Introduction

The Minoans (7000-1150 BC)

Mainland Greece and the Mycenaeans (3100-1150 BC)

The Dark Age (1150-700 BC)

The Iliad and the Odyssey

Possible Essay Questions:

  1. Governmental Structure: Using only the assembly scenes in the Iliad, Bk 1 & Bk 2 and the assembly scene in the Odyssey, Bk 2 as your source material, determine the expected 'roles' of the nobles. Also comment on the problem in the political structure that Book 2 of the Odyssey highlights. Make sure you give good examples from both the Iliad, Bks 1 & 2, and the Odyssey, Bk 2.

  2. Religion: What are the ways that the Greek deities communicated with mortals in the Iliad and the Odyssey and what are the dangers of these types of communication? Make sure you give concrete examples from the books of the Iliad and the Odyssey that we have covered.

  3. Religion: The pre-Socratic philosopher Xenophanes noted that the Greeks made deities in the Greeks' own image. Discuss for the books of the Iliad and the Odyssey that we have read. Make sure you give concrete examples from the books of the Iliad and the Odyssey that we have covered.

  4. Women: What are the range of acceptable (and unacceptable) actions (and words) that women can do (and say) in the books of the Iliad and the Odyssey that we have read? Make sure you give concrete examples from the books of the Iliad and the Odyssey that we have covered.