Monsters, Myths, and Herculean Hits
What was special about the Nemean Lion’s skin?
It was impenetrable to weapons.
What type of government did Athens have?
Democracy.
Who was the famous philosopher that asked questions to help people think critically, eventually leading to his trial and execution?
Socrates.
What was the name of the war between Athens and Sparta?
The Peloponnesian War.
What was the name of the athletic competition held every four years to honor Zeus?
The Olympics.
How did Hēracles stop the Lernaean Hydra from regrowing its heads?
He burned the stumps after cutting them off.
At what age did Spartan boys begin military training?
Age 7.
What was Plato’s famous school of philosophy called?
The Academy.
What was the major cause of the Peloponnesian War?
Sparta feared Athens’ growing power and influence.
What architectural structure in Athens is considered one of the greatest achievements of Greek civilization?
The Parthenon.
What mythical three-headed creature did Hēracles capture and bring from the Underworld?
Cerberus, the guard dog of Hades.
Which city-state allowed women more freedom, including the ability to own land?
Sparta.
Aristotle taught a famous student who would go on to conquer much of the known world. Who was he?
Alexander the Great.
What Spartan king led 300 warriors in a heroic stand against the Persian army at the Battle of Thermopylae in 480 BCE?
King Leonidas I.
The myth of the Minotaur comes from which ancient civilization that predated classical Greece?
The Minoans of Crete.
What trick did Hēracles use to obtain the Apples of the Hesperides?
He convinced Atlas to retrieve them while he held up the sky.
What was the purpose of the Spartan military training system known as the agoge?
To create fearless, disciplined warriors.
Plato’s "Allegory of the Cave" is about people seeing only shadows instead of reality. What does this symbolize?
How people often live in ignorance and need education to see the truth.
Which famous Athenian leader helped rebuild Athens after the Persian Wars and encouraged democracy?
Pericles.
What does Ariadne’s Thread symbolize in the myth of the Minotaur?
Cleverness, problem-solving, and guidance through challenges.
The Minotaur was a half-man, half-bull creature trapped in a maze. Who built the Labyrinth that contained it?
Daedalus, the great inventor.
What was the main reason Athens became a center of learning and philosophy while Sparta focused on war?
Athens valued education and arts, while Sparta prioritized military strength and survival.
What method of questioning did Socrates use to challenge ideas and encourage critical thinking?
The Socratic Method.
What military innovation did Philip II of Macedon introduce that helped his son, Alexander, conquer the Persian Empire?
The Macedonian phalanx with long spears, or sarissas.
Who was the patron god of Sparta, known for his association with war, strength, and discipline, reflecting the core values of Spartan society?
Ares.