Chapter 5: Greek Civilizationbakerbulldogs.weebly.com/uploads/5/3/7/6/53762467/chap05.pdf ·...

150 Unit Title

399 B.C.Socrates sentenced to death

330 B.C.Alexander theGreat conquersPersian Empire

c. 287 B.C.Mathematician andinventor Archimedesis born

400 B.C. 300 B.C. 200 B.C.400 B.C. 300 B.C. 200 B.C.

The temple of Delphi was veryimportant to ancient Greeks. Manypeople believed the priestess herecould foretell the future.

Greek Civilization

Rog

er W

ood/

CO

RB

IS

150-151 CH5 CO-824133 3/10/04 5:29 AM 50

Chapter PreviewMany Greeks studied science, philosophy, mathematics,

and the arts. When Alexander the Great conquered the PersianEmpire, he spread Greek culture and ideas throughoutsouthwest Asia and the Mediterranean world.

View the Chapter 5 video in the World History:Journey Across Time Video Program.

The Culture of Ancient GreeceThe Greeks made great strides in the arts. Greek poetry, art, anddrama are still part of our world today.

Greek Philosophy and HistoryThe Greeks’ love of wisdom led to the study of history, politics,biology, and logic.

Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great was only 25 years old when he conquered the Persian Empire. As a result of his conquests, Greek art, ideas,language, and architecture spread throughout southwest Asia andNorth Africa.

The Spread of Greek CultureGreek cities became centers of learning and culture. Greek scientistsdeveloped advanced ideas about astronomy and mathematics.

Chapter Overview Visitjat.glencoe.com for a previewof Chapter 5.

Organizing Information Make the following foldable to help you organizeinformation about Greek culture and philosophy.

Reading and WritingAs you read the chapter,list the developmentsthat occurred in ancientGreece. Write thedevelopments under thecorrect foldablecategory.

Step 1 Fold two sheets of paperin half from top to bottom.

Step 3 Fit bothsheets of papertogether to makea cube as shown.

Step 4 Turn thecube and label thefoldable as shown.

Fold both sheets to leave

inch tab on top.

12

TheCulture ofAncientGreece

Greek

Philo-

sophy

The Spreadof GreekCulture

Alexanderthe Great

Step 2 Place glue or tape along both —1

2—

inch tabs.

151

150-151 CH5 CO-824133 3/10/04 5:30 AM Page 151

http://jat.glencoe.com

Using Context CluesWhen you have trouble understanding the words in a pas-

sage, it is very difficult to get the author’s message. You mayknow part of a word’s definition or even how to pronounce it,but you still may not understand its full meaning.

Look at the word inspiration in the following paragraph.Use the highlighted words to help you understand its meaning.

Context

152

Look at phrasesaround the wordto find clues toits meaning.

In this paragraph, the wordinspiration means some-thing that influences or hasan effect on someone.

The key to Alexander’s couragemay have been his childhood edu-cation. Alexander kept a copy ofthe Iliad under his pillow. Mostlikely his inspiration was Homer’swarrior-hero Achilles. In the end,Alexander’s reputation outstrippedeven Achilles’, and today he iscalled Alexander the Great.

—from page 177

When you don’t under-

stand a word or a

concept, reread the

sentence or paragraph.

Find other words that

will give you clues to its

meaning.

150-153 CH5 CO-824133 2/27/04 11:52 PM Page 152

What Does It Mean?Read the following paragraph about Aesop. Write down

all the words or phrases that help you fully understand themeaning of the word fable.

About 550 B.C., a Greek slavenamed Aesop (EE • SAHP) madeup his now famous fables. Afable (FAY • buhl) is a short talethat teaches a lesson. In most ofAesop’s fables, animals talk andact like people. These oftenfunny stories point out humanflaws as well as strengths. Eachfable ends with a message, ormoral.

—from page 158

Turn to any page in thischapter. Close your eyesand point to a word. Itcan be any word, even“a” or “the.” Now writea paragraph explaininghow the rest of thewords in the sentence orparagraph where thatword appears helpedyou to determine itsmeaning.

Read to Write

153

Aesop

As you read the chapter, create fiveword webs. Put an important wordor idea in a center circle. Surround itwith circles containing words fromthe text that help explain it.

Alinari/Art Resource, NY

150-153 CH5 CO-824133 3/21/04 9:49 AM Page 153

The Culture ofAncient Greece

What’s the Connection?You have read that under Pericles,

Athens became a center of beautyand culture. During this Golden Age,Greek thinkers, writers, and artistscontributed many new ideas to theworld.

Focusing on the • The Greeks believed that gods and

goddesses controlled nature andshaped their lives. (page 155)

• Greek poetry and fables taught Greekvalues. (page 157)

• Greek drama still shapes entertain-ment today. (page 160)

• Greek art and architecture expressedGreek ideas of beauty and harmony.(page 162)

Locating PlacesMount Olympus (uh •LIHM •puhs)Delphi (DEHL • FY)

Meeting PeopleHomer (HOH •muhr)Aesop (EE • SAHP)Sophocles (SAH • fuh • KLEEZ)Euripides (yu •RIH •puh • DEEZ)

Building Your Vocabularymyth (MIHTH)oracle (AWR •uh •kuhl)epic (EH •pihk)fable (FAY •buhl)drama (DRAH •muh)tragedy (TRA • juh •dee)comedy (KAH •muh •dee)

Reading StrategyCompare and Contrast Create aVenn diagram showing similarities anddifferences between an epic and afable.

Epic Both Fable

c. 700s B.C.Homer writes theIliad and Odyssey

c. 550 B.C.Aesop writes a series offables

GREECEAthens

Olympia

700 B.C. 600 B.C. 500 B.C.700 B.C. 600 B.C. 500 B.C.

154 CHAPTER 5 Greek Civilization

c. 500s B.C.Greek architectsbegin using marblecolumns

154-163 CH5 S1-824133 2/28/04 12:21 AM Page 154

Greek MythologyThe Greeks believed that gods and

goddesses controlled nature and shaped their lives.

Reading Focus Have you ever wondered why crops

grow or why the sun rises and sets? To get the answer,

you would read a science book. Read to learn how the

Greeks used religion to explain nature.

Myths (MIHTHS) are traditional storiesabout gods and heroes. Greek mythologyexpressed the Greek people’s religious beliefs.The Greeks believed in many gods and god-desses. They believed gods and goddessesaffected people’s lives and shaped events.That is why the most impressive buildings inGreek cities were religious temples.

Greek Gods and Goddesses The Greeksbelieved that the gods and goddesses controlled nature. According to Greekmyth, the god Zeus ruled the sky andthrew lightning bolts, the goddessDemeter made the crops grow, and thegod Poseidon caused earthquakes.

The 12 most important gods and goddesses lived on Mount Olympus(uh • LIHM • puhs), the highest mountain in Greece. Among the 12 were Zeus, who was the chief god; Athena, thegoddess of wisdom and crafts; Apollo, the god of the sun and poetry; Ares, thegod of war; Aphrodite, the goddess oflove; and Poseidon, the god of the seas and earthquakes.

The Greeks believed their gods and goddesseswere a large family—all related in some way.1. Who was the twin sister of Apollo?2. Explain How were Ares and Zeus related?

(cw

fro

m t

op)B

ettm

an/C

OR

BIS

, The

Art

Arc

hive

/Nat

iona

l Arc

haeo

logi

cal M

useu

m A

then

s/D

agli

Ort

i, T

he A

rt A

rchi

ve/A

chae

olog

ical

Mus

eum

Tar

quin

a/D

agli

Ort

i, La

uros

/Gira

udon

/Brid

gem

an A

rt L

ibra

ry,

Laur

os/G

iraud

on/B

ridge

man

Art

Lib

rary

,T

he A

rt A

rchi

ve/A

rcha

eolo

gica

l Mus

eum

Ven

ice/

Dag

li O

rti,

Fitz

will

iam

Mus

eum

, U

nive

rsity

of

Cam

brid

ge,

UK

/Brid

gem

an A

rt L

ibra

ry,

Gira

udon

/Brid

gem

an A

rt L

ibra

ry,

Pet

er W

illi/B

ridge

man

Art

Lib

rary

, W

olfg

ang

Kae

hler

/CO

RB

IS

154-163 CH5 S1-824133 2/28/04 12:24 AM Page 155

But Greek gods and goddesses were notthought to be all-powerful. According toGreek myths, even though gods had specialpowers, they looked like human beings andacted like them. They married, had children,quarreled, played tricks on each other, andfought wars.

Because Greeks sought their gods’ favor,they followed many rituals. A ritual is a set ofactions carried out in a fixed way. As part oftheir rituals, the Greeks prayed to their godsand also gave them gifts. In return, theyhoped that the gods would grant good fortune to them. Many Greek festivals hon-ored the gods and goddesses. Festivals dedi-cated to Zeus were held at Olympia.

The Greeks also believed in an afterlife.When people died, the Greeks believed theirspirits went to a gloomy world beneath theearth ruled by a god named Hades.

What Was a Greek Oracle? The Greeksbelieved that each person had a fate or des-tiny. They believed that certain events weregoing to happen no matter what they did.They also believed in prophecy. A prophecyis a prediction about the future. The Greeksbelieved that the gods gave prophecies topeople to warn them about the future intime to change it.

