Roots of Western Culture test 2
thalassocracy
"rule of the sea") is a state with primarily maritime realms—an empire at sea (such as the Phoenician network of merchant cities) or a sea-borne empire.
radical democracy
"the root of democracy." Laclau and Mouffe claim that liberal democracy and deliberative democracy, in their attempts to build consensus, oppress differing opinions, races, classes, genders, and worldviews.
Hydaspes river
(now known as the Jhelum) in the Punjab near Bhera, thought to be located at the site of modern-day Mong.
What were some characteristics of Greek life (government, religion, art) during the Hellenistic period?
-Athenian Courts: JURIES in Athenian courts could contain between 200 and 6000 members -1/60 of treasures to Athena -CITY DIONYSIA: ANNUAL ATHENIAN RELIGIOUS/DRAMATIC FESTIVAL -ACTION OF TRAGEDY: NORMALLY IN FRONT OF HOMES, TEMPLES, ETC. GREEK LIFE TOOK PLACE LARGELY OUT OF DOORS -ACTORS: HIRED AND PAID FOR BY THE STATE; NO WOMEN ALLOWED; PLAYED MULTIPLE ROLES -MASKS ALLOWED PEOPLE TO ID SEX, RACE, SOCIAL STATUS, AGE, ETC.; ABOVE: MOSAIC FROM POMPEII WITH MASKS: TRAGIC (L) AND COMIC (R) -The greek chorus: Non- professionals: locals with talents for singing and dancing, Trained by poets, wore costumes and mask
Aeschylus
Aeschylus was an ancient Greek tragedian. His plays, alongside those of Sophocles and Euripides, are the only works of Classical Greek literature to have survived.
eromenos
An adolescent boy who was courted by an older man, or was in an erotic relationship with him.
Aristophanes
Aristophanes, son of Philippus, of the deme Kydathenaion, was a comic playwright of ancient Athens. Eleven of his forty plays survive virtually complete.
Aspasia
Aspasia was an influential immigrant to Classical-era Athens who was the lover and partner of the statesman Pericles. The couple had a son, Pericles the Younger, but the full details of the couple's marital status are unknown.
Describe the major causes, events and outcomes of the Peloponnesian Wars.
Athens vs. Sparta: two superpowers of the day going head to head. Sparta fight by land, Athens fight by sea Athens never recovers in a cultural sense after these wars Thucydides wrote the wars while in exile, wrote that they were the most important wars that ever occurred in greek history General Cause: Rivalry between athens and sparta Specific Cause: Conflict between two brief city-states Corinth and Corcyra. Turn to allies and ask for help (Athens and Sparta) Starts in 431 BC Second year of the war, ship comes in bringing a plague → ⅕ of Athenians die
Bessus
Bessus, also known as Artaxerxes V, was a prominent Persian Satrap of Bactria in Persia, and later self-proclaimed King of Kings of Persia.
Euripides
Euripides was a tragedian of classical Athens. He is one of the few whose plays have survived, with the others being Aeschylus, Sophocles, and potentially Euphorion.
What was Greece like in the fourth century B.C.? Who were the main powers?
GREECE IN THE 4TH CENTURY: THE AGE OF HEGEMONIES (LOTS OF SMALL, REGIONAL GREEK POWERS TRY- AND FAIL- TO BECOME MASTERS OF GREECE; HEAVY USE OF MERCENARIES
Menander
Menander was a Greek dramatist and the best-known representative of Athenian New Comedy. He wrote 108 comedies and took the prize at the Lenaia festival eight times.
new comedy
New Comedy followed the death of Alexander the Great in 323 and lasted throughout the reign of the Macedonian rulers, ending about 260 BC.[7] It is comparable to situation comedy and comedy of manners.[4] The three best-known playwrights belonging to this genre are Menander, Philemon and Diphilus.
Pausanias
Pausanias was a Greek traveler and geographer of the 2nd century AD, who lived in the times of Hadrian, Antoninus Pius and Marcus Aurelius.
What do we know about Greek homosexuality? Describe the sources, the relationships and the stigmas.
