Greek civilisation

Civilisation is the total sum of the material and cultural achievements of a group of people.

Greek civilisation

,,,,,,,,,,,,A study

PRESENTATION MAP

The Greeks enjoy a special place in the construction of western culture and identity. Much of what we esteem in our own culture derives from them: democracy, epic poetry, lyric poetry, tragedy, history writing, philosophy, aesthetic taste, all of these and many other features of cultural life enter the West from Greece. The oracle of Apollo at Delphi had inscribed over the temple, Know Thyself. For us, that also means knowing the Greeks.

The Greek religion was heavily mystical, and prehistoric in origin. Each city had its local gods and other deities, & there were many local cults, with their attendant myths, oracles, and rituals (including ritual human or animalsacrice). There was no concept of SIN.The Greeks admired, amongst other things

Competition (games, sport, etc), in the right spirit (cf. 1st Olympiad in 776 BC- which ran every 4 yrs until 385AD; to be revived again 1896 AD)Courage and EnterpriseMusic (cf. the Orphic cult beginning 7th Century BC)Learning and Wisdom (cf Apollonian cult)Mystic Insight (this is seen in many aspects of Greek life & legend)

ORIGIN OF GREEK CIVILISATION

The civilization of the ancient Greeks grew up around the Aegean Sea & spread through the Greek mainland. At its height it extended to Sicily & Italy on the west, & through Asia Minor & around the end of the Mediterranean Sea to the east & south. The Greek world, called Hellas by the Greeks, was united culturally, but never politically. It was not brought under a single government until it became part of the Roman Empire in the second century B.C.

Located in southeastern Europe, Greece is defined by a series of mountains and surrounded on all sides except the north by water.

Greek civilization developed later than that of the Euphrates and Nile valleys, but earlier than that of Rome. Ancient Greece reached its highest point of achievement in the fifth and fourth centuries B.C., but its influence remained strong throughout the era of Roman supremacy.

Four major TYPES OF GOVERNMENT evolved in ancient Greece:

Monarchy (rule of a king) limited by an aristocratic council and a popular assembly. Oligarchy (rule of the few) arising when the aristocratic council ousted the king and abolished the assembly.Tyranny (rule by one who ruled without legal authority) riding to power on the discontent of the lower classes. Democracy (rule of the people), the outstanding political achievement of the Greeks.

TIMELINE

REPRESENTATION OF THE HUMAN BODY IN ANCIENT GREECE

ARCHITECTURE

HARECTERISTICS

C

Except for tholos shrines; Greek temples wererectangular and organized on a rigid set of geometricprinciples. Temples built with post and lintel system Pediments, which projected over the tops of columns,contained sculptures representing the heroic deeds ofthe gods or goddesses housed inside. A cornice separated the upper and lower parts of aGreek temple Doors set back from facade, so that little light couldenter. This increased the sense of mystery about theinterior

Parthenon

Erechtheum

Erechtheion

Pinakotheke

Theater of Dionysius

Kings Shrine

Sanctuary of Asclepius

Odeum of Herodes Atticus (Roman)

Stoa of Eumenes

The Acropolis of Athens

The Archaic Period

Temple of Hera IPaestum, Italy ca. 550BCE

The Greek templewas the house ofthe God orGoddess, not of hisor her followers.These templeswere not places ofworship, but ratherplaces for theworshipped. Most of thetemples wouldcontain figuralsculpture thatwould embellishthe Gods shrine aswell as to tellsomething aboutthe deitysymbolized within

This temple is a prime example of early Greek efforts at Doric templedesign. The entire area of the temple is 80 ft by 170 feet. Most of the frieze, pediment, and all of the roof , have vanished. The columns contained pronounced entasis or swelling of thecolumn at the middle. This bulky and less elegant architecture is result from the lackingarchitectural knowledge of the Archaic Greeks

West pediment from the Temple of ArtemisCorfu, Greece ca. 600 - 580 BCE

Corfu is an island off the western coast of Greece

This temple was lavishly embellished with sculptureincluding metopes that were decorated with reliefsculptures and both pediments were filled with hugesculptures

In mythology, anyone gazing at Medusa would be turned into stone

The Archaic Period

Much more detailed version of this story than the one on the pediment at Corfu. Depicts Artemis and Apollo chasing a giant while the lion pulling a goddessschariot attacks another giant. This was originally embellished with color that has worn away over time.

