CyberMuseum: Greece

The Minoans l The Myceneans l Classical Greece l The Hellenistic Age l Seven Wonders
 

Greek civilization arose around 2000 B.C. on the island of Crete. Civilization later spread to the mainland of Greece, resulting in the art, architecture, literature, philosophy, science, medicine, etc., that still influences our modern society.

Click to enlarge images.


Minoan Civilization: Island of Crete

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The Minoans were reknowned palace builders. The palace above was located in the ancient capital city of Knossos. Large red pillars were the trademark of Minoan builders.

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The inside of the Palace of Knossos.

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This fresco depicts a scene of a popular Minoan
sporting event, bull-leaping.

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This painting shows an octopus,
a tasty treat enjoyed by the Minoans!

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This is a statue of a Minoan snake-goddess.
The Minoans considered snakes to be sacred animals.


Mycenean Civilization

Minoan civilization disappeared due to unknown causes. Some scholars have suggested possibly an earthquake or tidal wave. In its abscence arose the Mycenean civilization on the mainland of Greece. The Myceneans built palaces in the Minoan tradition, and constructed a huge fleet of ships.

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The lion symbolized the dominance of the Myceneans, and are prominantly displayed on the gate above.

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These daggers were used by Mycenean soldiers.

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The "Mask of Agamemnon" was found in the ancient ruins of Mycenae. It was the burial mask of an ancient Mycenean king.


Classical Greece

The Classical Greek period was one of advancement in art, architecture, science, mathematics, sports, law, government, and many other areas.

SCULPTURE

Several of the statues below are Roman copies of Greek originals.

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This type of statue is known as a Kouros. It portrays a young boy.

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This type of statue is known as a Kore. It portrays a young girl.

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This sculpture depicts the god of messengers, Hermes.

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This sculpture depicts the winged-goddess of victory, Nike.

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This sculpture is called "Diskobolos", and portrays a Greek Olympic athlete. The Greeks felt that the human body was an object of great beauty.

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This sculpture depicts the goddess of love, Aphrodite.

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This statue represents either the sea-god,
Poseidon, or the "King of the Gods", Zeus.

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This is a bust of Pericles, a leader who lead the
city-state of Athens into a golden age.


ARCHITECTURE

Greek architecture continues to influence our society today. Buildings with tall columns proudly stand along the streets of our communities today, just as they did in the ancient Greek city-states. These Greek columns typically fall into three categories: DORIC, IONIAN, CORINTHIAN

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Doric

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Ionic - Later on came the flowery Corinthian columns,
named after the illustrious Greek city of Corinth.

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The acropolis was a group of important temples constructed by the ancient Greeks on a hill in the city-state of Athens.

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The Parthenon was the most important temple in Athens, for it was dedicated to the city's patron deity, Athena. Athena was the Greek goddess of wisdom and war.

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This sculpture depicts this important goddess, Athena.

Take a virtual tour of Athens

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This is the temple of Athena-Nike, the goddess of victory.

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This temple is known as the Erechtheum.
Its columns are actually statues of women.


POTTERY

Greek pottery was important for two reasons. First, it was often used to store grain, olive oil, or wine. Second, the paintings made on pottery often depicted scenes from a famous Greek myth or legend.

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This vase portrays a chariot from Greek mythology.


Hellenistic Age

The Hellenistic Age was a period of time where Greek culture spread throughout the ancient world. Alexander the Great, a Macedonian ruler, helped to spread Hellenistic, or Greek-like, culture to lands as far away as India, through conquest.

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This is Alexander the Great. He was taught by the famous Greek philosopher, Aristotle. He began his quest for empire at the age of 20. He conquered lands from Egypt to India, creating one of the world's largest empires. He died at the age of 33 in Babylon.

The Seven Wonders of the
Ancient World

Alexander the Great sent his servants throughout his empire to search for the greatest man-made structures in the ancient world. Seven "Wonders" were named.

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The Great Pyramid of Khufu

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Hanging Gardens of Babylon

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The Lighthouse of Alexandria

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The Mausoleum at Halicarnassus

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The Statue of Zeus at Olympia


Take a Quick Time tour of the city-state of Olympia

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The Temple of Artemis at Ephesus

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The Colossus of Rhodes

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Map of the ancient world showing location of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World.



Take a virtual tour of the Acropolis in Athens


Participate in Homer's stories the Iliad & the Odyssey (Interactive)

Ancient Greece Links

 

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© Jay D'Ambrosio 1998