The Golden Age
Do Now
 Take out your Pericles Questions Homework.
Question 1
 Explain the opening quote: “Our constitution does
not copy the laws of neighboring states; we are
rather a pattern to others than imitators ourselves.”
Answer
 Pericles is explaining how his laws are his own; they
do not imitate the laws of other city-states. Instead,
his laws set the example for other city-states to
follow.
Question 2
 Cite the text to explain how Pericles’ government
was a direct democracy. What characteristics did his
government make up?
Answer
 A direct democracy is a system in which all citizens
make decisions about their government. According
to the text, Pericles believed that citizens should
participate in and take an interest in the democratic
process. Under his leadership, the assembly became
the central power of the city-state of Athens. All
free-born male citizens had the right – and the
responsibility – to serve in the assembly. In this
matter, Pericles set up the first direct democracy in
Greece.
Question 3
 Why do you think the Golden Age of Athens is
sometimes called the Age of Pericles? Cite the text to
explain your response.
Answer
 According to the text, Pericles led Athens for 40
years. Under his leadership, Athens grew to be a
great city-state. He had many new buildings
constructed, including the Parthenon, a temple of
the city-state’s patron goddess, Athena. Theaters,
baths, and other buildings were built and opened to
the public. Pericles also hired artists to tell Athens’s
history in paintings, statues, plays, and poetry. This
period included a flowering of culture and building.
Because Pericles was the leader throughout all of
this process, it is sometimes referred to as the
Age of Pericles.
Golden Age
 Architects designed:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Government buildings
Schools
Temples
Theaters
 Artists decorated with murals
 Athenian playwrights considered best in Greece
Mythology
 Temples built to honor gods
 Statues of gods created
 Scenes from Greek mythology painted
Pericles
 Directed architects and builders to create beautiful
structures
Parthenon
Supreme Court
Acropolis
Lincoln Memorial
Lincoln Memorial (Continued)
Greek Columns
Discobolus
Pericles Sculpture
Remember…
Hesiod
 Greek poet and author, wrote down the myths and
legends that had long been told in Greek mythology
Homer
 Greek poet and author of The Iliad and The Odyssey.
Much of what we know about the Mycenaeans comes
from his stories.
Aesop’s Fables
 The Shepherd Boy and the Wolf
 The Hare and the Tortoise
 The Ant and the Grasshopper
Atlas
Greek Theatre
Sophocles
 Ancient Greek writer of tragedies, or serious plays
Aristophanes
 Ancient Greek writer of comedies, or humorous plays
Activity
 Turn to pages 326 and 327 of your textbook.
Science, Mathematics, and History
Pythagoras
 Greek philosopher and mathematician; the inventor
of geometry
Pythagorean theorem
Hippocrates
 Greek physician known as the Father of Medicine
Democritus
 Greek scientist and philosopher
Herodotus
 Greek historian who traveled throughout most of the
world known to the Greeks during his time
Thucydides
 Greek teacher who is considered the greatest
historian of ancient times
Socrates
 Greek philosopher who taught by asking questions
Plato
 Greek philosopher, student of Socrates, and teacher
of Aristotle
Aristotle
 Greek philosopher and tutor of Alexander the Great.
He is considered one of the greatest thinkers of all
time.
Wrap Up
 Who was your favorite person of the Golden Age of
Athens? Why?