1. Chapter 5 Notes
Ancient Greece

2. Chapter 5 Notes Greek Achievements
The ancient Greeks made great achievements in philosophy, literature, art, and architecture that influenced the development of later cultures and ideas

3. Chapter 5 Notes Greek Philosophy Search for knowledge and wisdom
Golden age of Greek philosophy BCE
3 greatest philosophers of ancient Greece
Socrates – credited as the first great Greek philosopher
Studied broad concepts of truth, justice, and virtue
Believed people could learn best by asking questions
Plato – student of Socrates, founded the Academy
Believed philosophers were best suited to govern because they make “good” decisions
Best known work “Republic”
Believed every material object that exists was only a reflection of an ideal that did not exist

4. Chapter 5 Notes Aristotle Student of Plato at the academy
Used reason (clear/ordered thinking) and logic (process of making inferences) to understand the natural world
People can do the most good by practicing rational thought
Contributed greatly to the development of science

5. Chapter 5 Notes Greek Literature
Greeks excelled at poetry, history, and drama
Several types of poetry: epic, descriptive, lyric
Homer – debate whether Homer actually existed
Best known for his epic poems “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey” which describe the Trojan War, gods/goddesses, and heroes
Works not written down originally, but influence many cultures over space and time
Hesiod – wrote descriptive poetry, which described the works of gods and the lives of peasants

6. Chapter 5 Notes Sappho – Greek woman known for lyric poetry
Poems were accompanied by music from the lyre instrument
Poems dealt with emotions of daily life, marriage, love, relationships
Pindar – lyric poet
Wrote poems to commemorate public events – Olympic Games

7. Chapter 5 Notes
Several key people provided histories of ancient Greece
Herodotus – first major writer of history
Detailed major events of the Persian Wars
Best known work “Histories”
Did not always use reliable sources – led to erroneous historical information
Thucydides
Detailed major events in the Peloponnesian War
Used primary sources to construct his history of events
More critical of his sources, ignored unreliable ones
Xenophon – historian/soldier/philosopher
Used personal experiences to describe events in history
Helped us learn a great deal about Greek life

8. Chapter 5 Notes The Greeks wrote dramas for entertainment
Two types: tragedy and comedy
Tragedy focuses on hardships faced by the hero
Aeschylus (es-kuh-luhs) – wrote tragedies
Plays were about myths and history
Best known play is “Oresteia” about the Trojan War
Sophocles (sahph-uh-kleez) – wrote tragedies
Plays concentrated on the suffering people brought upon themselves due to their own flaws
Best known play is a trilogy based on King Oedipus
Euripides (yoo-rip-uh-deez) – wrote tragedies
Plays were about people’s suffering due to chance or irrational behavior
Best known plays are “Bacchae” and “Medea”

9. Chapter 5 Notes Greek Art and Architecture
Comedies focus on satire and exposing social flaws
Aristophanes (ar-uh-stahf-uh-neez) – wrote comedies
Plays satirized parts of Athenian society – government, religion, social policies
Best known plays are the “Clouds” and the “Birds
Greek Art and Architecture
Athenians enjoyed beauty, both written and visual – love of visual beauty expressed in art and architecture
Athenians wanted their city to be the most beautiful – constructed public buildings, temples, theatres
Parthenon was the grandest of all buildings
Set atop the acropolis
Impressive size and proportions – power and glory of Athens
Housed a giant gold and ivory statue of Athena

10. Chapter 5 Notes
The Athenians used statues and art to decorate their city
Greeks were skilled at sculpting the human form
Greeks wanted their statues to look life-like, but not necessarily realistic
Some statues look as if they are in motion – contrapposto (Discobolus Statue)
Portrayed the subject as physically perfect – all statues depict beauty and grace
Most Greek paintings that have survived to the modern era are seen on pottery
Used two colors – red and black – red was the color of the clay and black was the color of the glaze
Paintings depicted movement, depth, and beauty