Ancient Greece Background and History for The Odyssey andThe Iliad.

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece

Background and History for Background and History for The Odyssey andThe Odyssey andThe Iliad The Iliad

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece

Ancient Greeks introduced some of Ancient Greeks introduced some of Western civilization’s most cherished Western civilization’s most cherished ideas:ideas:– individual freedomindividual freedom– democracydemocracy– power of rational thoughtpower of rational thought

Political LifePolitical Life

Many city-states expected Many city-states expected all all citizens to citizens to become involved in politics.become involved in politics.

An assembly passed laws and elected An assembly passed laws and elected generalsgenerals– Any citizen could be part of the assembly and Any citizen could be part of the assembly and

submit laws for debatesubmit laws for debate Each year, 500 citizens were randomly Each year, 500 citizens were randomly

chosen to serve on the Council of 500chosen to serve on the Council of 500 Many political positions were paid so even Many political positions were paid so even

the poor could hold officethe poor could hold office

Education and PhilosophyEducation and Philosophy

Valued educationValued education – believed human beings could be perfectedbelieved human beings could be perfected

Greek teachers taught students to Greek teachers taught students to think for themselvesthink for themselves

Three famous Greek philosophersThree famous Greek philosophers– Socrates:Socrates:

dedicated himself to reason, truth, and virtuededicated himself to reason, truth, and virtue believed that true happiness depended on the believed that true happiness depended on the

goodness of one’s soulgoodness of one’s soul

Education and PhilosophyEducation and Philosophy– PlatoPlato: :

Socrates’ studentSocrates’ student founder of the first school of higher education founder of the first school of higher education

(The Academy) (The Academy) expanded Socrates’ ideas into a philosophical expanded Socrates’ ideas into a philosophical

system that examined the nature of realitysystem that examined the nature of reality

– Aristotle:Aristotle: Plato’s student Plato’s student tutor to Alexander the Great tutor to Alexander the Great emphasized scientific observation emphasized scientific observation

– studied plants, animals, the human body, language, studied plants, animals, the human body, language, literature, ethics, politics, and logic.literature, ethics, politics, and logic.

AthleticsAthletics

Olympic GamesOlympic Games– every 4 years athletes would gather to every 4 years athletes would gather to

compete in athletic eventscompete in athletic events– Olympics were so important to the Olympics were so important to the

Greeks that even war would stop for Greeks that even war would stop for the gamesthe games

– events included: boxing, wrestling, the events included: boxing, wrestling, the javelin and discus throws, and racesjavelin and discus throws, and races

LiteratureLiterature Begins with the epics Begins with the epics The IliadThe Iliad and and

The Odyssey, The Odyssey, both written by Homerboth written by Homer 400 BC – drama became the most 400 BC – drama became the most

important literary formimportant literary form– created the dramatic forms:created the dramatic forms:

tragedytragedy– a serious drama about the downfall of a a serious drama about the downfall of a

tragic herotragic hero– example: example: Oedipus the KingOedipus the King

comedycomedy– story or play that ends in love, marriage, story or play that ends in love, marriage,

or a celebrationor a celebration

The 12 OlympiansThe 12 Olympians

Ancient Greek Gods and Ancient Greek Gods and GoddessesGoddesses

ReligionReligion There were no sacred writings or bibleThere were no sacred writings or bible

– Developed a rich set of myths (traditional Developed a rich set of myths (traditional stories) about their godsstories) about their gods

Worship centered on an elite group of gods, Worship centered on an elite group of gods, the 12 Olympiansthe 12 Olympians– 12 Olympians, headed by Zeus and Hera12 Olympians, headed by Zeus and Hera– gods had human qualities: love, hate, and gods had human qualities: love, hate, and

jealousyjealousy– gods lived forevergods lived forever– gods fought and competed with one anothergods fought and competed with one another– live at the top of the highest mountain in live at the top of the highest mountain in

