Deck 3: The Civilization of the Greeks

Question 1

Greek colonization throughout the Mediterranean was a major development of the Archaic Age.

Answer 1

True

Question 2

The establishment of the hoplite military system based upon the phalanx formation was entirely a military phenomenon, having no impact on the political or social life of the Greek city-state.

Answer 2

False

Question 3

The vast majority of scholars do believe that Homer's Iliad has a basis in fact.

Answer 3

True

Question 4

During the migrations of the Greek Dark Age, many Ionians

A)abandoned Attica in favor of the Peloponnesus.
B)crossed the Aegean Sea to settle in Asia Minor.
C)took control of the Peloponnesus.
D)occupied northern Greece.
E)moved to Crete.

Question 5

In general, separate early Greek communities

A)exchanged diplomatic representatives only.
B)established formal federations early in Greece's history.
C)became fierce rivals fighting so often as to threaten Greek civilization itself.
D)developed close ties and cooperated with one another.
E)avoided all contact to appease their city gods.

Question 6

The English archaeologist ____ uncovered the Bronze Age Minoan civilization on Crete.

A)Mary Leakey
B)Richard Leakey
C)Heinrich Schliemann
D)Gertrude Bell
E)Sir Arthur Evans

Question 7

The term wanax refers to Mycenaean

A)priests.
B)temples.
C)women.
D)slaves.
E)kings.

Question 8

The first of the great writers of tragedy whose plays survived was Aeschylus.

Question 9

The "great expedition" by Athens against Crete dominated much of the second phase of the Peloponnesian War.

Question 10

The English archeologist who discovered and named Minoan civilization on Crete was Sir Arthur Evans.

Question 11

The geography of Greece is characterized by smooth, well-watered plains and fields.

Question 12

Which of the following statements BEST describes the Mycenaeans?

A)They were a warrior people who achieved their apex between 1400 and 1200 B.C.E.
B)They produced exotic articles of trade in the fifth century B.C.E.
C)They were merchants who dominated Mediterranean trade in the fourth century B.C.E.
D)They were a people dominated by a theocracy; they were often led into battle by their warrior priesthood.
E)They were a non-Greek speaking people on the island of Crete.

Question 13

Greek culture in the Archaic Age was represented in life-size stone statues of nude males known as kouros figures.

Question 14

The Greek philosopher who proposed the concept of a higher world of eternal and unchanging Ideal Forms was Aristotle.

Question 15

Homer's Iliad points out the

A)exalted position of women in Greek society.
B)Greeks' rejection of slavery.
C)absolute abhorrence of violence by the Greeks.
D)superiority of the military phalanx over the aristocratic cavalry.
E)honor and courage of Greek aristocratic heroes in battle.

Question 16

The Greeks halted the Persian attempt to attack mainland Greece during the reign of Darius at the Battle of Marathon in 490 B.C.E.

Question 17

The civilization of Minoan Crete

A)declined after the Sea Peoples conquered Crete.
B)was known as a great military power.
C)was poor and isolated.
D)developed elaborate skills in art and architecture, visible in their great palaces.
E)flourished after 1450 B.C.E.

Question 18

A popular Minoan sport was

A)wrestling.
B)throwing javelins.
C)soccer.
D)bull leaping.
E)bowling.

Question 19

What were the chief characteristics of the Greek Dark Age?

A)It was an era in which the mainland of Greece was controlled by Crete.
B)It was a period of political anarchy and many foreign invasions.
C)It was a period of intermittent warfare between highly developed city-states.
D)It was the most economically productive period of Greek history due to the rapid development of Greek colonies.
E)It was a period of migrations and declining food production.

Question 20

All of the following are prominent features of Greece's topography EXCEPT

A)extensive open plains.
B)bays and harbors.
C)mountains.
D)valleys.
E)long seacoast.

Question 21

Unlike the women of most other Greek cities, Spartan women were expected to

A)stay physically fit to bear healthy children.
B)become proficient in poetry and philosophy.
C)fight in the army alongside the men.
D)remain secluded at home for most of their lives.
E)rule the city in their husbands' absence.

