Ancient Greece: Poets and Heroes

Study Notes

Greece's Geography and City-States

Greece's mountainous peninsula and islands led to the formation of independent city-states.
The decline of Mycenaean civilization was due to invasions, internal conflicts, and potential natural disasters.

Homer and Greek Literature

Homer composed the Iliad and the Odyssey during the Dark Age, contributing significantly to Greek literature.
Homer's epic poems were initially part of the oral tradition and later transcribed.

Greek Culture

Arete, emphasizing moral and physical excellence, was a central concept in Greek culture.

The Greek City-States

Polis, consisting of a city and its surrounding countryside, was the early Greek city-state.
Acropolis was a fortified gathering place at the top of a hill, often with temples and public buildings.
Agora served as an open area for gatherings and as a market.
Phalanx was a rectangular formation of foot soldiers with shields.
Tyrants were rulers who seized power by force, while democracy meant "the rule of the many."
Oligarchy meant "the rule of the few."
Sparta focused on military training, while Athens valued arts and culture.

Classical Greece

Themistocles' navy shifted the balance of power during the Persian Wars.
The Delian League, initially formed to counter Persian threats, became a tool for Athenian dominance.
Pericles oversaw significant infrastructure projects in Athens during the Age of Pericles.
Direct democracy involved the direct participation of the people in decision-making.
Ostracism in Athens prevented threats to democratic values.
The Battle of Aegospotami marked a decisive Spartan victory in the Peloponnesian War.
The war influenced Athenian thought and literature.
The Sicilian Expedition revealed the limitations of Athens' naval supremacy.
The death of Brasidas symbolized the cost of the conflict.

Classical Greek Culture

Oracles were sacred shrines where gods revealed the future through priests or priestesses.
Tragedy depicted conflicts between protagonists and superior forces.
Philosophy was an organized system of thought, and Sophists taught philosophy and rhetoric.
Plato's "The Republic" discussed justice, governance, and the philosopher-king concept.
Aristotle was a philosopher and polymath who covered various subjects.
Socrates was a Greek philosopher and moral thinker.
Herodotus wrote about the Greco-Persian Wars.
The Parthenon's architecture and sculptures symbolized democracy in Athens.
The Olympic Games were dedicated to Zeus and featured athletic competitions.
Greek gods such as Hermes, Apollo, and Hera had various associations.

Alexander and the Hellenistic Era

The Hellenistic period saw a blending of Greek and Eastern religious beliefs.
The Library of Alexandria preserved classical texts.
Greek art and culture influenced subsequent periods.
The political ideals of classical Greece inspired democratic movements.
Greek architectural styles, like Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns, had global influence.

Description

Explore the key aspects of ancient Greece's geography, the decline of Mycenaean civilization, and the literary contributions of Homer during the Dark Age. Learn about the significance of Homer's epic poems and the concept of Arete in Greek society.