Greece: Geo & Gov't
What made Greek citizens of Athens more involved in decision‑making?
Direct participation in assemblies (aka voting)
Shared cultural event among all city‑states?
Olympic‑style festivals.
Who tutored Alexander the Great?
Aristotle
What social group made up most Romans but had limited power?
Plebians
Why did Christianity appeal to the poor?
Promised salvation regardless of class.
Why didn’t the Greeks unite under one government?
Mountains + islands kept city‑states isolated.
What Greek architectural style became widely influential?
Columns + symmetry.
What was Alexander’s main military achievement?
Defeat Persia + expand Greek control.
What were the two highest-ranking elected officials (often patricians) called?
Consuls
What helped Christianity spread across Rome?
Roads and common languages (Greek & Latin)
What major political idea came from Athens?
Direct democracy.
Which philosopher taught through constant questioning?
Socrates
How did Greek ideas spread across three continents?
Alexander the Great's conquest + shared Greek language.
Why did the Republic weaken over time?
Power‑hungry generals (Julius Caesar) + civil wars.
What role did Rome’s location around the Mediterranean play in its economic strength?
It allowed easy movement of goods and connected Rome to major trade regions.
What do all Greek city‑states share besides independence?
Common language + religion.
Which philosopher emphasized observation and classification?
Aristotle
What do we call the blending of Greek, Egyptian, Persian cultures?
Hellenistic culture / Hellenism
Name a Roman engineering innovation.
Aqueducts
Paved Roads
Concrete
One long‑term issue that weakened Rome?
Economic trouble, weak leadership, or border attacks
Name one key difference between Athens and Sparta.
Athens = democracy
Athens = focus on philosophy, arts, etc.
Sparta = oligarchy
Sparta = focus on military and strength
How do Plato’s ideas differ from Aristotle’s?
Plato: ideal forms; Aristotle: real‑world evidence.
Why did some regions keep their traditions despite Hellenistic influence?
Strong local identities.
Key difference between Republic & Empire?
Republic = elected officials; Empire = single ruler holds power.
Why did hiring mercenaries weaken the Roman military over time?
They were paid foreign soldiers with little loyalty to Rome, making the army less dependable.