| A | B |
|---|
| acropolis | An elevated point within a city on which stood temples, altars, public monuments, and various dedications to the gods of the polis. |
| aristocracy | A type of Greek government in which only the top members of society exercise authority. The word translates as Òpower in the hands of the best.ÓÊ |
| Delian League | A grand naval alliance, created by the Athenians and led by Aristides, aimed at liberating Ionia from Persian rule . |
| deme | A local unit that served as the basic of CleisthenesÕ political system. |
| democracy | A type of Greek government in which all citizens, without regard to birth or wealth, administered the workings of government. It is translated as Òthe power of the people.Ó |
| Epicureanism | A Greek system of philosophy, founded on the teachings of Epicurus, which emphasized that a life of contentment, free from fear and suffering, was the greatest good. |
| Great Silk Road | The name of the major route for the silk trade. |
| heliocentric theory | The belief that the earth revolves around the sun. |
| hoplite | A heavily armed foot soldier that served as the backbone of the Greek army. |
| koine | A common dialect of the Greek language that influenced the speech of peninsular Greece. |
| monarchy | Derived from the Greek for Òthe rule of one man,Ó it was a type of Greek government in which a king represented the community. |
| mystery religions | Any of several religious systems in the Greco-Roman world characterized by secret doctrines and rituals of initiation. |
| natural law | The belief that the laws governing ethical behavior are written into nature itself, and therefore possesses universal validity |
| oligarchy | ÒThe rule of a few,Ó a type of Greek government in which aÊ small group of wealthy citizens, not necessarily of aristocratic birth, ruled. |
| polis | Generally translated as Òcity-state,Ó it is the basic political and institutional unit of Greece. |
| sovereign | An independent, autonomous state run by its citizens, free of any outside power or restraint.Ê |
| Stoicism | The most popular of Hellenistic philosophies; it considers nature an expression of divine will, and holds that people can be happy only when living in accordance with nature. |
| Tyche | The Greek goddess of luck, eventually identified with the Roman goddess Fortuna. |
| tyranny | Rule by a tyrant, a man who used his wealth to gain a political following that could take over the existing government. |
