The Golden Age of Greece Politics, Art and Sculpture, and Drama

Essential Questions Be able to name and describe the three types of Greek columns. What is the Acropolis? What was the Parthenon? Be able to describe Greek drama.

Who was Pericles Pericles

Pericles’ Three Goals for Athens Pericles was the wise statesman who led Athens during its golden age He was so dominant that this time is sometimes called the Age of Pericles

Strong Democracy Pericles increased the number of paid public officials, which allowed even the poor to serve if elected or chosen by lot. This made Athens one of the most democratic governments in history, but political rights were still limited to those with citizenship status.

Strong Democracy Direct Democracy : a form of government in which citizens rule directly and not through representatives.

Athenian Empire Pericles enlarged the power and wealth of Athens by using money from the Delian League’s treasury to build the Athens navy into the largest in the Mediterranean.

Glorifying Athens Pericles persuaded the Athenian Assembly to vote huge sums of money to buy gold, ivory, and marble. More money went to a army of artisans who spent 15 years building the Parthenon.

The Parthenon 23,000 square foot building built to honor the goddess Athena set standards for future generations of artists around the world

The Statue of Athena Inside the Parthenon stood 38 feet tall and contained gold and ivory

3 Columns The Greeks used various types of columns in their architecture. Their most famous building, the Parthenon, has Doric style columns

Doric The simplest columns of Ancient Greece They have a capital (top, or crown) made of a circle topped by a square The pillar (tall part of column) is plain and has 20 sides No base Plain but powerful!

Ionic Ionic Taller pillars than Doric ones Capitals (top/crown) consist of scrolls above the pillar A little bulge in the columns make the columns look straight, even at a distance. Bases were large and looked like a set of stacked rings More decorative than the Doric

Corinthian Most decorative Capitals (tops/crowns) have flowers and leaves below a small scroll Unlike the Doric and Ionian, the Corinthian roofs are flat

Phidias Worked on the Parthenon and the statue of Athena Given this assignment by Pericles

Classical Art Greek values of order, balance, and proportion were the standard created figures that were graceful, strong, and perfectly formed Faces showed neither laughter nor anger, only peacefulness Sculptors tried to capture the grace of the idealize human body in motion

The Golden Age of Greece Drama

Background Greeks invents drama and built the first theaters in the west Expressed civic pride and paid tribute to the gods Colorful costumes, masks, and sets were paid for by the wealthy citizens

Tragedy a serious drama about common themes such as love, hate, war, or betrayal the main character, or tragic hero, was brought down by a tragic flaw, usually this was excessive pride – Aeschylus – wrote 80 plays, most famous was The Oresteia – Sophocles – wrote 100 plays, most famous were Oedipus the King and Antigone – Euripides – wrote Medea and often showed sympathy towards women

Comedy contained scenes filled with slap-stick situations and crude humor typically made fun of customs, politics, respected people, or ideas of the time (satire) showed the freedom and openness of public discussion in democratic Athens – Aristophanes – wrote the first great comedies, including The Birds and Lysistrata

Sophocles One of Athens’ greatest playwrights who was born in Athens around 496 B.C.E. Most famous play is Oedipus Rex, which is about the tragic fall of a powerful king

Sophocles Used three actors instead of two and increased the size of the chorus in his plays First playwright to use painted backdrops for scenery Told a complete story in a single play, unlike earlier playwrights who often took three plays to complete their plots

Plato A philosopher and a teacher who was born in Athens around 427 B.C.E. Student and close friend of Sophocles

Plato Wrote The Republic, in which he said that the best society was one where every citizen performed the task that they were best suited for Founded The Academy, which is considered the first important institution of high learning in the Western world and taught philosophy, law, math, and astronomy

Aristotle A philosopher and a scientist who was born in northern Greece around 384 B.C.E. Studied under Plato for 20 years Wrote about all branches of learning, including philosophy, biology, math, and drama

Aristotle Founded the Lyceum, a center for studying science and history Wrote History of Animals in which he gave detailed descriptions of animal and fish life With his students’ help, he classified more than 500 types of animals

Philosophers Search for Truth PhilosopherWhat they believed Socrates absolute standards did exist for truth and justice; He encouraged Greeks to go further and question themselves and their moral character; Plato student of Socrates who was 28 when his teacher died; wrote The Republic. In it he laid out his vision of a perfectly governed society; believed there should be three groups in society: 1. farmers and artisans; 2. Warriors; 3. ruling class Aristotle questioned the nature of the world and of human belief, thought, and knowledge; invented a method for arguing according to rules of logic;

Hippocrates Referred to as the “father of medicine” He was the first physician to reject superstitions and beliefs that credited supernatural or divine forces with causing illness Believed to have written the Hippocratic Oath, which is an oath traditionally taken by physicians pertaining to the ethical practice of medicine