Classical Greek CultureChapter 4, Section 4

Greek ReligionReligion affected every aspect of Greek lifeTemples dedicated to gods and goddesses

were the major buildings in Greek cities12 chief gods and goddesses were thought to

life on Olympus- the highest mountain in Greece

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=swpN-h5tkPc

Greek ReligionZeus- chief god and father of the godsAthena- goddess and wisdom of craftsApollo- god of the sun and poetryArtemis- sister of Apollo who was goddess of

the moon and of the huntAres- god of warAphrodite- goddess of lovePoseidon- brother of Zeus and god of the seas

Greek ReligionFestivals were developed to honor the gods

and goddessesOlympic festivals- honor the godsOracle- sacred shrine where a god or goddess

was said to reveal the future thought a priest or priestess

Most famous oracle- Apollo at Delphi

Classical Greek Arts and Literature Classical Greek art was concerned with

expressing eternal idealsSubject matter of this art was the human

being, presented as an object of great beauty

Architecture and SculptureMost important form was the temple

dedicated to god or goddessStatues to deities Parthenon- the greatest example of the

classical Greek temple

DramaPlays were presented in outdoor theaters as

part of religious festivals First plays were tragedies Greek tragedies dealt with universal themes

still relevant todayComedies were used to criticize politicians

Greek PhilosophyPhilosophy- organized system of thoughtTerm comes from Greek roots that mean

“love of wisdom”

SophistsGroup of traveling teachings in ancient

Greece who rejected speculationImportant for individuals to improve

themselvesStressed the importance of rhetoric- art of

persuasive speaking

SocratesLeft no writingsTaught many pupilsSocratic method- use question-and-answer

format to lead pupils to see things for themselves by using own reasoning skills

PlatoSocrates studentGreatest philosopher of Western civilizationBelieved men and women should have the

same education and equal access to all positions

AristotleAnalyzing and classifying things based on

observation and investigationDefine entire categories of study such as

ethics, politics, poetry, and the sciences Wanted an effective form of government that

would rationally direct human affairs

SophistsArgued it was beyond the reach of the human

mind to understand the universeIndividuals should look into improving

themselvesNo absolute right or wrongInterested in ethics and moralitySuccess was more important than moral

truthOlder citizens accused the Sophists of

undermining traditional Greek values.

EpicureanismTaught that happiness was the goal of life,

and that human beings were free to follow their self-interest

Emotional rather that physical waysFreed themselves from public activity