Term Definitions: Greece and Rome

Polis: a city-state. It is also a mini-country. There were many of these in Greece. The most famous ones are Athens and Sparta.

Homer: The author of Iliad and Odyssey. No one knows if the stories are true.

Iliad and Odyssey: 2 famous works of literature by Homer. Iliad is aboout the Trojan War, when a ordinary man named Odysseus helps the Greeks fight the Trojans (Greeks). Odyssey is about Odysseus' adventure back home. He has to face challenges, such as the Cyclops, Charybdis, Calypso and many more.

Pericles: General of the Greeks during the Persian War. He led them to victory. He also created a Radical Democracy, which consisted of 3 classes: Assembly, Councel and Jury.

Persian War: A war between the Greeks and the Persians. The war started with the Battle of Thermopylae and ended with the Battle of Plyteia ( is that the correct spelling), in which the Greeks dominated the Persians.

Pelopennesian War: A war between Athens and Sparta. The cause of this is an argument over who should take credit for defeating the Persians and the argument became a war. Sparta defeated Athens with the help of an Athenian navy general.

Centuriate Assembly: First Roman government. It did not work because patricians always got their wishes and the plebeians got nothing. Later, this government was eliminated and replaced by the Tribal Assembly.

Conflict of the Orders: A time in which plebeians went "on strike" against the Centuriate Assembly for unfair rules. It lasted 200 years. Finally, this conflict terminated the Centuriate Assembly.

Tribal Assembly: A new Roman government. It was to be more democratic and fairer to the plebeians, giving them more positions in this assembly.

Patrician: Citizens of Rome. Before the Conflict, being one was good.

Plebeian: The poor people in Rome. Before the Conflict, they got nothing. After the Conflict, they got some things.

Senator: Member of the senate. He serves for life, unless the censors don't like him and kick him out. He can make and control laws, as well as foreign affairs. He is a "boss" in the government.

Consul: He is similar to the president. He controls the senate and the assemblies. He is a commander-in-chief of the Roman army.