To find out about the future, manyGreeks visited an oracle (AWR • uh • kuhl).This was a sacred shrine where a priest or priestess spoke for a god or goddess. Themost famous was the oracle at the Templeof Apollo at Delphi (DEHL • FY). The oraclechamber was deep inside the temple. Theroom had an opening in the floor where vol-canic smoke hissed from a crack in the earth.

A priestess sat on a tripod—a three-legged stool—in the oracle chamber and lis-tened to questions. The priests translatedher answers. State leaders or their messen-gers traveled to Delphi to ask advice fromthe oracle of Apollo.

The priestess in the oracle often gaveanswers in riddles. When one king, namedCroesus (KREE • suhs), sent messengers to theoracle at Delphi, they asked if the kingshould go to war with the Persians. The ora-cle replied that if Croesus attacked thePersians, he would destroy a mighty empire.Overjoyed to hear these words, Croesusdeclared war on the Persians. The Persianarmy crushed his army. The mighty empireKing Croesus had destroyed was his own!

Explain Why did theGreeks have rituals and festivals for their godsand goddesses?


This painting shows a Greek man at the oracleat Delphi receiving a prophecy. Why were theseprophecies often confusing?

Mary Evans Picture Library

154-163 CH5 S1-824133 7/16/04 7:07 PM Page 156

Greek Poetry and FablesGreek poetry and fables taught Greek

values.

Reading Focus Do you have favorite stories? Are the

characters in the stories brave and clever? Read about

the characters of the best-loved stories in early Greece.

Greek poems and stories are the oldestin the Western world. For hundreds ofyears, Europeans and Americans haveused these early works as models for theirown poems and stories. Shakespeare, forexample, borrowed many Greek plots andsettings.

The earliest Greek stories were epics (EH • pihks). These long poems told about

heroic deeds. The first great epics of earlyGreece were the Iliad and the Odyssey. Thepoet Homer (HOH •muhr) wrote these epicsduring the 700s B.C. He based them on sto-ries of a war between Greece and the city ofTroy, which once existed in what is todaynorthwestern Turkey.

In the Iliad, a prince of Troy kidnaps thewife of the king of Sparta. The kidnappingoutrages the Greeks. The king of Mycenaeand the brother of the king of Sparta leadthe Greeks in an attack on Troy.

The battle for Troy drags on for 10 years. Finally, the Greeks come up witha plan to take the city. They build a huge,hollow, wooden horse. The best My-cenaean warriors hide inside the horse.

The Trojan HorseThe Trojan Horse

After building the Trojanhorse, the Greeks returnedto their ships and pretendedto retreat. Despite warnings,the Trojans brought thehorse within their city as a war trophy. The Greeksinside the horse opened thecity gates for their fellowsoldiers and captured thecity. What epic included thestory of the Trojan horse?

Clay carving of the Trojan horse

James L. Stanfield/National Geographic Society Image Collection

154-163 CH5 S1-824133 7/14/04 10:27 PM Page 157

Alinari/Art Resource, NY

The Trojans, thinking the horse was agift from the Greeks, celebrate and roll thegiant horse into the city. That night, theGreek warriors quietly climb from thehorse and capture the city.

The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus,another Greek hero. It describes his journeyhome from the Trojan War. Odysseus facesstorms, witches, and giants before return-ing to his wife. Because it took Odysseus 10years to get home, we use the word odysseytoday to mean a long journey with manyadventures.

Greeks believed the Iliad and theOdyssey were more than stories. Theylooked on the epics as real history. Thesepoems gave the Greeks an ideal past witha cast of heroes. Generations of Greeksread Homer’s works. One Athenian wrote,“My father was anxious to see me developinto a good man . . . [so] he compelled meto memorize all of Homer.”

Homer’s stories taught courage andhonor. They also taught that it was impor-tant to be loyal to your friends and to valuethe relationship between husband andwife. The stories showed heroes striving tobe the best they could be. Heroes fought toprotect their own honor and their family’shonor. Homer’s heroes became role modelsfor Greek boys.

Who Was Aesop? About 550 B.C., a Greekslave named Aesop (EE • SAHP) made up hisnow famous fables. A fable (FAY •buhl) is ashort tale that teaches a lesson. In most ofAesop’s fables, animals talk and act likepeople. These often funny stories point outhuman flaws as well as strengths. Eachfable ends with a message, or moral.

One of the best-known fables is “TheTortoise and the Hare.” In this fable, a tor-toise and a hare decide to race. More than

halfway into the race, the hare is way ahead.He stops to rest and falls asleep. Meanwhile,the tortoise keeps going at a slow but steadypace and finally wins the race.

The moral of the story is “slow andsteady wins the race.” Some of the phraseswe hear today came from Aesop’s fables.“Sour grapes,” “a wolf in sheep’s clothing,”and “appearances often are deceiving” areexamples.

For about 200 years, Aesop’s fableswere a part of Greece’s oral tradition. Thismeans they were passed from person toperson by word of mouth long before theywere ever written down. Since then, count-less writers have retold the stories in manydifferent languages.

Describe What are thecharacteristics of a fable?


AesopAesop

According to legend, Aesop was freed fromslavery and became an adviser to Greekrulers. What is a fable?

154-163 CH5 S1-824133 3/10/04 5:39 AM Page 158

HOMERc. 750 B.C.

Homer’s epic poems—the Iliad and the

Odyssey—are famous, but until the 1900s,

historians believed that Homer never existed.

Historians now know Homer was a real person,

but they still debate whether he wrote his

poems alone or with the help of other poets.

Many historians have speculated, or made

educated guesses, about Homer’s personal life.

Some say that Homer came from Ionia and

seven cities claim to be his birthplace. Some

believe that he was blind. Others believe

that he wandered from town to town.

Legends tell of Homer’s strong

influence on his readers. For example, as a

young child, Alexander the Great is said to

have slept with a copy of the Iliad under his

pillow.

Homer used the term aoidos for a poet. This word

means “singer,” which tells us that the poetry created

during Homer’s time was memorized and recited, not

written down. Usually, short, simple poems that were

easy to remember were told to an audience as

entertainment.

Homer created a different style of poetry that

influenced all Western literature that followed. His

epics are long and involve complex characters, dramatic

action, and interesting events. Because each section

of the Iliad and the Odyssey has these characteristics,

most historians today think that only one poet

could have created both epics. Whoever

Homer was, his two epics have

influenced readers for more than

3,000 years.

Homer

159

“I hate as I hate [Hades’]own gate that manwho hides one thoughtwithin him while hespeaks another.”

——Homer, the Iliad

Review the characteristics of an epic. Then do

research to identify a modern epic.

Scala/Art Resource, NY

154-163 CH5 S1-824133 3/21/04 9:51 AM Page 159

Actors today include bothmen and women—and evenchildren and animals. Special effects

and makeup have replaced handheldmasks. Music in modern theater is

sometimes just as important as the actors’words. If you watched a Greek play, what might

it tell you about life in ancient Greece?Ruins of a Greek theater

The TheaterA modern-day play

Greek DramaGreek drama still shapes entertain-

ment today.

Reading Focus Think about your favorite movie.

How would you describe it? Is it a tragedy? Is it a

comedy? Read to find out how Greek plays still influ-

ence our entertainment.

What is drama (DRAH •muh)? Drama is astory told by actors who pretend to becharacters in the story. In a drama, actorsspeak, show emotion, and imitate theactions of the characters they represent.

Today’s movies, plays, and televisionshows are all examples of drama.

Tragedies and Comedies The Greeks per-formed plays in outdoor theaters as part oftheir religious festivals. They developed twokinds of dramas—comedies and tragedies.

In a tragedy (TRA • juh • dee), a personstruggles to overcome difficulties but fails.As a result, the story has an unhappy end-ing. Early Greek tragedies presented peoplein a struggle against their fate. Later Greektragedies showed how a person’s characterflaws caused him or her to fail.

Tragedies and comedies were staged at atheater on the slopes of the Acropolis in Athens.The plays included music and dance. Greekactors wore costumes and held large masks.The masks told the audience who theactor was supposed to be—a king, asoldier, or a god. All the actors weremen, even those playing female parts.

160 CHAPTER 5 Greek Civilization(l)SuperStock, (r)Eric Robert/CORBIS

154-163 CH5 S1-824133 2/28/04 12:36 AM Page 160

In a comedy (KAH • muh • dee), the storyends happily. Today we use the word comedyto mean a story filled with humor. The wordactually means any drama that has a happyending.

Greek stories dealt with big questions,such as:

• What is the nature of good and evil?• What rights should people have?• What role do gods play in our lives?

The three best-known writers of Greektragedies were Aeschylus (EHS • kuh • luhs),Sophocles (SAH • fuh • KLEEZ), and Euripides(yu • RIH • puh • DEEZ). The best-known writerof Greek comedies was Aristophanes (ar •uh •STAH • fuh • NEEZ).

Early Greek tragedies had only one actorwho gave speeches and a chorus that sangsongs describing the events. Aeschylus wasthe first to introduce the idea of having twoactors. This let the writer tell a story involvingconflict between the two people. Aeschylusalso introduced costumes, props, and stagedecorations—all ideas we still use today.

One of Aeschylus’s best-known plays is a group of three plays called the Oresteia(ohr • eh • STY • uh). Aeschylus wrote theplays in 458 B.C. They describe what hap-pens when the king of Mycenae returnshome from the Trojan War. The Oresteiateaches that evil acts cause more evil actsand suffering. In the end, however, reasontriumphs over evil. The moral of theseplays is that people should not seekrevenge.

