Periods in Ancient Greece

Archaic (800-480 BCE)

Classical (510-323 BCE)

Hellenistic (323-31 BCE)

Minoan (2600-1400 BCE)Mycenaean (1900-1100 BCE)Dark Ages (1200-750 BCE)

Archaic Period (800-480 BCE)

Inspired by Egypt and Mesopotamia

Increasing understanding of human anatomy

Early attempts to show human characteristics (“archaic smile”, step forward)

Very rigidKouros: standing nude youth

Kore: standing draped girl

Seated woman

Charioteer of DelphiTransition period between Archaic and Classical

Classical Period510-323 BCE

Classical Art

Revolution in statues – associated with introduction of democracy

More naturalistic, more variety in forms

Depict real people – especially those who overthrew tyranny

More decorative sculpture for public and private buildings

Meant to depict ideals and “civilize the emotions”

Classical SciencePhilosophy

Socrates, Plato, Aristotle

History

Herodotus (“The Father of History”), Thucydides

MathPythagoras (scientific ordering of the universe)

Hellenistic Period323-31 BCE

Hellenistic Art

More diverse, influenced by cultures of peoples conquered under Alexander the Great

More naturalistic, realistic

Common people become acceptable subjects

Sculpture as a “global industry” (for public buildings across the empires)

Hellenistic Science

ScienceAristarchus (sun as center of universe)

Eratosthenes (calculated Earth’s circumference)

Euclid (Elements, geometry textbook)

Archimedes (pi, geometry of spheres and cylinders)

Hellenistic Philosophy

EpicureanismHuman beings are free to follow self-interest as a basic motivating force

Happiness is the goal of life and the way to achieve happiness was to pursue pleasure (freedom from worry)

Remove self from public life, except for friendship

StoicismHappiness can be found when people gain inner peace by living in harmony with the will of God

Public service highly respected

ep·i·cu·re·an  (p-ky-rn, -kyr-)adj.1. Devoted to the pursuit of sensual pleasure, especially to the enjoyment of good food and comfort.2. Suited to the tastes of an epicure: an epicurean repast.3. Epicurean Of or relating to Epicurus or Epicureanism.n.1. A devotee to sensuous and luxurious living; an epicure.2. Epicurean A follower of Epicurus.

sto·ic  (stk)n.1. One who is seemingly indifferent to or unaffected by joy, grief, pleasure, or pain.2. Stoic A member of an originally Greek school of philosophy, founded by Zeno about 308 b.c., believing that God determined everything for the best and that virtue is sufficient for happiness. Its later Roman form advocated the calm acceptance of all occurrences as the unavoidable result of divine will or of the natural order.adj. also sto·i·cal (--kl)1. Seemingly indifferent to or unaffected by pleasure or pain; impassive: "stoic resignation in the face of hunger" (John F. Kennedy).2. Stoic Of or relating to the Stoics or their philosophy.