Pederasty: Basics: •These relationships seem to have been encouraged by the elite to a degree •Older men would prey on younger men (teens) at the gymnasium and elsewhere oGymnasium: the naked place •These relationships involved courting rituals and had acceptable and unacceptable behaviors •Evidence from art on vases •Often we see an Erastes (older bearded man) the pursuer and the one loving (active), courting an eromenos (a younger beardless man) being loved (passive) oOnce eromenos grew a beard, the relationship ends •Generally intercrural: between thighs Greek homosexuality: •Pederasty connected with Dorian initiation rites? Dorians on Crete would capture adolescents •Pederasty then (allegedly) migrated to the mainland •Sparta: homosexuality relationships between older and younger soldiers were encouraged to reinforce bonding Sources: •Sources for greek male homosexuality: oAll over the place, but especially in art and literature oOne of the best sources: oPlato: Symposium •Female homosexuality: oLargely a mystery (few sources) oOne important source: Poems of Sappho
Pericles
Pericles was a prominent and influential Greek statesman, orator and general of Athens during the Golden Age—specifically the time between the Persian and Peloponnesian wars.
List and describe the three major Hellenistic monarchies.
Ptolemaic Egypt: ruled by Ptolemy I soter and his successors. Most stable. Seleucid Kingdom: Biggest of the three Macedon: Ruled by antigonus and his successors, dominant in Greece first to come into contact with Rome, last to come into the empire Success in the beginning of his emergence, and prideful towards the end.
Compare and contrast what we know about Athenian women and Spartan women.
Spartan women: -meant to be mothers of warrriors -encouraged to speak in public -produced female poets and philosophers -received physical training -weaving/domestic stuff too -Athletics for girls: running, wrestling, discus, javelin -girls lived at home with mothers -marriages were generally arranged -married women could have sex with other men -could own property and inherit land -could NOT participate in politics Athenian Citizen Women - Education was largely in domestic skills: not expected to read and write - Largely segregated from boys in childhood - Had important roles in religious festivals - Had contact with other girls/women in neighborhood - Arranged by fathers - Brides learned domestic duties in months before - Important religious rites took place on night before marriage: ritual baths, hymns the hymen, god of marriage - Ceremony included feast at father's house... - The processions to groom's house... - Then formal consummation in wedding chamber - Bride is driven in chariot from her father's house
The 400
The 400 would have the power to choose 5,000 Athenians who would be the only citizens eligible to partake in assemblies.
Philemon
The Epistle of Paul to Philemon, known simply as Philemon, is one of the books of the Christian New Testament. It is a prison letter, co-authored by Paul the Apostle with Timothy, to Philemon, a leader in the Colossian church
Sicilian Expedition
The Sicilian Expedition was an Athenian military expedition to Sicily, which took place during the period from 415 BC to 413 BC.
Thucydides
Thucydides was an Athenian historian and general. His History of the Peloponnesian War recounts the 5th century BC war between Sparta and Athens to the year 411 BC.
Compare and contrast Greek tragedy and Greek comedy.
Tragedy: big themes of love, loss, pride, the abuse of power and the relationships between God and Man. Usually protagonist commits a huge crime without realizing how crazy he's been and then realizes his error and the world crumbles around him Comedy: Satirical, mocked men in power for their vanity and foolishness. While tragedies mainly occur on the battle field a comedy will occur in a bedroom or bathroom.
What are some of the basic plot/costume/character elements of a Greek tragedy? of a Greek comedy?
Tragedy: big themes of love, loss, pride, the abuse of power and the relationships between God and Man. Usually protagonist commits a huge crime without realizing how crazy he's been and then realizes his error and the world crumbles around him, Tragedies only have one actor and they wear a costume and a maskIn comedy: chorus was dressed differently, animal like Dates back to 6th century BC The world of Comedy: •Vituality is usually a major theme: food, drinks, sex •Focus on country life •Usually ends with a revel (often marriage) •Ritual abuse too: frequent attacks on politicians and celebrities
Who were the three great Greek tragedians? Give some details on each of them.
