The Greeks
GREEK CIVILIZATION AND CULTURE
GREEKS
Ancient Greek ideas about art,
architecture, drama, philosophy, and
government greatly influenced
Western Civilization.
Among the most influential of Greek
cultural achievements is the
Parthenon in Athens, an outstanding
example of classical architecture.
GREEKS
Greek dramas set structural
and thematic styles emulated
by great Western playwrights
such as William Shakespeare.
Athens dominated the Greek citystates in the 5th century B. C. Rival
Sparta led the smaller Spartan
Confederacy. The two sides fought in
the Peloponnesian War
(431-404 B. C.), and Athens lost,
leaving it temporarily weakened.
MUSIC AND DANCE – POPULAR GREEK ACTIVITIES
Theater of Epidauros
The Greek Theater
th
5
Century B. C.
Golden Age of Greek Drama
Dramatic festivals were
popular
People witnessed tragic and
comic plays
Theater of Dionysus
Dionysia was an annual
festival in honor of the god
Dionysus
Theater of Dionysus was an
open-air Theater with room for
fifteen thousand spectators
Theater of Dionysus
Theater of Dionysus
carved out of a stone
hillside
looked like a semicircle
with steeply rising tiers of
seats
Theater of Dionysus
At the bottom was the
rounded orchestra or
performance area where the
chorus sang and danced
Theater of Dionysus
Behind the orchestra was an
open, almost bare, stage
where actors spoke their lines
from behind huge masks
Theater of Dionysus
Male actors performed all the
roles
Actors switched masks to play
a number of roles – both
female and male