Gigantomachy, detail from the north frieze of the Siphnian TreasuryDelphi, Greece ca. 530 BCE

Temple of Aphaia

West pediment of the Temple of Aphaia

Aegina, Greececa. 500-490 B.C.E.marbleapproximately 5 ft. 8 in. high at center

The Tholos temple,Sanctuary of AthenaPronaia, Delphi,Greece

Plan of theTholosat Epidauros. The column

POTTERY

Innovations and Characteristics of Greek Pottery

Earliest pots during the Geometric period werelargely composed of horizontal lines with minimalfigures In Orientalizing, an influence from Egyptian andMesoptamia art so more floral motifs and animals Archaic Period- black figure painting- largefigures drawn in black on the red surface- at endof Archaic period used red figure also backgroundspainted black and natural red of theclay detailed forms In Classical and Hellenistic periods, contrappostowas used

Franois Vase,Created by Kleitas and Ergotimos.Chiusi, Italy ca. 570 BCE

Detail from an Athenian black-figure amphora

Detailing of pots in large view

Ancient Greek and Roman art was heavily influenced by the social and political issues of this time period (400s B.C. to 300s A.D.), particularly by the individual's changing role in society as Ancient Greece's glorification of the gods gave way to conquerer Rome's exaltation of the state

Greece's Golden Age: 450 to 400 B.C.The height of Greek art's classical period, or its Golden Age, was heavily influenced by the aesthetic ideal of human beings as a perfect expression of the divine, an ideal integral to the culture of this time period that was further developed by great minds such as Sophocles, Euripides and the young Socrates. Art from this era depicted the idealized individual, a style best reflected in the temple sculptures of the Athenian Acropolis.

How Did the Social Issues of Greece & Rome Influence Their Art?

Agriculture

Only 20-30% of ancient Greeces land was arable. The most important crops were olives, grapes, and barley.

ECONOMIC CONDITIONS were those of a simple, self-sufficient agricultural system.

CROPS: The Greeks used OLIVES for eating and to make olive oil, used for cooking and as a lubricant.

They made wine from GRAPES. The common drink of everyone was a mixture of wine and water. Even children drank it. Dionysius, the mythological god of the vine, oversaw and blessed everything having to do with growing grapes and making wine.

BARLEY was used to make bread and was a staple part of the Greek diet. Demeter was the mythological goddess of grain. LIVESTOCK: The ancient Greeks kept CHICKENS,PIGS, SHEEP, and GOATS (for milk and meat). They would only eat the meat of animals who had been sacrificed in the name of a god.

Generally, they did not eat a lot of meat, but instead depended upon FISH and LEGUMES (beans, chickpeas, and lentils) for protein.

Greek Medicine

Hippocrates = Father of Scientific MedicineFour humors (fluids) in the human body: blood, phlegm, black bile and yellow bilePhysician should base his knowledge on careful observation of patients and their response to remedies

ART & CULTURE

The Origins Of Drama

The dithyrambs celebrating Dionysus soon evolved into dramas.

The story goes: Thespis, a popular writer of Dithyrambs, is said to have invented drama when he asked one performer to stand outside the chorus to engage in some call and response.

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The Stage,,,

Three Main Portions of Greek Theatre:Skene Portion of stage where actors performed (included 1-3 doors in and out)Orchestra Dancing Place where chorus sang to the audienceTheatron Seating for audience

Stages

Where and how were the dramas performed?

In an amphitheatre

With a chorus who described most of the action.

With masks

With all the fighting and movement going on off stage.

.With tragedy first, then comedy later.

..Major Greek Dramatists

Aeschylus

524 B.C.

Seven Against Thebes

Sophocles

496 B.C.

AntigoneOedipus

Euripides

480 B.C.

Medea

Dramatist

Born

Wrote

The Chorus

Because of the dithyrambic origins of Greek drama, the plays featured Choruses.The chorus danced and either sung or chanted their lines.

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The TheatreofDionysus

The first plays were performed in the Theatre of Dionysus, built in the shadow of the Acropolis in Athens at the beginning of the 5th century, These theatres proved to be so popular they soon spread all over Greece.

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Amphitheatres

Plays were performed out-of-doors.The side of the mountain was scooped out into a bowl shape, something like our amphitheatres today, and tiers of stone seats in concentric semi-circles were built on the hill.These theatres often seated as many as 20,000 spectators, with a special first row being reserved for dignitaries.

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Theatron

The theatron ("viewing-place") is where the spectators sat. The theatron was usually part of hillside overlooking the orchestra, and often wrapped around a large portion of the orchestra.

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Orchestra

The orchestra (literally, "dancing space") was normally circular. It was a level space where the chorus would dance, sing, and interact with the actors who were on the stage (called the Proskenion) in front of the skene. In the center of the orchestra there was often an altar.

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Skene

The skene (literally, "tent") was the building directly in back of the stage, and was usually decorated as a palace, temple, or other building, depending on the needs of the play. It had at least one set of doors, and actors could make entrances and exits through them.

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Parados

The parodoi ("passageways") are the paths by which the chorus and some actors (such as those representing messengers or people returning from abroad) made their entrances and exits.

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The Actors

All of the actors were men. Women were not allowed to participate. The actors played multiple roles, so a wooden, cork, or linen mask was used to show the change in character or mood. If playing a female role, the male actor in want of a female appearance wore the prosternida before the chest and the progastrida before the belly

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MASKS

Comedies

Tragedies

Costumes

Consisted of standard Greek attireChiton: a sleeveless tunic belted below the breastthe himation: draped around the right shoulderthe chlamys, or short cloak, worn over the left shoulderelaborately embroidered patterns

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Important Playwrights

AeschylusSophoclesEuripidesAristophanesMenander

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The Significance of Greek Athletics

Origins of the Olympic GamesImportance of sportsmanship at the gamesIndividual, not national competition and the nature of trainingClassical Greek Olympic Events

Greek Athletics (cont.)

