Famous Greeks and Romans Socrates 470 399 BCE

Famous Greeks and Romans

Socrates • 470 -399 BCE • “The unexamined life is not worth living” • Died by suicide • He believed in absolute standards for truth and justice • Socratic Method – showing how contradictory people are

Plato • 427 -347 BCE • Tutored by Socrates • Founded a school – the Academy • Lasted for 900 years • Wrote the “Republic” • It discussed the perfect society

Aristotle • 384 -322 BCE • Plato’s student • Opened his own school – the Lyceum • Tutored Alexander the Great • Questioned the nature of the world using logic

Pythagoras • 570 BCE • Pythagorean Theorem • Mathematicians knew this as early as 1100 BCE

Galen • 129 -200 CE • Physician • Studied anatomy – which was not allowed during his time – so he dissected monkeys • Led to advanced knowledge of heart and veins

Euclid • • Mathematician Taught in Alexandria Wrote “The Elements” Basis of geometry

Ptolemy • Astronomer • Incorrectly placed the earth at the center of the universe • Astronomers accepted this view for 14 centuries

Sappho • • 600 BCE Greek poet Female The word “lesbian” derives from the island of her birth • Wrote on passion and love • No known if it was biographical

Sophocles • Wrote more than 100 plays • Oedipus and Antigone • Tragedies • Portrayed psychological flaws of his characters • Developed the “Oedipus complex” which deals with the unhealthy relationship of mothers and their sons

Homer • • 8 th century BCE Poet Blind Wrote Iliad and Odyssey – based on the Trojan Wars

Pericles • 495 -429 BCE • Politician in Athens • Prided in Athenian democracy • He used money to beatify Athens • He sponsored the building of the Parthenon

Phidias • Built the statue of Athena for the Parthenon • His sculptures were graceful, strong, and perfectly formed • Their faces showed only serenity – no joy or pain • Beauty not realism • Classical art