天津大学西方文化2016 Final Review.docVIP

Cultural Snapshots: Western Mind Final Review Topics We Have Covered Greek Culture Roman Culture Bible Christianity Middle Ages Renaissance Reformation Counter-reformation 17th Century Enlightenment Romanticism Realism Greek Culture History Ancient Greece-the cradle of western civilization 1600 BC?to about 1100 BC? History of Mycenaean Greece:?known for the reign of King Agamemnon of Mycenae, and the wars against Troy. Historical setting of the epics of Homer and much other Greek mythology. the 8th century BC ~323 BC Ancient Greece golden age The reign of Alexander the Great ended with his death in 323 BC. Achievements 1. Epic Homer, the first recorder of former oral epic poems served to entertain the ancient Greeks Author of The Iliad and The Odyssey The two major epics of ancient Greece. 2. Drama Aeschylus (525-456 B.C.) Prometheus Bound Sophocles (496-406 B.C.) Oedipus the King Euripides (484-406) Medea 3. Philosophy Socrates an influential Greek philosopher dialectical method Plato a classical Greek philosopher Idealism Aristotle a versatile Greek philosopher insisted theory should follow fact emphasized direct observation of nature 4. Science Pythagoras considered as the first true mathematician Pythagorean theorem/Proposition Archimedes principle of the lever “Give me a place to stand, and I will move the world.” Euclid Euclidean geometry梖ather of geometry 5.o Architecture The Parthenon in Athens --Temple of Athena the Virgin is an enduring symbol of Greek culture II. Roman Culture 1. Roman Republic The Roman Republic lasted for more than 700 years until around the time of the assassination of Julius Caesar. The power was divided amongst a hierarchy of elected functionaries, the Senate, the Consuls and the Assemblies. Roman citizens were allowed to vote. But women, children and slaves were not entitled to the voting rights. 2. Roman Empire Augustus Caesar was proclaimed Emperor by the Roman Senate in 27 BC. Leadership of Augustus mar