Introduction to Humanities Lecture 2b Greek culture, religion & art By David Kelsey

Introduction to HumanitiesLecture 2b

Greek culture, religion & art

By David Kelsey

Greek Religion

• Greek Religion:– A polytheistic religion– The Gods were a race infinitely superior to human beings– They were completely powerful, immortal and always young and beautiful.– They had the same characteristics as humans but in a higher category.– The Gods weren’t all Good or all powerful– The Gods had to obey fate, which overrode their divine powers– The Gods acted like humans at times, petty, angry…– And the Gods interacted with humans, sometimes producing children…

The Underworld

• The underworld:– The Greeks believed in an

underworld of the dead where spirits would go

– It was believed that unless proper burial rituals took place, the deceased persons spirit would never reach the underworld and so would haunt the world of the living forever…

– Ruled by the brother of Zeus, Hades

• Source: new.exchristian.net

Temples, Festivals and Rituals

• Religious temples:– Dedicated to a God or Goddess– The major buildings of Greek society

• Religious festivals:– Public festivals– Boys prepared to be warriors, girls to be

mothers– The Olympic festival, first begun in 776 B.C.

and occurring every subsequent 4 years, was held to honor Zeus

• Ritual:– It was desirable to have the Gods look

favorably at one’s life– Prayers were often combined with gifts,

usually sacrificing animals– The idea was ‘I give so that you, the gods,

will give in return’.

• The Temple of Zeus– Created in the 6th century B.C. and

located in Athens

• Source: kids.britannica.com

The Parthenon

• The Parthenon in Athens• Completed in 432 BC• Regarded as the greatest example of the

classic Greek temple• Built as a tribute to the Greek Goddess

Athena• Housed the famous sculpture called Athena

Parthenos• Built in accord with mathematical ratios

found in nature• The Parthenon exemplifies the principles of

classical Greek architecture: the search for calm, clarity and freedom from superfluous detail…

• Source of upper image: en.wikipedia.org

• Source of lower image: touropia.com

The temples of Poseidon & Hephaestus

• The Temple of Poseidon – located at the southernmost tip of the Attica

peninsula– It was constructed in approx. 440 BC

• Source: touropia.com

• The temple of Hephaestus:– Located about 500 meters north-west of the

famous Acropolis, It is the best-preserved Greek temple in the world.

– Built in the 5th century BC in a district which contained many metalwork shops, it was dedicated to Hephaestus, God of metal working.

• Source: touropia.com

More on the Greek Gods

• More on the Greek Gods:– There was a hierarchy of deities with Zeus as the king of the Gods– Some deities had control over just certain aspects of nature or life

• Zeus was the sky God, sending thunder and lightning• Poseidon ruled over the sea and earthquakes• Hades controlled the underworld and death• Helios controlled the sun• Aphrodite controlled love

The Pantheon of Gods

• The Pantheon of Gods:– Most Greeks believed in a pantheon that included 12 Gods, the 12 Olympians– The Gods lived on Mount Olympus– Each polis singled out a God as its guardian– (Athena was the patron Goddess of Athens)


• The Gods:– Zeus: king of the Gods and ruler of

Olympus, god of the sky and justice

– Hera: Queen of the Gods and God of marriage and family

– Poseidon: God of the seas & earthquakes

– Demeter: Goddess of fertility, agriculture and nature

• Athena: Goddess of wisdom and strategic warfare

– Apollo: God of light, knowledge, healing, the arts, the sun and beauty

• Artemis: Goddess of the hunt, virginity, the moon, and all animals

• Ares: God of war and bloodshed

• Aphrodite: Goddess of love, beauty, and desire

• Hephaestus: Master blacksmith and craftsman of the gods; god of fire

• Hermes: Messenger of the gods; god of commerce and games

• Hestia: Goddess of the family

• Dionysus: God of wine, celebrations, and ecstasy


• Source: tccl.rit.albany.edu

Greek art

• Greek art is divided into 4 periods:– The Geometric, Archaic, Classical and Hellenistic periods.– The Geometric period occurs from about 1000 B.C. to the 7th century B.C.– The Archaic period occurs from about the 7th century B.C. to the onset of the Persian

wars in 480 B.C.– The classical period occurs from about 480 B.C. to the reign of Alexander the Great in

336 B.C.– The Hellenistic period occurs during the Hellenistic world from 323 B.C. to the 1st century

A.D.– In reality, there was no sharp transition from one period to another.

The Geometric Period

• The Geometric Period:– From about 900-700 B.C.– Occurs during the dark ages– Is characterized largely by

geometric motifs in vase painting

– Its center was in Athens – Pottery and vases created

during this period have horizontal bands about the circumference of the vase. Between these lines the artist used decorative motifs including the zigzag, the triangle and the meander

– Stylized depictions of humans and animals were also used…

• The Hirschfeld Krater: – Mid 8th century B.C.– Depicts Ekphora, the act of carrying a body to

its grave.– It is displayed at the National Archaeological

Museum in Athens.