Sophocles, a general and a writer of plays,developed drama even further. He usedthree actors in his stories instead of one ortwo. He also placed painted scenes behindthe stage as a backdrop to the action. Two ofSophocles’ most famous plays are OedipusRex (EH • duh • puhs REHKS) and Antigone (an • TIH • guh • nee) In Antigone, Sophocles

asks the question “Is it better to followorders or to do what is right?”

Euripides, a later playwright, tried totake Greek drama beyond heroes and gods.His characters were more down-to-earth.Euripides’ plots show a great interest inreal-life situations. He questioned tradi-tional thinking, especially about war. Heshowed war as cruel and women and chil-dren as its victims.

The works of Aristophanes are goodexamples of comedies. They make fun ofleading politicians and scholars. Theyencourage the audience to think as well asto laugh. Many of Aristophanes’ playsincluded jokes, just like popular televisioncomedies do today.

Summarize What twotypes of drama did the Greeks create?

CHAPTER 5 Greek Civilization 161

This artwork showsactors preparing fora play. When andwhere were Greekplays performed?

Comedy andtragedy masks

(t)Erich Lessing/Art Resource, NY, (b)Mary Evans Picture Library

154-163 CH5 S1-824133 3/10/04 5:40 AM Page 161

Greek Art and ArchitectureGreek art and architecture expressed

Greek ideas of beauty and harmony.

Reading Focus Do you consider any building in

your neighborhood a work of art? Read on to find

out about buildings that people have admired as art

for centuries.

Artists in ancient Greece believed in cer-tain ideas and tried to show those ideas intheir work. These ideas have never goneout of style. Greek artists wanted people to

see reason, moderation, balance, and har-mony in their work. They hoped their artwould inspire people to base their lives onthese same ideas.

We know that the Greeks paintedmurals, but none of them have survived.However, we can still see examples ofGreek painting on Greek pottery. The pic-tures on most Greek pottery are either redon a black background or black on a redbackground. Large vases often had scenesfrom Greek myths. Small drinking cupsshowed scenes from everyday life.


Treasure RoomHeld the city's gold

FestivalAthenians came to honorAthena every four years.

AthenaThe statue of Athena,

covered in ivory and gold,was about 43 feet high.

Today the Parthenon stillrises above Athens.

The ParthenonThe Parthenon

Doric

The Greeks used three different styles of columnsin their buildings.

Ionic Corinthian

Standing at almost 230 feet long and 100 feet wide,the Parthenon was the glory of ancient Athens. It wasbuilt between 447 and 432 B.C. What was the purposeof the Parthenon?

(tl)Joel W. Rogers/CORBIS, (tc)Dave Bartruff/CORBIS, (tr)Vanni Archive/CORBIS, (b)Charles O’Rear/CORBIS

154-163 CH5 S1-824133 2/28/04 12:49 AM Page 162


In addition to making pottery, theGreeks were skilled architects. Architectureis the art of designing and building struc-tures. In Greece, the most important archi-tecture was the temple dedicated to a god orgoddess. The best-known example is theParthenon. Temples, such as the Parthenon,had a walled room in their centers. Statuesof gods and goddesses and the gifts offeredto them were kept in these central rooms.

Large columns supported many Greekbuildings. The first Greek columns werecarved from wood. Then, in 500 B.C., theGreeks began to use marble. Marblecolumns were built in sections. Largeblocks of marble were chiseled from stonequarries and brought by oxen-drawnwagon to the building site. The sectionswere stacked on top of each other. To keep

them from toppling, the column’s sectionswere joined with wooden pegs. Today,marble columns are common features ofchurches and government buildings.Some of the best-known buildings in ournation’s capital, such as the White Houseand the Capitol, have columns similar toGreek columns.

Many Greek temples were decoratedwith sculpture. Greek sculpture, like Greekarchitecture, was used to express Greekideas. The favorite subject of Greek artistswas the human body. Greek sculptors didnot copy their subjects exactly, flaws andall. Instead, they tried to show their idealversion of perfection and beauty.

Identify What was the most important type of building in ancientGreece?

Reading SummaryReview the • The Greeks believed gods and

goddesses influenced their lives.They believed oracles spoke forthe gods and goddesses.

• The Greeks wrote long poems,called epics, and short tales, calledfables, to pass on Greek values.

• The Greeks created the ideas oftragedy and comedy that are stillused in drama today.

• Greek art forms, such as painting,architecture, and sculpture,expressed Greek ideas of beauty,harmony, and moderation.

1. How and why did the Greekshonor their gods?

2. What values did the epic poemsof Homer teach Greeks?

Critical Thinking3. Contrast How do Greek

tragedies and comedies differ?

4. Summarizing InformationDraw a table to describe thecharacteristics of Greek archi-tecture and pottery.

5. Evaluate Do you think thethemes of Euripides’ playswould be popular today?

6. Make Generalizations Whydid Greek artists include theideas of reason, moderation,balance, and harmony in theirworks?

7. Expository Writing Greek lit-erature tells us what the Greeksthought was important. Choosea modern book, movie, or televi-sion show.Write a paragraph toexplain what it would tell othersabout our society.

8. Context CluesExplain how the words in thefollowing sentence would helpyou find the meaning of theword moral.“The moral of the story is ‘slowand steady wins the race.’”

What Did You Learn?

Study Central™ Need help with the material in this section? Visit jat.glencoe.com

Greek Architecture

Greek Pottery

154-163 CH5 S1-824133 3/17/05 11:57 AM Page 163


164

Retold by Josephine Preston Peabody

Before You ReadThe Scene: This story takes place on the Greek island of Crete in the legendary time when both humans and gods lived in ancient Greece.

The Characters: Daedalus is the master architect for King Minos of Crete.Icarus is the son of Daedalus.

The Plot: King Minos once liked and trusted his servant, the architectDaedalus. The king’s favor, though, soon runs out and he locks Daedalus and his son, Icarus, in a high tower. Daedalus secretly plans to escape.

Vocabulary Previewmortal: human

veer: to shift or change direction

waver: to become unsteady

rash: done without thought orpreparation

reel: to turn or seem to turn aroundand around

quench: to satisfy or put an end toa need or desire

vainly: without success

Have you ever known someonewho ignored warnings and didsomething dangerous? This is the story of a young boy whodoes not listen to his father andsuffers the consequences.

164-167 CH5 WL-824133 2/28/04 2:04 AM Page 164

165

Among all those mortals who grew so wise that they learned thesecrets of the gods, none was more cunning than Daedalus.1

He once built, for King Minos of Crete, a wonderful Labyrinth ofwinding ways so cunningly tangled up and twisted around that,once inside, you could never find your way out again without amagic clue. But the king’s favor veered with the wind, and one dayhe had his master architect imprisoned in a tower. Daedalusmanaged to escape from his cell; but it seemed impossible to leavethe island, since every ship that came or went was well guarded byorder of the king.

At length, watching the sea-gulls in the air—the only creaturesthat were sure of liberty,—he thought of a plan for himself and hisyoung son Icarus,2 who was captive with him.

Little by little, he gathered a store of feathers great and small.He fastened these together with thread, moulded them in with wax,and so fashioned two great wings like those of a bird. When theywere done, Daedalus fitted them to his own shoulders, and afterone or two efforts, he found that by waving his arms he couldwinnow the air and cleave3 it, as a swimmer does the sea.He held himself aloft, wavered this way and that with the wind, and at last, like a great fledgling,4 he learned to fly.

¢

1Daedalus (DEH • duhl • uhs): architect for King Minos2Icarus (IH • kuh • ruhs): son of Daedalus3winnow . . . and cleave: here, both mean “to separateor divide”

4fledgling: a young bird without feathers that cannot yet fly

As You ReadKeep in mind that a myth is a special kind of story, usuallyinvolving gods or goddesses. Greek myths, like this one, weretold and retold over many hundreds of years. Try to figure outwhy the Greeks told this story. What lesson does it teach?

164-167 CH5 WL-824133 7/21/04 10:25 AM 5

166

Without delay, he fell to work on a pair of wings for the boyIcarus, and taught him carefully how to use them, bidding himbeware of rash adventures among the stars. “Remember,” said thefather, “never fly very low or very high, for the fogs about the earthwould weigh you down, but the blaze of the sun will surely meltyour feathers apart if you go too near.”

For Icarus, these cautions went in at one ear and out by theother. Who could remember to be careful when he was to fly for thefirst time? Are birds careful? Not they! And not an idea remained inthe boy’s head but the one joy of escape.

The day came, and the fair wind that was to set them free. Thefather bird put on his wings, and, while the light urged them to begone, he waited to see that all was well with Icarus, for the twocould not fly hand in hand. Up they rose, the boy after his father.The hateful ground of Crete sank beneath them; and the countryfolk, who caught a glimpse of them when they were high abovethe tree-tops, took it for a vision of the gods,—Apollo,5

perhaps, with Cupid6 after him.At first there was a terror in the joy. The wide vacancy of

the air dazed them,—a glance downward made their brainsreel. But when a great wind filled their wings, and Icarus felthimself sustained,7 like a halcyon-bird8 in the hollow of a

wave, like a child uplifted by his mother, he forgoteverything in the world but joy. He forgot Crete and

the other islands that he had passed over: he sawbut vaguely that winged thing in the distance

before him that was his father Daedalus.