Who were the three great Greek tragedians? Give some details on each of them. Sophocles: · Athenian · Tragedian: wrote tragedies · Oedipus and Antigone · Early 5th century Aeschylus: · Tragedian: wrote tragedies · 6th century · "The Persians" (his play) Euripides: · Tragedian: wrote tragedies · 5th century · "Bacchae" (his play) · "Medea" (his play)
Ptolemy
a Greco-Egyptian writer, known as a mathematician, astronomer, geographer, astrologer, and poet of a single epigram in the Greek Anthology.
The Clouds
a Greek comedy play written by the celebrated playwright Aristophanes. A lampooning of intellectual fashions in classical Athens, it was originally produced at the City Dionysia in 423 BC and was not as well-received as the author had hoped, coming last of the three plays competing at the festival that year.
Demosthenes
a Greek statesman and orator of ancient Athens. His orations constitute a significant expression of contemporary Athenian intellectual prowess and provide an insight into the politics and culture of ancient Greece during the 4th century BC.
Ptolemaic kingdom
a Hellenistic kingdom based in Egypt. It was ruled by the Ptolemaic dynasty which started with Ptolemy I Soter's accession after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC and which ended with the death of Cleopatra VII and the Roman conquest in 30 BC.
Seleucid kingdom
a Hellenistic state ruled by the Seleucid dynasty, which existed from 312 BC to 63 BC; it was founded by Seleucus I Nicator following the division of the Macedonian empire vastly expanded by Alexander the Great.
Alexandria
a Mediterranean port city in Egypt. During the Hellenistic period, it was home to a lighthouse ranking among the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World as well as a storied library
The Eleven
a board of members in charge of prisoners and executions.They had the right to arrest any criminal that had been denounced to them, and could even execute the criminal if he was 'ep autophoro' - caught in the act.
Syracuse
a city in, and the county seat of, Onondaga County, New York, in the United States. It is the largest U.S. city with the name "Syracuse", and is the fourth most populous metropolitan city in the state of New York.
Socrates
a classical Greek (Athenian) philosopher credited as one of the founders of Western philosophy. He is an enigmatic figure known chiefly through the accounts of classical writers, especially the writings of his students Plato and Xenophon and the plays of his contemporary Aristophanes.
hetairai
a courtesan or mistress, especially one in ancient Greece akin to the modern geisha.
mechane
a crane used in Greek theatre, especially in the 5th and 4th centuries BC.
Antigonid kingdom
a dynasty of Hellenistic kings descended from Alexander the Great's general Antigonus I Monophthalmus ("the One-eyed").
Philippic
a fiery, damning speech, or tirade, delivered to condemn a particular political actor. The term is most famously associated with two noted orators of the ancient world, Demosthenes of Athens and the Roman Cicero, although it can be applied to any speech of this type.
Greek chorus
a group of actors who described and commented upon the main action of a play with song, dance, and recitation. Greek tragedy had its beginnings in choral performances, in which a group of 50 men danced and sang dithyrambs—lyric hymns in praise of the god Dionysus.
Alexander the Great
a king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon and a member of the Argead dynasty.
orchestra
a large instrumental ensemble typical of classical music, which features string instruments such as violin, viola, cello and double bass, as well as brass, woodwinds, and percussion instruments, grouped in sections.
Babylon
a major city of ancient Mesopotamia in the fertile plain between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.
Oedipus
a mythical Greek king of Thebes. A tragic hero in Greek mythology, _______ accidentally fulfilled a prophecy that he would end up killing his father and marrying his mother, thereby bringing disaster to his city and family.
phallus
a penis, especially when erect (typically used with reference to male potency or dominance).
Plato
a philosopher in Classical Greece and the founder of the Academy in Athens, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world.
The Symposium
a philosophical text by Plato dated c. 385-370 BC. It concerns itself at one level with the genesis, purpose and nature of love, and is the origin of the concept of Platonic love.
Diphilus
a poet of the new Attic comedy and contemporary of Menander. Most of his plays were written and acted at Athens, but he led a wandering life, and died at Smyrna. He was on intimate terms with the famous courtesan Gnathaena.
demagogues
a political leader who seeks support by appealing to popular desires and prejudices rather than by using rational argument.
