Unit I: Minoans, Mycenaeans, Dark Age, and Homer

The Minoans
1. Where did they come from and roughly when?
2. What are the four main periods of the Minoan Bronze Age?
3. What are the hallmarks of the four different periods? How did they end?
4. What are the palaces like?
1. their function,
2. the purposes of the central courtyard,
3. who lived there,
4. amenities, etc.
5. What is the Minoan religion thought to be like?
1. whom did they worship,
2. where did they worship,
3. importance of animals?
6. What type of writing system did they have?
7. What is their art like? Themes, use of color, etc.
8. What status do women have?
The Mycenaeans
1. What are the three main periods of the Mycenaean Bronze Age? The subperiods of the Mycenaean age?
2. What are the hallmarks of the different periods? How did they end?
3. What are the palaces like?
1. their function,
2. the purposes of the megaron,
3. who lived there,
4. amenities, etc.
4. What is the Mycenaean religion thought to be like?
1. whom did they worship,
2. where did they worship,
3. importance of animals?
5. What type of writing system did they have?
6. What do we know about their society from their written remains?
1. their political system
2. their social system
3. their religion
7. What is their art like? Themes, use of color, etc.
8. How did the Mycenaean age end? What are some of the various theories and their supporting facts?
9. What status do women have?
The Dark Age
1. When is the Greek Dark Age?
2. What are the hallmarks of the age?
3. What is the architecture like?
4. What does the architecture reveal about this time period?
5. What is their art like? Themes, etc.
6. What is the political structure like prior to Homer?
7. What is the social structure like prior to Homer?
8. What is the religion/religious structure like prior to Homer?
9. What status do women have?
10. What do these terms refer to: basileus, genos, oikos, xenia, boule, hetairoi, feasting, oral poetry, thes,polis, time , arete, and kleos


The Iliad and the Odyssey

• The Heroic Code:
• Describe the Heroic Code.
• How does Achilles’ actions reflect the Heroic Code?
• How does Odysseus’ actions reflect the Heroic Code?
• Compare Achilles and Odysseus in regard to the Heroic Code?
• Composition
• How/why does Homer use the tree theme in the Odyssey?
• What are the themes of the six subunits (i.e. Bks 1-4, 5-8, etc.) of the Odyssey?
• Why/how is the opening paragraphs of the Odyssey important?
• Justice/Self-will: Gods and Men
• Examine these two concepts in regard to the Iliad.
• Examine the concept of justice in regard to the Odyssey.
• How is the concept of justice different in the two poems?
• Kindness/Cruelty: Gods and Men
• Examine these two concepts in regard to the Iliad.
• Examine the concept of justice in regard to the Odyssey.
• How is the concept of kindness different in the two poems?
• Guest/Host relationship
• Describe the Guest/Host relationship (G/H R).
• Examine the meeting of Priam and Achilles in regard to the guest/host relationship.
• How/why is the G/H R important for the education of Telemachus?
• Other
• How/why does Penelope change in the Odyssey?
• How/why is recognition of Odysseus and of the divine important?
• How/why are the themes of disguise, testing, and journey important?
• Who are Achilles, Agamemnon, Menelaus, Helen, Patroclus, Chryseis and Briseis, Priam, Hector, Paris, Telemachus, Odysseus, Penelope, Mentor, Zeus, Athena, Hera, Apollo, Poseidon,Orestes, and Eumaeus?

• Heroic Code: Evaluate the Minoans and Mycenaeans in light of the Heroic Code. Be sure to explain what the Heroic Code is and include examples from the Iliad and the Odyssey in your explanation.
• Society: Compare and contrast the Minoan, Mycenaean, and Homeric (Dark Age) societies. Topics you may wish to discuss are art, architecture, the political structure, and/or the social structure. Be sure to give examples from the Iliad and the Odyssey in your evaluation of the Dark Age society.
• Religion: Evaluate the Minoan and Mycenaean relegions in light of the evidence from the Iliad and the Odyssey. Themes which may wish to include are that of kind/cruel, near/far, and just/self-seeking. Be sure to give examples from the Iliad and the Odyssey in your discussion.

For Previous Exams, go to the discussion folder for our class.
 
 
 
 

Unit III: The Classical Age
 

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Unit IV: The Post-Classical Age

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