell a story – Aristophanes – poked fun at politicians and encouraged audience to think

Greek Art and Architecture Columns – Doric, Ionic, Corinthian

Section 1 Questions 1.How and why did the Greeks honor their gods and goddesses? 2.What was an oracle? 3.Who wrote the Iliad and Odyssey ? 4.What is the subject matter of the Iliad ? 5.What is the goal of a fable? 6.What is drama? 7.How do we readily see a Greek influence in today’s architecture?

Greek Philosophy and History Section 2

After this lesson, students will be able to: –List the kinds of ideas that Greek philosophers developed that are still used today. –Explain that Greeks wrote the first real histories in Western civilization. Section 2 Objectives

Greek Philosophers Philosophers – people who ponder questions about life –History, political science, science, mathematics – Pythagoras – believed universe followed the same laws that governed music and numbers Pythagorean theorem = a² + b² = c²

Who were the Sophists? Sophists – Professional teachers who taught that there was no absolute right or wrong

The Ideas of Socrates Socrates –Great philosopher – Taught that absolute right and wrong did exist –Challenged his students to think using the Socratic Method, a way of using pointed questions in order to get his students to use reason –Tried and executed for his ideas

The Ideas of Plato Plato –Student of Socrates –Established the Academy – Taught that governments should be headed by philosopher-kings – Wrote the Republic Split people into three groups: philosopher-kings, warriors, and everybody else

Who Was Aristotle? Aristotle –Student of Plato –Opened the Lyceum – Taught the “golden mean” – a person should do nothing in excess – Wrote Politics Divided governments into three types: government by one person, government by a few people, government by many people A mixture is the best

Greek Historians Herodotus – The “Father of History” – The Histories Thucydides – considered by many to be the greatest historian of the ancient world – History of the Peloponnesian War “Either I was present myself at the events which I have described or else I heard of them from eyewitnesses whose reports I have checked with as much thoroughness as possible.” - Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War

Section 2 Questions 1.Who were the Sophists? 2.What happened to Socrates? 3.Name the school that Plato established. 4.Who did Aristotle go on to teach? 5.Name the two historians mentioned and the books each one wrote.

Alexander the Great Section 3

Section 3 Objectives After this lesson, students will be able to: –describe how Philip of Macedonia united the Greek states under Macedonia. –explain how Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire.

Macedonia Attacks Greece Macedonia – North of Greece

Macedonia Attacks Greece Condition of Greece following the Peloponnesian War = poor Demosthenes – tried to warn Athens about Phillip II Phillip II – king of Macedonia ; has dreams of uniting Greece under Macedonia and conquering Persia – Conquered some Greeks, invited some to join him, bribed others – Crushed the Greeks at the Battle of Chaeronea –Assassinated in 336 B.C.

Alexander Builds an Empire Alexander the Great –Tutored by Aristotle as a youth –Commander in the army by the age of 16 –King by the age of 20 –Ruthless in pursuit of and merciful in the wake of victory – Freed Greek city-states in Asia Minor –Alcoholic?

Why was he so successful? –Use of combined arms techniques –Possessed the “coup d’oeil” –Determination –Leadership (fought at the front, endured the same hardships as his men) Alexander Builds an Empire

Alexander’s Conquests –Tightened his grip on Greece first (Thebes) – Battle of Granicus – Alexander was almost killed –Battle of Issus –Siege of Tyre –Egypt (Alexandria founded) –Battle of Gaugamela (250,000 vs. 47,000) –Incursions into India Alexander Builds an Empire

Alexander’s Legacy Alexander died at 32 from a fever (?) Legacy – what a person leaves behind when he or she dies Alexander’s legacy – Spread and preserved Greek heritage – Hellenistic Era – time when Greek ideas and language spread to non-Greeks –Alexandria

The Empire Breaks Apart His empire was split among his top commanders. They squabbled amongst themselves.

Section 3 Questions 1.Who attempted to warn the Athenians that Phillip II was a threat? 2.What kind of strategies did Phillip use to gain control over Greece? 3.At what battle was Alexander almost killed? 4.What was Alexander’s legacy?

The Spread of Greek Culture Section 4

Section 4 Objectives After this lesson, students will be able to: –Describe how Hellenistic cities became centers of learning and culture. –List the major discoveries in math and science made by Hellenistic scientists.

Greek Culture Spreads New Greek cities spread Greek culture –Alexandria

Architecture and Sculpture –Temple of Zeus at Olympia Greek Culture Spreads

Literature and Theater

Philosophy Epicureanism – Taught that happiness was the goal in life and the way to be happy was to seek out pleasure –Avoided public service Stoicism –Founded by Zeno; taught from a stoa – Taught that happiness came from following reason and doing one’s duty; public service important

Greek Science and Math

Aristarchus - Established that Earth revolves around the sun Eratosthenes – Calculated Earth’s circumference Euclid – Developed plane geometry – how points, lines, angles, and planes relate to one another Archimedes – Probably most famous of the Greek scientists and mathematicians, calculated pi Hippocrates – “father of medicine”

Section 4 Questions 1.Why did the city of Alexandria attract scholars? 2.What happened to Greek culture during the Hellenistic Age? 3.Explain the ideas of both the Epicureans and the Stoics. 4.Create a chart like the one below that lists facts about the scientists shown. ScientistFacts Aristarchus Eratosthenes Euclid Archimedes

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