Classical Antiquity is a period of about 900 years, when ancient Greece and ancient Rome dominated the Mediterranean region, from about 500 B.C.E. – 400 C.E.
Both the ancient Greeks and the Romans of ancient times had great respect for humans, as well as for what they could accomplish with their minds and bodies.
Ancient Greece Vocabulary Words
- acropolis: a rocky hill, highest point in a city-state
- agora: outdoor market where shopping and meetings were held
- ancient: very old, or from times long past
- barracks: buildings where soldiers live and sleep
- barter: exchange of goods or services for other goods or services
- Bronze Age: A time period where bronze was used to make tools and weapons
- Capitals: top sections of columns
- Chanters: The singers in a chorus who helped tell the story in plays
- citizen: person who belongs to a country and is entitled to its protection
- civilization: group of people with common language, culture, laws, tradition and history.
- comedy: a play that is funny and usually has a happy ending
- Crete: Island south of Greece in Mediterranean Sea, southeast of Greece
- deity: a god or goddess
- democracy: government elected and controlled by the people
- epic: a long poem that celebrates gods, heroes, or events in a people’s past
- Euclid: Greek mathematician who developed the system of plane geometry
- exported: goods were sent to other countries to be sold
- favors: special treatment
- forage: to search for food or supplies
- gymnasium: a building in which people can exercise or play indoor sports
- Hellenistic Age: a period of time when ancient Greek and Asian cultures mixed
- Hera: Queen of the gods
- Ionian Sea: the sea that separates western Greece from southeastern Italy
- King Minos: Legendary King of the Minoan civilization in Crete
- marathon: foot race run over the distance of 42.2 kilomtres or 26 miles.
- mercenary: a hired soldier
- Oligarchy: a government that is run by a few people, usually by members of rich, powerful families
- Peninsula: a portion of land surrounded by water on three sides and connected to the mainland on the fourth
- Perioeci: class of people in Sparta, who were free but had no vote, included farmers and artisans
- philosopher: a person who studies truth and knowledge
- plague: an epidemic of an often fatal disease
- Plato: about 428 – 347 BC; Greek philosopher and student of Socrates
- Pythagoras: Ancient Greek philosopher and mathematician whose ideas led to the field of geometry
- reason: logical thinking
- Rhodes: the second largest of the Greek Islands in the Aegean Sea, southwest of Greece
- Socrates: Ancient Greek philosopher who developed an approach to teaching based on asking questions
- Zeus: King of the gods
We often combined ancient Greece and Rome together because the Romans adopted many aspects of Greek culture when conquering European lands under Greek rule.
Ancient Rome Vocabulary Words
- A pennies: Mountain range that runs north and south through the Italian Peninsula
- Alps: Mountain range in northern Italy
- Gaul: land that is present-day France
- Etruscans: Early people on the Italian peninsula; they conquered the Latins
- Basin: Area of land drained by a river
- Tiber: River on which Rome is located
- Republic: Government in which citizen have the right to choose their leaders
- Senate: Lawmaking group in Rome
- consuls: Two officials elected by the Senate who governed Rome and commanded the army
- Patricians: Rich and powerful families of Rome
- Tribunes: Officials who were elected to protect the rights of the plebeians
- Twelve Tables: Laws of ancient Rome
- Carthage: Rich trading center in north Africa
- Punic Wars: Wars fought to control Sicily
- Hannibal: Carthaginian general; lost the Battle of Zama
- Julius Caesar: Great general; became dictator of Rome
- Cleopatra: With the help of Julius Caesar, she became a powerful ruler of Egypt
- Augustus Caesar: Said,” I found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble.”
- dome: Architecture of the Pantheon
- gladiators: Slaves, prisoners of war or criminals that fought in the Colosseum
- forum: Roman marketplace
- aqueducts: Structures used to carry water to towns
- concrete: Building material created by the Romans-used for roads and buildings
- Palestine: Land of the ancient Hebrews; known earlier as Canaan
- Constantine: First Roman emperor to become a Christian
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