Classical Classical HistoryHistory

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1. When used in a time reference, the initials “BC” designate ________.

A. “British Columbia”B. “Before Christ”C. “Before Common”D. “Between Creation”

2. When used in a time reference, the initials “AD” designate ________.

A. “Anti-Dilluvian”B. “After Death”C. “Anno Domini”D. “Anna Dominoes”

3. What does the phrase “Anno Domini” actually signify?

A. “after death”B. “actual designation”C. “in the year of our Lord”D. “before birth”

4. Why might the phrase “Anno Domini” be offensive to some people?

A. The phrase is specifically Jewish.B. The phrase is specifically Buddhist.C. The phrase is specifically atheistic. D. The phrase is specifically Christian.

5. What designation have some textbooks adopted as a way of remaining religiously neutral?

A. the Chinese designation of timeB. the use of BCE/CEC. the lack of any designation whatsoever D. the use of EST/CT

6. The play we’ve just completed studying, Antigone, was written during the golden age of which civilization?

A. Ancient GreeceB. Ancient RomeC. the Middle AgesD. the Renaissance

7. Ancient Greece actually extended from ca. 1200 BC to 200 BC. For which of the following words is “ca.” an abbreviation?

A. circumstanceB. circumferenceC. circaD. circle

8. What does the term “circa” actually mean?

A. duringB. beforeC. withoutD. around

9. Ancient Greece actually extended from ca. 1200 BC to 200 BC. During which century did the golden age of Greece occur?

A. 4th BCB. 5th BCC. 4th ADD. 5th AD

10. Which of the following civilizations is responsible for the ultimate conquering of Greece’s stronghold on the world?

A. Ancient RomeB. PersiaC. CarthageD. Egypt

11. What does the sculpture shown above portray?

A. the legendary founders of Rome B. Remus and RomulusC. Mowgli, the main character from The Jungle BookD. All of the aboveE. A and B only

12. The Roman philosopher Horace noted that “Captive Greece took her conqueror captive.” What is the meaning behind his statement?

A. Greece actually revolted against Rome and eventually defeated them.

B. Greece escaped being defeated by the Romans. C. Greece’s influence on Rome was magnificent.D. None of the above

13. In the year 509 BC, a man named Brutus helped overthrow the Tarquin monarchy in Rome. After that, the Romans decided they would never again be ruled by a monarchy, but that their government would be __________.

A. totalitarianB. communist C. anarchicD. republic

14. A republic allows which of the following?

A. a ruler appointed by GodB. a ruler appointed by the peopleC. a ruler who was born into powerD. no ruler at all

15. Julius Caesar was born in the year 100 BC. He was assassinated in the year 44 BC. Why was he assassinated?

A. He was threatening the republic.B. He was threatening the monarchy.C. He was executed for having Pompey killed.D. He was executed for murdering pirates.

Today’s Discussion:

The Renaissanc

e

What does the word

“renaissance” actually mean?

“Renaissance” means

“rebirth.”

ClassicismClassicism, which is the way of thought of Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome, is reborn during the Renaissance.

If, then, the time period known as the Renaissance signifies a “rebirth,”

what exactly is being reborn?

Basic Principles of Classical Thought:

•Logic•Order•Reason•Moderation

What happened to classical thought that it had to be “reborn” in 1400 AD?

Fall of Rome: 400 AD

?Renaissance: 1400 AD-1550 AD

The Middle Ages are called “the Middle Ages” because they

encompass the thousand years between the fall of Ancient Rome

(ca. 400 AD) and the beginning of the Renaissance (ca. 1400 AD).

410 AD 1400 ADMiddle Ages

Fall of Rome Renaissance

During the early part of that thousand year period, many of the advances the Greeks and Romans made in civilization were lost during the

barbarian invasions and the time known as the Dark Ages.

However, the Renaissance saw a massive rebirth of things classical-- particularly in the area of literature.

So, when Shakespeare was born in the year 1564, it would make perfect sense that he would have studied the things of Ancient Rome during his few years of education.

Shakespeare lived during the Elizabethan Age.

What does this mean?

The Elizabethan Age was the time of Queen Elizabeth I’s reign over England (1558-1603).

Queen Elizabeth I

•was the daughter of Henry VIII (thus part of the Tudor reign--actually the last Tudor monarch)

•oversaw the defeat of the Spanish Armada

•is sometimes referred to as “the Virgin Queen”

• was a writer and poet who fully supported drama

During the medieval period, drama had changed

drastically since the drama of classical Greece and Rome.

The Christian church had been born, and it used drama as one of its ways to reach poor, illiterate peasants with

the stories of the Bible.

Here, we see a pageant wagon--a traveling stage on which the

actors would perform.

During Shakespeare’s life, however, drama was in the process of

massive change.

ShakesShakespeare peare in Lovein Love