Classical Greece Test

Question 1

Persian Wars

Answer 1

Def-A series of battles between the Greeks (multiple city states) and the Persian Empire

Signif.: Greeks won
-Persia was not able to invade the Greek mainland
-was a time when competitive Greek city-states came together to fight a common enemy and were successful
-Parthenon Metopes were symbolic of these battles

Question 2

Pericles

Answer 2

Def.: an athenian politician who commissioned the building of the parthenon

Signif.:
-His three goals were to beautify Athens, strengthen the Athenian Empire, and build up Athenian democracy

Question 3

Minoans

Answer 3

Definition: A Greek speaking people that lived on the island of Crete

Signif.:
- Had a powerful society, and influenced the Mycenaean to increase seaborne trade, which helped spread arts and sciences.
-influence Greek religious culture, art, politics ,and writing.

Question 4

Dorians

Answer 4

Definition: An ancient greek race that took control of Mycenaean land after the Mycenaean government collapsed after the Trojan war.

Signif.:
-They were a less advanced society, so the economy collapsed, and writing stopped completely, so there is no documentation of this time period.

Question 5

Myths

Answer 5

Definition: Traditional stories about gods.
Signif.:
-Through myths, the ancient Greeks tried to understand both nature and human nature.

Question 6

Hubris

Answer 6

Definition: excessive pride in oneself and one’s achievements.

Signif.:
-It often leads to the destruction of the heroine in many greek myths and tragedies.

Question 7

Philosophers

Answer 7

definition: individuals determined to seek truth, believed that the universe is subject ot laws, and people can learn to understand these laws through logic.

Signif.:
-Advanced many achievements in religion and science
-helped greeks understand and improve the world and their society.

Question 8

Aristotle

Answer 8

Definirion: A student of Plato who questioned the nature of humanity and the world

signif.:
-Invented a method for arguing using logic, which is a predecessor to the scientific method.

Question 9

Plato

Answer 9

Definition: A student of socrates who believed that the perfect society was split into three social classes, the wealthy being the ruling class, and a ruler was picked from the ruling class.

Singif.:
-Invented the class system which was used in Europe and throughout the world for centuries

Question 10

Socrates

Answer 10

Definition: A philosopher who Belived that the universe was subject to laws, and people can understand these laws through logic. encouraged self-examination.

Singif.: Was exectued for his ideas, and encouraging questioning of athenian culture.

Question 11

Lyric Poetry

Answer 11

definition: poetry accompanied by a lyre.

Signif.;
-dealt with emotions and desires
-a predecessor to modern songs.

Question 12

Homer

Answer 12

Definition; a famous greek storyteller

Significance: wrote epics, including the Iliad, which is based off of the Trojan war
-much of what is known about Ancient Greece is based on his writing.

Question 13

Thucydides

Answer 13

Definition: Greek historian, believed that certain types of events and political situations recur over time, and that through studying hte past, we can gain a better understanding of the present.

Signif.:
-his concept of recurrence one of the pillars of modern historical study

Question 14

Herodotus

Answer 14

Definition: A Greek historian who wrote a book on the persian wars

Significance:
-His book is considered the first form of historical writing.

Question 15

Athena

Answer 15

Defintion: The greek goddess of wisdom and war

Signif.: The Parthenon, is a temple to her and the city of athens, was named after her.

Question 16

hera

Answer 16

Definition: The goddess of motherhood and marriage

Signif.; one of Zeus’ wives

Question 17

Aphrodite

Answer 17

Definition: Goddess of love and beauty

Signif.: Her art demonstrates the Greek beauty standard, which still continues today

Question 18

Zeus

Answer 18

Definition: god of lightning, king of the gods

signif.; considered the most powerful god by the greeks

Question 19

Arete

Answer 19

Definition: virtue and excellence, that Athenians could demonstrate on the battle field in combat or in an atheltic contest

Significance:
-an example of the competitive and perfectionist nature of athenian society, their value of honor as well.

Question 20

Aegean and Ionian Seas

Answer 20

Def.:The seas southern of the mainland, containing thousands of greek Islands

Signif.:
-Was an important trade and transportation route in Greece. Brought resources and led to the spread of ideas and language throughout greece

Question 21

Drama

Answer 21

Defin.: A form of greek Theater (drama) sponsored by the state, an expression of civic pride and a tribute to the gods.

Question 22

Tragedy

Answer 22

Defin.:Tragedy often featured a powerful hero with a flaw that causes their downfall, which was often hubris, or excessive pride.

Singif.:
-Demonstrated the Athenian value of humility and balance

Question 23

Comedy

Answer 23

Defin.: a form of drama that made fun of politics, respected people, and ideas

Signif.: Demonstrated the freedom and openness of democratic Athens

Question 24

Mycenaeans

Answer 24

Def.A people of Greece originally from the Eurasian steppes that migrated to Greece and had strongly defended cities and strong rulers.

Signif.:
-They dominated the Greek city-states and greek culture

Question 25

Classical art

Answer 25

definition: Art in ancient greece that serves as the standard of excellence for later Western art forms

Signif.:
-This art prioritized balance and ideal beauty, as opposed to realism.

Question 26

Troy/ trojan war

Answer 26

Defin.: A city of the Bronze Age that was attacked by Greece during the Trojan war, over the kidnapping of Helen of Troy.

Signif.:
-Still important and notable today
-The story of the Trojan Horse warns us of the dangers of deception.
-An example of the Greek city states working together in times of war
-One of Homer’s most notable works, The Iliad, is about the Trojan War

Question 27

The Iliad

Answer 27

Defin.: A poetry epic by Homer telling the story of the trojan war.

Signif.:
-One of Homer’s most notable works
-most of ours and the world’s knowledge of the Trojan War comes from the Iliad

Question 28

Elgin Marbles

Answer 28

defin.: a collection of Ancient Greek sculptures from the Parthenon and other structures from the Acropolis of Athens

Signif.:
-Was taken most likely illegally from the Parthenon, and Greece wants them to be returned.
-one of the greatest arguments between the British Museum and its imperial-era artifacts over returning to their home countries.

Question 29

Paris of Troy

Answer 29

Definition:
In The Iliad and other greek historical accounts, Paris is a prince of Troy who kidnapped Helen, the wife of King Menelaus

Signif.:
-Started the Trojan War

Question 30

Daedelus and Icarus

Answer 30

defin: Daedalus, a mythical inventor who created the labyrinth, created wings made of feathers and wax to escape from Crete where he and his son, Icarus, were held captive by King Minos.

Signif;
- their story is a prime example of the dangers of hubris, a common athenian theme.

Question 31

metope (meh-tuh-pee)

Answer 31

Defin.: the surviving set of what were originally 92 sculptures at hte Parthenon

Signif.:
-as the British Museum has possession of them, there has been much debate as to whether they belong to Greeceor Britain

Question 32

Epic Poetry

Answer 32

Defin.: a narrative poem about a heroic deed or myths.

Signif.:
-was one of the earliest forms of Greek literature
- The most notable epic poems were by Homer, and included the Iliad and the Odyssey