The Rise And Fall Of Ancient Heroes II

Greek Literature and MythologyThe Pursuit of Knowledge

Greek Society and Culture

The Greeks As Pragmatists

Greek colonies adopted other civilizations ways of life From Babylonians they learned system of measuring and

learned about coining money from Lydians Greeks added to the coining of money by making coins of

silver and stamped with an insignia From the Phoenicians they adopted the Phonetic alphabet Alphabet makes writing easier and leads to the rebirth of

recording history and poems

Homer: The Iliad and The Odyssey Homer’s Iliad, the tale

of Achilles' heroic fall The Odyssey told of

warrior Odysseus’ ten year travels to return home from Troy

Homer’s works romanticized the highest Greek virtue - arête or manliness, courage and excellence

Homer: The Iliad and The Odyssey

Greek’s believed that individual supremacy enhanced one’s family honor and allowed them to live forever in heroic poems

These ideals help the Greeks strive for greatness

But, it also led to the self-centeredness and disdain for other cultures and fellow Greek cultures

Barbarians and enemies

Greek Literature: Aesop’s Fables and Greek Mythology

Aesop was originally a slave and freed because of his wit and intelligence

Fables are more than likely a collection he learned over time and from travels

Given residency in a royal court Hurled off a cliff over a

misunderstanding He may not have every existed

Greek Literature: Aesop’s Fables and Greek Mythology Greek gods and goddesses

had human qualities Zeus and Hera ruled over

an extended family of gods Greek religion was not an

institution but a series of temples for specific gods

Oracle at Delphi explained divine will of gods to seekers

Greek Literature: Aesop’s Fables and Greek Mythology

Dionysus, god of wine and fertility was worshiped by men and women

Women allowed to step out of traditional barriers during worship of him

In some instances women would become so entranced with drink that they would rip animals apart and eat the raw flesh

The Greeks And The Pursuit of Knowledge

Man seen as center of universe

Rejected earlier explanations of the world around them and sought to understand nature around them

This intellectual search for knowledge is called philosophy

The Greeks And The Pursuit of Knowledge Thales of Miletus (624-

548 B.C.) considered the first philosopher

Introduced astronomy and geometry which he learned from the Egyptians

Democritus (460-370 B.C.) believed that the world was comprised of atoms

The Greeks And The Pursuit of Knowledge

Pythagoras (582-507 B.C.) mathematician credited with The Pythagorian Theorem

The Theorem states that for a triangle with one right angle, the square of the length of the hypotenuse equals the sum of the squares of the lengths of the other two sides

Greek Society and Culture Gender specific society that

dictated roles of men and women

Men involved in politics, war, and head of family

Women had no power outside the home, responsible for child bearing and running homes

Slaves responsible for burden of work at homes and in fields

Greek Society and Culture

Various ways to become slave

Worked in fields, mines, factories, on ships and in homes

Slaves did not have a say in politics nor get an education

Slave labor allowed the Greeks to place freed time into warfare, philosophy and pursuits of individual excellence

Greek Society and Culture Owned pets such as dogs,

birds and goats Played with toys like yo-yos

and clay dolls Children respected parents

and had a desire to learn Homes centered around the

family Food and housing reflected

their enviroment