History: Beginnings of Western Civilization Greeks called themselves Hellenes Ethnicity

1. Ancient Greek Historia Life; Philosophy; Politicsas it pertains to art.800 BCE-1st Century CE

2. History: • Beginnings of Western Civilization • Greeks called themselves Hellenes • Ethnicity • 800 BCE Homer’s The Iliad and The Odyssey • Independent Polis (City States) • 776 BCE first Olympic Games • Prosperous trade based economy • 490 BCE Persians invaded Greece • 480 BCE Persians sacked Athens • 479 BCE Greeks defeated the Persians • Delian League 478 • During the next 30 years Athens continued to • collect taxes from other Polis for ships and money. • Democracy of Athens

3. Pericles: • Came to power in 461 BCE • Population of Athens was approximately, 230,000 • Only free men could vote • Power emanated from property ownership • Dominated Athenian politics from 450-429 BCE • Thucydides wrote that Pericles was enormously popular and known for his financialintegrity. • The Golden age of Athens lasted less than 50 years • His vision of Athens brought the Parthenon, Athena’s temple and the rebuilding of Athens on and around the Acropolis.

4. Peloponnesian War ended it all. • Began in 431 BCE • Sparta Oligarchy • Soldiers were the best in Greece • Attacked Athens • Athens collapsed • Sparta achieved military dominance, • but not cultural dominance • Athens regained its freedom • Intellectual and aesthetic dominance flourished.

5. Philosophy: • Emphasis on human rationality and intellect • with a profound respect for the irrational • and mysterious • Recognized oracles and omens • Respected a keen mind and the desire to • answer life’s critical questions: • 1. What is the basic element of which • the universe is composed? • 2. How do specific things emerge from • the basic element • 3. What guides the process of change?

6. Sophistry: “wise ones” • Concern for humankind • The distrust of reason • Thinking in a relative way • Challenging the existence of truth • All established beliefs and norms were questioned • Famous Sophists: • Protagoras: “Man is s the measure of all things.”

7. Socrates: c. 470-399 “By all means marry. If you get a good wife you will become happy, and if you get a bad one you will become a philosopher.” “ An unexamined life is not worth living.” “ For anything that men can tell, death may be the greatest good that can happen to them:…” “The only good is knowledge and the only evil is ignorance.” “To find yourself, think for yourself.” “One thing only I know, and that is that I know nothing.” “ True wisdom comes to each of us when we realize how little we understand about life, ourselves, and the world around us. “ “I cannot teach anybody anything, I can only make them think.”

8. Plato: 427 BCE-347 BCE “Wise men speak because they have something to say; Fools because they have to say something.”           “There are two things a person should never be angry at, what they can help, and what they cannot.”      “If a man neglects education, he walks lame to the end of his life”    “Those who are too smart to engage in politics are punished by being governed by those who are dumber.”         “Thinking: The talking of the soul with itself” “Knowledge becomes evil if the aim be not virtuous.” “For a man to conquer himself is the first and noblest of all victories.”

9. Famous Greek Historians and Scientists • Herodotus: 484-430 BCE “Father of History. • Thucydides: 460-395 BCE “History of the Peloponnesian War” • Euclid: 325-270 BCE Fundamentals of geometry. • Hippocrates: 450-380 BCE “Father of the Medicine” • Archimedes: 287-212 BCE mathematician, engineer and physicist. • Ptolemy: 2nd Century CE Astronomer • Parmenides: Early 5th Century BCE. Astronomer • Pythagoras: 6th Century BCE. Philosopher and mathematician

10. Famous Greek Literary Figures: Aeschylus: 525-426 BCE Aesop: 6th Century BCE Aristophanes: 287-212 BCE Euripides: 480-406 BCE Sapho: 6th Century BCE Sophocles: 496-406 BCE

11. Fin