Chapter 8 Ancient Greece
700 B.C. to 1200 B.C.
Lesson 1 Greek Culture
The greek god Apollo was the son of Zeus and Leto and twin brother of Artemis. He is the god of medicine and healing. But Apollo was also seen as the god who could bring sickness and plague. His main duty was to carry the sun across the sky in his chariot. Apollo's instrument is the lyre, for healing.
Lesson 2 The Greek Mind
The Greeks believed the human mind was capable of great understanding. In the Golden Age, art, architecture, literature, science and mathematics flourished. Greek thinkers called philosophers developed. One Greek thinker, Plato, wrote The Republic. He presented a plan for an ideal/just government. He divided government into 3 parts. His kings would be philosopher kings. Socrates was a man believing that knowledge was in every person. Also he developed the Socratic method. His kings were afraid of him and sentenced him to death. He said a final speech, and drank poison to carry out his sentence.
Lesson 3 War With Persia
In 333 B.C Alexander's military defeated the Persians in Issus ;then Alexander built a new city called Alexandria. After this victory, Alexander's army took over the rest of the Persian Empire. Today Alexander is known as Alexander the Great, his success marked the beginning of the Hellenistic Era. Alexander planned to unite Macedonians, Greeks, Egyptains & Asians in his new empire. After Alexander died, his generals divided the empire into 4 seperate kingdoms, these kingdoms were Macedonia, Pergamum, Egypt, & the Seleucid Empire.
Lesson 4 Hellenistic Culture
Who was Epicurus?
Epicurus founded a philosophy known as Epicureanism. His philosophy was the goal of like was to find happiness, to avoid pain and worry and to live simply.
The Stoics
Zeno, a phoenician thinker developed a philosophy called stoicism. Stoics believed people who were guided by their emotions lived unhappy lives.
Building and Statues
Sculptures were a big part of the greek culture. They created sculptures to express feelings. They didn't carve ideal figures to reflect beauty and harmony. Instead they showed people in a more realistic style. For example, they made many sculptures of people that looked angry or sad.