Ancient Literature Class

Taught by 
Mr. Holes
Inland Lakes Middle School

Ancient Studies

Ancient World

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GREEK MYTHOLOGY
SHAKESPEARE
ANCIENT STUDIES
DARK AGES
 
 
We are Still Under Construction
(Babylon wasn't built in a day, you know!)
Check back often for updates!
Epic of Gilgamesh Story Website
Mesopotamia Information Website 		Mythology Links PowerPoint Presentations:
Introduction Worksheet
Epic of Gilgamesh Worksheet
HERO NOTES    
Mesopotamia Weekly Vocab Words  
Mesopotamia Weekly Study Guides  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WEEKLY  VOCABULARY WEEKLY  STUDY GUIDES
Greek Mythology Vocab Week 1 (Intro) Greek Mythology Study Guide Week 1
Greek Mythology Vocab Week 2 (Cosmology) Greek Mythology Study Guide Week 2
Greek Mythology Vocab Week 3 (Olympians) Greek Mythology Study Guide Week 3
Greek Mythology Vocab Week 4 (More Olympians) Greek Mythology Study Guide Week 4
Greek Mythology Vocab Week 5 (Hercules) Greek Mythology Study Guide Week 5
   
   
   
   

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Code of Hammurabi page

The Viking Quest Game

BBC Viking information page

BBC Anglo-Saxons information page

Research websites:

mirriam webster online dictionary
dictionary.com
infoplease
techweb
educationworld tech

Ancient words & phrases

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Greek Mythology Weekly Vocabulary
Week 1:  Introduction
Week 2:  Cosmology
Week 3:  The Olympians
Week 4:  The Children of Zeus
Week 5:  The adventures of Heracles
Greek Mythology Study Guides
Week 1:  Introduction
Intro to Mythology PowerPoint Study Guide
Week 2:  Cosmology
Creation of the World PowerPoint Study Guide
Cyclops PowerPoint Study Guide
Week 3:  The Olympians
Underworld PowerPoint Study Guide
Week 4:  The Children of Zeus

Important Websites for More Information
Coming Soon!  Watch for updates!













Greek Mythology Character
Research Project
You must find all of the following information:
 You must find at least 3 of the following (more than 3 are extra credit):
1. Character's Greek name
 A. Character's Roman name
2. Character's family (parents, siblings, children)
 B. In a paragraph, describe the birth of your character
3. What area was your charcter in charge of?
 C. In a paragraph, describe the death fo your character
4. Write TWO sentences about "Why your character is important to mythology"
 D. What animals were sacred to your character?
5. In a paragraph, describe a story from mythology involving your character
 E. What symbols were sacred to your character?
6. Find and bring in a picture of your character (in a book or online)
 F. Are there any modern-day connections to your character?








Shakespeare Weekly Vocabulary
Coming Soon!  Watch for updates!










INTRODUCTION VOCABULARY
 Week 1 of Mythology
Myth
 A story which explains a natural phenomena or justifies a certain practice or belief
Philosophy The study and pursuit of wisdom
Myriad A large, indefinate number;  many
Pastoralist Farmers or simple country people
Metallurgy The science of working with and creating useful objects from metals
City-state
 An independant city and its surrounding territory
Oligarchy Government by a small group of persons or families
Aristocrat A member of a ruling class or of the nobility
Stoa
 An ancient Greek covered walk or marketplace usually having columns on one side and a wall on the other
Diety
 A god or goddess












COSMOLOGY  VOCABULARY
 Week 2 of Mythology
Cosmology The study of the origins of the world/universe
Titan
The first major group of Greek gods
Myth
A story which explains a mystery or an unknown
Chaos
The first Greek god;  also the state of being in the
beginning of the world
Cyclops
A one-eyed giant
Sickle
A curved-bladed sword
Fate
Destiny or outcome which has already been predetermined
Pantheon
 The entire group of  Olympians














OLYMPIANS VOCABULARY
 Week 3 of Mythology
Olympians
 The second major group of Greek gods
Trident
 A three-pronged spear
Cerberus
 The three-headed giant dog guarding the underworld
Charon
 The ferryman across the River Styx to the underworld
Nymph
 A minor god or spirit of a natural object
Elysian Fields
 The 'heaven' section of the underworld where good people
wandered when they died
Styx
 The great river of the underworld which caused forgetfullness
in humans and unbreakable oaths for gods
Hearth
 The symbol of the home or of family life



HERACLES VOCABULARY
 Week 5 of Mythology
 
Sphinx
 
A monster, part lion, part eagle, and part hideous woman 
who posed questions to people trying to reach Thebes
 
Coverlet
 
A bedspread
 
Enmity
 
Deep hatred or hostility
 
Centaur
 
A creature with the upper body of a man and the lower 
body of a horse
 
Minotaur
 
A monster with the body of a man and the head of a bull
 
Amazon
 
A race of warrior women
 
Chasm
 
A deep crack or gorge in the earth’s surface
 
Obol
 
A Greek coin used for payment to the underworld
 





Mythology Introduction Worksheet			Name: __________________________________

1. Why are mythological stories still around today?
2. Why were myths created?
3. What two important functions did mythology play for the ancient Greeks?
4. What can we learn about the Greeks from their mythology?
5. Why are there so many different myths from the Greeks?
6. Why do you think that the Greeks created so many gods & goddesses?
7.  What is a good working definition of mythology?










