Ancient Greece

UNIT 6Section 2 Religion, Philosophy and the Arts

Miss Denisse Lopez

The Golden Age of Athens

• Philosphy and the Arts flourished in Athens.• Democracy was an important factor that serve

as a model for other civilizations.• Athens grew richer from trade and silver.• Athens also collected a payment from the

states and his allies.

Why Athens was great

• Athens was the largest city in Greece, and controlled a region called Attica. Athens became rich because had valuable sources of silver, lead and marble. Athens also had the biggest navy in Greece.

• Athens was a beautiful and busy city. People came to the city from all over Greece, and from other countries, to study and to trade. The city's most famous building was the temple called the Parthenon. It stood on a rocky hill called the Acropolis. Inside the Parthenon stood a statue of the city's protector-goddess Athena.

Pericles

• Most powerful man in Athenian politics.• Educated, intelligent and member of an

aristocratic family.• Always act for the interest of the city.• Support democracy and became a leader for a

democracy group. • Persuade Athenians with his speeches. • Introduced reforms and required the city to pay

a salary to its officials.

Religious Beliefs in Ancient Greece• Twelve Olympians Gods and Goddesses• Each ruled different areas of human life and natural

world.• Had human forms and characteristics but they were

perfect, powerful and inmortal. • Greeks expressed their gratitude building temples. • Greeks asked them for blessings and avoid angering the

Gods. • Each city-state honored one of the twelve Gods.• To honor Zeus, every four years played the Olympic

games. Homework: VirtuaLogos Print Olympic Games file and answer the questions.

• Greeks worship the twelve Gods led by Zeus, the King of the Gods.

• Greeks also worshiped lesser ones and mythical heroes like Achilles, who fought in the Trojan War.

• Greeks looked for signs or advice from their Gods, that may indicates them how to behave or how to live.

• Visited oracles for advice or predictions about future.

• Oracles were located throught Greece and were held by priest or priestess.

• Oracles had great effect on Greek history.

Homework: VirtuaLogos Print Greek Gods file and answer the questions.

Greek Science and Philosophy

• Philosophy is a systems of beliefs or values. • Philosophers and traveling teachers such as: – Thales: believed that water was the basic material

of the world.– Democritus: believed that everything was made of

tiny particles called atoms. – : were writers and traveling teachers, who were

gSophistsood speakers, debated topics in publics. Some sophists were more interested in winning debates than seeking the truth.

– Socrates: discusses about wisdom and goodness with people. Challenged people’s beliefs. Was taken to trial and forced to suicide by drinking a cup pf poison because he dishonored the Gods.

– Plato: Socrates student wrote that society should be made of 3 groups: workers, soldiers, and philosophers – rulers. Found a school called Academy in Athens.

– Aristotles: Plato’s student believed that reason should guide the pursuit of knowledge. Found his school, the Lyceum.

Greek Art• Acropolis: A reliogious center of Athens,

was destroyed and Pericles rebuilt it with buildings that glorify the city.

• Parthenon: A temple to the Goddess Athena, made of fine marble with columns that surround it, and a room that held a 12meters statue of Athena, made from ivory and gold. Statue of Athena nowdays doesnt exist but other sculpures that decorated the temple still exist.

• Dramas: Stories or written dramas performed by actors. Written and produced in the Golden Age. Famous Greek dramas were tragedies, that often contains a chorus chanted or sang poems. The chorus gave background information. Euripides, Aeschylus and Sophocles were important authors of tragedies. Tragedies were part of religious festivals contest.

• Comedies: Also competed in dramatic festivals. Greeks wrote comedies that made fun of well known cizitens and politicians and also made jokes about customs. Because of the freedon in Athens people accepted jokes and humor. Aristophanes was best known for Greek comedies.

ClassWork Activity 1

• Why Athens grew richer? • Who was Pericles and why he became important in

Athens?• How did Pericles strengthem democracy?• Name 2 ways that Greeks worshiped gods:• Who was the most important God for the Greeks?• What were some differences between humans and

Greek Gods?• Why were oracles important to the ancient Greeks?

ClassWork Activity 2• How did the beliefs of philosphers differ from the Greeks?• Define Philosophy and Philosophers:• Write 1 characteristics that explain why the following

philosopher became important: Thales, Democritus, Socrates, Plato, Aristotle.

• What is the Parthenon?• What is Acropolis?• What is the difference between Parthenon and Acropolis?• What was the role of the chorus in Greek drama?• When do dramas and comedies were played?