1. Classical Greek Culture
Chapter 4, Section 4

2. Greek Religion Religion affected every aspect of Greek life
Temples dedicated to gods and goddesses were the major buildings in Greek cities
12 chief gods and goddesses were thought to life on Olympus- the highest mountain in Greece

4. Greek Religion Zeus- chief god and father of the gods
Athena- goddess and wisdom of crafts
Apollo- god of the sun and poetry
Artemis- sister of Apollo who was goddess of the moon and of the hunt
Ares- god of war
Aphrodite- goddess of love
Poseidon- brother of Zeus and god of the seas

5. Greek Religion
Festivals were developed to honor the gods and goddesses
Olympic festivals- honor the gods
Oracle- sacred shrine where a god or goddess was said to reveal the future thought a priest or priestess
Most famous oracle- Apollo at Delphi

8. Classical Greek Arts and Literature
Classical Greek art was concerned with expressing eternal ideals
Subject matter of this art was the human being, presented as an object of great beauty

9. Architecture and Sculpture
Most important form was the temple dedicated to god or goddess
Statues to deities
Parthenon- the greatest example of the classical Greek temple

11. Drama
Plays were presented in outdoor theaters as part of religious festivals
First plays were tragedies
Greek tragedies dealt with universal themes still relevant today
Comedies were used to criticize politicians

12. Greek Philosophy Philosophy- organized system of thought
Term comes from Greek roots that mean “love of wisdom”

13. Sophists
Group of traveling teachings in ancient Greece who rejected speculation
Important for individuals to improve themselves
Stressed the importance of rhetoric- art of persuasive speaking

14. Socrates Left no writings Taught many pupils
Socratic method- use question-and-answer format to lead pupils to see things for themselves by using own reasoning skills

15. Plato Socrates student Greatest philosopher of Western civilization
Believed men and women should have the same education and equal access to all positions

16. Aristotle
Analyzing and classifying things based on observation and investigation
Define entire categories of study such as ethics, politics, poetry, and the sciences
Wanted an effective form of government that would rationally direct human affairs

17. Sophists
Argued it was beyond the reach of the human mind to understand the universe
Individuals should look into improving themselves
No absolute right or wrong
Interested in ethics and morality
Success was more important than moral truth
Older citizens accused the Sophists of undermining traditional Greek values.

18. Epicureanism
Taught that happiness was the goal of life, and that human beings were free to follow their self-interest
Emotional rather that physical ways
Freed themselves from public activity