Question 22

Hesiod's famous poem about the pleasures of ordinary work is titled

A)Work to Rest .
B)Work of the Gods .
C)Works and Days.
D)The Republic .
E)Labor and Rest .

Question 23

Which of the following is true of Greece from c. 750 to c. 500 B.C.E.?

A)It was the Golden Age, dominated by Socrates, Plato, and Pericles.
B)The Greeks' colonization efforts in the Aegean and Black Seas came to an end.
C)It was a period of social cohesion and great Greek empires.
D)The polis evolved into the central institution in Greek life.
E)It was a period of incessant warfare.

Question 24

Spartan helots

A)were conscripted to fight in the city's phalanx.
B)were captives of war.
C)declared war on the perioikoi every year.
D)had achieved the right to hold land themselves by the sixth century B.C.E.
E)comprised the elite class of Spartan society.

Question 25

For the Greeks, the term arete described the

A)moral failure of cowards.
B)striving for excellence.
C)avoidance of destructive competition.
D)duties of a citizen.
E)essential virtues of ordinary women.

Question 26

Typical of Greek culture in the Archaic Age was/were

A)the tragedies of Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides.
B)lyric poetry as found in the works of Sappho.
C)the poetry of Hesiod emphasizing the superiority of the aristocratic class.
D)Homeric epic poetry.
E)the symposium, the sophisticated drinking party uniting all ranks of society.

Question 27

The hoplite phalanx relied for its success on

A)speed and mobility.
B)superior horsemanship.
C)fortified wine.
D)discipline and teamwork.
E)individual acts of valor.

Question 28

The development of the polis had a negative impact on Greek society by

A)retarding democracy in the organization of civic governments.
B)fostering a sense of disunity among commoners.
C)limiting the development of Greek artistic and intellectual accomplishments.
D)discouraging the development of polytheistic religion.
E)dividing Greece into fiercely competitive states.

Question 29

The Lycurgan reforms resulted in

A)the Peloponnesian War.
B)the establishment of a permanent military state in Sparta.
C)revolt among Spartan slaves.
D)more constitutional rights for Spartans.
E)outlawing religion in Sparta.

Question 30

Cleisthenes' reforms established the Athenian government as

A)an oligarchy.
B)a tyranny.
C)a dictatorship.
D)a democracy.
E)a kleptocracy.

Question 31

The board of ten officials known as strategoi in Athens consisted of

A)priests.
B)trial lawyers.
C)legislators.
D)judges.
E)generals.

Question 32

Which of the following was NOT a characteristic of the typical Greek polis ?

A)Each polis was autonomous from all other poleis .
B)Each polis had a population of between 90,000 and 100,000 citizens.
C)The strength of the community came through cooperation.
D)Most Greek women were restricted largely to the home.
E)It contained an agora and acropolis within its fortifications.

Question 33

Which Greek philosopher said, with regard to the polis, "We must rather regard every citizen as belonging to the state"?

A)Plato
B)Xenophanes
C)Socrates
D)Aristotle
E)Pythagoras

Question 34

The Greek polis put primary emphasis on

A)untrammeled private enterprise.
B)cooperation between its citizens for the common welfare.
C)military conquest of neighboring poleis.
D)the protection of its citizens' individual rights.
E)cooperating with neighboring poleis for the common good.

Question 35

Which of the following descriptions of Athenian leaders is incorrect?

A)Solon - sole archon and political reformer
B)Cleon - leader of the war party in the Peloponnesian War
C)Cleisthenes - created the ten tribes and Council of 500
D)Pisistratus - remodeled the entire Athenian constitution while utterly neglecting his merchant supporters
E)Themistocles - developed a navy

Question 36

The Spartans made the army the center of their society because

A)they feared a naval attack by Athens.
B)they feared a naval attack by Persia.
C)Spartans did not possess any fertile land for farming.
D)Thebes appeared to be a looming threat.
E)they feared an uprising by their helots.

