Greek Civilization Review

1.     According to the poet, Homer, what was a hero?

2.  How did Homer’s epics influence Greek education?

3.     What period of Greek history was Homer writing about?

4.     Why did the Greeks develop separate city-states rather than one single state like the Egyptians?

5.     Why did the Hellenic Greeks begin establishing colonies in the Mediterranean about 800 B.C.?

6.     From whom did the Hellenic Greeks borrow from - in developing their stone architecture and their sculpturing?

7.     Why did the Greeks develop their polytheistic with anthropomorphic gods, religion?

8.     How did the Greeks feel about women?

9.     How organized was the Greeks’ religion?

10. What was a polis?

11. How was the government of Sparta different from the government of Athens?

12. How was Sparta’s way of life different from that of Athens?

13. Who was Pericles?

14. Why did Persia invade Greece in the 5^th century B.C.?

15. How did the Athenians find out about the Greek victory against the Persians at Marathon?

16. Why is the Battle of Thermopylae such a celebrated battle in the Persian Wars?

17. Why was the Greek city-states victory in the Persian Wars a turning point in world history?

18. What circumstances led to the Peloponnesian War?

19. Why was Philip of Macedonia, Alexander’ father, able to conquer the Greek city-states?

20. Why did Alexander want to conquer the known world?

21. How did Alexander go about spreading Greek culture and mixing East and West into one culture?

22. What became of Alexander’s world, after his death?

23. How does a person lead a full life?  How did the Greeks believe an individual could lead a full life?

24. What 2 values did the Greeks promote besides courage and intelligence?

25. Explain what the Greeks meant by moderation?

26. What was the first Greek art form?

27.  Why do you think the Greeks happened to develop drama?

28. Why do you think the Greeks developed drama?

29. Did the Greeks reveal in their drama that they believed in free-will? or did they reveal a belief in pre-determination?

30. What timeless themes did Greek dramas deal with?

31. Who were the greatest writers of Greek tragedy?

32. What were the Greek ideal values in the arts?

33. Who is considered the “father of history”?

34. How are the writings of Thucydides different from those of Herodotus?

35. Should we measure a civilization by how humane it is to its least fortunate individual?

36. Is free speech in a democracy an absolute right?

37. Why was Socrates condemned to death?

38. Was Socrates innocent or guilty?

39. Why did Socrates criticize the Sophists?

40. Describe Socrates method of teaching?

41. What was it Socrates believed in and taught?

42. What was Plato’s criticisms of  Athenian democracy?

43. What was the ultimate reality for Plato?

44. How was Aristotle’s sense of  reality different from Plato’s sense of reality?

45. How was Socrates field of investigation different from those of Thales, Pythagoras, Democritus or Hippocrates?

46. What does it mean to you - to lead a “good life”?

47. How did Epicurus tell people to live their lives?

48. How did Zeno and the Stoics tell people to live their lives?

49. How was Hellinistic philosophy different from “classical” Hellenic philosophy?

50.  Why is ancient Greece called the “cradle of  Western Civilization”?