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Ancient Greece

WHAT WERE ANCIENT GREEK PLAYS ABOUT?

Greek tragedies and comedies re-told stories about

gods and goddesses, or made fun of people such as

politicians. Only men watched the plays. They thought

women would find them

too rude or upsetting.

The plays of Sophocles,

Aeschylus, and Euripides

are still performed today.

1 BRONZE DAGGER BLADE

This blade, made in around 1500 BCE,

was found in a tomb in Mycenae.

Mycenaean kings were often buried

along with their weapons, and

dressed in their finest jewellery.

1 LION GATE, MYCENAE
This gate, built in c. 1550–1100 BCE, formed part of a fortress-like wall
that surrounded the ancient city of Mycenae. Mycenae was the centre
of the richest and most important kingdom of its time.

THEATRE 3

This semi-circular theatre was

built at Epidaurus, southern

Greece, in c. 350 BCE. Greek actors

(all male) wore masks to portray

different characters, and recited

their words to music. A chorus of

junior actors sang, danced, and

commented on the action.

Columns

are 11 m (35 ft)

tall and made of

Parian marble

Scaffolding

in place for

renovation

Stage

Hunters armed

with spears and

shields

Orchestra

(flat ground)

for chorus

Seats for

14,000

people

Greece was home to a rich civilization that reached its

peak between 500 BCE and 300 BCE. Its people lived by

farming, fishing, crafts, and trading. They built 300

. CITY-STATES and settled in colonies. In 146 BCE,

Greece was conquered by Rome, but many

aspects of Greek culture still shape our world.

WHAT DO WE KNOW ABOUT MYCENAEAN KINGS?

Mycenaean kings were powerful from 1600 BCE to 1200 BCE.

They were warrior chieftains who lived in fortress-like cities

and ruled small kingdoms. Their name comes from the best

known of these – Mycenae, in southern Greece. They

employed skilled artists and craftworkers to make fine

pottery and magnificent gold jewellery. They owned

fleets of trading ships that sailed to many ports.

4 SACRIFICE TO THE GODS

This marble carving is part of

a frieze that decorated the

Parthenon temple in Athens.

It features Athenians leading

a bull to be sacrificed to

the goddess Athena. The

Greeks regularly offered

their gods and goddesses

gifts of food, drink, and

flowers as sacrifices. They

hoped for help in return.

Bull being led

to a temple

for sacrifice

WHO DID THE ANCIENT GREEKS WORSHIP?

The Ancient Greeks worshipped many different

gods and goddesses. They believed that these gods

had magic powers and that they were human in form,

but more powerful and beautiful. Each god or goddess

controlled a different aspect of life. The supreme god

Zeus led all other gods. His brother Poseidon ruled the

sea, and another brother, Hades, ruled the underworld.

Gold decoration

depicts lion hunt

Ancient

Greece