Greek

Religion
 A highly developed form of nature worship
 Gods as personifications of natural elements, or deified mortals
 Gods could influence events in the human world
 Greeks sought advice from oracles – oracle at Delphi

Culture
 The Greeks made important contributions to philosophy, mathematics, astronomy, and
medicine.
 The Greeks were known for their sophisticated sculpture and architecture.
 Greek culture influenced the Roman Empire and many other civilizations, and it
continues to influence modern cultures today.

Dwellings
Ancient Greek homes were usually made of sun-dried mud bricks and had different numbers of
rooms depending on how wealthy the family was. Men had special rooms called Androns, where
they entertained male guests.

Literature
Literature and theatre was an important aspect of Greek culture and influenced modern drama.

Architecture Structure
 Palace of King Minos
 Cyclopean walls and capital
 Megaron
 Tomb of Agamemnon
Architecture Character
 SIMPLICITY
 MONUMENTALITY
 SOLIDITY

Social and political

  Male citizens - three groups: landed aristocrats (aristoi), poorer farmers (periokoi) and
the middle class (artisans and traders).
 Semi-free labourers (e.g the helots of Sparta).
 Women - belonging to all of the above male groups but without citizen rights.
 Children - categorised as below 18 years generally.
 Slaves - the douloi who had civil or military duties.
 Foreigners - non-residents (xenoi) or foreign residents (metoikoi) who were below male
citizens in status.

Geology
 On the mainland, rugged mountains made communication difficult
 •Mountains separated inhabitants into groups, clans, states
 •Archipelago and islands: sea was the inevitable means of trade and communications
Geography
Mainland Greece is a mountainous land almost completely surrounded by the Mediterranean
Sea. Greece has more than 1400 islands. The country has mild winters and long, hot and dry
summers.
Climate
 Between rigorous cold and relaxing heat
 •Clear atmosphere and intense light - conducive to creating precise and exact forms
Construction System
 Columnar and trabeated
 Roof truss appeared, enabling large spaces to be unhindered by columns