The history and culture of classical Greece has a significant impact on the modern world. Classical Greece

Sparta Gains Victory

415 BC Athens renews war, attacks Syracruse; is defeated in 413 BC

Athens and allies surrender to Sparta in 404 BC

Achievements of Greek Culture

Achievements of Greek Culture

LESSON 4

Classical culture flourished during Greece’s golden age.

Achievements of Greek Culture

Achievements of Greek Culture

LESSON 4

Glorious Art and Architecture

• Pericles uses Delian league treasury to glorify Athens
• buys gold, ivory, marble; hires artisans

Architecture and Sculpture

• Pericles builds the Parthenon—a large temple to honor goddess Athena
• Within temple, sculptor Phidias crafts 30-foot statue of Athena
• Sculptors create graceful, strong, perfectly formed figures
• Classical art—values harmony, order, balance, proportion, beauty

Continued…

Lesson 4

Glorious Art and Architecture

Painting

• Greek painting preserved on clay vessels
• most arts used two colors—red and black
• Written sources tell of Greek murals
• Scenes from the Iliad and the Odyssey popular

Lesson 4

Poetry, Drama, and History

Lyric Poetry

• Greeks create lyric poetry—poetry accompanied with a lyre
• Lyric poems deal with emotions, not stories

Drama

• Greeks invent drama as art form and build first Western theaters
• Actors wore colorful costumes, masks
• Plays about leadership, justice, and duties to the gods

Continued…

Lesson 4

Poetry, Drama, and History

Tragedy and Comedy

• Two forms of drama: tragedy and comedy
• Tragedy—tells story of heroes’ downfall; themes of love, hate, war
• Comedy—makes fun of politics and respected people; slapstick humor
• Greek dramatists include Aeschylus, Euripides, Aristophanes