| A | B |
|---|
| city-state | self governing city and the surrounding area |
| triremes | small ships with three rows of oars used to ram opponents ships |
| polis | Greek word for city-state |
| democracy | rule by the people |
| monarchy | rule by one usually a king or queen |
| oligarchy | rule by a few rich and powerful |
| epic | long narrative poem describing a heroic journey |
| fable | story used to teach a lesson |
| amphitheater | hillside theater |
| harbor | protected piece of water for ships |
| acropolis | a large hill used for protection in times of war |
| agora | market and meeting place |
| assembly | governing body |
| jury | group used to make descisions at trial |
| olympics | religious festival to celebrate the god Zeus; held every four years |
| peninsula | land that is surrounded on three sides by water |
| colony | a territory that is under control of another, usually distant, country |
| Peloponnesus | a peninsula in southern Greece, between the Ionian and Aegean Seas |
| Crete | a Greek island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, southeast of Greece |
| Sparta | a powerful Greek city-state (warriors) located on the southern tip of Peloponnesus |
| Athens | The capital of Greece; most important and powerful Greek city-state for centuries |
| tyranny | a type of government in which all power is held in the hands of one ruler, usually a military leader |
| assembly | the basic lawmaking body in a democracy, made up of a group of citizens |
| Pericles | about 495 - 429 BC; Athenian leader, Athens during the height of its power and influence |
| myth | a story about the gods and goddesses of a particular people |
| tragedy | a type of play developed by the ancient Greeks, in which life is treated seriously; usually has a sad ending |
| comedy | a play that is funny and usually has a happy ending |
| philosophy | the study of the purpose of life; the search for the truth and wisdom |
| Homer | about 950 - 900 BC; Great poet; wrote two epic poems called the "Iliad" and the "Odyssey" |
| Socrates | about 470 - 399 BC, famous Greek philosopher and teacher |
| Plato | about 428 - 347 BC; Greek philosopher and student of Socrates |
| Philip II | 383 - 336 BC; King of Macedonia and father of Alexander the Great |
| Alexander the Great | about 356 - 323 BC: King of Macedonia; conqueror of Greece and Persia |
| Aristotle | about 384 - 322 BC; an ancient Greek philosopher |
| Macedonia | an eastern European country and empire ruled by Alexander the Great |
| Alexandria | a city in Egypt founded by Alexander the Great |
