Chapter 6 The Rise of Ancient Greece

Objectives In this section you will…

Identify the religious beliefs of the ancient Greeks.

Explore how the Greeks searched for knowledge about the world.

Describe the relationship between the rise of democracy and the spread of new ideas in Greek city-states.

Key Terms tribute - a payment made by a less

powerful state or nation to a more powerful one

immortal - someone or something that lives forever

oracle - in Ancient Greece a sacred site used to consult a god or goddess; any priest or priestess who spoke for the gods.

philosopher - someone who used reason to understand the world; in Greece the earliest philosophers used reason to explain natural events.

tragedy - a type of serious drama that ends in disaster for the main character.

The Golden Age of Athens

The years 479 B.C. to 431 B.C. are known as the Golden Age of Athens.

Trade, silver mined by slaves, and tribute made the city rich.

Athenians made achievements in the arts, philosophy, and literature; democracy reached its high point.

Pericles, a well-educated and intelligent man, was the most powerful person in Athenian politics for about 30 years.

Although a member of an aristocratic family, Pericles still supported democracy and became leader of a democratic group around 460 B.C.

Pericles had the city pay a salary to its officials, allowing poor citizens to hold public office.

The construction of the Parthenon between 447 and 432 B.C. was one of the greatest accomplishments under Pericles's rule.

It was built to honor the protector of Athens, the goddess Athena, as part of the general reconstruction of the Acropolis in Athens.

Reading Check How did Pericles strengthen democracy?

Pericles strengthened democracy by introducing reforms that strengthened democracy. He had the city pay a salary to its officials. This meant poor citizens could afford to hold public office.

Ancient Greek Religious Beliefs Greeks worshiped a family of gods and

goddesses called the Twelve Olympians, who ruled areas of human life.

The Greeks honored their gods by giving thanks and receiving blessings.

They also tried to avoid angering their gods.

Gods and Goddesses

Wherever the Greeks lived they built temples to their immortal gods led by Zeus.

Mt. Olympus is Greece's highest mountain; Zeus also ruled the gods and humans from there.

Greeks honored many gods as well as mythical heroes, such as Achilles.

All Greeks worshiped all the gods but each

city-state honored one of the twelve gods and built a temple for their god.

They would hold festivals, sacrifice animals, and offer food to the gods to honor them, but for Zeus all city-states would come together and hold an Olympian festival and games.

The Oracles

Greeks visited shrines to speak with oracles, priest or priestess of the gods, who would give advice or signs on how to behave.

Leaders would visit the shrine of Apollo at Delphi, an ancient city in central Greece, for advice.

The oracles had a great impact on Greek history.

Reading Check How did the Greeks honor their gods?

The Greeks honored their gods by worshiping them.

Each city-state worshiped one of the twelve gods.

The Greeks also wished to give thanks to the gods and received blessings.

They also tried to avoid angering the gods.

The Search for Knowledge Many Greek people thought gods were responsible for natural events, but some disagreed.

Greek Science And Philosophy

One of the first philosophers was Thales.

He believed water was the basic material of the world.

Democritus thought that everything was made of tiny particles, called atoms.

More than 2,000 years later, science showed that they were correct.

Socrates

During the Golden Ages and later, several important philosophers taught in Athens. One man was named Socrates.

He was at the market place for hours.

Socrates wanted people to believe in the true meaning of qualities such as justice and courage.

Many times people would get mad because he told or showed them that they didn't know what they were talking about.

In 399 B.C. Socrates was brought to trial.

He was accused of dishonoring the gods and that he mislead young people.

He was sentenced to death, so he drank hemlock and died.

Plato and Aristotle

What is known about Socrates came from his student, Plato.

Plato believed that there should be three groups: workers, soldiers , and philosopher-rulers.

Plato founded an Academy in Athens, called the Academy, where he taught a student named Aristotle.

Aristotle believed the pursuit of knowledge should be guided by reason.

Aristotle founded a school of his own called the Lyceum.

Reading Check How did Socrates challenge the values of

the people of Athens?

"Socrates wanted people to consider the true meaning of qualities such as justice and courage. To do this, he asked questions that made others think about their beliefs."

By doing this he challenged the Athenian's values.

Visual and Dramatic Arts The ancient Greeks devoted great attention

to their arts, using visual arts such as sculpture and architecture to honor their Gods.

They are also known as the first civilization to have playwrights, people who wrote plays.

The Parthenon The Athenian leader Pericles is known for

beautifying Athens.

Pericles rebuilt the Acropolis.

The builders of the new Acropolis brought Greek architecture to its highest point.

The temple to the goddess Athena, was called the Parthenon.

The great statue of Athena disappeared a long time ago.

Dramas Athenians were the first people known to

write dramas.

Among the city's great achievements were plays written and produced in the 400s B.C. during the Golden Age.

Often tragedies told of fictional humans who were destroyed when forced to make impossible choices.

Comedies During the 400’s B.C. in Athens, there were poets that

wrote comedies about politicians, citizens, and customs of the day.

Reading Check What was the role of the chorus in Greek

drama?

The role of the Greek drama chorus was they sang or chanted poems.

The author would have them give background information, comment on the event, and praise the gods

Many City-States, One People Citizens of Greek city-states like Athens,

valued their freedoms and had strong patriotic feelings that made them take a very active role in their government.

This allowed them to develop new ideas in philosophy, religion, government and the arts.

Athens was the most important city-state, but there were others and their citizens spoke the same language and had mostly the same customs even though they competed against each other. They called themselves Hellenes.

The Olympic Games were held every four years throughout Ancient Greece. It had many events like running, horse

racing, boxing, and many more.

Reading Check What role did education and growing wealth play in the development of philosophy and the arts in ancient Greece?

Education and wealth gave ancient Greeks freedom to explore new ideas.

1. (a) During the Golden Age of Athens

important contributions were made in the arts, science, and philosophy. It was also a time that democracy was strengthened in Athens.

1. (b) Athens was the center of intellectual

activity.

2. (a) At first, the Greeks explained the world

through myths. Then philosophers

2. (b) Socrates meant that people should

understand themselves and what they think and believe before they try to influence others.

3. (a) The people spoke the same language

and shared customs. They valued freedom and took active

part in government. They contributed to development in

the arts, sciences, government, and religion.

3. (b) Trade brought citizens of city-states in

contact with ideas from other places.