30 Tyrants
a pro-Spartan oligarchy installed in Athens after its defeat in the Peloponnesian War in 404 BCE.
gymnasium
a training facility for competitors in public games. It was also a place for socializing and engaging in intellectual pursuits. The name comes from the Ancient Greek term gymnós meaning "naked".
Oresteia
a trilogy of Greek tragedies written by Aeschylus concerning the end of the curse on the House of Atreus and the pacification of the Erinyes. The name derives from the character Orestes, who sets out to avenge his father's murder.
Chaeroneia
a village and a former municipality in Boeotia, Greece, located about 80 kilometers east of Delphi. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Livadeia, of which it is a municipal unit.
ekkyklema
a wheeled platform rolled out through a skênê in ancient Greek theatre. It was used to bring interior scenes out into the sight of the audience. Some ancient sources suggest that it may have been revolved or turned.
Peace of Nikias
also known as the Fifty-Year Peace, was a peace treaty signed between the Greek city-states of Athens and Sparta in March 421 BC, ending the first half of the Peloponnesian War.
Dyskolos
an Ancient Greek comedy by Menander, the only one of his plays, and of the whole New Comedy, that has survived in almost complete form.
Erastes
an adult male in a relationship with an adolescent boy, also known as the philetor
satyr play
an ancient Greek form of tragicomedy, similar in spirit to the bawdy satire of burlesque. They featured choruses of satyrs, were based on Greek mythology, and were rife with mock drunkenness, brazen sexuality (including phallic props), pranks, sight gags, and general merriment.
Macedon
an ancient kingdom on the periphery of Classical Greece. and later the dominant state of Hellenistic Greece.
Lenaea
an annual Athenian festival with a dramatic competition. It was one of the lesser festivals of Athens and Ionia in ancient Greece. The Lenaia took place in Athens in the month of Gamelion, roughly corresponding to January. The festival was in honour of Dionysos Lenaios.
Persepolis
an autobiographical graphic novel by Marjane Satrapi depicting her childhood up to her early adult years in Iran during and after the Islamic revolution.
Corcyra (Corfu)
an island off Greece's northwest coast in the Ionian Sea, is defined by rugged mountains and a resort-studded shoreline. Its cultural heritage reflects years spent under Venetian, French and British rule before it was united with Greece in 1864. Corfu Town, flanked by 2 imposing Venetian fortresses, features winding medieval lanes, a French-style arcade and the grand Palace of St. Michael and St. George.
deus ex machina
an unexpected power or event saving a seemingly hopeless situation, especially as a contrived plot device in a play or novel.
City Dionysia
ancient dramatic festival in which tragedy, comedy, and satyric drama originated; it was held in Athens in March in honour of Dionysus, the god of wine.
Issus
ancient settlement in the modern Turkish province of Hatay, in 333 BC, where Alexander the Great defeated Darius III.
Amphipolis
best known for the magnificent ancient Greek city, and later Roman city, whose impressive remains can still be seen.
Gaugamela
close to the modern city of Dohuk. In 331 BC Alexander's army of the Hellenic League met the Persian army of Darius III near_____.
Scythian Archers
erved as a police force, keeping order in public gatherings (the Council, the Assembly, and the Agora) and perhaps authorized to use force against citizens under certain circumstances.
Delian League
founded in 477 BC, was an association of Greek city-states, members numbering between 150 173, to 330 under the leadership of Athens, whose purpose was to continue fighting the Persian Empire after the Greek victory in the Battle of Plataea at the end of the Second Persian invasion of Greece.
metics
free resident aliens who lived permanently in the city. The majority of metics had come to Athens to benefit from the Athenian economic miracle, and were usually involved in commerce. It is noteworthy that ancient sources contrast metics not with the citizens but with the townsfolk.
strategos
greek word literally meaning "army leader") is used in Greek to mean military general. In the Hellenistic world and the Byzantine Empire the term was also used to describe a military governor. In the modern Hellenic Army it is the highest officer rank.
Granicus river
little river in northwestern Turkey, place where the Macedonian king Alexander the Great defeated the Persian general Memnon of Rhodes, in the spring of 334 BCE.
