The Ancient Greeks

The Ancient Greeks

Famous People What should I already know? Sophocles—Playwright, over 120 Greece is made up of the mainland and many islands in Europe. plays, mainly tragedies, most fa- Its position by the sea meant that the Greeks mous: Oedipus & Antigone were a seafaring people. Aesop—Former slave and storyteller City-states (polis) were created and trade hap- pened between each of the cities. famous for writing ‘Aesop’s Fables’ Greece is a warm country, but winds from the Homer—Legendary author famous Mediterranean, and rains from the north, kept for writing the Iliad & Odyssey temperatures liveable and created fertile farm- ing conditions. Pythagoras—Philosopher & mathe- matician most famous for his rules in maths Definitions Archimedes—Scientist & mathema- Acropolis—The citadel of an ancient Greek tician (‘Eureka!’) - famous for realis- city ing the link between volume, densi- Agora—Large, open space in a Greek city, ty & displacement used for markets & public meetings Socrates—Credited as the Father of Greek Society Andron—The men’s quarters of a Greek

house, where parties were held Western philosophy. Greece was divided into city-states Plato—Philosopher & student of (polis) that each had their own laws Assembly— The main governing body in a Socrates. Wrote ‘ Republic’ - and way of life, but that all spoke the Greek democracy. All citizens could attend same language. Two of the most well Boule—The council that drafted the laws Founded The Academy in Athens -known city states are Athens and Aristotle—Philosopher & student of Sparta. passed by the Assembly—500 men Plato In Athens, Greek styles of art, archi- Citadel—Strong building in/near a city tecture, philosophy and theatre Euclid—Mathematician famous for where people could shelter for safety were developed - these helped rules in geometry shaped our modern society along City State—A city that had its own govern- Hippocrates—Physician—Father of with science, language and maths. ment and rules the area around it e.g. Athens had a democratic govern- Western medicine Athens, Sparta, Corinth, Delphi & Thebes ment – this means that the people Alexander the Great— King of the who lived there made decisions by Deity—A God or Goddess ancient Greek kingdom of voting, like we do in Britain. Democracy— A system of government ruled In Sparta, life was very different; all Macedonia; united the whole of by its people that was important was being able Greece to defend Sparta in battle. Helot—A Spartan slave The first Olympic games were held in Hoplite—A heavily-armoured soldier who 776BC in the city-state Olympia. fought on foot Religion was very important in Mount Olympus—The highest mountain in A Timeline (AD/Common Era ancient Greece. They were polythe- ists - they believed in different gods Greece and the mythological home of the – BC/Before Common Era) and goddesses that were in charge Greek Gods, primarily 12 Olympian Gods of different parts of their lives, such 776BC—First recorded Olympic games as a god of the sea and a goddess of Oligarchy— A system of government where 730BC—First works of written poetry wisdom. Temples were built in their a small group of people control everything honour and they featured heavily in (Homer) Olympics—Sporting event and sacrifice held the stories of Greek mythology. 640BC—World’s first roof tiles manu- A polis consisted of an urban centre, every four years in honour of Zeus factured at Olympia often fortified and with a sacred Parthenon—Temple dedicated to Athena 550BC—First plays performed. First centre built on a natural acropolis located on the Athenian Acropolis—432BC (citadel) or harbour. gold and silver coins made Polis—A Greek city-state. Each ‘polis’ had its 505BC—Athens introduces democracy own government 490BC—Persians invade Greece. 330BC—Aristotle invents the Polytheistic—Religious system where people Battle of Marathon ‘camera obscura’ believe in or worship more than one god 480BC—The battle of Thermopylae 323BC—Alexander the Great Prytany—The executive committee of the 431-404BC—The Peloponnesian War dies— Empire is divided (Athens, Sparta) 322BC—End of democracy in Ath- boule 430BC—The Great Plague of Athens ens when the Macedons take over Titans— An older generation of Gods 404BC—The fall of Athens 215BC—Archimedes invents war including Cronus & Rhea who were the chil- 386BC—Plato founds the Academy machines e.g. the catapult dren of earlier Gods and parents to the 336BC—Alexander the Great becomes 146BC—Roman rule of Greece Olympian Gods king of Macedon begins