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Greece
Term | Definition |
---|---|
peninsula | an area of land almost completely surrounded by water and connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land. |
acropolis | the fortified; or strengthened; hill of an ancient Greek city. |
aristocrat | a member of a rich and powerful family. |
tyrant | a ruler who takes power by force. |
democracy | a form of government in which citizens govern themselves. |
tribute | a regular payment made to a powerful state or nation by a weaker one. |
oracle | in ancient Greece, a sacred site where a god or goddess was consulted; any priest or priestess who spoke for the gods. |
philosopher | someone who uses reason to understand the world; in Greece the earliest philosophers used reason to explain natural events. |
tragedy | a type of serious drama that usually ends in disaster for the main character. |
Athens | a city-state in ancient Greece; the capital of modern day Greece. |
Agora | public market and meeting place in a ancient Greek city. |
vendor | a seller of goods. |
slavery | condition of being owned by, and forced to work for, someone else. |
barbarian | a wild and uncivilized person |
assassinate | to murder for political reasons |
Alexander the Great | King of Macedonia from 323-336 BC; conqueror of Persia and Egypt and invader of India |
Hellenistic | describing Greek culture after the death of Alexander the Great; including the 3 main kingdoms formed by the breakup of Alexander's empire |
Sparta | a city state in the southern part of Ancient Greece |
Helot | a servant in ancient Sparta |
Peloponnesian War | a war fought between Athens and Sparta in ancient Greece that involved almost every Greek city state |
plague | a widespread disease |
blockade | an action taken to isolate an enemy and cut off its supplies |