• Source of image: en.wikipedia.org

The Geometric Period

• Dipylon Amphora:– Vessels like this one were placed on the graves as funeral monuments for aristocrats– This one was created sometime between 755 and 750 B.C.

• Source: commons.wikimedia.org

The Black figure style

• The Black figure style:– was especially common between

the 7th and 5th centuries B.C.– Figures and ornaments were

painted on the body of the vessel using shapes and colors reminiscent of silhouettes.

– Delicate contours were edged into the paint before firing with details being highlighted usually in white and red.

– Occurred most significantly in Corinth and Athens.

• The painting on this work depicts Heracles driving the beast Cerberus.

• Created about 540 B.C.• Now displayed at the Munich State

Collection of Antiquities in Germany.

• Source: en.wikipedia.org

The Black Figure Style

• Black figured Pottery by the potter Panphaios

• Depicts Athena• Created about 540 B.C.• Found in Tuscany, now in the Cabinet

des Medailles, in Paris


• This amphora depicts Heracles– Dates to 540 B.C.– Now in the Munich State Collection

of Antiquities in Germany.


The Archaic Period

• The Archaic Period:– The geometric patterning that was

dominant in the geometric period is replaced by a more naturalistic style reflecting influence from the Near East and Egypt.

– Eastern pictorial motifs were introduced such as lotus compositions and animal hunts (including griffins, sphinxes and sirens.)

– Leads to a blending of foreign style into new portrayals of their own myths and customs

• An example of the Archaic period is seen in this mixing bowl

• Dated between 630 and 615 B.C.• Terracotta, from the state of Corinth

• Source: metmuseum.org

The Archaic Period

• The Archaic Period is known for statues of Kouros (male youth):– Characteristically depicted nude males

with left leg striding forward and hands clenched at side.

– Most were made in the Archaic period and are believed to have served as grave markers

• The upper image is a noble figure of a youth and is one of the earliest freestanding marble statues from Attica.– Dated between 590 and 580 B.C.

• The lower image are 2 statues known as Kleobis and Biton– Dated around 580 B.C. and displayed at

the Delphi Archaeological Museum

• Source: metmuseum.org• Source: en.wikipedia.org

Kore

• Kore:– Free standing Greek sculpture depicting

young female figures– Kouroi are the youthful male equivalent of

the Kore statues– Both show the restrained ‘archaic smile’

but unlike the Kouroi are depicted in thick drapery, are very colorful and often have elaborate braided hairstyles.

• The Kore to the right– known as Peplos Kore. It dates around

530 B.C.– One of 14 Kore found east of the Acropolis

in Athens.– It is Displayed at the Acropolis Museum in

Athens.


The Classical Period

• In the Classical period there was a revolution in Greek statuary, usually associated with the introduction of democracy and the end of the aristocratic culture associated with the kouroi.

• Poses became more naturalistic and the technical skill of Greek sculptors in depicting the human form in a variety of poses greatly increased.

• Image to the right:– The charioteer at Delphi– Created around 478 B.C.– Displayed at the Delphi museum in Greece



• The Classical Period:– Statues begin to depict real people.– Sculpture and statues were put to

wider use during the classical period. – The great temples of the classical

period, such as the Parthenon in Athens and the Temple of Zeus at Olympia, required relief sculpture for decorative purposes.

– The difficult aesthetic and technical challenge stimulated much in the way of sculptural innovation.

• Source of image: en.wikipedia.org

• Harmodius and Aristogeiton:– Displayed originally in Athens to mark the

beginning of democracy– The first public monuments to actual

people– Originally stolen by the Persians when they

sacked Athens, sculpted again in 477 B.C.


• Funeral statuary:– Evolved during this period

from the rigid and impersonal kouros of the Archaic period to the highly personal family groups of the Classical period.

– These monuments are commonly found in the suburbs of Athens.

– Although some of them depict "ideal" types, i.e. the mourning mother or the dutiful son, they increasingly depicted real people

– Typically show the departed taking his dignified leave from his family.

• An example of a grave marker from the Classical Period displaying a family group. – Displayed in the National

Archaeological Museum, Athens



• The Statue of Zeus at Olympia:– A giant seated figure– About 42 feet tall– Made by the Greek sculptor Phidias

around 435 B.C. at the sanctuary of Olympia, Greece at the temple of Zeus

– Represents the God Zeus sitting on a throne

– Regarded as one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World until its eventual loss and destruction during the 5th century AD

– No copy of the statue has ever been found with details being known only from ancient Greek literature and coins



• Athena Parthenos:– A sculpture made of gold and ivory of

the Greek goddess Athena– Stood 12 meters tall– Created by Phidias and housed in the

Parthenon in Athens– Considered one of the greatest works

of art of Classical Greece– Stood in the Parthenon until the 5th

century AD when it was removed by the Romans

– The image to the right is a reconstruction of the original. It is housed in Reproduction of the Parthenon in Nashville, Tennessee.