Question 37

Tyranny in the Greek polis arose as

A)the religious beliefs of the Greeks collapsed.
B)the result of foreign invasion, mainly the Persians under Darius.
C)the response to the cry for strong leadership from the established aristocratic oligarchies.
D)a reaction to aristocratic power and a widening gulf between the rich and the poor.
E)the people became complacent due to the egalitarian nature of Greek society.

Question 38

The neighbors of the Spartans who were free inhabitants and required to pay taxes and perform military service but who were not citizens of Sparta were

A)hoplites.
B)perioikoi.
C)kouros.
D)helots.
E)ephors.

Question 39

The polis was the Greek name for

A)police.
B)people.
C)culture.
D)county.
E)city-state.

Question 40

Which of the following is NOT true of Greek colonization?

A)Those enriched through colonization desired new political privileges, which fueled political crises in many Greek states.
B)Colonies contributed to the expansion of Greek culture through the Mediterranean basin.
C)Colonization promoted increased trade and industry.
D)Greek colonies were trading posts rather than permanent settlements.
E)Greek colonists became more aware of their own linguistic and cultural similarities.

Question 41

One of the chief causes of the Peloponnesian War was

A)Athens' entry into an alliance with the Persians.
B)the fear of another Persian invasion.
C)Sparta's fear of the power of Athens and its maritime empire.
D)an attack by Corinth and Megara on Sparta.
E)Athens' fear of Spartan imperialism.

Question 42

Greek comedy was

A)insignificant and not very popular.
B)developed before tragedy.
C)always under government control and thus no political views were allowed.
D)used to express political views as evidenced by Aristophanes.
E)first organized in the festival of Cronos.

Question 43

Plato, in The Republic , imagines a perfect society ruled by

A)women.
B)poets.
C)workers.
D)warriors.
E)philosopher-kings.

Question 44

Which of the following did Aristotle favor as the best government for most people in his Politics ?

A)anarchic
B)constitutional
C)tyrannical
D)oligarchical
E)monarchical

Question 45

The Greek historian Thucydides differed from Herodotus in that the former

A)was unconcerned with divine forces as a factor in history.
B)devoted much of his writing to economic history.
C)never wrote about warfare but only about political and cultural matters.
D)was unconcerned with teaching lessons based on history.
E)exhibited a critical attitude toward his sources but Herodotus did not.

Question 46

"The unexamined life is not worth living" is a cornerstone of the philosophy of

A)Zeno.
B)Socrates.
C)Aristotle.
D)Plato.
E)Pythagoras.

Question 47

Early Greek philosophy attempted to

A)explain the universe on the basis of unifying principles.
B)replace the gods and religion in the lives of the Greeks with pure reason.
C)eliminate diversity from the world.
D)turn all Greeks away from the world and toward contemplation.
E)undermine traditional aristocratic Greek society.

Question 48

Which of the following was NOT true of Greek religion?

A)It was polytheistic.
B)Each city had a chief god or goddess.
C)It involved ritual and sacrifice.
D)Festivals were held to honor the gods.
E)Myths served no particular social function.

Question 49

The Battle of Marathon was a victory for

A)the Athenian navy.
B)the Athenian hoplites.
C)the Corinthian archers.
D)the Spartan equals.
E)the Persian cavalry.

Question 50

During the Age of Pericles

A)government expenditures were reduced, canceling all public building projects.
B)the power of the aristocrats was enhanced.
C)Athenians became deeply attached to their democratic system.
D)imperialism was abandoned.
E)participation in government was encouraged of women.

Question 51

The Peloponnesian War resulted in

A)the defeat of Athens and the collapse of its empire.
B)the defeat of Sparta, leading to its permanent decline.
C)the unification of the Greek city-states under Thebes.
D)the consolidation of Pericles' power.
E)Athenian control of Sicily.