2nd Athenian League
military and political union (symmachia) of a number of ancient Greek city-states under the leadership of Athens. The league was created for the purpose of fighting for domination in the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea straits, as well as for control of the northern markets and sources of raw materials, especially the regions of Thrace and the Black Sea area.
shrine of Amun-Re
ne of the four main temple enclosures that make up the immense Karnak Temple Complex. The precinct is by far the largest of these and the only one that is open to the general public. The temple complex is dedicated to the principal god of the Theban Triad, Amun,
Describe the rise (and fall) of Philip II of Macedon. What were his plans when he died?
o 382-336; ruled from 359-336 o eventually brought an end to the age of Hegemonies o Macedonia: Not exactly Greek, history undistinguished o War generals would go here to retire o Philip in charge as king: empire builder o Attacks and captures Amphipolis § Amphipolis has gold mines o Able to pay and buy army o Expansion o This pisses off the Athenians; ally o Not much of a threat though o Philip's new phalanx: shields smaller, spears twice as long o His spears will get to Greek army before Greek spears get to his army o Mercenaries o Philip subjugates all Greeks (saves Sparta) creates a new Hellenic (Greek) League- He's the leader o Announce a plan: The united Greeks will attack Persia! o Alas: Philip murdered at his wedding, summer 336 BC—Alexander (son) becomes king of Macedon. o Continues what father started
Describe some of the elements of the Athenian criminal justice system: officials, lawsuits and trials.
o Athenian Courts—juries between 200 to 6000 members o Magistrates held trials, probably involving medication of disputes o Prosecution was carried out by the victim or their associates usually, though anybody could bring a charge against anybody else no matter if they were actually wronged o Ancient law enforcement was based on self help-machinery was available for the victim to seek justice on their own initiative, burden was on the victim, which made it difficult for the poor to get justice o Law enforcement officials—the eleven, eleven men who ran the prisons in Athens o Agoranomi-kept order in the marketplace and made sure merchants were not cheating customers o Trials in Athens—A citizen would register with a magistrate, juries would be randomly selected, prosecutors went first and then were followed by the defense with no cross examination, decisions were made by a secret ballot immediately after the trial, the majority won and on a tie the defendant won, women were not allowed to sure/defend themselves, different trials had time limits on speeches, used water clocks to measure how much time the speaker had o Public vs. Private cases-two major distinctions, private is dispute between individuals that does not break public laws, smaller juries and penalties, penalties were paid to the prosecutor and there was no penalty for prosecuting someone, Public is a larger jury, steeper penalties, if the prosecutor gets less than 20% of the vote they were fined by the state, individuals had to take it upon themselves to sue someone for crimes against the public o Sentences-two types either trail dictated penalty or the two parties made a speech arguing the punishment and then the jury voted on it o Punishment-fines, stocks, loss of political rights, disenfranchisement, exile with or without confiscation of property, death, denied burial, burning down of house o Women and metics couldn't lose their citizenship o Slaves are usually executed for crimes that were serious enough to come to court or sentences to the mill o Leniency-for citizens drinking hemlock was seen as a semi human way to die, citizens on death row were allowed to escape and go into exile
When someone says "Classical Athens," what are they talking about? Why was it "classical?"
o The term classical Greece refers to the period between the Persian Wars at the beginning of the fifth century B.C and the death of Alex the Great. o The classical period was an era of war and conflict—first between the Greeks and the Persians, then between the Athenians and the Spartans o Classical Athens brought us demokratia—rule by the people
Describe the three different phases of Greek comedy. Which do we know the most about? the least?
o The three different phases of Greek Comedy are o Old Comedy, Middle Comedy, New Comedy o Old Comedy oComic hero is central, usually a lower-class man interested in self- gratification, but still fundamentally good · Devises a fantastic scheme based on his dissatisfaction with society · Hero is often opposed to chorus; fights with an authority figure in an Agon (a contest) · At end, typically some sort of triumph and/or celebration o Middle Comedy o end of 5th and much of the 4th century o offshoot of old comedy o No chorus and not political o Generalized objects of ridicule o Most plays mock myths, no full plays survive, some argue that later plays of Aristophanes are middle comedy o New Comedy o End of 4th century-3rd century o Drama concerns upper class people and everyday life o Also became more general since Greeks now live throughout the Mediterranean o Carries on into roman period o Chance money and coincidence plays a large part o Fate saves them in the end, the gods are very abstract if at all o Shakespeare derives from this comedy
sophocles
one of three ancient Greek tragedians whose plays have survived. His first plays were written later than those of Aeschylus, and earlier than or contemporary with those of Euripides.
