Amy Zhang

Chapter 10 Study Cards

Knossos-One of the most famous palaces built on the island of Crete. The palaces were the nerve centers of the Minoan society; they were residences of rulers, and they also served as storehouses where officials collected taxes in kind from local cultivators. Knossos was an enormous complex decorated with vivid frescos depicting Minoans at work and play. Decline of Minoan Society- The society experienced a series of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, and tidal waves. The most destructive was a massive volcanic eruption on the island of Thera. The Cretans built luxurious complexes with indoor plumbing and drainage systems and even furnished some of them with flush toilets. Mycenaean Society- Indo-Europeans peoples came into the Greek peninsula. They had begun to trade with the Minoan merchants and visit Crete. They adapted the Minoans language as their own and also built massive stone fortresses and palaces. Chaos in the Eastern Mediterranean- The Mycenaean engaged in conflict with the city of Troy. Invasions and civil disturbances made it impossible to maintain stable govt or even productive agricultural societies. Mycenaean palaces fell into ruin, the pop. Sharply decline and people abandoned most settlements. The Polis- The term polis means a fortified site that offered refuge for local communities during times of war or other emergencies. These sites increased pop. And many gradually became lively commercial centers. Poleis emerged independently and elaborated their traditions with little outside influence. Sparta- They introduced neighboring peoples to the status of helots, servants of the Spartan states, although helots were not slaves, they were not free. They could form families, but they could not leave the land. Their role in society was to provide agricultural labor and keep Sparta supplied with food. Spartan Society- Spartans did not wear jewelry or elaborate clothes, nor did they pamper themselves with luxuries or accumulate private wealth. All boys from families left their homes at the age seven and went to live in military service, which they continued until retirement. Spartans also prescribed vigorous exercise for girls in hopes that they would bear strong children. When they reached the age eighteen to twenty, young women married but did not live with their husbands. Athens- Owners of small plots could not compete with wealthy landowners, and debt burdens overwhelmed then and pushed them into slavery. They had a govt based on democratic principles; however, just because you were a citizen did not mean could vote. Only free adult males from Athens played a role in public affairs. Athenian Society- As their wealth grew, aristocrats increased their landholdings and cultivated then with greater efficiency. Owners of small plots could not compete with the wealthy aristocrats. Solon and Athenian Democracy- Solon allowed aristocrats to keep their lands, but he cancelled debts, forbade debt slavery, and liberated those already enslaved for debt. Pericles- He supported building programs that provided employment for thousands of construction workers and laborers. Athens became the most sophisticated of the poleis with scientists, philosophers, poets, dramatists, artists, and architects. The Delian League- After the Persian wars, the poleis created an alliance known as the Delian League. Athens became leader. The other poleis contributed financial support which went to Athenian treasury.

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Chapter 10 Study Cards

The Peloponnesian war- Poleis divided into two armed camps under the control of Athens and Sparta. The Spartans forced the Athenians to unconditional surrender. Hegemony in the Greek world passed to Sparta, Thebes, Corinth, and other poleis. The Kingdom of Macedon- Philip built a powerful military machine that enabled him to overcome the traditional clans and make himself the ruler of Macedon. The military included an infantry of small landowners and a cavalry staffed by aristocrats holding large estates. Philip turned his attention to Greece and the Persian Empire. He brought Greece under his control due to the fact that Greece was distracted with the Peloponnesian War. Alexander of Macedon- He assembled an army of about 37,000 men to invade the Persian empire. Alexander was a brilliant strategist and inspired leader. Alexanders Conquests- He took an army to India, returned to Susa in Mesopotamia. He fell ill and died at the age 33. The Hellenistic Era- refers to the age of Alexander and his successors as the Hellenistic era. The Antigonid Empire- It was smallest of the Hellenistic empires, it benefited handsomely from the new order. The poleis offer struck bargains with the Antigonids, offering to recognize their rule in exchange fro tax relief and local autonomy. Socrates- He was a reflective Athenian driven by a powerful urge to understand human beings and human affairs in all their complexity. He suggested that human beings could lead honest lives and that honor was far more important than wealth, fame, or other superficial attributes. He scorned those who preferred public accolades to personal integrity. Plato- He presented his thought in a series of dialogues in which Socrates death; Plato largely represented his mentors views. It disturbed Plato that he could not gain satisfactory intellectual control over the world. He developed this belief that the world in which we live was not the only world; it was not the world of genuine reality, but only a pale imperfect reflection of the world of Forms or Ideas. Only by entering the world of Forms and Ideas was it possible to understand the true nature of virtue and other qualities. Aristotle- unlike Plato, he believed that philosophers could rely on their sense to provide accurate information about the world and then depend on reason to sort out its mysteries. Little Plato, Aristotle explored the nature of reality in subtle metaphysical works, and he devised rigorous rules of logic in an effort to construct powerful and compelling arguments. He wrote on biology, politics, ethics, and literature. Greek deities- in the beginning, they believed that there was a formless void of chaos out of which emerged the earth. Zeus emerged as paramount ruler of the divine realm. Apollo promoted justice and wisdom. Religious Cults- Greek myths served as foundations for religious cults. Some cults only admitted women. The fertility cult of Demeter excludes men. The Cult of Dionysus- Women was important in this clan. During spring, devotees retreated into the hills to celebrate Dionysus with song and dance. The Bacchae was a play written by Euripides describing the celebration. Tragic Drama- Of the thousands of plays written in Greece, only a few survive. Samples show that dramatists engage audiences in subtle reflection on complicated themes. The great tragedians engaged audiences in subtle reflection on complicated themes. Comic dramatists also dealt with serious issues of human striving and responsible behavior.

Amy Zhang

Chapter 10 Study Cards