Greek Lessons

# Greek Lessons

## Part I: Introduction to Greek Culture and History
- The Origins of Greek Civilization
  - Mycenaean and Minoan Civilizations
  - The Dark Ages and the Rise of City-States
  - The Influence of Geography on Greek Development
- Greek Mythology and Religion
  - Major Gods and Goddesses
  - The Role of Oracles and Prophecies
  - Mythological Stories and Their Symbolism
- The Political Structure of Ancient Greece
  - Democracy in Athens
  - Oligarchy and Tyranny in Other City-States
  - The Peloponnesian War and Its Impact

## Part II: Greek Philosophy and Thought
- The Birth of Western Philosophy
  - Pre-Socratic Philosophers
  - Socrates and the Socratic Method
  - Plato's Theory of Forms
- Aristotle and His Contributions
  - Logic and Ethics
  - The Concept of Virtue
  - Influence on Later Philosophers
- Hellenistic Philosophy
  - Stoicism and Epicureanism
  - Skepticism and Cynicism
  - The Spread of Greek Ideas After Alexander the Great

## Part III: Greek Literature and Arts
- Greek Drama and Theater
  - Tragedy: Aeschylus, Sophocles, Euripides
  - Comedy: Aristophanes and Menander
  - The Role of the Chorus
- Greek Poetry and Epic
  - Homer's "Iliad" and "Odyssey"
  - Hesiod's "Theogony" and "Works and Days"
  - Lyric Poetry: Sappho and Pindar
- Greek Art and Architecture
  - The Parthenon and Other Temples
  - Sculpture: The Human Form Idealized
  - Pottery and Vase Painting

## Part IV: Greek Science and Mathematics
- Advances in Mathematics
  - Pythagoras and the Pythagorean Theorem
  - Euclid and Geometry
  - Archimedes and His Discoveries
- Greek Contributions to Science
  - Astronomy: Ptolemy and the Geocentric Model
  - Medicine: Hippocrates and the Hippocratic Oath
  - Natural Philosophy and Early Scientific Inquiry
- Technology and Engineering
  - The Antikythera Mechanism
  - Innovations in Warfare and Construction
  - The Legacy of Greek Engineering

## Part V: The Legacy of Ancient Greece
- The Spread of Greek Culture
  - The Hellenistic World After Alexander
  - The Roman Adoption of Greek Ideas
  - The Byzantine Empire and the Continuation of Greek Traditions
- Greek Influence on Modern Thought
  - The Renaissance and the Revival of Classical Learning
  - The Enlightenment and Greek Rationalism
  - The Modern Study of Classics and Its Importance
- Conclusion: Why Greece Matters Today
  - The Enduring Appeal of Greek Philosophy
  - The Timelessness of Greek Art and Literature
  - Greece as a Foundation of Western Civilization