1. The Culture of Ancient Greece
Journey Across Time Chapter 5, Section 1
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2. How did the Greeks use religion to explain nature?
Myths are traditional stories about Gods and heroes that expressed the religious beliefs of the Greeks
The 12 most important gods lived on Mount Olympus- the highest point in Greece
The Greeks believed that the gods and goddesses affected their lives directly and controlled nature; with a good or bad harvest, an earthquake or flood, volcano or bad storm- based on the approval or disapproval of the humans behavior
Explains why the most impressive building in Greek cities were religious temples- usually on the Acropolis- the summit or highest point in the city
How did the Greeks use religion to explain nature?

3. Who were the gods and goddesses of Greece?
Mount Olympus home to the 12 most important gods- is the highest mountain in Greece
Gods had special powers but were not all powerful- they looked and acted human; they married, had children, quarreled and fought wars
Greeks followed rituals ( a set of actions carried out in a fixed way) to win the gods favor
Greeks prayed and gave the gods gifts; in return they asked for good fortune
The Olympics was the festival held to honor the chief god Zeus
Who were the gods and goddesses of Greece?

4. An oracle is a sacred shrine where the priest or priestess spoke for the gods when asked a question
The most famous was the oracle at the temple of Apollo at Delphi
People would bring their questions to the priest there who would ask a priestess seated on a tripod over volcanic gases a question and then interpret the answer.
The Greek religion taught that a person had a set fate or destiny, but believed that the gods could supply them with prophesies to warn them in time to change it
What was a Greek Oracle?

5. The Greeks had many festivals to honor their gods
They hope that these festivals would persuade the gods to grant them good fortune
The Olympic games were a festival celebrated for Zeus
The theatre was developed to please the gods and plays written to bring them honor
The plays were performed at the festivals of the gods
Why did the Greeks have rituals and festivals for their gods and goddesses?

6. What did Greek poetry and fables teach?
Greek poetry and fables teach Greek values
These poems and stories are the oldest in the Western world
They are the models for countless tales including those written by William Shakespeare
The earliest stories are known as epics; long poems about heroic deeds
Homer wrote the first great epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey during the 700’s BCE
These stories are based on the stories of a war between Greece and Troy, a city that once existed in northwestern Turkey
What did Greek poetry and fables teach?

7. What was the Trojan Horse?
Homer’s epic poem the Iliad, tells the tale of the prince of Troy who kidnaps the wife of the king of Sparta (Helen)
The king of Mycenae and the brother of the king of Sparta lead the Greeks in an attack on Troy that lasts ten years
The war ends when the Greeks send in troops in a hollow wooden horse that is presented as a peace offering gift to the Trojans
Homers stories taught the Greek values of courage and honor. They also taught the importance of loyalty to friends and to value the relationship between husband and wife.
Homer’s heroes were role models for young Greek boys.
What was the Trojan Horse?

8. Historians agree that Homer was a real person, but still debate whether he wrote the epics alone or got help
Historians have speculated that he was from Iona, was blind, or even a wanderer
Legends tell of Homer’s strong influence on his readers
Alexander the Great is said to have slept with a copy of the Iliad under his pillow.
He used the term “aoidos” for poet, translated it means singer
This suggests that poems written at this time were normally sung, memorized and recited, not written down
Homer created a new and different style of epic poetry, these tales are long and involve complex characters, dramatic action and interesting events.
Who was Homer?

9. Who was Aesop? What are the characteristics of a fable?
Aesop was a Greek slave
He created fables in about 550 BCE
A fable is a short tale that teachers a lesson
Most characters in fables are animals that talk and act like humans
Each fable points out human flaws and strengths and ends with a moral
The Tortoise and the Hare is one of the best known fables. The moral is “slow and steady wins the race”
For about 200 years these fables were a part of Greece’s oral tradition before they were written down
Who was Aesop? What are the characteristics of a fable?

10. How do the plays of Ancient Greece influence our entertainment today?
Greek drama still shapes entertainment today- where do you think YouTube and Netflix came from?
Drama is a story told by actors who pretend to be characters in the story
These actors speak, show emotion and imitate the actions of the characters they represent
Today’s movies, plays and television shows are all examples of drama
How do the plays of Ancient Greece influence our entertainment today?

11. What were Greek plays about?
The Greeks performed plays in outdoor theatres as part of religious festivals
They developed two kinds of dramas- comedies and tragedies
Tragedy- a play where a person struggles to over come difficulties but fails and the story has an unhappy ending
Comedy-the story also involves a struggle but has a happy ending
Dramas dealt with big questions such as: What is the nature of good and evil?, What rights should people have?, What role do the gods play in our lives?
Sophocles-A general and a writer of plays; he developed the genre; he also painted backdrops for the first time
Sophocles wrote two of the most famous plays- Oedipus Rex and Antigone; where he asks, “Is it better to follow orders or to do what is right?”
Euripides was a later playwright who tried to take drama beyond heroes and gods. He showed war as cruel and women and children as its victims.
What were Greek plays about?

12. Greek artists wanted people to see reason, moderation, balance and harmony in their work. For example look at the art on Greek pottery
The most important architecture was the temple; the Parthenon in Athens is the best known example (the goddess Athena’s Temple)
Large columns supported many Greek buildings- Doric, Ionic and Corinthian were the most popular styles.
These Greek style columns can be found today in the USA on the White House and Capitol Building in Washington, DC
Temples were decorated with sculpture created to show the ideal version of human perfection and beauty.
How did Greek Art and Architecture express Greek ideas of beauty and harmony?