Minoans
Where was the Minoan civilisation based?
Crete
What language did the Mycenaeans speak?
Greek
What legendary Greek poet lived around 800 BC?
Homer
What form of government did ancient Athens have in the 5th century BC?
Direct democracy
What do we call Greek foot soldiers?
Hoplites
How long ago did Minoan civilisation start?
5,000 years ago
Where was the Mycenaean capital?
Mycenae
Name one of the epic Greek poems about the Trojan War and its aftermath.
The Iliad or the Odyssey
Which city was strongest on land, Athens or Sparta?
Sparta
Sparta was a land power. Athens was a sea power.
What do we call the formation in which Greek soldiers fought?
The phalanx
What activity is depicted on the walls of the Minoan palace at Knossos?
Bull jumping
Young Minoan men and women are shown grabbing bulls by the horns and leaping over them.
What metal did the Mycenaeans use for their weapons?
Bronze
Where did the Greek alphabet come from?
The Phoenician alphabet
What famous part of ancient Athens still survives today?
The Acropolis
Greeks worshipped many gods, so they were ...
polytheistic
What are the two Minoan writing scripts called?
Linear A and Linear B
What great war was fought by the legendary Mycenaean king Agamemnon around 1200 BC?
The Trojan War
Why did the Greek cities establish colonies around the Mediterranean?
There was not enough land for the growing population.
Who was not allowed to take part in government in either Athens or Sparta?
Women, slaves, and non-citizens (such as foreigners).
What is the name of the place in the city where the Greeks had their marketplace and where friends hung out together?
The agora
What disaster in 1600 BC weakened Minoan civilisation so much that the Mycenaeans were able to conquer them later?
Volcanic eruption
The island of Thera (a.k.a. Santorini) exploded in a gigantic volcanic eruption.
Who invaded the Mycenaeans from the north during the Bronze Age Collapse of 1200 BC?
Dorian Greeks
The Dorians were another Greek speaking people armed with iron weapons.
What geographical factor led the Greek city states to develop independently from each other?
Greece is divided by mountain ranges.
At what age did Spartan boys leave their mothers and start training for a soldier's life?
7 years old
Where did all Greek cities send athletes to compete with each other once every four years?
The Olympic Games