Chapter 4 Flashcards
Herodotus
Heir to the technique of “historia”developed by Greeks in the late Archaic period.
Came from a community in Anatolia and traveled extensively, collecting information in western Asia and the Mediterranean lands.
Traced the antecedents and chronicled the wars between the Greek city states and the Persian empire
Originated the Western tradition of historical writing
Pericles
Aristocratic leader who guided the Athenian state through the transformation to full participatory democracy for all male citizens
Supervised the construction of the Acropolis
Pursued a policy of imperial expansion that led to the Peloponnesian War
Formulated a strategy of attribution
Died of the plague early in the war
Cyrus
Founder of the Achaemenid Persian Empire
Conquered Media, Lydia and Babylon
Revered in the traditions of Iran and subject peoples
Employed Persians and Medes in his administration
Respected the institutions and beliefs of subject peoples
Darius I
Third ruler of the Persian Empire
Crushed widespread initial resistance to his rule
Gave all major posts to Persians rather than to Medes
Established a system of provinces and tribute
Began construction of Persepolis
Extended the Persian empire to Pakistan and northern Greece
Satrap
Governor of a province in the Persian empire
Often a relative of the king
Responsible for the protection of the province and for forwarding tribute to the central administration
In outlying provinces, lots of autonomy
Persepolis
Complex of palaces, recreation halls, and treasury buildings
Built by Darius and Xerxes
In the Persian homeland
Believed that the New Year’s Celebration was held here, along with coronations, weddings, and funerals of kings
Kings were buried in nearby cliff tombs
Zoroastrianism
Religion originating in Iran
Official religion of the Persian empire
Smile benevolent deity, Ahuramazda, who engaged in a struggle with demonic forces before prevailing and restoring a pristine world
Emphasized truth telling, purity, and reverence for nature
Polis
Greek term for a city-state, an urban center and the agricultural territory under its control.
Characteristic form of political organization in central and southern Greece in the Archaic and Classical periods
Seem were oligarchic, some were democratic depending n the powers delegated to the Council and the Assembly
Hoplite
A heavily armored Greek infantryman
Archaic and Classical
Fought in close packed phalanx formation
Militias of upper and middle class citizens
Supplied their own equipment
Centuries superior to other armies
Tyrant
Someone who seized and held power in violation of the normal procedures and traditions of the community
Many appeared in the poli during the sixth and vents centuries
Took advantage of the disaffection of the emerging middle class
Weakened the old elite
Contributed to the evolution of democracy
Democracy
System of government in which all “citizens” have equal political and legal rights, privileges, and protections
Athens
Sacrifice
A gift given to a deity
Often to create a relationship or gain favor
Obligating the god to provide some benefit to the sacrificer
Sometimes in order to sustain the deity and thereby guarantee the continuing vitality of the natural world
Persian Wars
Conflicts between Greek poli and Persian empire
Ionian Revolt 499-494 BC
Darius’s punitive expedition that failed at Marathon 490BC
Xerxes’ large armies’ invasion of Greece defeated by Spartan led Hellenic League
First major setback for Persian empire
Launched Greeks into their period of greatest cultural productivity
Chronicled by Herodotus in the first “history” in the Western tradition
Trireme
Greek and Phoenician warships of the fifth and sixth century
Sleek and light
Powered by 170 oarsmen arranged in three vertical tiers
Manned by skilled sailors
Capable of short bursts of speed and complex maneuvers
Socrates
Athenian philosopher
Shifted the emphasis of philosophical investigation from questions of the natural world to ethics and human behavior
Attracted disciplines from elite families
Made enemies by revealing the ignorance and pretensions of others
Tried and executed by forced suicide by the Athenian state