GREEK VOCABULARY
CITY-STATES & GOVERNMENT
SPARTA VS. ATHENS
PERSIAN WARS & PERICLES
ALEXANDER & THE HELLENISTIC ERA
100

This Greek word means an independent city-state.

What is Polis?

100

This type of government gives power to a small group, usually wealthy or powerful people.

What is an Oligarchy?

100

This Greek city-state developed a society focused heavily on military discipline and warfare.

What is Sparta?

100

The Greeks defeated the Persians at this famous battle in 490 BCE.

What is the Battle of Marathon?

100

This Macedonian king conquered the Greek city-states and defeated the Greeks at Chaeronea.

Who is Philip II?

200

This was the fortified hill located at the center of a Greek city-state.

What is the Acropolis?

200

This type of government gives supreme political power to the people.

What is Democracy?


200

These state-owned slaves were forced to work the land for the Spartans.

What are Helots?

200

This Spartan force delayed the Persian invasion at this famous mountain pass.

What are the 300 Spartans at Thermopylae?

200

He became king of Macedonia at age 20 and created one of the largest empires of the ancient world.

Who is Alexander the Great?

300

This open marketplace also served as a public meeting place.

What is the Agora?

300

This leader seized complete control of a Greek city-state, often using force.

What is a Tyrant?

300

This group of five elected officials held political power in Sparta.

What are the Ephors?

300

The Greeks defeated the Persian navy at this naval battle.

What is the Battle of Salamis?

300

Alexander defeated Darius III at this battle in 331 BCE, giving him control of the Persian Empire.

What is the Battle of Gaugamela?

400

This rectangular military formation allowed Greek soldiers to protect one another with their shields.

What is the Phalanx?

400

This principle says that laws should apply equally to everyone.

What is the Rule of Law?

400

This city-state became famous for democracy, education, philosophy, art, and culture.

What is Athens?

400

This term refers to the golden age of ancient Athens when Athens became a major center of culture and democracy.

What is the Age of Pericles?

400

This era began after Alexander's conquests and was characterized by the spread and mixing of Greek and Eastern cultures.

What is the Hellenistic Era?

500

This Greek idea described excellence, virtue, and achieving one's highest potential.

What is Arete?

500

This group of 500 officials was created by Cleisthenes to help supervise government affairs and propose laws.

What is the Council of 500?

500

Name two major differences between Sparta and Athens.

Possible answers include:

  • Sparta emphasized military discipline; Athens emphasized education and culture.
  • Sparta was an oligarchy; Athens developed democracy.
  • Spartan boys received military training; Athens focused more on education.
  • Spartan women had greater freedom and household responsibilities than women in Athens.
  • Athens encouraged philosophy, literature, and the arts; Sparta discouraged them.
500

In this form of government, citizens directly participate in making decisions rather than electing representatives to make all decisions for them.

What is Direct Democracy?

500

Name two achievements or ideas from Hellenistic science and philosophy.

Possible answers:

  • Aristarchus proposed a sun-centered universe.
  • Eratosthenes calculated the Earth's circumference.
  • Euclid wrote Elements.
  • Archimedes made important discoveries in mathematics and physics.
  • Epicurus founded Epicureanism.
  • Zeno founded Stoicism.
  • Scholars worked at the Library of Alexandria.
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