5Apollo: Greek god of the sun6Cupid: Greek god of love7sustained: to be kept from falling8halcyon-bird: also kingfisher, flies closeto the water to catch fish

164-167 CH5 WL-824133 2/28/04 2:10 AM Page 166

167

1. What does King Minos do to keep Daedalus and Icarus from escaping from Crete?

2. How does the setting of the story influence the plot? Supportyour ideas with details from the story.

3. Drawing Conclusions Do you think Daedalus is a concernedfather? Why or why not? Support your opinion with examples.

4. Evaluating Information Why does Icarus disobey his father’swords of caution?

5. Read to Write Imagine you are Icarus. Would youlisten to your father’s advice? Write one or two paragraphsexplaining what you would have done and why.

Responding to the Reading

He longed for one draught9 of flight to quench the thirst ofhis captivity: he stretched out his arms to the sky and madetoward the highest heavens.

Alas for him! Warmer and warmer grew the air. Thosearms, that had seemed to uphold him, relaxed. His wingswavered, drooped. He fluttered his young hands vainly,—he was falling,—and in that terror he remembered. The heat of the sun had melted the wax from his wings; the feathers were falling,one by one, like snowflakes; and there was none to help.

He fell like a leaf tossed down the wind, down,down, with one cry that overtook Daedalus far away. When he returned, and sought high and low for the poor boy, he saw nothing but the bird-like feathers afloat on the water, and he knew that Icarus was drowned.

The nearest island he named Icaria,in memory of the child; but he, in heavy grief,went to the temple of Apollo in Sicily, and there hung up his wings as an offering. Never again did he attempt to fly.

¢9draught: here, means “a taste”

164-167 CH5 WL-824133 2/28/04 2:12 AM Page 167

Greek Philosophy and History


435 B.C.Herodotuswrites historyof Persian Wars

399 B.C.Socratessentenced to death

500 B.C. 400 B.C. 300 B.C.500 B.C. 400 B.C. 300 B.C.335 B.C.Aristotle opensthe Lyceum in Athens

What’s the Connection?Section 1 discussed early Greek

artists and writers. Many of themmade the years between 500 and350 B.C. the Golden Age for Greece.Greek thinkers and historians alsoproduced works that shape people’sviews of the world today.

Focusing on the • Greek philosophers developed ideas

that are still used today. (page 169)

• Greeks wrote the first real historiesin Western civilization. (page 173)

Meeting PeoplePythagoras (puh•THA•guh•ruhs)Socrates (SAH•kruh•TEEZ)Plato (PLAY•TOH)Aristotle (AR•uh•STAH•tuhl)Herodotus (hih•RAH•duh•tuhs)Thucydides (thoo•SIH•duh•DEEZ)

Building Your Vocabularyphilosophy (fuh•LAH•suh• fee)philosopher (fuh•LAH•suh• fuhr)Sophist (SAH• fihst)Socratic method (suh•KRA•tihk)

Reading StrategyCategorizing Information Usediagrams like the one below to showthe basic philosophies of Socrates,Plato, and Aristotle.

Socrates


168-173 Ch5 S2-824133 3/10/04 5:48 AM Page 168

Greek PhilosophersGreek philosophers developed ideas

that are still used today.

Reading Focus Who are you? Why are you here?

Read to learn how the ancient Greeks tried to answer

similar “big” questions.

The word philosophy (fuh•LAH•suh•fee)comes from the Greek word for “love of wis-dom.” Greek philosophy led to the study ofhistory, political science, science, and mathe-matics. Greek thinkers who believed thehuman mind could understand everythingwere called philosophers (fuh•LAH•suh•fuhrs).

Many philosophers were teachers. OneGreek philosopher, Pythagoras (puh • THA •guh • ruhs), taught his pupils that the uni-verse followed the same laws that governedmusic and numbers. He believed that allrelationships in the world could beexpressed in numbers. As a result, he devel-oped many new ideas about mathematics.Most people know his name because of thePythagorean theorem that is still used ingeometry. It is a way to determine thelength of the sides of a triangle.

Who Were the Sophists? The Sophists(SAH • fihsts) were professional teachers inancient Greece. They traveled from city to


This artwork shows Greek philosophers involved in adiscussion. Where does the word philosophy come from?


168-173 Ch5 S2-824133 3/10/04 5:50 AM Page 169


Greek PhilosophersGreek Philosophers

Main Idea

Thinker Or Group

ImportantContribution

Influence on Today

Sophists like Libanius(above) thought that people should use knowledge to improvethemselves. They believed that there is no absolute right or wrong.

He rejected the ideaof democracy as a form of government.Plato believed that philosopher-kings should rule society.

Aristotle taught the idea of the “golden mean.” He believed observation and comparison werenecessary to gainknowledge.

The importance of public speaking can be seen in political debates between candidates.

His methods influenced the way teachers interact with their students.

He introduced the idea that govern-ment should be fair and just.

His political ideas still shape political ideas today.

They developed the art of public speak-ing and debate.

He created the Socratic method of teaching.

He described his vision of the ideal government in his work the Republic.

He wrote over 200 books on philoso-phy and science. He divided all govern-ments into threebasic types.

He was a critic of the Sophists. Socrates believed that there was an absolute right and wrong.

Sophists Socrates Plato Aristotle

city and made a living by teaching others.They believed students should use theirtime to improve themselves. Many taughttheir students how to win an argument andmake good political speeches.

Sophists did not believe that gods andgoddesses influenced people. They alsorejected the idea of absolute right or wrong.They believed that what was right for oneperson might be wrong for another.

The Ideas of Socrates One critic of theSophists was Socrates (SAH • kruh • TEEZ).Socrates was an Athenian sculptor whosetrue love was philosophy. Socrates left nowritings behind. What we know abouthim we have learned from the writings ofhis students.

Socrates believed that an absolute truthexisted and that all real knowledge waswithin each person. He invented the Socratic method (suh •KRA • tihk) of teachingstill used today. He asked pointed questionsto force his pupils to use their reason and tosee things for themselves.

Some Athenian leaders considered theSocratic method a threat to their power. At one time, Athens had a tradition of ques-tioning leaders and speaking freely.However, their defeat in the PeloponnesianWar changed the Athenians. They no longertrusted open debate. In 399 B.C. the leadersaccused Socrates of teaching youngAthenians to rebel against the state. A juryfound Socrates guilty and sentenced him todeath. Socrates could have fled the city, but

(l)Mary Evans Picture Library, (cl)Scala/Art Resource, NY, (cr)Museo Capitolino, Rome/E.T. Archives, London/SuperStock, (r)Reunion des Musees Nationaux/Art Resource, NY

168-173 Ch5 S2-824133 3/10/04 5:52 AM Page 170

he chose to remain. He argued that he hadlived under the city’s laws, so he had toobey them. He then drank poison to carryout the jury’s sentence.

The Ideas of Plato One of Socrates’ stu-dents was Plato (PLAY • toh). Unlike Socrates,we are able to learn a lot about Plato fromhis writings. One work Plato wrote is calledthe Republic. It explains his ideas about gov-ernment. Based on life in Athens, Platodecided that democracy was not a goodsystem of government. He did not thinkthat rule by the people produced fair or sen-sible policies. To him, people could not livegood lives unless they had a just and rea-sonable government.

In the Republic, Plato described his idealgovernment. He divided people into threebasic groups. At the top were philosopher-kings, who ruled using logic and wisdom.Warriors made up the second group. Theydefended the state from attack.

The third group included the rest of thepeople. They were driven by desire, not bywisdom like the first group or courage likethe second. These people produced thestate’s food, clothing, and shelter. Plato alsobelieved that men and women should havethe same education and an equal chance tohave the same jobs.

Who Was Aristotle? Plato established aschool in Athens known as the Academy. Hisbest student was Aristotle (AR •uh • STAH • tuhl).Aristotle wrote more than 200 books ontopics ranging from government to theplanets and stars.

In 335 B.C. Aristotle opened his ownschool called the Lyceum. At the Lyceum,Aristotle taught his pupils the “goldenmean.” This idea holds that a person shoulddo nothing in excess. For example, a person

should not eat too little or too much but justenough to stay well.

Aristotle also helped to advance science.He urged people to use their senses to makeobservations, just as scientists today makeobservations. Aristotle was the first personto group observations according to their sim-ilarities and differences. Then he made gen-eralizations based on the groups of facts.

Like Plato, Aristotle wrote about gov-ernment. He studied and compared thegovernments of 158 different places to findthe best form of government. In his bookPolitics, Aristotle divided the governmentsinto three types:

• Government by one person, such as amonarch (king or queen) or a tyrant

• Government by a few people, whichmight be an aristocracy or an oligarchy

• Government by many people, as in ademocracy

Aristotle noticed that governments runby a few people were usually run by therich. He noticed that most democracieswere run by the poor. He thought the bestgovernment was a mixture of the two.

Aristotle’s ideas shaped the wayEuropeans and Americans thought aboutgovernment. The founders of the UnitedStates Constitution tried to create a mixedgovernment that balanced the differenttypes Aristotle had identified.

Contrast How didAristotle’s idea of government differ from Plato’s?

Web Activity Visit jat.glencoe.com and clickon Chapter 5—Student Web Activity to learnmore about ancient Greece.


168-173 Ch5 S2-824133 3/10/04 5:53 AM Page 171


Aristotle spent 20 years at Plato’s Academy.

What present-day careers or subjects of study

require lifelong learning?

PLATO AND ARISTOTLEPlato c. 428–347 B.C.Aristotle 384–322 B.C.

