Ancient History Flashcards
Terms
undefined, object
copy deck
- Civilization
- Highly organized society marked by advanced knowledge of trade, government,arts, science, and often written language
- Economy
- System by which goods and services are produced and distributed to meet peoples' needs
- Agriculture
- the production of crops, livestock, and poultry
- Artisans
- person skilled in a craft
- Cultural diffusion
- the exchange of goods, ideas, and customs among different cultures
- Myth
- a traditional story that explains natural events
- Monarchy
- rule by king or queen via family relations
- Dynasty
- a line of rulers who belong to the same family
- Theocracy
- a government headed by religious rulers or leader regarded as a god
- Bureaucracy
- a group of government officials headed by an administrator
- Pharaoh
- title of rulers in ancient Egypt
- Empire
- groupof territories or nations headed by a single ruler or government
- Polytheism
- worship of many gods
- Hyksos
- a people from western Asia; they conquered Egypt on foot fighting with copper and stone weopons
- Hieroglyphics
- ancient Egyptian writing system using picture symbols for ideas or sounds
- City-State
- an independent state consisting of a city and a surrounding land and villages
- Cuneiform
- Sumerian system of writing using wedge-shaped markings
- Subcontinent
- landmass that is part of a continent
- Monsoon
- seasonal wind that effects climates and ways of life
- Mandate
- in ancient China, authority granted by heaven to deserving rulers, called the MAndate of Heaven
- Confederation
- a loose alliance or union of several states or groups
- Colony
- a settlement of people outside their homeland, linked with the parent country by trade and direct government control
- Barter
- asystem of trade in which goods, not money, are exchanged
- Monotheism
- belief in one god
- Prophets
- a person who preaches or interprets what are thought to be messages from god
- Covenant
- a solemn pledge or agreement
- Exodus
- the departure of a large group of people
- Diaspora
- term for the scattering of communties of Jews outside their original homeland after the Babylonian captivity
- Satraps
- a governor of a Persian province
- Labyrinth
- a complex,confusing series of connected passages
- Bard
- a poet who tells stories by singing
- Polis
- city-state of Ancient Greece
- Citizen
- in ancient Greece, a person who took part in the government of a city-state
- Aristrocrat
- memberof the nobility, or the upper class
- Phalanx
- in ancient Greece, a military formation in which foot soldiers stood so that their shields overlapped
- Tyrant
- in ancient Greece, a person who seized power an established one man rule
- Democracy
- form of government in which the citizens hold power
- Oligarchy
- form of government in which a small group holds political power
- Constitution
- plan of government
- Rhetoric
- art of effective public speaking
- Symposium
- in ancient Athens, a gathering of men that feature eating, drinking, entertainment, and intellectual decisions
- Mercenaries
- a soldier who serves a foreign country for pay
- Classical
- describing the artistic style of ancient Greece and Rome, characterized by balance, elegance, and simplicity
- Delian League
- an alliance headed by Athens to defend themselves from the Persians; not including Sparta
- Sanctuary
- building used for worship
- Acropolis
- a fortified hill on which the temple of the city-state's deity stood
- Parthenon
- temple of Athena built by Pericles
- Perspective
- an artistic technique for showing relationships and space between objects
- Amphora
- a tall two-handled Greek vase
- Tragedy
- story or play in which the central character struggles against destiny but meets an unhappy end
- Comedy
- story or play intended to entertain and amuse, usually with a happy ending
- Philosopher
- a thinker or lover of wisdom
- Logic
- the science of reasoning and establishing proof for arguments
- Hygiene
- the science of good health
- Domain
- territory held by a ruler