Greece: Mount OlympusGreece: Mount Olympus

12 Olympians12 Olympians

Zeus (Roman god: Jupiter)Zeus (Roman god: Jupiter)– supreme god of the Olympianssupreme god of the Olympians– youngest son of the Titans Cronus and Rheayoungest son of the Titans Cronus and Rhea– vanquished his father and the other Titans, vanquished his father and the other Titans,

imprisoning most of them in the underworld imprisoning most of them in the underworld of Tartarusof Tartarus

– he and his brothers, Poseidon and Hades, he and his brothers, Poseidon and Hades, divided up the worlddivided up the world

– Zeus ruled the sky and was given supreme Zeus ruled the sky and was given supreme authority over the earth and Mount Olympusauthority over the earth and Mount Olympus


Zeus (Roman god: Jupiter)Zeus (Roman god: Jupiter)– God of the sky and thunderGod of the sky and thunder– Symbols: thunderbolt, eagle, bull and Symbols: thunderbolt, eagle, bull and

oakoak


ArtemisArtemis (Roman name: Diana)(Roman name: Diana)– virgin goddess of the huntvirgin goddess of the hunt– usually depicted as a young woman usually depicted as a young woman

wearing buckskins, carrying a bow and wearing buckskins, carrying a bow and quiver of arrows; also associated with quiver of arrows; also associated with the moonthe moon


Hephaestus (Roman name: Vulcan)Hephaestus (Roman name: Vulcan)– the lame god of fire and crafts; the lame god of fire and crafts;

blacksmiths; artisans; sculptors; blacksmiths; artisans; sculptors; craftsmen; technology craftsmen; technology

– son of Zeus and Herason of Zeus and Hera– builds marvelous palaces on builds marvelous palaces on

Mount OlympusMount Olympus– made armor for Achilles during made armor for Achilles during

the siege of Troythe siege of Troy– created the first woman, Pandoracreated the first woman, Pandora


Aphrodite (Roman name: Venus)Aphrodite (Roman name: Venus)

– goddess of love, beauty and fertilitygoddess of love, beauty and fertility– protector of sailorsprotector of sailors

daughter of Zeus and Dione; although daughter of Zeus and Dione; although the poet Hesiod said she was born the poet Hesiod said she was born from sea-foam from sea-foam

Associated with dolphins, doves, Associated with dolphins, doves, swans, pomegranates, lime treesswans, pomegranates, lime trees


Hera (Roman name: Juno)Hera (Roman name: Juno)– wife of Zeus and queen of the wife of Zeus and queen of the

OlympiansOlympians– goddess of marriagegoddess of marriage

•The cow and peacock are sacred to her

12 Olympians12 Olympians Athena (Roman name: Minerva)Athena (Roman name: Minerva)

– goddess of crafts, domestic arts, and wargoddess of crafts, domestic arts, and war– patron goddess of Athenspatron goddess of Athens– said to have been born from said to have been born from Zeus’s forehead, fully armedZeus’s forehead, fully armed– Attended by an owlAttended by an owl– Usually depicted with a helmetUsually depicted with a helmet and shield with Gorgon Medusa’sand shield with Gorgon Medusa’s head on ithead on it


Apollo (Roman name: Apollo)Apollo (Roman name: Apollo)– god of prophesy, music and healinggod of prophesy, music and healing– he brought about the demise of Achilles, he brought about the demise of Achilles,

guiding Paris’s arrowguiding Paris’s arrow– often depicted playing the lyre andoften depicted playing the lyre and

carrying a bowcarrying a bow


Demeter (Roman name: Ceres)Demeter (Roman name: Ceres)– goddess of agriculture, grain, and goddess of agriculture, grain, and

fertility; nourisher of youth fertility; nourisher of youth

and the earthand the earth– sister of Zeussister of Zeus


Hermes (Roman name: Mercury)Hermes (Roman name: Mercury)– messenger of the gods and guide of messenger of the gods and guide of

dead souls to the underworlddead souls to the underworld– son of Zeus and a mountain nymphson of Zeus and a mountain nymph– known for his helpfulness to known for his helpfulness to

mankindmankind– inventor of fireinventor of fire– depicted with a staff or caduceus depicted with a staff or caduceus