Plato was from a noble Greek family and had planned a career in

politics. However, he was so horrified by the death of his teacher,

Socrates, that he left politics and spent many years traveling and

writing. When Plato returned to Athens in 387 B.C., he founded an

academy, where he taught using Socrates’ method of questioning. His

academy drew bright young students from Athens and other Greek

city-states. Plato looked for truth beyond the appearances of

everyday objects and reflected this philosophy in his writing and

teaching. He believed the human soul was the connection between

the appearance of things and ideas.

Plato and Aristotle—two of the greatest ancient Greek

philosophers—met as teacher and student at Plato’s Academy in

Athens. Aristotle left his home in Stagira and arrived on the Academy’s

doorstep when he was eighteen years old. He remained at Plato’s Academy for

20 years, until the death of his teacher. Unlike Plato, Aristotle did not come from

a noble family. His father was the court physician to the king of Macedonia. At an early

age, Aristotle’s father introduced him to the topics of medicine and biology, and these

became his main interests of study. Aristotle sought truth through a systematic, scientific

approach. He liked to jot down notes and details about different

topics—from weather to human behavior—and arrange them in

categories. He did not trust the senses’ ability to understand the

universe.After Plato’s death, Aristotle traveled for about 12 years.

He also tutored the future Alexander the Great. Later in his life, he

returned to Athens and opened his own school, the Lyceum. He

made his school the center for research in every area of

knowledge known to the Greeks.

Aristotle

Plato

(t)SEF/Art Resource, NY, (b) Scala/Art Resource, NY

168-173 Ch5 S2-824133 3/21/04 9:53 AM Page 172

Reading SummaryReview the • The ideas of Greek philosophers,

including Socrates, Plato, andAristotle, still affect modernthinking about education, gov-ernment, and science.

• Herodotus and Thucydides areconsidered western civilization’sfirst historians. They believedthat people could understand thepresent by studying the past.

1. Who were the Sophists andwhat were their beliefs?

2. Before Herodotus, how didGreeks explain the past?

Critical Thinking3. Organizing Information

Draw a diagram like the onebelow. Use the diagram toorganize Plato’s ideas about anideal government.

4. Science Link How areAristotle’s teachings related tothe scientific method used byscientists today?

5. Contrast What is differentabout the works of Herodotusand Thucydides?

6. Summarize DescribeAristotle’s contributions to government.

7. Persuasive Writing Do youagree with Plato’s vision of theideal state in the Republic?Write an editorial expressingyour viewpoint.

What Did You Learn?



Greek HistoriansGreeks wrote the first real histories in

Western civilization.

Reading Focus Why is history important? Read on to

find out what Greek historians thought was important.

In most places in the ancient world, peo-ple did not write history. Legends andmyths explained their past. Some civiliza-tions kept long lists of rulers and the datesthey were in power, but no one tried toexplain the past by studying events. Then,in 435 B.C., a Greek named Herodotus (hih •RAH • duh • tuhs) wrote the history of thePersian Wars.

In his book, Herodotus tried to separatefact from legend. He asked questions,recorded answers, and checked the truthful-ness of his sources. Although his historyincludes some errors and uses gods and god-desses to explain some events, Western histo-rians consider him the “father of history.”

Many historians consider Thucydides(thoo •SIH •duh • DEEZ) the greatest historian ofthe ancient world. Thucydides fought in thePeloponnesian War. After he lost a battle, hewas sent into exile. There he wrote hisHistory of the Peloponnesian War.

Unlike Herodotus, Thucydides saw warand politics as the activities of humanbeings, not gods. He also stressed theimportance of having accurate facts:

Either I was present myself at theevents which I have described orelse I heard of them from eye-witnesses whose reports I havechecked with as muchthoroughness as possible.

—Thucydides, History of thePeloponnesian War

Identify How didThucydides view war and politics?

168-173 Ch5 S2-824133 3/17/05 11:58 AM Page 173


Alexander the Great

359 B.C.Philip II becomesking of Macedonia

331 B.C.Alexanderdefeats Dariusat Gaugamela

323 B.C.Alexander dies

MACEDONIA

Gaugamela

Babylon

360 B.C. 340 B.C. 320 B.C.360 B.C. 340 B.C. 320 B.C.


What’s the Connection?In Section 2, you learned that the

Greek philosopher Aristotle was alsoa teacher. The king of Macedoniaadmired Greek culture and hiredAristotle to tutor his son, Alexander.Years later, his son would takecontrol of the Greek world.

Focusing on the • Philip II of Macedonia united the

Greek states. (page 175)

• Alexander the Great conquered thePersian Empire and spread Greekculture throughout southwest Asia.(page 176)

Locating PlacesMacedonia (MA•suh•DOH•nee•uh)Chaeronea (KEHR•uh•NEE•uh)Syria (SIHR•ee•uh)Alexandria (A• lihg•ZAN•dree•uh)

Meeting PeoplePhilip II

Alexander the Great

Building Your Vocabularylegacy (LEH•guh•see)Hellenistic Era (HEH• luh•NIHS• tihk)

Reading StrategySequencing Create a diagram like theone below to track the achievementsof Alexander the Great.

174-179 Ch5 S3-824133 2/28/04 3:24 AM Page 174

Macedonia Attacks GreecePhilip II of Macedonia united the Greek

states.

Reading Focus Have you ever wanted something

because your neighbor had it? Read to find what the king

of Macedonia wanted from his neighbors, the Greeks.

Macedonia (MA • suh • DOH • nee • uh) laynorth of Greece. The Macedonians raisedsheep and horses and grew crops in theirriver valleys. They were a warrior peoplewho fought on horseback. The Greeks lookeddown on them, but by 400 B.C., Macedoniahad become a powerful kingdom.

A Plan to Win Greece In 359 B.C. Philip IIrose to the throne in Macedonia. Philip hadlived in Greece as a young man. He admiredeverything about the Greeks—their art,

their ideas, and their armies. AlthoughMacedonia was influenced by Greek ideas,Philip wanted to make his kingdom strongenough to defeat the mighty PersianEmpire. In order to achieve this goal, Philipneeded to unite the Greek city-states withhis own kingdom.

Philip trained a vast army of foot sol-diers to fight like the Greeks. He took overthe city-states one by one. He took somecity-states by force and bribed the leaders ofothers to surrender. Some united with hiskingdom voluntarily.

Demosthenes (dih • MAHS • thuh • NEEZ)was a lawyer and one of Athens’s greatpublic speakers. He gave several powerfulspeeches warning Athenians that Philipwas a threat to Greek freedom. He urgedAthens and other city-states to join togetherto fight the Macedonians.


As King Philip II of Macedonia becamemore powerful, he began to take part in the affairs of Greece. Demosthenes real-ized that Macedonia’s powerful armywould eventually be a threat to Greece.He tried to warn the Greeks to take action. “Remember only that Philip is our enemy, thathe has long been robbing and insulting us,that wherever we have expected aid from oth-ers we have found hostility, that the futuredepends on ourselves, and that unless we arewilling to fight him there we shall perhaps beforced to fight here. . . . You need not speculate[guess] about the future except to assureyourselves that it will be disastrous unless youface the facts and are willing to do your duty.”

—Demosthenes, “The First Philippic” inOrations of Demosthenes

Which line of Demosthenes’ speech tellswhat he thinks will happen if the Greeksignore Philip?

Demosthenes’ Warning Demosthenes

file photo

174-179 Ch5 S3-824133 3/10/04 6:01 AM Page 175

However, by the time the Greeks saw thedanger, it was too late. The PeloponnesianWar had left the Greeks weak and divided. Inmany Greek city-states, the population haddeclined after the Peloponnesian War.Fighting had destroyed many farms and leftpeople with no way to earn a living. As aresult, thousands of young Greeks left Greeceto join the Persian army. Many who stayedbehind began fighting among themselves.The city-states grew weaker.

Although the Athenians joined someother Greek states to fight Philip’s army, theycould not stop the invasion. In 338 B.C. theMacedonians crushed the Greek allies at theBattle of Chaeronea (KEHR•uh•NEE•uh) nearThebes. Philip now controlled most of Greece.

Summarize Why did Philip IIinvade Greece?

Alexander Builds an EmpireAlexander the Great conquered the

Persian Empire and spread Greek culture through-out southwest Asia.

Reading Focus What will you be doing at age 20?

Read to learn what Philip’s son Alexander achieved.

Philip planned to conquer the PersianEmpire with the Greeks’ help. Before Philipcould carry out his plan, however, he wasmurdered. As a result, the invasion of Asiafell to his son.

Alexander was only 20 when he becameking of Macedonia. Philip had carefullytrained his son for leadership. While still aboy, Alexander often went with his father tothe battlefront. At age 16 he rose to com-mander in the Macedonian army. After his

500 km0Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection

500 mi.0

N

S

W E

20°N

40°N

Granicus334 B.C.

Chaeronea338 B.C.

Gaugamela331 B.C.

Issus333 B.C.

ArabianSea

Persian Gulf

Mediterranean Sea

Black Sea

Caspian Sea

AegeanSea

Euphrates R.

Tigris

R.

Nile

R.

D anube R.

Indu

sR.

ASIAMINOR

PERSIASYRIA

MACEDONIA

EGYPT

Alexandria

Athens

TyreBabylon

Persepolis

Susa

Alexander’s Empire 323 B.C.

