Word

Definition
Peninsula A body of land that has water on three sides.
The mainland of Greece is a peninsula that sticks
out into the Mediterranean Sea.
Peloponnesus The Southern tip of the Greek peninsula which
forms a second peninsula.
Isthmus A narrow strip of land. The Peloponnesus is
linked to the rest of Greece by an isthmus.
Phoenicians The Phoenicians spread their system of writing
(the Phoenician alphabet) by trading with other
people who lived on the coast of eastern
Mediterranean.
Zeus Zeus was the ruler of Gods.

Mount Olympus The highest mountain in Greece.
Myth Stories that people tell to explain beliefs about
their world.
Epic Poem Long poems that tell stories about ancient
heroes.
Fable A short story, usually involving animals, that
teaches a moral lesson.
Polis The Greek word for city-state.
Aristocracy The upper class or nobility.
Oligarchy rule by the few. Similar to aristocracy because
in both cases, a minority group controls the
government.
Tyrant Someone who took power in an illegal way.
Citizen A person who is loyal to a government and who is
entitled to protection by that government.
Democracy A government in which citizens make political
decisions.
Helot The people who were defeated by Sparta and
who were forced to become slaves. They worked
mostly on farms and were forced to give the
Spartans half of their crops.
Barracks Military Houses.
Pericles Pericles was the leader in Athens from 460 to 429
B.C.
Direct Democracy All citizens participate in running the
government.
Delian League The league formed by the Greek city-states for
mutual protection at the end of the Persian War.
Acropolis An area in a Greek city where important temples,
monuments, and buildings are located. The
Acropolis or high city part of Athens was built
after the war with Persia.
Parthenon One of the buildings in the Acropolis. Its purpose
was to house the statue of Athena, a goddess. It
is considered the most magnificent building on
the Acropolis.
Peloponnesian War Sparta headed a league of other Greek city-states
to stand up to the power of the Delian League.
They declared war on Athens in 431 B.C. This war
was called the Peloponnesian War.
Plague A disease that spread easily and usually caused
death.
Truce An agreement to stop fighting.
Catapult A military machine that was used to hurl stones
at enemy forces and city walls.
Alexander the Great An extremely well known leader who was
considered one of the best leaders
Hellenistic A culture which was a blend of Greek, Persian,
Egyptian and Indian styles and customs.
Alexandria The most famous of the Hellenistic cities was
Alexandria, Egypt, which was founded by
Alexander in 332 B.C.
Drama A written work designed for actors to perform.
Tragedy A serious drama that presented the downfall of
an important character, such as a king.
Comedy A less serious dramatic work, which often made
fun of politics, important people, and ideas of the
time.
Ideal The most perfect form possible.
Philosophy The study of basic truths and ideas about the
universe.