democracy and greece’s golden age chapter 5 section 3
TRANSCRIPT
Key Terms
Direct democracyClassical artTragedyComedyPeloponnesian WarsPhilosopherSocratesAristotlePlato
Pericles Plan for Athens
Wise and able statesman
Ruled for 32 yearsCalled the Golden
AgeDrama, sculpture,
poetry, philosophy, architecture, science all reached new heights
Pericles’ Plan for Athens
3 goals◦To strengthen
Athenian democracy◦To hold and
strengthen the empire
◦To glorify Athens
Stronger Democracy
Increased public officials who were paid
Most positions had been unpaid◦ Only wealthy served
Had more citizens involved in self government
One of the most democratic governments in history
Stronger Democracy
Direct democracy-citizens rule directly and not through representatives
Male citizens on the assembly established all important government policies
Athenian Empire
Delian League formed after Persia’s defeat
Athens took over the league and dominated other city-states
Athenian navy the strongest
Treated other members as past of an empire
Some groups opposed this and formed the Peloponnesian League
Glorifying Athens
Used Delian League money to beautify Athens
Voted to buy huge sums of gold, ivory and marble
More money went to architecture, artists, workers and materials
Architecture and Sculpture
Partheon-23,000 square foot building
Built to honor Athena
Created a 30 foot statue of Athena with gold and ivory
Create graceful, strong , perfectly formed sculptures
Architecture and Sculpture
Sculptors aimed to create figures who were◦ Graceful◦ Strong◦ Perfectly formed◦ Faced showed joy not
angerClassical Art-capture
grace and body in motion, ideal beauty, harmony, balance, proportion
Drama and History
Greeks invented dramasTheatrical productions
were expressions of civic pride and tribute to the gods
Wealthy citizens bore the cost
Actors used costumes and masks
Plays included choruses, song and poetry
Tragedy and Comedy
Tragedy-serious drama about love, hate, betrayal◦Main character a
tragic hero◦Gifted with
extraordinary abilities◦Tragic flaw would
cause heroes downfall
◦Hubris-excessive pride usual flaw
Tragedy and Comedy
Greeks had three notable dramatists◦Aeschylus- wrote 80
plays◦Trilogy Oresteia◦Family of
Agamemnon the Mycenaean king commanded troops at Troy
◦Examines ideas of justice
Tragedy and Comedy
Sophocles◦Wrote 100 plays◦Oedipus the King of
AntigoneEuripides
◦Medea◦Often featured strong
women in his works
Comedy
Scenes filled with slapstick situations and crude humor
Made fun of politicians and respected people
Aristophanes wrote the first great comedies◦ The Birds of Lysistrata◦ Women forcing men to
end Peloponnesian War◦ Showed openness of
public discussion
History
No written records from the Dorian Period
Herodotus- pioneered accurate recordings of what took place
Book on Persian Wars first work of history
Thucydides-certain types of situations recur over time◦ Studying these event
could aid in understanding the present
Athenians and Spartans go to War
Peloponnesian War-war between the two leagues◦ Athens stronger navy◦ Sparta stronger army
Sparta marched into Athenian territory and burnt food supply
Pericles brought everyone inside the city walls
Athenians and Spartans go to War
City was safeShips brought in
foodSecond year of war
plague strikesOne-third of
population diesPericles dies421 BC sign a
peace treaty
Sparta Gains Victory
415 BC Athenians sent their fleet to Sicily
Wanted to destroy Syracuse a wealthy Spartan ally
413 BC Athenians crushed
404 BC Athens and allies surrender
Philosophers Search for Truth
Athenians lost confidence in their government and questioned their values
Philosophers-lovers of wisdom
Two assumptions◦ The universe is put
together in an orderly way and subject to absolute and unchanging laws
◦ People can understand these laws through logic and reason
Philosophers Search for Truth
Sophists- questioned people unexamined beliefs and ideas on justice and values
Protagoras-questioned the existence of gods◦No universal standard
of truth◦“Man is the measure of
all things”
Socrates
Critic of SophistsBelieved absolute
standards did existEncourage Greeks
to go further and question themselves and their character
“The unexamined life is worth living.”
Socrates
399 BC brought to trial for◦ “corrupting youth of
Athens”◦ “neglecting the city’s gods”
Socrates said his teaching were good for Athens
Forced people to think about their values and actions
Died from drinking hemlock
Plato
Student of Socrates370 Plato wrote The
Republic ◦ Set forth a vision of a
perfect society◦ Not a democracy◦ All citizens fall into
three groups◦ Farmers and artisans,
warriors, ruling class◦ Person with greatest
insight would be the philosopher king