Alexander the Great’s empirestretched across three continents.1. Near what river was the Battle of

Gaugamela fought?2. What modern countries make up

the eastern borders of the empire?Find NGS online map resources @www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

TURKEY

IRANIRAQ

SYRIA

JORDANKUWAIT

LEBANONISRAEL

SAUDIARABIA

PAKISTAN

AFGHANISTAN

TURKMENISTAN

UZBEKISTAN

EGYPTLIBYA

GREECE

BULGARIA

Extent of empireAlexander’s routesof conquestMajor battle

KEY

The Region Today

MotionIn

174-179 Ch5 S3-875047 9/13/06 11:32 AM Page 176

http://www.nationalgeographic.com/maps

father’s death, Alexander was ready to ful-fill his father’s dream—the invasion of thePersian Empire.

Alexander’s Conquests In the spring of 334 B.C., Alexander invaded Asia Minor withabout 37,000 Macedonian and Greek foot sol-diers. He also took along 5,000 mountedwarriors. With Alexander at their head, thecavalry destroyed the forces of the localPersian satraps at the Battle of Granicus.

By the next year, Alexander had freedthe Greek cities in Asia Minor from Persianrule and defeated a large Persian army atIssus. He then turned south. By the winterof 332 B.C., he had captured Syria (SIHR • ee •uh) and Egypt. Then he built the city ofAlexandria (A • lihg • ZAN • dree • uh) as a cen-ter of business and trade. The city becameone of the most important cities in theancient world.

In 331 B.C. Alexander headed east anddefeated the Persians at Gaugamela, nearBabylon. After this victory, his army easilyoverran the rest of the Persian Empire.However, Alexander did not stop at Persia.Over the next three years, he marched eastas far as modern Pakistan. In 326 B.C. hecrossed the Indus River and entered India.There he fought a number of bloody battles.Weary of continuous war, his soldiersrefused to go farther. Alexander agreed tolead them home.

On the return march, the troops crosseda desert in what is now southern Iran. Heatand thirst killed thousands of soldiers. Atone point, a group of soldiers found a littlewater and scooped it up in a helmet. Thenthey offered the water to Alexander.According to a Greek historian, Alexander,“in full view of his troops, poured the wateron the ground. So extraordinary was theeffect of this action that the water wasted by

Alexander was as good as a drink for everyman in the army.”

In 323 B.C. Alexander returned toBabylon. He wanted to plan an invasion ofsouthern Arabia but was very tired and weakfrom wounds. He came down with a badfever. Ten days later he was dead at age 32.

Alexander’s Legacy Alexander was agreat military leader. He was brave andeven reckless. He often rode into battleahead of his men and risked his own life.He inspired his armies to march intounknown lands and risk their lives in dif-ficult situations.

The key to Alexander’s courage mayhave been his childhood education.Alexander kept a copy of the Iliad under hispillow. Most likely his inspiration wasHomer’s warrior-hero Achilles. In the end,Alexander’s reputation outstripped evenAchilles’, and today he is called Alexanderthe Great.


This carving of Alexander the Great on his horsedecorated the side of a tomb. Was Alexanderable to fulfill his plans of conquest? Explain.

Alexander the GreatAlexander the Great

Robert Harding Picture Library

174-179 Ch5 S3-824133 7/14/04 11:49 PM Page 177

A legacy (LEH • guh • see) is what a personleaves behind when he or she dies.Alexander’s skill and daring created hislegacy. He helped extend Greek andMacedonian rule over a vast area. At thesame time, he and his armies spread Greekart, ideas, language, and architecture wher-ever they went in southwest Asia andnorthern Africa. Greeks, in turn, broughtnew ideas back from Asia and Africa.

Alexander’s conquests marked thebeginning of the Hellenistic Era (HEH • luh •NIHS • tihk). The word Hellenistic comes froma Greek word meaning “like the Greeks.” Itrefers to a time when the Greek languageand Greek ideas spread to the non-Greekpeople of southwest Asia.

The Empire Breaks Apart Alexander theGreat planned to unite Macedonians,Greeks, and Persians in his new empire. Heused Persians as officials and encouragedhis soldiers to marry Asian women. AfterAlexander died, however, his generalsfought one another for power. As a result,the empire that Alexander had created fellapart. Four kingdoms took its place:Macedonia, Pergamum (PUHR • guh • muhm),Egypt, and the Seleucid Empire (suh • LOO •suhd). Look at the map on page 179 to seewhere these kingdoms were located.

All government business in theHellenistic kingdoms was conducted in theGreek language. Only those Asians andEgyptians who spoke Greek could apply

Alexandria, EgyptAlexandria, Egypt

Modern Alexandria

The lighthouse of Alexandria was oneof the Seven Wonders of the AncientWorld. A fire in its tall tower guidedships into harbor. What was specialabout Alexandria in 100 B.C.?

Alexandria

(l)Y

an A

rthu

s-B

ertr

and/

CO

RB

IS,

(r)A

rchi

ves

Cha

rmet

/Brid

gem

an A

rt L

ibra

ry

174-179 Ch5 S3-824133 2/28/04 9:29 AM Page 178

Reading SummaryReview the • Following the Battle of

Chaeronea in 338 B.C., King Philipof Macedonia ruled all of Greece.

• Alexander the Great, King Philip’sson, conquered an empire thatstretched to Africa in the southand India in the east. AfterAlexander’s death, his empiresplit into several kingdoms.

1. How did Philip II of Macedoniafeel about the Greeks?

2. What ended Alexander’s con-quest of India?

Critical Thinking3. Analyze Why was Alexander a

good leader?

4. Summarize Draw a table tosummarize what you knowabout each topic.

5. Predict How might historyhave been different ifAlexander had lived longer?

6. Geography Skills How manycontinents did Alexander’sempire reach?

7. Context CluesWhat do you think the wordassure means in this passage?

“. . . assure yourselves that itwill be disastrous unless youface the facts and are willingto do your duty.”

What words give clues to itsmeaning?

Philip of Macedonia

Alexander the Great

Alexander’s Empire After His Death

What Did You Learn?



for government posts. The kingspreferred to give the jobs to Greeksand Macedonians. In this way,Greeks managed to stay in controlof the governments.

By 100 B.C., the largest city inthe Mediterranean world wasAlexandria, which Alexander hadfounded in Egypt. In addition, theHellenistic kings created manynew cities and military settlements.

These new Greek cities neededarchitects, engineers, philosophers,artisans, and artists. For this reason,Hellenistic rulers encouraged Greeksand Macedonians to settle in south-west Asia. These colonists providednew recruits for the army and a poolof government officials and work-ers. They helped spread Greek cul-ture into Egypt and as far east asmodern-day Afghanistan and India.

Explain What wasAlexander’s legacy?

500 km0Azimuthal Equal-Area projection

500 mi.0

N

SW

E

40°N

40°E20°E

Mediterranean Sea

Black Sea

Red Sea

CaspianSea

Euphrates R.

TigrisR

.

Nile

R.

Crete Cyprus

ASIA MINOR

Pella

Pergamum

Alexandria

Seleucia

Hellenistic World 241 B.C.

KEYEgyptian kingdomMacedonian kingdomPergamum kingdomSeleucid kingdom

Following Alexander’s death, his empireseparated into four kingdoms.1. Which kingdom appears to have had

the most territory?2. Which kingdoms were at least

partially located in Asia?

MotionIn

174-179 Ch5 S3-875047 9/13/06 11:44 AM Page 179


180

Alexander the Great:Villain or Hero?

Was Alexander the Great really great?

Or was he an evil conqueror? Those who

see him as bloodthirsty and cruel give

this as evidence against Alexander. They

say he• destroyed Persepolis

• attacked Tyre, killing 10,000 people

and enslaving 30,000

• treated his slaves harshly

• ordered the murder of several close

advisers.

Many legends about Alexander have

been told. One historian found this

account to support the “villain theory.”

“The following is my favourite [story]

which is found all the way from Turkey to

Kazakhstan: Iskander [Alexander] was actu-

ally a devil and he had horns. But his hair

was long and wavy and the horns were

never seen. Only his barbers knew. But he

feared they could not keep the secret. So,

he killed them when they discovered. His

last barber pretended not to notice and

kept the secret. Eventually though he

could bear it no longer

and, as he could tell no

one, he ran to a well and

called down the well:

‘Iskander has horns!’ But

in the bottom of the well

were whispering reeds

[used in flutes] and they

echoed the story until it

went round the whole

world.”—Michael Wood,

“In the Footsteps of

Alexander the Great”

Villain

180

Alexander the Great (at far left)

David Lees/CORBIS

180-181 Ch5 YD-824133 2/28/04 4:33 AM Page 180

181

Other historians consider Alexander

the Great to be a hero. They claim he

brought progress, order, and culture

to each new land he conquered. In

support of him, they say Alexander

• tried to promote learning

• visited all of his wounded men

after each battle

• spared the lives of the queen and

princess of Persia

• built new cities where others had

been destroyed.

Arrian, a Greek historian who lived

in the A.D. 100s, wrote about Alexander

this way:“For my own part, I think there was at that

time no race of men, no city, nor even a single

individual to whom Alexander’s name and

fame had not penetrated. For this reason it

seems to me that a hero totally unlike any

other human being could not have been born

without the agency [help] of the deity [gods].”

