City-States
The Greek word for an independent city with its own commerce, government, and culture.
What is a Polis?
This form of government means "rule by the people" and involves large numbers of citizens voting on public decisions.
What is democracy?
This weapon, used by the armies of Philip of Macedonia, gave his armies an advantage over other Greek city-states.
What is a Sarissa?
According to Greek Mythology, this mountain was the home of many of the major gods.
What is Mount Olympus?
This Macedonian emperor famously built upon his father's accomplishments by spreading their empire through Anatolia, Israel, Egypt, and Persia, stopping just short of India.
Who is Alexander the Great?
In this type of government, power is held by a small, elite group of people.
What is oligarchy/aristocracy?
This philosopher was known for his methods of teaching and learning through questioning. So well-known, in fact, that he got in a bit of trouble for it.
Who was Socrates?
Though they were allies during the Persian Wars, these two city-states became bitter rivals, fighting against each other in the Peloponnesian War just a few centuries later.
What is Athens and Sparta?
This epic poem about a long and dangerous journey is named after it's only survivor.
What is the Odyssey?
This Athenian leader firmly established democracy in Athens and led his city-state through a Spartan siege during the Peloponnesian War.
Who is Pericles?
Public buildings and temples were located in this raised up part of a city-state.
What is the Acropolis?
A famous Greek doctor had his medical students swear this oath that they would only use their medical knowledge in ethical ways. Modern medical students make the same oath today.
What is the Hippocratic Oath?
This formation of Greek soldiers involved the men standing close together, overlapping their shields to protect their neighbors.
What is a phalanx?
The Ancient Greeks won this legendary conflict by hiding inside a giant wooden horse.
What is the Trojan War?
This Persian king sought to avenge his father's defeat at the Battle of Marathon by launching a second attack against the Greeks. He would also be unsuccessful.
Who was Xerxes?
In order to support an army made of all native-born men, the city state of Sparta depended on the slave labor of this group.
Who are the helots?
The city of Athens implemented this type of democracy, which is different from the type we have in the United States today.
What is direct democracy?
The battle of Thermopylae, during the Persian Wars, remains famous to this day for the remarkable feat of 300 men from this city-state, holding off the Persian advance for four days.
What is Sparta?
Greek plays featured this group of actors who served as narrators and advisors to the characters. They often spoke in unison.
What is the chorus?
This Athenian leader moved the city further towards democracy by ending the practice of selling debtors into slavery.
Who is Solon?
In Athens, all citizens could vote. In order to be a citizen, you had to meet these three qualifications:
Who are free, native-born men?
This philosophy, founded by Zeno, emphasized mastering the emotions through self-control and living in harmony with reason.
What is Stoicism?/Who are the Stoics?
This type of Greek warship is named for its three rows of oarsmen, rowing the ship at top speeds and ramming it into enemy ships.
What is a trireme?
This city in Hellenistic Egypt built a great library, with the goal of obtaining a copy of every book in the world.
What is Alexandria?
This philosopher, scientist, and teacher is well known for the amount of knowledge that he collected, as well as for one of his most famous students, Alexander the Great.
Who is Aristotle?