Dori: Spartan spear with a metal counterweight that is also lethal.
Xiphos: Phalanx close quarters sword
Trireme: swift and agile boats, primarily propelled by hundreds of oarsmen.
Immortals: Persian unit using wicker shield, wore tiaras.
Lamellar: armor layered with linen, leather and bronze, ancient Kevlar.
Wicker: the shield material used by the Persian army.
Hoplite: Greek unit carrying the hoplon shield with the Argive grip.
Phalanx: Greek shield wall, composed of sealed shields and two rows of spear.
Agoge: Spartan childhood warrior training.
Helots: the slave that a Spartan must kill in secret in order to become a man.
Acropolis: the high city dedicated to the gods.
aristocracy: government ruled by a land holding nobility.
oligarchy: government ruled by a merchant nobility.
polis: the Greek city state.
democracy: a government ruled by the people.
Archon: the highest Athenian office
legislature: a law making government body
barboroi: all non-Greek speakers
direct democracy: all citizens participating in the government
ostracism: banished from the public.
Homer: created the Iliad and the Odyssey, a blind poet
Solon: great reformer of Athens
Pisistratus: redistributed land in Athens from the haves to the have-nots.
Cleisthenes: created the general assembly and expanded the legislature.
Thucydides: historian in the age of Pericles
Peloponnesian War: ended Athenian domination, Sparta crushed Athens aided by plague.
Xerxes: Persian King at the time of the Battle of Thermopylae.
Themistocles: Athenian naval leader and politicians, won the Persian wars.
Leonidas: one of the Spartan kings, gave his life at Thermopylae.
Dienekes: Leonidas’ lieutenant, “Then we shall have our battle in the shade.”
Herodotus: Greek historian who chronicled the engagement at Thermopylae
Marathon: the Persians were defeated, runner told of the victory, cried “Nike!”, and died.
Ionia: led a rebellion against Persia aided by Athens.
Athens: the birthplace of Western democracy.
Sparta: the premier warrior state of Greece.
Thermopylae: the Hot Gates, 7000 Greeks vs 300,000 Persians.
Delphi: where the Oracle resided that stated the terms of Leonidas’ sacrifice.
Hellespont: the 1 mile stretch of sea west of the Dardanelles that Xerxes crossed.
Artemesium Straight: where Themistocles held the Persian navy to aid Thermopylae
Persia: modern day Iran, led a punitive military engagement against Greece.