(staff entwined with snakes)(staff entwined with snakes)


Ares (Roman name: Mars)Ares (Roman name: Mars)– god of savage war, bloodlustgod of savage war, bloodlust– handsome and cruelhandsome and cruel– depicted carrying a bloodstained speardepicted carrying a bloodstained spear– throne on Mount Olympus is said to be throne on Mount Olympus is said to be

covered in human skincovered in human skin– Sacred animals: barn owl, woodpecker, Sacred animals: barn owl, woodpecker,

eagle owl, and vultureeagle owl, and vulture


Dionysus (Roman name: Bacchus)Dionysus (Roman name: Bacchus)– god of winegod of wine


Poseidon (Roman name: Poseidon (Roman name: Neptune)Neptune)– god of sea, earthquakes, and god of sea, earthquakes, and

horseshorses– spent most of his time in the seaspent most of his time in the sea– brother to Zeus and Hadesbrother to Zeus and Hades– known to drive his chariot through known to drive his chariot through

the waves in unquestioned the waves in unquestioned dominancedominance

– Usually pictured with a tritonUsually pictured with a triton


Hades (Roman name: Pluto)Hades (Roman name: Pluto)– not one of the 12 Olympians because he not one of the 12 Olympians because he

resides in the underworld and not on Mt. resides in the underworld and not on Mt. OlympusOlympus

– god of the dead and the underworldgod of the dead and the underworld


Hestia (Roman name: Vesta)Hestia (Roman name: Vesta)– Not always considered one of the Not always considered one of the

12 Olympians12 Olympians She gave up her seat to Dionysus so that she She gave up her seat to Dionysus so that she

could tend to the sacred fire on Mt. Olympuscould tend to the sacred fire on Mt. Olympus

– Goddess of hearth, domesticity, and Goddess of hearth, domesticity, and familyfamily

– Known for warmth, generosity, and Known for warmth, generosity, and kindnesskindness

– Sister of Zeus, Poseidon and HadesSister of Zeus, Poseidon and Hades


Persephone (Roman Persephone (Roman name:Proserpina)name:Proserpina)– Not one of the 12 Olympians becauseNot one of the 12 Olympians because

for 6 months out of the year she for 6 months out of the year she

resides with Hades in the underworldresides with Hades in the underworld– Usually depicted carrying a sheaf of Usually depicted carrying a sheaf of

graingrain– Daughter of DemeterDaughter of Demeter

Vocabulary List #3Vocabulary List #31.1. hubris – (n.) extreme pride or self-confidencehubris – (n.) extreme pride or self-confidence2.2. fate – (n.) an inevitable, and often adverse, fate – (n.) an inevitable, and often adverse,

outcomeoutcome3.3. plunder – (v.) to take goods by force, usually in plunder – (v.) to take goods by force, usually in

warwar4.4. loiter – (v.) to delay an activity for no obvious loiter – (v.) to delay an activity for no obvious

reasonreason5.5. wrath – (n.) a strong, vengeful angerwrath – (n.) a strong, vengeful anger6.6. scepter – (n.) a staff or baton carried by a leader scepter – (n.) a staff or baton carried by a leader

as a symbol of authorityas a symbol of authority7.7. gallant – (adj.) nobly chivalrous and often self-gallant – (adj.) nobly chivalrous and often self-

sacrificingsacrificing8.8. rampart – (n.) a protective barrierrampart – (n.) a protective barrier9.9. grovel – (n.) throwing oneself to the groundgrovel – (n.) throwing oneself to the ground10.10. scourge – (n.) an instrument of punishment or scourge – (n.) an instrument of punishment or

criticismcriticism

Ancient Greece Background and History for The Odyssey andThe Iliad.

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