Greek Cosmology study guide			Name:  ___________________________

1. What is meant by the word ‘cosmology’?
2. What was the first god for the Greeks, and how was it described?
3. Describe the creation of the world according to the Greeks.
4. What do we call the Hecatonchires today?
5. Why did Cronus swallow his children?
6. How was Zeus saved?
7. Where did Zeus get help to defeat the Titans?
8. What gifts did Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades receive?
9. Over what areas did Zeus, Poseidon, and Hades take rule?
10. How were the earth’s creatures formed?
11. Why was Zeus outraged at Prometheus?
12. What is ‘fate’?
13. What does the story about Zeus and Cronus tell us about the idea of ‘fate’?







The family of Zeus (Olympians week 3 study guide)               Name:  ___________________________________

1.  List the six children of Cronos & Rhea:
2.  Why was Pandora created?
3.  What gifts was she given?
4.  Which of her gifts caused the downfall of mankind?
5.  What are some of the creatures that Poseidon supposedly created?
6.  Over what did Poseidon and Athene argue?
7.  Why did the Greeks put a gold coin under the tongue of the bodies they buried?
8.  What occurs in the Elysian Fields?
9.  What is found in Erebos?
10.  What was the job of the Erinyes or Furies?
11.  Why did Persephone have to stay with Hades?
12.  What happens on Earth during those 6 months she is in the underworld?
13.  Why was Hera always upset at Zeus?
14.  Who was Argus, and what was his main job?
15.  Who was the famous son of Europa?  What was his job after his death?









The Children of Zeus (Olympians week 4 study guide)          Name:  ______________________________________

1.  What was very different about Hephaestus compared to the rest of the gods?
2.  What is Hephaestus' one goal in life?
3.  Why are Hephaestus and Aphrodite such a good couple?
4.  What mischief did Hermes cause just after he was born?
5.  What TWO musical instruments did Hermes create?
6.  What other things did Hermes invent?
7.  How was Athene's birth quite unusual?
8.  In warfare, how was Athene different from Ares?
9.  What things did Athene invent?
10.  Why did Athene get upset with Arachne?
11.  What was Arachne turned into by Athene?
12.  What item did Artemis ask Hephaestus to create for her?
13.  What gifts did Pan give to Artemis?
14.  What creature did Apollo kill?
15.  What did he establish at Delphi?
16.  What was the shrine already at Delphi?







Mythology Powerpoint introduction Worksheet		Name: _________________________

1.  Why was mythology important to the Greeks?
2.  When approximately did Greek mythology begin? ________________
3.  When approximately did Greek mythology end? ________________
4.  Describe 3 important aspects of the climate of Greece.
5.  What did the Greeks use the sea for?
6.  Why were many of the settlements so isolated?
7.  What finally caused the many Greek settlements to unite?
8.  What does mythology explain?
9.  Why do we study mythology in today’s world?
10.  What can we learn about the Greek culture from their mythology?








Greek Cosmology Powerpoint		Name:  ___________________________

1.  Give two details about how Chaos was described.
2.  In your opinion, was Chaos male or female?  Why?
3.  What were the two gods to appear from Chaos?  _____________________  and  __________________
4.  What did Eros (love) bring into the world?  ___________ and _____________
5.  What goddess also appeared from Eros?  ___________________
6.  Describe each of the following gods that appeared after Gaea:
	Aether:  ____________________________________________
	Moerae:  _____________________________________________
	Hemera:  ___________________________________________
	Erebos:  ___________________________________________
	Tartarus:  ___________________________________________
7.  Another name for ‘Night’ is _____________________
8.  List the five children of Nix: __________________________________________________________
9.  Gaia (Gaea) was also known as: ________________________________________
10.  Name three children of Gaia (Gaea):  ____________________________________________________
11.  What was unique about the Hecatonchires?
12.  What was unique about the Cyclops?
13.  How was the Cosmology a time of SEPARATION?




 

 

 

Greek Hero Notes

A HERO is a character whose actions are inspiring or noble.

Often HEROES must struggle mightily to overcome foes or to escape difficulties. Many times, especially for the Greeks, Heroes must defeat or kill a monster (or army) that is threatening ordinary people. Heroes often stand up for those who can’t defend themselves.

In Greek Mythology, and in many other cultures’ myths, Heroes are mortal children of the Gods, having one parent who is human and one who is divine. Many times the immortal parent helps the Hero.

They are larger-than-life characters, who embody skills and abilities that normal characters do not possess. They use these skills (usually strength or intellect) to accomplish heroic deeds.

The main Heroes for the Greeks had Zeus as their father.

Though looked up to by normal people, Heroes are often misunderstood. They may even be outcasts, or even envied for their powers and special relationships with the gods.

Heroes often travel on great QUESTS, adventures that lead them far from home and require great heroic deeds to be accomplished. The Quest is often to bring back a sacred object.

Normal, ordinary characters can behave in HEROIC ways. This usually requires the character to ‘rise above’ others, or to overcome one of their character flaws (or weaknesses) to help others.

Heroes are not without flaws. They often have a character flaw or weakness that eventually causes their (untimely) death.