Bard
A poet, often a singer as well.
Polis
Greek word for city-state.
Citizen
A person with certain rights and responsibilities in his or her country or community.
Aristocrat
A member of a rich and powerful family; a hereditary noble or one nearly connected with nobility.
Phalanx
A formation of infantry carrying overlapping shields and long spears; group of men packed together (for attack or defense).
Tyrant
In ancient Greece, a ruler who had seized power without legal right to it.
Oligarchy
A system of government in which a small group holds power.
Democracy
A political system in which the supreme power lies in a body of citizens who can elect people to represent them. The political orientation of those who favor government by the people or by their elected representatives. Invented in Athens.
Symposium
A meeting or conference for the public discussion of some topic especially one in which the participants form an audience and make presentations.
Mercenary
A professional soldier hired by a foreign army.
Classical
Of or characteristic of a form or system felt to be of first significance before modern times., Relating to ancient Greece and Rome. Of recognized authority or excellence.
Sanctuary
A sacred place; any place of refuge.
Tragedy
A serious form of drama dealing with the downfall of a heroic or noble character. Drama in which the protagonist is overcome by some superior force or circumstance.
Comedy
A contrast to Greek tragedies... scenes filled with lots of humor.
Homer
Ancient Greek epic poet who is believed to have written the Iliad and the Odyssey (circa 850 BC)., Greek poet around the 700's BC that wrote two epics describing the Mycenaeans of the 1200's BC, but also describe the ideals of Greeks in 1000 BC to 700BC.
Cleisthenes
Made Athenian assembly-law making body, granted some citizenship to some imms. and former slaves. set-up council of 500, introduced Ostracism.
Themistocles
Athenian statesman who persuaded Athens to build a navy and then led it to victory over the Persians (527-460 BC)., Athenian leader in years after Marathon, the man who persuaded Athens to use its windfall silver-mine profit to purchase ships and develop
Pericles
Athenian statesman whose leadership contributed to Athen's political and cultural supremacy in Greece., Athenian leader noted for advancing democracy in Athens and for ordering the construction of the Parthenon., Aristocratic leader who guided the Athenia
Sophocles
Frequently called the greatest of the Greek dramatists; introduced the 3rd actor; concerned with the human relationships more than religious and philosophical issues; set chourus at age 15.
Euripides
One of the greatest tragic dramatists of ancient Greece (480-406 BC), Wrote many famous Greek tragedies. Plays such as The Trojan Women, show the misery that war brings.
Socrates
Philosopher who believed in an absolute right or wrong; asked students pointed questions to make them use their reason, later became Socratic method, Athenian philosopher (ca. 470-399 B.C.E.) who shifted the emphasis of philosophical investigation from qu
Plato
Ancient Athenian philosopher, one of Socrates' students; was considered by many to be the GREATEST philosopher of western civilization. Plato explained his ideas about government in a work entitled The Republic. In his ideal state, the people were divided