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Greece
Greece Vocab terms
Term | Definition |
---|---|
peninsula | A piece of land that is surrounded by water on three sides. |
polis | a city-state in Ancient Greece |
agora | market or meeting place in Ancient Greece |
phalanx | A military formation of foot soldiers armed with spears and shields |
tyrant | a cruel and oppressive ruler; usually used force to keep themselves in power |
oligarchy | A government ruled by a few powerful people |
democracy | government by the people, people can vote/make laws |
helot | a slave in Sparta |
myth | A traditional story about gods, ancestors, or heroes, told to explain the natural world or the customs and beliefs of a society. |
ritual | a ceremonial act; a customary procedure; a ceremony |
oracle | someone or something that can predict the future |
fable | A brief story that leads to a moral, often using animals as characters |
oral tradition | Literature that passes by word of mouth from one generation to the next. |
drama | a work of literature designed to be performed in front of an audience |
tragedy | a play dealing with tragic events and having an unhappy ending, especially one concerning the downfall of the main character. |
comedy | light and humorous drama with a happy ending |
sophists | Greek teachers of philosophy, reasoning, and public speaking |
Socratic Method | the method of teaching used by the Greek philosopher Socrates; it employs a question-and-answer format to lead students to see things for themselves by using their own reason |
Hellenistic Era | the age of Alexander the Great; period when the Greek language and ideas were carried to the non-Greek world |
philosopher | a person who searches for wisdom or enlightenment |
Persian War | A series of wars between the Greeks (mainly Athens) and the Persians in which the Greeks were usually victorious. |