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# The Classical Period ## Time Period - Ancient Greek and Roman Civilization - **Classical Greek Period (800-200 BCE)**: During this period, the rise democracy, philosophy, and some of the most influential art and literature took place. - **Classical Roman Period (200 BCE-455 CE)**: Rome conquere...

# The Classical Period ## Time Period - Ancient Greek and Roman Civilization - **Classical Greek Period (800-200 BCE)**: During this period, the rise democracy, philosophy, and some of the most influential art and literature took place. - **Classical Roman Period (200 BCE-455 CE)**: Rome conquered Greece during this time, absorbing its culture and resulting in the development of a distinct ## Brief Overview The term "classical" refers to the literature of any language in a period known for the excellence and lasting quality of its authors' works. In ancient Greece, this period extends from about 500-320 BCE. The Golden Age of Rome lasted from about 70 BCE to 18 BCE. ## Key Events/Movements - **Roman literature** brought forth notable figures such as Virgil, whose _Aeneid_ work became a cornerstone of Roman Literature. Ovid, known for his _Metamorphoses_, reflected Roman values. - During the **Classical Period**, forms of government like **democracy** and the **republic** were created, placing the power of decision making in the hands of the people. - The Classical Period is known for historical events like the rise and fall of city-states in Greece, as well the expansion of the Roman Empire. ## Key Stylistic Characteristics and Genres - **Formal, elevated style** and emphasis on reason, logic, and order - **Epic Poetry**: Long, narrative poems that celebrate heroic deeds and the gods. - **Tragedy**: Plays that explore serious themes of fate, human suffering, and the consequences of pride. - **Comedy**: Plays that focus on satire, wit, and social critique, like Aristophanes' _Lysistrata_ - **Philosophy**: Works that explore ethics, politics, and the nature of reality. - **History**: Like _Herodotus' Histories_ and _Thucydides' History of the Peloponnesian War_, accounts of past events. ## Common Themes Classical Literature explores themes such as: - heroism - tragedy - truth/reason - democracy/republic - polytheism - humanism - societal change The great thinkers of the time, including Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle, explored truth through logic and reason. Most of the ancient Greeks and Romans were polytheistic, believing in multiple gods who represented different facets of life. Humanism, a focus on humans, is at the core of almost every endeavor. ## Influential Authors/Iconic Texts | **Author** | **Iconic Texts** | |---|---| | Homer | Homer's _Illiad_ and _Odyssey_ | | Hesiod | | | Aeschylus | | | Sophocles | Plato's _The Republic_ | | Euripides | Aristotle's _Poetics_ | | Virgil | Virgil's _The Aeneid_ | | Ovid | Ovid's _Metamorphoses_ | | Horace | | | Plato | | | Aristotle | |