M4 - World History - Golden Age of Athens.pptx

A brief summary of the golden age of athens

1. Ancient Greece Lesson 7 – The Golden Age of Athens

2. What can you remember about Athens? Knowledge Check! Write down three facts about the Greek city-state.

3. 478 BCE The Persians have been defeated, but the threat of outside invasion is still felt by the Greek Polis Some members of the Greek alliance decided to stick together after the war, forming the Delian League , with Athens as it’s leader after Sparta decided not to join The league based their treasury on the island of Delos , before it was later moved to Athens.

4. Use the text and what we learn from the slides to answer the questions in detail. Activity 1: Complete the Worksheet Questions

5. After the ostracization of his main political rival Cimon, Pericles with his pro-democracy following quickly became the most popular strategoi in Athens, and in 461 became the unchallenged ruler. Pericles Pericles wanted to be seen as the model-citizen , rarely attending banquets and parties and spending most of his time around the government buildings. He was known as a great orator , and his speeches in the assembly were described as like “thunder and lightening”. His proposals were often passed without much disagreement. Athens would prosper and expand its influence under his leadership, but not everyone agreed with him.

6. Pericles Pericles used money from the Delian League to complete these projects, as well as expanding the navy and building walls around the city. Many in the alliance did not like this use of the money, but Pericles maintained a strong hold over what was now an Athenian Empire . As a supporter of democracy, Pericles proposed paying citizens for government work, allowing poorer people to take a more active role in the government. He also supported the Arts, sponsoring playwrights and architects to beauty Athens and increase the culture of the city.

7. The Parthenon One of the Pericles’s largest projects was the construction of the Parthenon

8. The Parthenon Built between 447 BCE and 432 BCE, the Parthenon is an icon of Greek culture and their relationship to the gods. It was dedicated as a temple to Athena, the city’s patron god. It also served to hold the treasury of the Athenian alliance. The building was constructed using Doric Columns, and is considered to be the best example of this architecture. Inside, it used to house a 40 foot statue of Athena built of gold and ivory. However this statue was damaged and later destroyed.

9. Greek Drama Like the Olympic Games, the Greek Dramas started out as religious festivals in honour of the god of wine Dionysus. Over time, these dramas became more like a modern play, with large casts made up of principal characters and a chorus. In the prime of the festival, nearly 3000 citizens would perform. The plays were split into two categories. Comedies that made fun of local issues, and often ended happily, and Tragedies that were more serious and usually based on myths.

10. Playwrights - Born 525 BCE - The first of the famous dramatists - Wrote the Oresteia, a play about revenge and murder that terrified the audience Aeschylus Sophocles Euripides Aristophanes - Born 497 BCE - Started as an actor in plays about the battle of Salamis - He rivalled Aeschylus to be the best dramatist, and wrote Oedipus the King. - Born 485 BCE - Wrote over 80 plays - He won fewer prizes than other dramatists, but was still very popular with Athenian citizens. - Born 445 BCE - Known as the Master of Greek Comedy - He would often make fun of statesmen and politicians like Pericles

11. Other Achievements Athenian craftsmen produced distinctive pottery , including bowls, urns, and vases. Much of this pottery was decorated with pictures. The pictures showed episodes from mythology, religious rites, Olympic competitions, and everyday scenes. These decorated urns and vases were used to hold oils, foods, and beverages. They were sold all around the Greek world and beyond. Today, they are even more valuable than they were in the Golden Age. Museums display them for the beautiful scenes they show, and scholars use them to learn about everyday life in ancient Athens. This age also gave the world two of its first historians. Herodotus is often called the father of history. He wrote down the history of the Persian Wars, including the last stand at Thermopylae. There were also advances in science and medicine. The famous doctor, Hippocrates is considered the father of medicine. Hippocrates, who was born around 460 BCE, was one of the first to recognize that weather, drinking water, and location can influence people’s health. He is chiefly remembered for the Hippocratic oath , a pledge that doctors have been taking for almost 2,500 years.

12. Use the text and what we have learnt from the slides to answer the questions in detail. Activity 2: Complete the match-up activity