• Doryphoros:– Known as the Spear carrier, it depicts

an athletic youth that originally carried a spear on his left shoulder

– Presents an idealized representation of a young male athlete, which is typical of Classical Greece

– The subject of the Classical period was most often the human being and the purpose was to represent the subject as an object of great beauty.

– The classical style depicts the ideals of reason, moderation, symmetry, balance and harmony...

• Doryphoros:– Constructed by the famous Greek

sculptor Polykleitos– The original work was cast in bronze

but is lost– Created around 440 B.C.



• Aphrodite of Knidos:– One of the most famous works of the

ancient Greek sculptor Praxiteles of Athens.

– Commissioned in the 4th century B.C.– The statue became famous for its beauty,

meant to be appreciated from every angle

– The first life size representation of the nude female form.

– Depicts the goddess Aphrodite as she prepared for the ritual bath that restored her purity.

– Discarding her drapery in her left hand, while modestly shielding herself with her right hand.


Greek history

• History:– The Greeks created History, which is the

systematic analysis of past events

• Herodotus:– 484-425 B.C.– Called the father of History– The author of the Persian Wars– Regarded as the first real history in

Western Civilization– The topic of his work is the conflict

between the Greeks and Persians, which he portrayed as a struggle between Greek freedom and Persian despotism

– Did contain exaggeration and story with quite a bit of bias

• Image of Herodotus:


Thucydides

• Thucydides:– 460-400 B.C.– Considered the greatest historian of

the ancient world– An Athenian and participant in the

Peloponnesian War– Was exiled for a defeat he suffered in

the war, so he wrote about it– Image of Thucydides:

– Source: en.wikipedia.org

• He wrote History of the Peloponnesian War. – In it he examines the long range and

immediate causes of the Peloponnesian War in a clear, methodical, objective way.

• Thucydides presented war and politics from an unbiased and rational perspective:– “And with regard to my factual reporting

of the events of the war I have made it a principle not to write down the first story that came my way, and not even to be guided by my own general impressions; either I was present myself at the events which I have described or else I heard of them from eyewitnesses whose reports I have checked with as much thoroughness as possible.” (Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War)

Greek Philosophy

• Philosophy:– A Greek word meaning love of

wisdom– The Greeks created Philosophy– Early Greek philosophy is concerned

primarily with the nature of the universe and our place in it

– Greek Philosophy is centrally concerned with the development of critical and rational thought as seen in the Socratic method

– The Socratic method is a method of critical analysis which has as a goal to find the truth. It does this by ruling out the false and contradictory

• Socrates:– 469-399 B.C.


Greek Theatre

• Greek Theatre:– Athens was the center of Greek

drama, where it was institutionalized as part of a festival called the Dionysia, which honored the God Dionysus.

– Drama was used by the Greeks to educate its citizens about society, culture, religion and values.

– They consisted of 3 men who acted out the parts and a chorus, also male, who explained what has going on.

– Greek plays were presented in outdoor theatres as part of religious festivals.

• Theatre of Dionysus in Athens:

• Source: www.visit-ancient-greece.com

Greek Tragedies

• Tragedies:– The first Greek plays were tragedies, which were plays based on the suffering of a hero

and usually ending in disaster.– The value and symbolism in most tragedies was that humans are free and yet can only

operate within the limitations imposed by the Gods. So we must live within those limitations a life of balance and moderation.

Sophocles

• Sophocles:– The most successful writer of Greek

tragedies was Sophocles. – An Athenian who lived 496-406 B.C. – He won many first prizes at festival

competitions for best tragedy but only 7 of his 123 plays survive today.


• Sophocles:– His most famous play is Oedipus

the King. In it the oracle of Apollo foretells that a man (Oedipus) will kill his own father and marry his mother. Despite all attempts to prevent the tragic events from happening, they occur just as they are foretold

– In Antigone, Oedipus’ son Polynices has died in an attempt to seize the throne of Thebes. And so the King of Thebes, Cleon, has forbidden his burial. A dilemma confronts Antigone, Polynices sister. Should she fulfill her obligation to the Gods by burying her brother? If she does, of course, she risks her own life as she has defied Cleon and the state.

Aristophanes

• Aristophanes and Greek comedy:– Greek comedy was developed later

than Greek tragedy.– Greek comedies were used to attack

or savagely satirize both politicians and intellectuals

– Aristophanes lived from 450-385 B.C. wrote many comedies

– He used grotesque masks and obscene jokes to entertain the audience

– He wrote The Clouds. In it he misrepresents Socrates as the operator of a thought factory, which is the leading school for rhetoric and sophistry…

• Image of Aristophanes:


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Introduction to Humanities Lecture 2b Greek culture, religion & art By David Kelsey