Ancient Greek Achievements in Philosophy, Literature, Art & Architecture

Preview Main Idea / Reading Focus Greek Philosophy Quick Facts: Greek Philosophy Greek Literature Greek Architecture and Art Greek Achievements

Greek Achievements Main Idea The ancient Greeks made great achievements in philosophy, literature, art, and architecture that influenced the development of later cultures and ideas. • Reading Focus • How did Greek philosophy influence later thinking? • What types of literature did the Greeks create? • What were the aims of Greek art and architecture?

Background Socrates Broad Concepts • Earliest philosophy traced to 500s BC • Reached height in Athens during 400s, 300s BC • Inspired by greatest philosophers—Socrates, Plato, Aristotle • First great Athenian philosopher • Little known of his personal life • Students’ writings, including Plato’s, put forth his ideas • Writings give clear picture of Socrates’s thoughts and how he taught • Socrates interested in broad concepts of human life—truth, justice, virtue Greek Philosophy Despite their condemnation of Socrates, the people of ancient Greece were great believers in philosophy. The word philosophy itself comes from the Greek word philosophia, meaning “the love of wisdom.”

Socratic Method Asking Questions • By working through series of questions, Socrates thought people could discover basic nature of life • Method of learning through questions called the Socratic method • Socrates believed philosophers could learn what made good people, societies by asking questions • Started with basic questions, like “What is truth?” • Socrates followed up with more questions Philosophy of Socrates

Plato • One of Socrates’ students, became great philosopher in own right • Left behind great number of writings that record ideas on wide variety of topics, from nature of truth to ideal form of government • The Republic argues that government should be led by philosophers • Theory of Government • Philosophers most qualified to make good decisions • Did not support Athenian democracy in which all men could take part • Plato wanted to make philosopher’s education more formal • Founded the Academy, which in Plato’s lifetime became most important site for Greek philosophers to do their work

Aristotle • The Third Philosopher • Aristotle was among students who studied at the Academy • More concerned with nature of world that surrounded him • Tried to apply philosophical principles to every kind of knowledge • Emphasis on Reason and Logic • Emphasis on reason, logic • Reason, clear and ordered thinking; use reason to learn about world • Observe carefully, think rationally about what one has seen • Inferring New Facts • Aristotle also helped develop field of logic, process of making inferences • Example: birds have feathers, lay eggs; owls have feathers, lay eggs; therefore, owl must be a type of bird

Identify Who were the greatest philosophers of ancient Greece? Answer(s): Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle

Homer’s Epics Iliad and Odyssey • Most famous works are some of earliest • Epic poems of great events and heroes • The Iliad and the Odyssey, attributed to poet Homer, tell stories of Trojan War • Iliad tells story of last year of war, two heroes—Achilles and Hector • Odyssey tells story of heroes from the war,with Odysseus who was forced to wander the sea Greek Literature Other Greek literature remains, with a great many works still popular today. Greeks excelled in poetry—both epics and other forms—history, and drama. These two works became basis for the Greek education system.

Greeks wrote many types of poetry besides epics Hesiod wrote descriptive poetry about works of gods, lives of peasants Greeks also created lyric poetry Named after the lyre, musical instrument often played to accompany reading of poems Lyric poems do not tell stories, but deal with emotions, desires Lyric poets Sappho, one of few Greek women to gain fame as writer; dealt with daily life, marriage, love Pindar, late 500s, early 400s; poems commemorated public events, like Olympic Games Other Forms of Poetry

Primary Sources Describing Famous Men • Thucydides lived during Peloponnesian War, wrote about it • Included primary sources, like speeches he heard delivered • Looked at sources critically, ignored unreliable, irrelevant ones • Another early historian, Xenophonfought in Persia after Persian Wars • Concentrated less on sources, debates, more on describing famous men; had less critical style • Work has helped us learn what life was like in 300s BC Greece History • Among fields for which Greeks best known • Greek authors wrote about and analyzed own past • First major Greek historian, Herodotus • Lived in Greece during wars with Persia; described battles and public debates in The Histories

Athenian Roots Development • Earliest dramas part of festivals • Dionysus, god of wine and celebration • Group of actors called a chorus • Recited stories • Dramas became more complex • Individual actors took on roles of specific characters in stories • Two distinct forms of dramas developed, tragedy and comedy Drama While the Greeks wrote histories to preserve the past, they created a new form of writing for entertainment—drama, the art of playwriting.

Tragedies Comedies • Focused on hardships faced by Greek heroes • Three great writers • Aeschylus, Greek myths • Sophocles, suffering people brought on selves • Euripides, tragedy brought on by chance, behavior • Many comedies were satires, plays written to expose flaws of society • Aristophanes greatest Greek comedy writer • Plays poke fun at aspects of Athenian society, from government to treatment of women Distinct Forms

Find the Main Idea In what forms of writing did the Greeks excel? Answer(s): epics, history, poetry, drama

Greek Architecture and Art • Beauty • Athenians enjoyed beauty, both written and visual • Expressed love of written beauty through literature; visual beauty through architecture, art • Architecture • Athenians wanted their city to be most beautiful in Greece • Built magnificent temples, theatres, public buildings • Enhancements • To enhance appearance of buildings, added fine works of art, painted and sculpted • Grandest buildings built on acropolis, at city’s center • Parthenon • Most magnificent on acropolis • Massive temple to Athena • Begun by Pericles, 447 BC • Took 14 years to build

Parthenon impressive not for sheer size, but for proportion Designers careful not to make too tall, too wide Parthenon more than 200 feet long, 100 feet wide Had doors, no windows Surrounded by tall, graceful columns Above columns, slabs of marble carved with scenes from myths Ruins appear white today, but parts originally painted in vivid hues Huge gold, ivory statue of Athena stood inside Parthenon Greek Architecture and Art

Sculpture • Human Forms • Greek sculptors among finest world has ever known • Particularly adept at sculpting human form; studied people at rest, moving • Tried to re-create what they saw, paid particular attention to muscles • Lifelike, Not Realistic • Greeks wanted statues to look lifelike, active, not necessarily realistic • Portrayed subjects as physically perfect, without blemishes, imperfections • Greek statues almost all depict figures of great beauty, grace • Roman Copies • Few original works remain; most copies made a few hundred years later • Roman artists made many copies of greatest Greek statues • Many copies survived even after original statues destroyed

Painting • Only a few original Greek paintings survive • Best preserved are paintings on vases, plates, other vessels • Scenes from everyday life, or from myths, legends • Most use only red, black; still convey movement, depth • Larger Paintings • Little evidence of larger works; written sources say Greeks created murals in many public buildings • Often included scenes from Iliad, Odyssey; showed aftermath of battles, rather than battle itself • Themes similar to tragic drama popular with Athenians

Make Generalizations What were some characteristics of Greek architecture and art? Answer(s): architecture—proportion, columns, vivid colors; art—idealistic sculpture depicting the human form; red and black vessels with scenes conveying movement and depth; murals and wall paintings

Ancient Greek Achievements in Philosophy, Literature, Art & Architecture