GREEK GOLDEN AGE

THE GOLDEN AGE

• In 400s BC
• Athens was a symbol of the golden age
• Athens gained money from the Delian League
• Rise in population(2 million citizens;1 milion slaves)

ARCHITECTURE

• Acropolis(a high hill) was the center of Athens
• Parthenon=a shrine built for Athena on acropolis
• Admired for it perfectly balanced proportions
• Considered to be the Greeks' greatest achievement

ART

• Best preserved greek paintings on vases
• Depict everydaylife as well as mythological events
• Egyptian influence on Greek art
• Myron and Phidias considered to be two of history's greatest artists
• Praxitles sculpted more lifelike and natural figures

PHILOSOPHY

• Socrates-Athenian philosopher (470bc-399bc)
• Socratic method- teaching through questioning
• Poisoned with hemlock for corrupting minds'of youth
• Plato- Socrate's student;founded the Academy in 387 BC
• Aristotle- found school;Plato's student;Alexander's teacher

MATH AND SCIENCE

• Pythagoras- created pythagoreum therom
• Hipocrates- cosidered to be founder of medical science
• Hipocratic oath still taken by doctors today
• Advanced scientific thought- reasoning instead of superstition
• Aristotle layed foundation for botany,zoology and anatomy

HISTORY

• Ancient Greeks first people to seriously study history
• Herodotus-first historian of the western world
• Called father of history
• Thuycidides-history gives us better understanding of human nature
• Gave fair and accurate accounts

DRAMAS

• First people to write dramas
• Drama- plays with action/dialogue involving conflict & emotion
• Performed on orchestras- flat areas at otto of hills
• Performed in connection to relegious festivals
• Chrorus sang describing the scene and commenting on action

TRAGEDIES

• Main character struggles against fate or events
• Hubris- sin of pride (often used )
• Famous Playwrights- Sophocles,Euripides and Aeschylus
• Sophocles- defended traditional Greek beliefs
• Euripides- realist;questioned traditional beleifs

COMEDY

• Made fun of people or events
• Contained both humorous and tragic element
• Had happy endings unlike trgedies
• Aristophane-famous playwright known for his sharp wit
• Used comedy to make people think of effects of war

DECLINE

• Bitter competition among city-states
• Peloponnesian war weakened city states
• Athens declined in power
• Persians worked to undermine Greek unity
• Unrest until 388bc when Philip II restored peace