Ancient Greece Master Quiz 2

A philosophical dialogue by Plato that explores justice, including the idea of whether people act morally if they could act unjustly without consequences.

A major city founded in Egypt by Alexander the Great, which became a center of Greek culture and learning.

The oligarchic regime installed in Athens after its defeat in 404 BCE, known for executions and repression before being overthrown.

A fortified Athenian outpost in the Peloponnese established during the war, which led to a major Spartan crisis when their soldiers were trapped nearby.

Son of Miltiades and a key Athenian general who led victories against Persia, pushed them out of the Aegean, and later negotiated a temporary truce with Sparta after exile.

A Persian court ritual involving bowing or prostration before the king, which Greeks resisted as inappropriate for mortals.

A dense infantry formation used by Macedonian armies, featuring soldiers armed with long spears (sarissas) and supported by cavalry.

A legendary knot said to grant rule over Asia to whoever untied it; Alexander famously solved it by cutting through it.

A naval power that allied with Athens in 433 BCE to avoid defeat by Corinth, helping spark tensions that led to the Peloponnesian War.

The Theban leaders who defeated Sparta at Leuctra (371 BCE), using innovative tactics that broke Spartan military dominance.

A Persian satrap who assassinated Darius III and briefly claimed the throne before being captured and executed by Alexander.

A classical Athenian philosopher known for questioning others through dialogue (the “Socratic method”) and emphasizing moral virtue over wealth or power.

A major temple to Athena on the Athenian Acropolis, built in the 5th century BCE, known for its blend of Doric and Ionic architectural styles.

A 451 BCE law restricting Athenian citizenship to those with two Athenian parents, increasing exclusivity and reducing intermarriage with other poleis.

The 338 BCE battle where Philip II of Macedon defeated a coalition of Greek city-states, ending their independence.

A major Sicilian city where Athens suffered a catastrophic defeat (413 BCE), destroying its fleet and weakening its empire.

A Persian satrap in western Anatolia who played a key role in funding Sparta during the later stages of the Peloponnesian War.

A foreign woman in Athens whose attempt to pass as a citizen led to a famous court case involving illegal citizenship and marriage.

A charismatic and controversial Athenian general and politician who pushed for aggressive war policies and sought personal glory, often shifting allegiances.

Elite cavalry and noble companions of the Macedonian king who served as top officers and formed a key striking force in battle.

The dominant Athenian statesman from about 461–429 BCE who led policy during wars against Persia and Sparta and helped expand democracy and empire.

Traveling intellectuals in 5th-century BCE Greece who taught rhetoric and challenged traditional beliefs, often criticized by Plato for valuing persuasion over truth.

A wealthy and cautious Athenian general and politician associated with peace efforts and conservative elites; opposed more aggressive figures like Cleon.

The decisive 331 BCE battle where Alexander defeated Darius III, gaining control of the Persian Empire.

The fortified “upper city” of a Greek polis, often a religious center; the most famous example in Athens was rebuilt with temples like the Parthenon in the 5th century BCE.

A prominent Athenian demagogue (d. 422 BCE) known for advocating harsh policies and appealing to popular opinion rather than elite values.

A leading Athenian orator who urged resistance against Macedon and delivered speeches known as the “Philippics.”

The Macedonian king (r. 336–323 BCE), taught by Aristotle, who created a vast empire by conquering Persia.

A naval alliance formed in the 4th century BCE by Athens and its allies to counter Spartan power, promising autonomy and no tribute.

The decisive naval battle in 405 BCE where Sparta, led by Lysander, destroyed nearly the entire Athenian fleet, effectively ending the Peloponnesian War.

A neutral island conquered by Athens in 416 BCE; its men were executed and women and children enslaved after refusing to join the Athenian empire.

Spartan admiral who allied with the Persian prince Cyrus and used Persian funding to build a fleet that ultimately defeated Athens.

A Greek philosopher, student of Socrates, who developed the theory of Forms to explain the underlying reality behind appearances.

The island where Spartan hoplites were stranded and eventually captured by Athens, shocking the Greek world and forcing Sparta to seek peace.

King of Macedon (r. 359–336 BCE) who reformed the army and conquered Greece, laying the groundwork for his son’s empire.

The undeclared conflict (460–445 BCE) between Athens and Sparta made up of intermittent fighting; considered a precursor to the more famous later war.

A Greek island where a brutal civil conflict between democrats and oligarchs led to mass violence, vividly described by Thucydides as an example of civil strife (stasis).

The alliance created by Philip II after 338 BCE to unify most Greek states (except Sparta) under Macedonian leadership and enforce peace.

A Greek philosopher and student of Plato who founded the Lyceum and emphasized empirical observation, classification, and teleology (purpose in nature).

The successor to Herodotus, ______ wrote a history of the Peloponnesian War.

The Bactrian noblewoman whom Alexander married in 327 BCE to secure loyalty in Central Asia.

The ceremonial capital of the Persian Empire that Alexander looted and burned as an act of symbolic revenge.

The 445 BCE treaty between Athens and Sparta that set rules like non-interference with allies and arbitration, but ultimately failed well before its intended duration.

A confederacy formed in 477 BCE after the Persian Wars under Athenian leadership, originally for defense against Persia but gradually turned into an Athenian empire as members were forced to stay.

Resident foreigners in Athens who lacked citizenship and political rights but participated in society and the economy; could not own land or represent themselves legally.

The last king of the Persian Empire who was defeated by Alexander in multiple battles and later killed while fleeing.

Democratic changes in Athens (mid-5th century BCE) that reduced the power of the Areopagus and transferred authority to the assembly, council, and courts; followed by the reformer’s assassination.

The 333 BCE battle where Alexander first defeated Darius III, forcing the Persian king to flee and abandon his army.

A city on Lesbos that revolted against Athens; the assembly initially voted for mass execution but ultimately spared most inhabitants except the leaders.

An Athenian rhetorician who promoted the idea of uniting Greece to wage war against Persia and saw Philip II as a potential leader of this cause.

A northern Greek kingdom that rose to power under Philip II and conquered the Greek city-states in the 4th century BCE.

The central public space of a Greek city-state that functioned as both marketplace and political hub; key site for news, business, and discussion.

An Athenian trade sanction (c. 432 BCE) that banned a Peloponnesian League member from Athenian ports, escalating tensions before the Peloponnesian War.

A conflict (395–387 BCE) where Athens, Thebes, and Corinth allied against Spartan dominance, with key Persian involvement and fighting near Corinth.

A city that was both a member of the Athenian alliance and a Corinthian colony; its revolt led to an Athenian siege and increased conflict with Corinth.

An elite Theban military unit of 150 pairs of male lovers whose cohesion helped defeat Sparta at Leuctra.

A type of Athenian colony where settlers kept their citizenship and acted as military garrisons, often established on land taken from rebellious allies.

A colony of Corcyra whose internal conflict led it to seek help from Corinth, intensifying hostility between Corinth and Corcyra before the Peloponnesian War.

A trilogy by Aeschylus that explores justice, revenge, and the establishment of legal order in Greek society.

The oracle in the Egyptian desert that Alexander visited, where he may have been recognized as divine or as son of a god.