—Arrian, The Anabasis of Alexander

On two points all historians agree:

Alexander was a brilliant general and he

was a brave fighter. He once boasted to

his men:“For there is no part of my body, in front

at any rate, remaining free from wounds;

nor is there any kind of weapon used either

for close combat or for hurling at the

enemy, the traces of which I do not bear on

my person. For I have been wounded with

the sword in close fight, I have been shot

with arrows, and I have been struck with

missiles projected from engines of war; and

though oftentimes I have been hit with

stones and bolts of wood for the sake of

your lives, your glory, and your wealth, I am

still leading you as conquerors over all the

land and sea, all rivers, mountains, and

plains. I have celebrated your weddings

with my own, and the children of many of

you will be akin to my children.”

—Arrian, The Anabasis of Alexander

Checking for Understanding1. Why do some people view

Alexander the Great as a villain?2. Why do others view him as a

hero?3. Was Alexander wicked or heroic?

Take the role of a historian. Writea brief essay or persuasivespeech that explains how yousee Alexander the Great. Be sureto use facts to support yourposition. You can compare him to other famous rulers tostrengthen your argument.

181

Alexander the Great

Hero

Sandro Vannini/CORBIS

180-181 Ch5 YD-824133 2/28/04 4:34 AM Page 181

SpreadGreek Culture

What’s the Connection?In Section 3, you read that

Alexander’s conquests helped tospread Greek culture. The kings whocame after Alexander also tried toattract the best and brightest Greeksto Asia and Egypt. They hoped to re-create the glory of Greece’s GoldenAge in their own kingdoms.

Focusing on the • Hellenistic cities became centers of

learning and culture. (page 183)

• Epicurus and Zeno showed the worlddifferent ways to look at happiness.(page 184)

• Hellenistic scientists made majordiscoveries in math and astronomy.(page 185)

Locating PlacesRhodes (ROHDZ)Syracuse (SIHR•uh•KYOOS)

Meeting PeopleTheocritus (thee•AH•kruh•tuhs)Aristarchus (AR•uh•STAHR•kuhs)Eratosthenes

(EHR•uh•TAHS • thuh•NEEZ)Euclid (YOO•kluhd)Archimedes (AHR•kuh•MEE•deez)

Building Your VocabularyEpicureanism

(EH•pih•kyu•REE•uh•NIH•zuhm)Stoicism (STOH•uh•SIH•zuhm)astronomer (uh•STRAH•nuh•muhr)plane geometry (jee•AH•muh•tree)solid geometry (jee•AH•muh•tree)

Reading StrategySummarizing Information Create adiagram to show the major Greekcontributions to Western civilization.

c. 300 B.C.King Ptolemy Iinvites Euclid to Alexandria

291 B.C.Menander, theplaywright, dies

212 B.C.Archimedes killedby Romans Syracuse

Athens

Alexandria

350 B.C. 275 B.C. 200 B.C.350 B.C. 275 B.C. 200 B.C.


The of

Contributions

182-186 CH5 S4-824133 3/10/04 6:06 AM Page 182

Araldo de Luca/CORBIS

Greek Culture SpreadsHellenistic cities became centers of

learning and culture.

Reading Focus Imagine you are a leading citizen in a

new city. How would you make it the best city possible?

Read to find out how leaders in the Hellenistic Era

improved their cities.

During the Hellenistic Era, philosophers,scientists, poets, and writers flocked to thenew Greek cities in southwest Asia andEgypt, especially Alexandria. Many came totake advantage of Alexandria’s library. Itsmore than 500,000 scrolls were useful to stu-dents of literature and language. Alexandriaalso had a museum where researchers wentto do their work.

Architecture and Sculpture The Hellenistickingdoms were lands of opportunity forGreek architects. New cities were beingfounded, and old ones were being rebuilt.The Hellenistic kings wanted to make thesecities like the cultural centers of Greece. Theypaid handsome fees to line the streets withbaths, theaters, and temples.

Hellenistic kings and other wealthy citi-zens hired Greek sculptors to fill their townsand cities with thousands of statues. Thesestatues showed the same level of workman-ship as the statues from Greece’s Golden Age.

Literature and Theater Hellenistic lead-ers also admired talented writers. Kingsand leading citizens spent generous sumsof money supporting writers’ work. As aresult, the Hellenistic Age produced a largebody of literature. Sadly, very little of thiswriting has survived.

One of the works we know about is anepic poem by Appolonius (A•puh•LOH•nee•uhs) of Rhodes (ROHDZ). Called Argonautica,it tells the legend of Jason and his band ofheroes. They sail the seas in search of a ram

with golden fleece. Another poet, Theocritus(thee • AH • kruh • tuhs), wrote short poemsabout the beauty of nature.

Athens remained the center of Greek the-ater. Playwrights in Athens created a newkind of comedy. The stories had happy end-ings and still make people laugh. However,unlike the comedies of Greece’s Golden Age,they did not poke fun at political leaders.Instead the plays told stories about love andrelationships. One of the best known of thenew playwrights was Menander (muh •NAN •duhr), who lived from 343 B.C. to 291 B.C.

Explain How did theHellenistic kingdoms spread Greek culture?


The Poetry ofTheocritus

Theocritus is considered the creator of pastoral poetry. Pastoral poetry deals with rural life, especially the lives of shepherds. It often compares rural and city life. In this selection, he talks about shepherding as a way of life.“Shepherd, your song is sweeter than the water

that tumbles and splashes down from the rocks.

If the Muses get the ewe for their prize,

you’ll win the [baby] lamb.But if they choose

the lamb, you’ll carry away the ewe.”—Theocritus, “First Idyll”

How does Theocritus describe the song ofthe shepherd?

Sculpture of shepherd

182-186 CH5 S4-824133 2/28/04 6:34 AM Page 183

Eric

h Le

ssin

g/A

rt R

esou

rce,

NY

Greek Medicine The ancient Greeksbelieved that their gods had the powerto cure them of illnesses and injuries.Greek temples were places of healing as well as places of worship. In temples,priests treated patients with herbs,prayed, and made sacrifices to the gods as part of the healing process.

In the 400s B.C., the practice ofmedicine began to change. Hippocrates(hih • PAH • kruh • TEEZ), a doctor andpioneer of medical science, began toseparate medicine from religion. Hestressed that it was important toexamine the body and look at apatient’s symptoms to find out whysomeone was ill. He also taught that it

was important tohave a healthy diet.

Hippocrates iswell known for theoath, or pledge, thathe asked his medicalstudents to recite.His students had to promise never to harm and alwaysto care for their

patients. New doctors still take aversion of the Hippocratic Oath whenthey graduate from medical school.

Connecting to the Past1. How were illnesses and injuries treated

before Hippocrates?

2. How did Hippocrates change the waymedicine was practiced in ancient Greece?

PhilosophyEpicurus and Zeno showed the world

different ways to look at happiness.

Reading Focus What makes you happy? Read on to

learn about different Greek ideas about happiness.

During the Hellenistic Era, Athens con-tinued to attract the most famous philoso-phers in the Greek world. The two mostimportant philosophers were Epicurusand Zeno.

Epicureans Epicurus founded a philoso-phy we now know as Epicureanism (EH •pih•kyu • REE • uh • NIH • zuhm). He taught his stu-dents that happiness was the goal of life. Hebelieved that the way to be happy was toseek out pleasure.

Today the word epicurean means thelove of physical pleasure, such as good foodor comfortable surroundings. However, toEpicurus, pleasure meant spending timewith friends and learning not to worryabout things. Epicureans avoided worry bystaying out of politics and public service.

Who Were the Stoics? A Phoeniciannamed Zeno developed Stoicism (STOH•uh•SIH• zuhm). It became a very popular philoso-phy in the Hellenistic world. When Zenocame to Athens, he could not afford to rent alecture hall. So he taught at a building knownas the “painted porch” near the city market.“Stoicism” comes from stoa, the Greek wordfor “porch.”

For Stoics, happiness came from follow-ing reason, not emotions, and doing yourduty. Today the word stoic is used todescribe someone who is not affected by joyor grief. Unlike Epicureans, Stoics thoughtpeople had a duty to serve their city.

Contrast What were thedifferences between Epicureanism and Stoicism?

Greek doctortreating patients

182-186 CH5 S4-824133 3/10/04 6:11 AM Page 184

Scientist Scientific “Firsts”

Archimedes Established the science of physicsExplained the lever and compound pulley

Hypatia Expanded knowledge of mathematics and astronomy

Hippocrates Known as the “Father of Medicine”First to write a medical code of good behavior

Hipparchus Created a system to explain how planets and stars move

Euclid Wrote a book that organized information about geometry

Eratosthenes Figured out that Earth is round

Aristarchus Established that Earth revolves around the sun

Pythagoras First to establish the principles of geometry

Greek Scientists and Their ContributionsGreek Scientists and Their Contributions

Greek Science and MathHellenistic scientists made major

discoveries in math and astronomy.

Reading Focus Do you know how to find the area of

a square? If so, you are doing geometry. Read on to find

out about the person who created geometry and other

scientists from the Hellenistic Era.

Scientists, especially mathematiciansand astronomers, made major contributionsduring the Hellenistic Era. Astronomers (uh •STRAH •nuh •muhrs) study stars, planets,and other heavenly bodies. Aristarchus(AR • uh • STAHR • kuhs), an astronomer fromSamos, claimed that the sun was at the cen-ter of the universe and that Earth circled thesun. At the time, other astronomers rejectedAristarchus’s ideas. They thought thatEarth was the center of the universe.

Another astronomer, Eratosthenes (EHR •uh • TAHS • thuh • NEEZ), was in charge of the library at Alexandria. Eratosthenes

concluded that Earth is round. He thenused his knowledge of geometry andastronomy to measure Earth’s circumfer-ence—the distance around Earth.

