Bellringer: 11/30 and 12/1
• 1. Pick up papers by the door.
• 2. Take out Greek Culture reading from the AP book.
• 3. Cross out the following boxes in your “Greek
Culture” Notes:
– Greek Drama (on the back page at bottom)
– Greek Values (at bottom of front page)
• 4. Make these Table of Contents Updates:
– 63: Notes - Greek Culture
– 64: AP Reading Questions: Greek Culture
– 65: The Odyssey Values Worksheet
Agenda:
•
•
•
•
1. Bellringer
2. Notes: Greek Culture
3. Odyssey Activity
4. AP Reading Questions
Homework:
• Finish AP Reading Questions on
Greek Culture (Page 64). These will
be checked for a HW grade next class
(Wednesday 12/2 or Thursday 12/3).
Foundations of Greek
Culture
Role of Stories
• Greek culture is based on stories
–Stories are largely myths?
–What is the purpose of myths?
Homeric Epics
• Epic = long poem about a
hero, important to a
culture
• Homer = probable author,
lived around 750 BCE
• Events took place around
1250 BCE (the Mycenaean
time)
The Iliad
• A story about the Trojan War
–Paris from Troy captures Helen, the
beautiful wife of a Greek king
–A huge Greek army attacks Troy,
led by Agamemnon, the king of
Mycenae
The Iliad
–After 10 years surrounding the city,
the Greeks trick their way into Troy
and destroy the city
• Why does this matter? We can
learn a lot about what Greeks
wanted in heroes and leaders
from epic poems like this one
The Odyssey
• After winning the Trojan War, a
Greek king named Odysseus tries to
go home, but angers the gods
–It takes him 10 years and many
trials to reach his wife and son
• Learn about Greek life at home, what
they value in husbands and fathers
Not Just Stories
• Homeric epics = history
–Everything was bigger and
everyone was stronger and better
–This shapes how Greeks view
themselves and what they value
What qualities of the Iliad and
Odyssey make it an epic poem?
- They both have a hero
- Both display important Greek values
- Both still part of Greek culture
Ancient Greek Values
Respect the Gods
• The gods are like high schoolers
–Jealous
–Petty
–Easily angered
–And they hold grudges
• Don’t make them angry, or you will pay
–Myths tell you how to act
–They are called gods for a reason
Family
• Loyal to their family and friends, welcome
guests as temporary family members
• Examples:
– Greeks fight for 10 years to get Helen
back in the Iliad, led by Helen’s husband’s
brother
– Odysseus travels for 10 years to return
home to his wife, who remains faithful
Arete
• Your value or worth, your moral
excellence
• Examples:
–Warriors and athletes honored in the
Iliad and Odyssey
–Celebration of Odysseus’ and
Penelope’s intelligence and loyalty
(their arête)
Agon
• Competition or conflict, whether in
sport, battle, or conversation (debate).
The Greeks love to compete
• Examples:
–Constant athletic challenges
throughout the Iliad and Odyssey
–Olympic Games
Kleos Aphthiton
• Undying glory – the ultimate goal for
the Greeks was to be remembered
forever
• Examples:
–Achilles (Iliad): you know how he died
–Kings trying to be the most powerful
–Olympic athletes
–Spartan warriors
Greek Religion
Greek Religion
• Main characteristics:
– Polytheistic
– Gods tied to natural events
– Festivals held in honor of gods
• Gods/goddesses = patrons of cities
– EX: Athena and Athens
• Can you draw any connections between the Greek
religion (its characteristics) and the religions or
beliefs of other cultures we’ve studied so far?
Greek Philosophy
The Three Most Famous
Philosophers
Socrates
Plato
Aristotle
Socrates
469 - 399 B.C.
• Encouraged students to think
• Dialectic/Socratic method
• Conversational
• Based upon reason and logic
• Socrates’ approach was more
rigorous and was the
forerunner of logic.
• Most famous student: Plato
• Placed on trial for impiety
and corrupting youth
• Was executed in 399 – drank
poison hemlock
Socrates
469 - 399 B.C.
Socratic Method:
I. Admit ignorance.
II. Never rely on tradition.
III. Continuously question.
IV. Formulate your own
opinions.
V. Test your opinions with
others.
Plato
427 - 347 B.C.
• Preserved work of Socrates
• “Philosopher-kings”
• Most important source of info on
Socrates
• Founded the Academy
• Wrote dialogues
–The Republic – most
important dialogue
“Those things which are
beautiful are also difficult.”
Aristotle
384 - 322 B.C.
• Most famous student of Plato
• Most famous teacher of
Alexander the Great
• Fully developed Logic as a
field of study
• Devised a complex system of
classification
– Used in biology
• Views on Government
Aristotle
384 - 322 B.C.
• Views on Government
• 3 Good Governments:
–Monarchy
–Aristocracy
–Democracy
• 3 Bad Governments:
–Tyranny
–Oligarchy
–Mob Rule
OTHER GREEK
PHILOSOPHERS
Pythagoras
582-500 B.C.
• The universe could
only be understood
thru numbers.
• Famous for the
Pythagorean Theorem:
a2 + b2 = c2
Pythagoras
582-500 B.C.
c2
a2
• Pythagorean Theorem:
b2
a +b =c
2
2
2
Hippocrates
460-377 B.C.
• Founded a school of
medicine
• Rejected that sickness
comes from the gods
• Studied symptoms of
illnesses
• The Hippocratic Oath
Euclid
c.300 B.C.
• One of the most prominent
mathematicians
• Wrote The Elements
• Widely used till about
1903.
• 2nd only to the Bible in
numbers of translations,
publications, and study
• Greek – Arabic – Latin
Greek
Art/Architecture
Greek Columns
• The Greeks altered Egyptian column
styles to develop their own style of
column or order decoration
• There are three types of Greek
columns--which are still used today.
1.Doric
• The first of the Greek order (the
oldest)
• Less ornate detailing at the top
2. Ionic
• The second Greek
order (the middle)
• 2nd oldest kind of
column in Greece
• Scroll-like detailing
at the top
3.Corinthian
• The third type of the Greek order
• Most ornate detail work at the top
Greek Buildings
• Many Greek buildings remain in partial
standing
These buildings and styles
influenced Roman architecture
that followed.
Acropolis
• Main
temple
complex in
Athens—
and Greece
• Built by
Pericles;
“Golden
Age of
Athens”
Parthenon
• Athena’s Temple at the Acropolis
• Why is it the largest temple on the
Acropolis?
Greek Culture Activities
• 1. The Odyssey Reading Analysis (Page 65)
– There are 8 different readings posted around
the room. Use them to answer the questions
on Page 65. This can be done alone or in a
group of TWO MAX.
• 2. AP Text Reading Questions: Greek Culture
(Page 64)
– Use the AP textbook section you read for
homework to answer the questions either
individually or in a GROUP OF TWO MAX.