The Classical Period (480- 323 BCE) - AP European History

In the ancient Greek pantheon, Hephaestus was the God of blacksmiths and craftsmen. Hephaestus is generally presented as physically handicapped and is often mistreated by the other Gods as a result.

The Palace at Pylos (sometimes called the Palace of Nestor) is the most extensive, and best preserved, archaeological site of a Mycenaean palace. The palace had many different rooms, serving different functions like storage, bathing, hosting, and sewage.

Homer is best known in the modern world for The Iliad and The Odyssey, so he would be the best choice. Ovid was the epic poet responsible for the Metamorphoses, but he was Roman, so he would not be the best choice. Virgil was also an influential Roman poet and he did not write the works in question, so he would not be a good choice. Lastly, Lord Byron and Samuel Taylor Coleridge were both famous poets, but they lived many thousands of years after the works in question were written, so they would not be good answers.

Linear B was the written script of the Mycenaean Greeks. It fell into disuse in the immediate aftermath of the decline of the Mycenaean civilization. Linear B was a complicated script and was probably known only by a few, privileged palatial scribes. This helps explain why it was so hastily lost to history during the Greek Dark Ages.

The Oracle of Apollo (sometimes called The Oracle at Delphi) was built in northern Greece sometime during the Dark or Archaic ages. It was a place of worship and ceremony for the ancient Greeks. It, along with other oracles, served a very important purpose in Greek religious life. Political and military leaders sought the advice of the holy men who worked and lived at Delphi to try and determine whether the Gods favored the actions they had taken or were considering. Greek rulers would consult the Oracle, for example, before declaring war.

Archilochus is a seventh century BCE lyric poet. Archilochus was one of the most widely esteemed and beloved poets in ancient Greek society. He has been frequently credited (although not definitively) with the invention of the elegy.

According to legend, the Olympic games were instituted to celebrate the funeral games of Pelops, the grandfather of Agamemnon. Pelops was renowned for sport in mythology. He won his wife, Hippodameia, during a chariot race at nearby Pisa. He then instituted regular athletic contests during his reign. More generally, athletic competitions were typically held at early Greek funerals.

In the Greek mythology of Hesiod, Pandora is the first human woman. She is created by Zeus to punish mankind. Pandora opens the so-called “Pandora’s box,” which releases sin and evil into the world. You may notice how markedly similar this story is to the story of Adam and Eve, something worth thinking about.

In the Greek mythology of Hesiod, women are portrayed as evil beings sent by Zeus to punish man. This is a common trope of paternalistic societies, that women are portrayed as temptresses who can lure men into evil. Hesiod describes how the original woman, Pandora, opened a box which released evil and sin into the previously peaceful world of man. This idea was caused by the paternal nature of ancient Greek society, but also continued to reinforce and justify this paternalism.

Hercules performed the Ten Labors and famously wore the skin of the Nemean Lion, so he would be the best choice. Apollo was the god of music and medicine - not a hero at all - so he would not be a good choice. Perseus and Jason were both Greek heroes of great renown but they did not perform the Ten Labors, so they would not be good answers. Lastly, Paris of Troy played an important role in The Iliad but he did not perform the Ten Labors, so he would not be a good choice either.

The Homeric epics (The Iliad and The Odyssey) were written during the waning years of the Greek Dark Ages or at the beginning of the Archaic Era (depending on how you define these periods). The Homeric epics tell the tale of a war that took place during the Mycenaean Era, but they nonetheless reflect the social values that were present at the time of writing, during the Greek Dark Ages. This is why the Homeric epics feature such an emphasis on honor and noble behavior.

Aeschylus is most famous for his contributions to drama. He is one of the most famous tragedians in ancient Greek history and his plays are the earliest surviving examples of Greek tragedy. His most famous work is Oresteia.

Theognis of Megara is a well-known Greek poet from the Archaic Era. It is not known exactly when he lived, but general historical consensus seems to fall around the sixth century BCE. Theognis wrote extensively (and poetically) on the nature of class struggles and the formation of city-states during his time period.

Religious ceremonies in Archaic Era Greece were extremely communal events. The community would gather in a public place and an animal (or many animals) would be sacrificed. This was meant to demonstrate the community’s commitment to the Gods. The people would then sit together and share the sacrificed meat in a great feast. This was meant to demonstrate the community’s commitment to one another.

Sophistry went on to become a somewhat pejorative designation for certain kinds of philosophy and logic. As a social group, however, Sophists were simply traveling intellectuals who taught rich Greek youths for money.

Theognis of Megara is a famous ancient Greek poet who, most likely, lived in the sixth century BCE. His poetry takes for its general theme the topic of class anxiety. Theognis writes from the perspective of an aristocrat who fears the consequences of social mobility. Specifically, Theognis decries those “new-money” types who are marrying into the social elite.

In the Homeric Epics, Zeus is shown to be highly concerned with the fate of his favorite warriors and seems to be openly rooting for certain humans to succeed. In the works of Hesiod, conversely, Zeus is presented as a far more circumspect and objective figure. The Zeus of Hesiod is primarily concerned with justice and with his duties as leader of the Gods.

The term Archaic Age means “Old-fashioned era.” The Archaic Age stretches from approximately 750 BCE to 500 BCE. The term “archaic” originates in scholars of art history. The artwork of the seventh and sixth centuries was deemed to be more “old-fashioned” and “less lifelike” than the artwork of the fifth and fourth centuries (the so-called Classical Age).

Draco, who lived in the seventh century BCE in Athens, is most frequently remembered for the written legal code he established. His written legal code made Athenian justice and law more equitable and consistent; however, he advocated for extremely harsh punishments and contributed to class tensions in Athens. We get the word “draconian” from Draco, which should provide an example of how his legal reforms have been viewed by historians and philosophers ever since.

The two men most responsible for establishing democracy in Athens are Solon and Cleisthenes. Solon is known as the great reformer of Athenian history. He ruled as archon in Athens at a time when most of the citizens of Athens were effectively enslaved by the aristocracy. Solon established that all Athenian citizens were free, at the very least, to participate in the political process; however, Solon’s reforms were soon undermined when the tyrant Peisistratos seized power in 510 BCE. In the chaos that followed it fell to another aristocrat, Cleisthenes, to firmly establish the democratic principles that would guide Athens for the next century.