Eratosthenes put two sticks in the groundfar apart from each other. When the sun wasdirectly over one stick, the shadow wasshorter than the shadow at the other stick. Bymeasuring the shadows, he was able to calcu-late the curve of Earth’s surface.

Using his measurements, Eratosthenesestimated that the distance around Earthequaled 24,675 miles (39,702 km). Amazingly,his estimate was within 185 miles (298 km) ofthe actual distance. Using similar methods,he measured the distance to the sun and tothe moon. His measurements were quiteaccurate.

Euclid (YOO •kluhd) is probably the mostfamous Greek mathematician. His best-known book Elements describes plane geometry. Plane geometry (jee • AH • muh •tree) is the branch of mathematics that shows

The ancient Greeks made advances in science.1. What were Archimedes’ achievements?2. Identify Who wrote a code of behavior that

doctors still follow today?

Archimedes

CHAPTER 5 Greek Civilization 185North Wind Picture Archives

182-186 CH5 S4-824133 2/28/04 4:17 AM Page 185

Reading SummaryReview the • Hellenistic cities, such as

Alexandria, attracted some of theGreek world’s best architects,sculptors, and writers.

• During the Hellenistic Era, newphilosophies, such as Stoicismand Epicureanism, developed.

• Hellenistic scientists, includingAristarchus, Eratosthenes, Euclid,and Archimedes, made importantadvances in the fields of astron-omy and mathematics.

1. Why did the city of Alexandriaattract scholars?

2. Describe the form of philoso-phy developed by Zeno.

Critical Thinking3. Summarize Draw a table like

the one below. Write severalfacts about each scientist inthe correct column.

4. Compare and ContrastHow were the comedies of theHellenistic Era and those ofGreece’s Golden Age similarand different?

5. Analyze How would knowl-edge of geometry be helpful tothe Greeks?

6. Identify What did theEpicureans believe about happiness?

7. Context CluesName two words in this sen-tence that help define theword playwright.“Playwrights in Athens createda new kind of comedy.”

What Did You Learn?



how points, lines,angles, and sur-faces relate to oneanother. Around300 B.C., KingPtolemy I (TAH •luh • mee) of Egyptasked Euclid if heknew an easierway to learn geom-etry than by

reading Elements. Euclid answered that“there is no royal way” to learn geometry.

The most famous scientist of theHellenistic Era was Archimedes (AHR • kuh •MEE•deez) of Syracuse (SIHR•uh• KYOOS). Heworked on solid geometry ( jee • AH • muh •tree)—the study of ball-like shapes calledspheres and tubelike shapes called cylinders.He also figured out the value of pi. This num-ber is used to measure the area

of circles and is usually represented by thesymbol π.

Archimedes was also an inventor. Onestory about Archimedes tells how heinvented weapons. “Give me a lever and aplace to stand on,” Archimedes said to theking of Syracuse, “and I will move theearth.”

The king of Syracuse was impressed.He asked Archimedes to use his levers todefend the city. So Archimedes designedcatapults—machines that hurled arrows,spears, and rocks. When Romans attackedSyracuse in 212 B.C., Archimedes’ catapultsdrove them back. It took the Romans threeyears to capture Syracuse. During the mas-sacre that followed, Archimedes waskilled.

Explain Who was the mostfamous scientist of the Hellenistic Era? What didhe contribute?

Eratosthenes

Aristarchus

Euclid

Archimedes

Euclid


182-186 CH5 S4-824133 3/17/05 12:00 PM Page 186


Alexander the Great

The Spread of Greek Culture

Greek Philosophy and History

The Culture of Ancient Greece

Section

Section

Section

Section

Vocabularymyth oracleepic fabledramatragedycomedy

VocabularyphilosophyphilosopherSophistSocratic method

VocabularylegacyHellenistic Era

VocabularyEpicureanismStoicismastronomer plane geometrysolid geometry

Focusing on the • The Greeks believed that gods and goddesses controlled nature and shaped

their lives. (page 155)

• Greek poetry and fables taught Greek values. (page 157)

• Greek drama still shapes entertainment today. (page 160)

• Greek art and architecture expressed Greek ideas of beauty and harmony.(page 162)

Focusing on the • Greek philosophers developed ideas that are still used today. (page 169)

• Greeks wrote the first real histories in Western civilization. (page 173)

Focusing on the • Philip II of Macedonia united the Greek states.

(page 175)

• Alexander the Great conquered the Persian Empire andspread Greek culture throughout southwest Asia. (page 176)

Focusing on the • Hellenistic cities became centers of learning and culture. (page 183)

• Epicurus and Zeno showed the world different ways to look at happiness.(page 184)

• Hellenistic scientists made major discoveries in math and astronomy.(page 185)


Alexander the Great

Study anywhere, anytime!Download quizzes and flash cardsto your PDA from glencoe.com.

187-189 CH5 CRA-875047 9/13/06 11:49 AM Page 187

www.glencoe.com

Context Words in ContextRead this passage from page 158.

“My father was anxious to see medevelop into a good man . . . [so] hecompelled me to memorize all ofHomer.”

19. Based on how compelled is used in thissentence, what do you think it means?a. askedb. taughtc. forcedd. dared

To review this skill, see pages 152–153.

10. Why are Greek historians so important?

Section 3 • Alexander the Great11. Which leader united the Greek states?

12. What are the two main accomplishmentsof Alexander the Great?

Section 4 • The Spread of Greek Culture13. Why were Hellenistic cities important?

14. In what fields did Hellenistic scientistsmake advances?

Critical Thinking15. Understanding Cause and Effect How

did the Peloponnesian War weaken theGreek states?

16. Analyze Why would knowing the circum-ference of Earth have been helpful to theGreeks?

17. Compare How was religion in ancientGreece similar to religion in ancient Egypt?

18. Analyze Why do you think the develop-ment of written history is important?

Review Vocabulary1. Write a brief paragraph that defines and

compares the following terms.

epic fable myth

Decide if each statement is True or False.

2. An oracle was a shrine Greeks visitedto receive prophecies.

3. Sophists were professional teachers.

4. The death of Socrates marks the begin-ning of the Hellenistic Era.

5. Astronomers study stars, planets, andother heavenly bodies.

6. Euclid developed plane geometry.

Review Main IdeasSection 1 • The Culture of Ancient Greece

7. What did the Greeks believe about theirgods and goddesses?

8. What did Greek art and architectureexpress?

Section 2 • Greek Philosophy and History9. How long did the ideas of Greek philoso-

phers last?


187-189 CH5 CRA-824133 2/28/04 4:25 AM Page 188

Geography SkillsStudy the map below and answer the follow-ing questions.20. Location Analyze the location of the

Hellenistic kingdoms. What present-daycountries control territory that was con-trolled by the Seleucid empire?

21. Human/Environment InteractionWhich kingdom do you think was the mostdifficult to govern based on its geography?

Read to Write22. Descriptive Writing Imagine you are a

journalist living in Alexandria, Egypt,during the Hellenistic Era. Write an articledescribing life in the city.

23. Using Your Review the develop-ments in early Greece that you listed onyour foldable. Using numbers, rank eachdevelopment from the most valuable to theleast valuable. Explain the reason for yourhighest and lowest ranking.

Linking Past and Present24. Expository Writing The Nobel prize is

awarded yearly to people who have madegreat achievements. Do research to find outmore about the award. Then choose oneGreek philosopher, writer, scientist, or leaderwho you think deserves the Nobel prize.Write a short speech to explain why. Presentyour speech to the class.

Using Technology25. Creating a Multimedia Presentation

Use the Internet and print resources, suchas newspapers and magazines, to researchGreek architecture. Then use the computeror posterboard to design and constructyour own building using Greek designs.The Greeks dedicated some of their build-ings to gods and goddesses. Dedicate yourbuilding to someone in history and designit with that person in mind. Share yourresearch and design with the class.

500 km0Azimuthal Equal-Area projection

500 mi.0

40°N

40°E

20°E

Mediterranean Sea

Black Sea

Red Sea

Euphrates R.

TigrisR

.

Nile

R.

Crete Cyprus

ASIA MINOR

Pella

Pergamum

Alexandria

Seleucia

Hellenistic World

Self-Check Quiz To help you prepare forthe Chapter Test, visit jat.glencoe.com


AnalyzeIn this account, Thucydides describes themasses of people who entered Athensaround 430 B.C. seeking relief from theplague.“There were no houses for them, and, livingas they did during the hot season in badlyventilated huts, they died like flies. . . . Forthe catastrophe was so overwhelming thatmen, not knowing what would happen nextto them, became indifferent to every rule ofreligion or law. All the funeral ceremonieswhich used to be observed were now disor-ganized, and they buried the dead as bestthey could.”

—Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War

26. What hardships did newcomers toAthens face during the time of theplague?

27. What does Thucydides mean when he says that men “became indifferent to every rule of religion or law”?

KEYEgyptian kingdomMacedonian kingdomPergamum kingdomSeleucid kingdom

187-189 CH5 CRA-824133 2/28/04 5:08 AM Page 189


Chapter 5: Greek Civilizationbakerbulldogs.weebly.com/uploads/5/3/7/6/53762467/chap05.pdf ·...

Documents

Transcript of Chapter 5: Greek Civilizationbakerbulldogs.weebly.com/uploads/5/3/7/6/53762467/chap05.pdf ·...