Determining a winnerPrizes for victors and the keeping of Olympic records--The significance of the pentathlonNo women allowed; athletes performed in the nudeLater history of the Olympics before the modern era

The Legacy of Ancient Greece

See the Greeks realisticallyThe primacy of freedom--eleutheriaGlorification of the mind and bodyDignity of the individualKey words traced back to Greek civilizationNotion of democracyRich philosophical foundationFullest development of the human potential--paidea = everyone must sculpt their own statue

Difference Between Greek Classical & Hellenistic ArtThe Classical period of Greek history lasted from the late sixth to late fourth centuries B.C., ending with the death of Alexander the Great in 323 B.C. Following Alexander's death, his empire fragmented into competing kingdoms ruled by his generals and their heirs. This period is known as the Hellenistic period and lasted until the middle of the second century B.C. Art from these two periods has many similarities, but also many differences.

Differences There are several major differences between the Classical and Hellenistic periods. The first is in fluidity of pose. Classical art tends to show figures in simple, relatively static poses, while Hellenistic art is more fluid. Another difference is in subject matter. Classical art often focused on the gods or scenes from mythology, while Hellenistic art, which was often displayed in the home, also addressed everyday scenes and depicted common people. The final major difference is of scale. Advances in construction techniques meant that Hellenistic sculptures and buildings were often much larger than Classical ones.

Trends The art of the Hellenistic period developed from the art of the Classical period, and therefore some similarities are inevitable. For the most part, the dominant artistic forms remained monumental sculpture and architecture. Many of the techniques developed during the Classical period remained in use in the Hellenistic period. In some ways, the Hellenistic period continued the trends that had made the Classical period different from the Archaic period, with looser, more individual sculpture.

Technology

Technology results from necessity. Since Greek coastal cities were sandwiched between the ocean and the sea, they developed an excellent navy for trading and fighting.

All cities need fresh water. This is a Greek aqueduct, basically a brick water pipe. The first aqueduct was Assyrian, but most ancient societies had them.

The Greeks invented the crane.

Greek Military catapult. It could throw 300 pound stones at walls and buildings.

10 facts about

Its believed the first Ancient Greek civilisations were formed nearly 4,000 years ago (approximately 1600 BC) by the mighty Mycenaeans of Crete (a Greek Island). The Ancient Greek Empire spread from Greece through Europe and, in 800 BC, the Greeks started to split their land into city-states, each with its own laws, customs and rulers.

The Ancient Greeks had lots of stories to help them learn about their world. The gods featured heavily in these tales, and so did mythological monsters like Cerberus, a three-headed dog that guarded the gates to the underworld; Medusa, a slithery sorceress whose look could turn people to stone; and the Cyclops who had one eye in the middle of its forehead. Yikes!

Events at the Greeks Olympics included wrestling, boxing, long jump, javelin, discus and chariot racing. But those taking part in the wrestling event had to be the toughest, as there were hardly any rules and they had to compete naked. Eek!

Most Ancient Greeks wore a chiton, which was a long T-shirt made from one large piece of cotton. The poor slaves, however, had to make do with a loincloth (a small strip of cloth wrapped around the waist)!

The Greeks put statues of their gods inside temples, the most famous of which is the Parthenon. This temple in Athens was built for the goddess Athena, the protector of the city.

A famous legend tells how, in 1180 BC, the cunning Greeks conquered the city of Troy by hiding inside a giant wooden horse! The horse was left outside the citys walls and, thinking it a gift, the people of Troy wheeled it inside... only for the sneaky Greek soldiers inside to creep out and seize the city!

Did you know that the Ancient Greeks invented the theatre? They loved watching plays, and most cities had a theatre some big enough to hold 15,000 people! Only men and boys were allowed to be actors, and they wore masks, which showed the audience whether their character was happy or sad. Some of the masks had two sides, so the actor could turn them around to change the mood for each scene.

The Ancient Greeks held many festivals in honour of their gods. To celebrate the god Zeus, for example, the first Greek Olympics were held in the city of Olympia in 776 BC and are thought to have inspired our own Olympic Games! The winners of each event were given a wreath of leaves, and when they returned home, they would be given free meals and the best seats in the theatre!The city-states were often at war, but just before the Olympics, a truce would be called so that everyone could travel to Olympia safely.

Winston Churchill once said "those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it." Unfortunately, the world seems to be repeating the mistakes of history. While some people have brought up the similarities between Ancient Rome and the United States, or even the age of Hitler and Mussolini to our time, I haven't heard anybody bring up the similarities between Ancient Greece and the world today. Ancient Greece had many problems. The states fought among themselves. All of this weakened the country, leaving them vulnerable to attack from Phillip II. Alexander the Great then took the Greeks into the rest of the world, but he died shortly after conquering most of the known western world.

The people couldn't support themselves, and relied on wealthy benefactors to save them. Piracy ran rampant, much like terrorism does today. Although their influence spread widely, domestic problems made life uncertain and perilous.

FALL OF GREEK EMPIRE

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