Transcript Objectives
Why did the Persians attack Greece? What famous battle started the Persian wars? Who were the father and son that led Persia during the Persian wars? Identify Pericles's three goals for Athens Describe Greek styles in Art Explain the major conflicts in the Peloponnesian war Identify the contributions of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle SOL 5d. Evaluate significance of Persian and Peloponnesian wars SOL 5e. Characterize life in Athens during the Golden Age of Pericles SOL 5f. Cite contributions in drama, poetry, history, sculpture, architecture, science, mathematics, and philosophy Athens just out of Persian wars Leading member of Delian league Led to Golden Age Drama Sculpture Poetry Philosophy Architecture science Led Athens through Golden Age 461- 429 B.C.E. Skillful politician, inspiring speaker, respected general Three goals Strengthen Athenian democracy Hold and strengthen the empire Glorify Athens Increased # of public officials Only wealthy could hold office before b/c positions were unpaid Increased paid salaries Made Athens one of the most democratic governments in history Introduction of direct democracy Citizens rule directly and not through representatives Males who served in the assembly established all important policies Direct democracy Large number of citizens involved with government (mass meetings) Assembly was strong, 43,000 members Meetings every 10 days on a hillside Only 6,000 present Paid a stipend to men who held public officemeant even poor could take part Created Juries 10 generals ran day to day affairs Practiced Ostracism Protected Athens from over-ambitious politicians Could banish them from Athens Bannished for 10 years Pericles wanted to enlarge wealth and power of Athens Used money from Delian league to build Navy Strengthened safety of empire Prosperity depended on waterways Needed overseas trade to obtain grain and other raw materials Used money to beautify Athens Buy gold, ivory, and marble Used to build Parthenon Pay artisans Traditional style Parthenon Used for 200 years Set standards for future artists Sculpture Phidias Sculpture of Athena Figures that were graceful, strong, and perfectly formed Faces only showed serenity Classical Art Valued order, balance, and proportion Balance, Harmony Parthenon: simple rectangle, tall columns, gently sloping roof Columns: Doric, Ionic, Corinthian By 450 B.C. Greek Sculptors feature natural poses Carved gods, goddesses, men, women to most perfect and graceful form. Developed own style “classical” Epics Greeks invented it Productions in Athens were both an expression of civic pride and tribute to the gods Actors used colorful costumes, masks, and sets to dramatize stories about leadership, justice, and the duties owed to the gods. Two kinds of plays: Tragedy Comedy 1st plays out of religious festivals Performed in large outdoor theaters Chorus sang or chanted comments on the action Explored the relationships between people and the gods Tragedies: told stories of human suffering that usually ended in disaster Purpose to stir emotions of pity and fear Serious drama about common themes such as love, hate, war, or betrayal Featured: Main character, or tragic hero Often had extraordinary talents and a tragic flaw Flaw led to hero’s downfall Three famous dramatists: Aeschylus Sophocles The Oresteia Wrote more than 80 plays Oedipus, Antigone Wrote more than 100 plays Euripides Medea Sympathetic to women Powerful family torn apart by betrayal, murder, and revenge Saw how pride could cause horrifying misfortune and how gods could bring down even the greatest heroes Explored what happens when an individuals’ moral duty conflicts with the laws of the state Young women whose brother killed in rebellion King forbids her to bury him, she does anyways She is sentenced to death Duty to gods is greater than human law Contained scenes filled with slap-stick and crude humor Often satires Works that poked fun at the subject Customs, politics, respected people Aristophanes The Birds Lysistrata Allowed for free discussion and criticism Herodotus “father of history” Thucydides wrote about Peloponnesian war Visited lands, chronicled information Lived through the war Vividly described savagery Set standards for future historians “I shall go forward with my history, describing equally the greater and the lesser cities. For the cities which were formerly great have most of them become insignificant; and such as are at present powerful, were weak…. I shall therefore discourse equally on both, convinced that human happiness never continues long in one stay.” Herodotus Sparta declared war on Athens 431 B.C.E. Sparta attacks: Called Peloponnesian War Advantages: Athens: Navy Sparta: Infantry Sparta invades Athens Burned countryside and food supply Pericles had everyone come into city behind walls Problems for Athens: Plague in 432 B.C.E. Navy defeated when they attacked Spartan ally Syracuse in 413 B.C.E. War continued for 9 years until Athens surrendered 27 years of war Athens loses empire Confidence in democratic government wanes Greece weakening, while Macedonia is rising to power History: Thucydides account of the war Set example for historians Condemned atrocities Objective approach Philosophers Based on two assumptions Lovers of wisdom Determined to seek truth Universe was put together in orderly way and subject to unchanging laws People can understand through logic and reason Sophists Questioned unexamined beliefs Protagoras- questioned existence of Greek Gods Said no universal truth Three famous philosophers Socrates, Plato, Aristotle Beliefs: Quote: Absolute standards for truth and justice Question yourself and moral character Socratic method “the unexamined life is not worth living” Trial: At age 70 brought to trial for “corrupting the youths of Athens” Argued his defense Was condemned to death Student of Socrates Wrote The Republic His vision of a perfect society Not a democracy Three groups: Artisans, warriors, ruling class Ruled by philosopherking Lasting Importance Dominated European philosophical thought for 1,500 years Inspired by Socrates death Set up a school called “the Academy” Emphasized reason What is reality? What is good? Men smarter than women Women should be educated to serve state Beliefs: Questioned nature of the world and human belief, thought, and knowledge Invented method of arguing Applied method to psychology, physics, and biology Basis of scientific method Famous student: Alexander the Great Plato’s most famous student Good and bad examples of all governments Suspicious of democracy Favored strong single ruler Should pursue the “golden mean” Introduced the thought processes of natural science and the observation of nature into the history of ideas Set up a school, the Lyceum, studied all branches of knowledge Why do they use sterilized needles for death by lethal injection? Why do Kamikaze pilots wear helmets? If the universe is everything and scientists say it is expanding, what is it expanding into? When you choke a smurf, what color does it turn? Why do we park on driveways and drive on parkways? Define success The world would be a better place without what? Can you prove to me that you exist? Is money the root of all evil? Would you kill one person to save a thousand?