Test 1 Flashcards
(38 cards)
Sources of greek history?
- Inscriptions
- Literary works
- Archaeological sources
- Oral tradition
Three major sources on athenian history?
- Herodotus
- Thucydides
- Xenophon
What is Linear B?
- Michael Ventris deciphered in 1952
- Used by the Mycenaeans
- Main use of inventory in storerooms
- Syllabic
Events of the Mycenaean cultural collapse?
- Palace administration collapse
- Smaller sites and a change in social organization (simpler economy and less material)
Who were the sea people?
- Confederations of people who attached Egypt and were beaten back
- includes the Philistines of the bible that settled along the coast and gave Palestine its name
What are the dark ages?
- Post-mycenaean collapse
- Disappearance of much of elite culture, such as writing
- New social organization (polis), one central settlement
Characteristics of the greek alphabet?
- Adapted from the phoenician alphabet
- Originally no vowels
- Alphabetic, rather than syllabic
What is the earliest greek inscription on?
- wine jug from a dance competition
What are the climate influences on character?
Cold climate: northern european - not smart but have energy
Warm climate: asia - very smart but no energy
Farming months
oct/nov: plow and sow
nov: olives
may: grain harvest
sept: vintage (grapes)
Hesiod’s works and days: praise of hard work and outline of what needs to be done and when
How did they travel by sea?
- cargo ships and triremes
How did they travel by land?
- donkeys
- walking was most common form of travel
How did those of distinction travel?
Chariots
Who is credited with unifying athens?
Theseus
What was the agora?
- multifunctional civic centre
- essentially city centre/hall
What was used to mark the boundary of the agora?
- boundary stones
What were the three harbours of piraeus?
Kantharos: (largest, all ships)
Zea: (exclusively military, war ships)
Mounykhia: (exclusively military, war ships)
Where does the word myth come from?
- muthos, utterance, something one says
What is Prometheus’ story in?
- Theogony and Works and Days
What does Pandora mean?
Giver of all or endowed with everything
What clings to the jar?
hope (elpis)
What did people order for divine guidance?
- euxenippos
What was the pythia?
Priestess of the sanctuary of apollo at delphi
What did the pythia do?
- sat on a tripod and held a laurel branch
- she shook the branch and became posessed by apollo
- oracles were always coherent but gave ominous responses