Darius III
originally named Artashata and called Codomannus by the Greeks, was the last king of the Achaemenid Empire of Persia from 336 BC to 330 BC. Artashata adopted Darius as a dynastic name.
pederasty
sexual activity involving a man and a boy.
Tyre
sometimes romanized as Sour, is a city in the South Governorate of Lebanon. There were approximately 117,000 inhabitants in 2003.
Hephaestion
son of Amyntor, was a Macedonian nobleman and a general in the army of Alexander the Great. He was "... by far the dearest of all the king's friends; he had been brought up with Alexander and shared all his secrets."
Alcibiades
son of Cleinias, from the deme of Scambonidae, was a prominent Athenian statesman, orator, and general.
middle comedy
style of drama that prevailed in Athens from about 400 bc to about 320 bc. Preoccupied with social themes, Middle Comedy represents a transition from Old Comedy, which presented literary, political, and philosophical commentary interspersed with scurrilous personal invective, to New Comedy, with its gently satiric observation of contemporary domestic life. Aristophanes' last play, the Plutus, is an extant work that reflects this transition. Antiphanes and Alexis were preeminent Middle Comedy dramatists, but none of their plays has survived except in later quotations of individual words or sentences.
old comedy
the first period of the ancient Greek comedy, according to the canonical division by the Alexandrian grammarians. The most important Old Comic playwright is Aristophanes - whose works, with their daring political commentary and abundance of sexual innuendo, effectively define the genre today.
Komos
the god of revelry, merrymaking and festivity.
Dionysus
the god of the grape harvest, winemaking and wine, of ritual madness, fertility,[2][3] theatre and religious ecstasy in Greek mythology.
Philip II
the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon from 359 BC until his assassination in 336 BC. He was a member of the Argead dynasty, the third son of King Amyntas III, and father of Alexander the Great and Philip III.
protagonist
the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text.
pathikos
the man being penetrated; passive partner
kinaidos
the manifestation of traits in a boy or man that are more often associated with feminine nature, behavior, mannerism, style or gender roles rather than with masculine nature, behavior, mannerisms, style or roles.
deuteragonist
the person second in importance to the protagonist in a drama.
tritagonist
the person who is third in importance, after the protagonist and deuteragonist, in an ancient Greek drama.
skene
the structure at the back of a theatre stage, initially a very light structure or just cloth hanging from a rope, but by the start of Roman Greece, a large and complex stone building on several levels.
theatron
where the audience of a Greek tragedy sat to view the performance.
List and describe some of the major battles of the expedition of Alexander the Great. Were Alexander's conquests great successes or great failures? Defend your answer.
~~First Major Battle:~~ · Granscus, River 334 BC · First encounter with Persian force, not entire Persian army. o Army of Satrap of Sardis o Marches north to confront Alexander's army · Alexander= 30,000 men and 5,000 cavalry) vs Satrap (40,000 men) · Macedonian cavalry wins the day, alexander then dismisses his fleet ~~Battle of Issus 333 BC~~ · First time Persian kind Darius gets involved with fighting · Alexander defeats Persian King Darius III, outnumbered Macedonians had tactical advantage: Issus was in a narrow spot o Persians flee ~~Capture of Phoenicia and Tyre; builds a mole~~ · Tyre famous: old Phoenician city, effective sailor, · Port city and problem for Alexander · Heavily fortified ~~Battle of Gaugamela: 331 BC~~ · Most important victory, against 1 million men??!! · Alexander capture Babylon and susa · Chariots and knifes · Elephants
