6A Section 3
Reading Questions:
Thucydides, History of the Peloponnesian War, 431 BC
Why did Thucydides write the history of the Peloponnesian War?
Thucydides wrote the history of the Peloponnesian war after he himself served as a general in the Peloponnesian war. He did this to show the sequence of events of the war and also to show how humans react in a time of turmoil and chaos.
Which aspects of Athenian culture does Thucydides value the most?
Thucydides valued the democratic government of Athens he also valued the fairness and justice it brought. Thucydides truly valued the fact that this government of Athens was ruled by the people and was for the peoples better good. He also valued the leisure time the people had and the sacrifice the people of Greece made to the gods on a regular basis. He also felt that people should never be ashamed of being defeated by Athens because it was an honor to be beat by such an army and felt that others should want a society like theirs.
Jenifer Neils, “Pride, Pomp, and Circumstance: The Iconography of Procession,” 1996
What is Neils’s thesis? (pgs. 177-178)
Neil’s thesis is that while there are some basic known characteristics of the Parthenon’s frieze much is still unknown about its setting and the people represented in the frieze and is still to this day being debated by many scholars.
What kind of evidence does Neils use to support her thesis?
Neils uses examples of other artworks found in Greece especially attic vase paintings that can help us relate them in order for us to understand the meaning behind the frieze and iconography and the idea of religious sacrifice and the cult religions of ancient Greece. Also it shows us relations between gods and goddesses like Athena