1. Greek Society & Culture SS.A.2.4.4; SS.A.1.4.1; SS.B.2.4.1

2. Religion & Government Greek religion played an important part in the everyday lives of Greeks, as well as in the politics of Greek city-states and empires Greeks considered religion as central to the well-being of the state/empire Temples, dedicated to certain gods and goddesses, were the main buildings in Greek cities

3. The Greek Pantheon The Greeks believed in many gods, but considered Olympians or the greatest gods, they include: –Zeus: King of the gods, and god of thunder and lightening –Hera: Zeus’ wife, goddess of marriage and motherhood –Athena: Goddess of wisdom and crafts –Poseidon: Brother of Zeus, god of the sea and earthquakes –Apollo: God of the sun and poetry –Ares: God of war –Aphrodite: Goddess of beauty and love –Demeter: Goddess of agriculture, nature & the season –Dionysus: God of wine and celebration –Hephaestus: God of fire and the forge –Hermes: Messenger of the gods, god of commerce and thieves

4. Religion of the People Greek religion was not institutionalized, it had no specific doctrine, nor did it enforce a specific code of morality –No matter how a person lived their lives— good or evil—they all went to the Underworld with Hades Greeks could learn the will of the gods, or understand what the gods wanted them to do, by visiting oracles—a shrine where priests or priestesses would revel the future, through divine revelation

5. Practicing The Faith Rituals, or ceremonies, consisting of prayers and gifts to the gods were used to ensure the gods looked favorably upon those conducting the rituals. Festivals, most famously at Olympia (in honor of Zeus) and Delphi (for Apollo) were held to honor the gods –Olympic Games 776 B.C. (Festival at Olympia)

6. Greek Drama Plays, movies and other dramatic performance art as we know it in Western culture today originated with the Greeks Aeschylus (Oresteia) and Sophocles (Oedipus Rex, Antigone) are famous Greek playwrites Tragedies, presented in trilogies, were the earliest Greek dramas and comedies developed later as a forum for critiquing politicians and intellectuals alike

7. Greek Philosophy Philosophy: means “love of wisdom”, and refers to an organized system of thought Philosophers were concerned with developing critical and rational thought about the origins of the universe, based mostly on unifying principles—Pythagoras Sophists were travelling teachers, who focused on improving the individual Sophists pushed skills like rhetoric, and taught relativity (what is right for one, may be wrong for others)

8. Socrates A sculptor-philosopher who did not agree with the Sophists Believed in education as only for the improvement of the individual He questioned authority, which lead him to land in trouble, and was put to death for “corrupting the youth of Athens”. Socrates: “the unexamined life is not worth living.”

9. Socratic Method of Teaching Socratic Method: a teaching method utilizing question-answer format, to encourage students to see things on their own by using their own reason Socrates believed that all real knowledge is already present within each person, it takes teachers to help you find it. This is how Socrates taught Plato, while leaving no written records

10. Plato Many consider him the greatest philosopher of Western civilization Allegory Of The Cave—Plutonic Forms Argued for his idea of government in The Republic, where people were divided into three categories: philosopher-kings, warriors and the masses Believed men and women should have equal opportunities

11. “I tell you that virtue does not come from money, but that money comes from virtue, as does every other good of man, public and private.”~ The Apology of Socrates, Plato

12. Aristotle Studied at Plato’s Academy in Athens, for 20 years Rejected Plato’s idea of Forms, and classified things not by Forms, but by investigation and observation In Politics, Aristotle searches for the best forms of government and finds monarchy, aristocracy and constitutional gov’t best

13. Writing Of History The Greeks invented “History” as we know it in Western culture History: the systematic retelling of past events; two main historians: Herodotus: told of the Persian Wars in terms of humans, the gods, and forces of nature Thucydides: told about the Peloponnesians War, in very accurate and human terms—no gods

14. Classical Ideals of Art Art in the Western world has been dominated, throughout history, by standards set by the Greeks Human body=object of great beauty Classical style, based on reason, moderation, balance and harmony in all things, was meant to civilize the emotions Architecture was a search for calm, clarity and freedom from unnecessary detail