Question 52

Socrates was condemned to death for

A)leading a political coup attempt.
B)corrupting the youth of Athens.
C)opposing the Peloponnesian War.
D)killing one of his followers in a rage.
E)marrying his cousin and committing bigamy.

Question 53

The Greek Parthenon

A)is considered the greatest example of classical Greek temple architecture.
B)was destroyed during the Peloponnesian War.
C)was the venue for the greatest Greek athletic competition, the Olympics.
D)was dedicated to Zeus, chief of the Greek gods.
E)was designed by the Greek architect Doryphoros.

Question 54

Which of the following phrases best describes the social situation of most Greek women?

A)Women were kept under strict control, cut off from formal education, and were always assigned a male guardian.
B)Women were afforded equal rights with men in city politics.
C)Women were often allowed to participate in public life, especially through jury service.
D)Women were not allowed to participate in any religious festivals.
E)Women exercised in the nude except in Sparta and took part in the Olympic Games.

Question 55

The narrow pass where 9000 Greek hoplites under the leadership of Spartan king Leonidas held a Persian army of over 150,000 men for two days was

A)Boeotia.
B)Plataea.
C)Marathon.
D)Salamis.
E)Thermopylae.

Question 56

The Sophists

A)had as their chief spokesman Socrates.
B)questioned traditional Greek religion and, instead, worshiped the Egyptian goddess Isis.
C)were professional teachers who seemingly questioned the traditional values of their societies.
D)were expelled from Athens at the beginning of the fifth century B.C.E., never to return.
E)were led by Plato and emphasized rote memory in education.

Question 57

The immediate cause of the Persian Wars was

A)a revolt of the Ionian Greek colonies in Asia Minor.
B)the capture of the Persian queen by Themistocles.
C)the Ionian invasion of Persia.
D)the Persian defeat of Sparta.
E)the ambition of Athens to take over Ionia.

Question 58

The Delian League

A)was dominated from the beginning by the Spartans.
B)became an instrument of Athenian imperialism.
C)had a fluctuating membership, as states were free to join and leave the alliance as they wished.
D)failed to keep the Greek states in the Aegean free from Persian control.
E)All of these are correct.

Question 59

The poetry of Sappho reflected

A)the thoughts of an aristocrat who detested the lower ranks of society.
B)an interest in respect for divine forces and human honesty.
C)the political biases of a sixth-century political figure.
D)the Trojan War from the side of the Trojans.
E)a woman's homosexual and heterosexual feelings in a world dominated by males.

Question 60

The Greek dramatist who was a realist and known for his portrayal of realistic characters in real life situations was

A)Aeschylus.
B)Hesiod.
C)Aristophanes.
D)Sophocles.
E)Euripides.

Question 61

Talk about:
Homer's Iliad and Odyssey

Question 62

Talk about:
Sparta

Question 63

Talk about:
arete

Question 64

Talk about:
Minoan Crete

Question 65

Talk about:
Pericles' Funeral Oration

Question 66

Talk about:
Mycenaeans

Question 67

Talk about:
Arthur Evans and Heinrich Schliemann

Question 68

Talk about:
Troy

Question 69

Talk about:
tyrant

Question 70

Talk about:
Knossus

Question 71

Talk about:
polis

Question 72

Talk about:
phalanx

Question 73

Talk about:
Dorians

Question 74

Talk about:
oligarchy

Question 75

Talk about:
Greek Dark Age

Question 76

Talk about:
hoplites

Question 77

Talk about:
the geography of the Greek peninsula

Question 78

Talk about:
Peloponnesus

Question 79

Talk about:
Magna Graecia

Question 80

In classical Athens, male homosexuality

A)after initial toleration became increasingly subject to moral and philosophical attack as a threat to the aristocratic family.
B)was a practice only associated with actors and priests, never gaining public acceptance.
C)was totally outlawed, and practicing homosexuals were publicly executed.
D)became an important subject in many tragic plays.
E)was practiced and tolerated in part as a means by which mature men instructed young males about the masculine world of politics and patronage.