Ancient Greek History and Culture
Resources From the Chico High School LibraryGreek Unit For Oedipus Rex
The following links have been selected to use with the CHS English Department's curriculum for the Greek drama, Oedipus Rex.
Sophocles, Oedipus, and Other People of Greek Drama/Theatre
- Perseus Encyclopedia: Biographies of the Great Greeks
- Project Perseus links to biographies and related materials of the great Greek poets, politicians, and warriors. Find materials here on: Aeschylus, Euripides, Sophocles, and other famous ancients.
- Sophocles (495--406 BC)
- Sophocles was author of the Oedipus plays and many other dramas. This page links to his online texts, and articles about him and his plays (at the bottom of the page, scroll down.) Includes a biography, and study guide for some of the plays.
- Greek Tragedy III: Sophocles
- Background information if given here on Sophocles, the dramatist of Ancient Greece, who wrote the Oedipus plays. Includes references and links to other Greeks and their works, plus a view of two tragic heroes, Oedipus and Ajax.
- Sophocles' Oedipus
- Course notes from a course on Oedipus and Sophocles from the University of Saskatchewan, by Professor Porter. Very thorough background on the play, its author, and the period of Greek history. Includes mythological background which is helpful in understanding the play.
- Oedipus The King Study Guide
- This guide is designed to be used in conjunction with the translation by Robert Fagles (Penguin Press). One source to help understand this complex play.
- Oedipus Mentioned In Project Perseus Encyclopedia
- This online encyclopedia of Ancient Greece provides links to texts that mention people, characters and ideas in Greek History. This one pulls up all mentions of Oedipus. You can also make use of the small search engine there to search on other characters.
- Introduction to Greek Stagecraft
- The tragedies and comedies of the fifth and fourth centuries BCE which remain to us today were all written for performance in the Theater of Dionysus at Athens. The TDA was first dug out of the slope beneath the south side of the Acropolis in the late 6th century BCE. It was rebuilt and expanded many times. The illustrations here are reconstructions."
- Skenotheke: Images of the Ancient Stage
- This project, which is very much a work in progress, offers various images of the ancient stage. See what ancient theatres looked like.
- The Theater of Dionysus: Introduction
- Links for a college course on The Theater of Dionysus. Mostly consists of images of the theatres of this style, plus sections on: The Archaic Theater and The "Periclean" Theater.
- Dionysos
- Links to images of Dionysos. "The son of Zeus and Semele. The god of wine, mystic ecstasy and fertility (especially of vegetation). Attributes. Usually bearded and cloaked, holding a kantharos or rhyton filled with wine, is often shown with grape vines and/or ivy, and with panthers. He may be alone, or together with his thiasos: satyrs and maenads (bacchantes)."
- Pericles
- Translation of the biography of Pericles, by the famous writer Plutarch.
Greek Philosophy, Religion, and Daily Life
- The Golden Age of Greece
- Lenthy article on the great period of culture and other acconplishments. The article is broken up into small sections for ease of reading; which may be clicked on to read its text.
- Philosophical Background of the Greek Fifth Century
- Explains why the Greeks "did the things they did" at this important time in their history.
- The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy
- An online set of resources related to the entire subject of philosophy, including biographies of the famous philosophers. Search for concepts such as Greece, Oedipus, or the names of other important characters, philosophers and ideas. Delivers helpful articles and essays.
- The Ancient Greek World
- An excellent, master website that links to a wide range of information about the people of Ancient Greece. Includes sections on Land and Time, Daily Life, Economy, Religion and Death. Note that you must select a particular period within the history (i.e., Classical for Oedipus).
- Greek Costumes Through The Ages
- Shows the costumes that the Greek people have used through the ages. Please note the section: Ancient Greece.
- Resources For Greek Civilization
- "This is a directory of links to materials on ancient Greek texts which are read in Intellectual Heritage 51/91. These links include study guides, primary texts and images. The Department of Greek, Hebrew and Roman Classics provides this as a resource for students and faculty involved in this course."
- Time Line of Greek History and Literature
- Organizes the Greek myths according to historic period and major events. Links to the Perseus project for background on major people of the time periods. A nice way to see how one relates to the other through time.
- The Olympian Gods
- Listing of the gods and goddesses of Ancient Greece, with links to images and text references to them at the Perseus Project.
- Slide Show Selecter: Classical Images
- Two slide shows related to costumes of Ancient Greece are available here for your viewing.
- Bullfinch's Mythology: Greek Myths
- "The religions of ancient Greece and Rome are extinct. The so-called divinities of Olympus have not a single worshipper among living men. They belong now not to the department of theology, but to those of literature and taste." Search or browse for the gods and goddess and their stories.
- The Parthenon
- Superb, thorough website for the famous Ancient Greek temple, The Parthenon. "When work began on the Parthenon in 447 BC, the Athenian Empire was at the height of its power....it symbolizes the power and influence of the Athenian politician, Perikles, who championed its construction."
- The Temple of Zeus at Olympia
- Lots of information on this important temple. "The Temple of Zeus at Olympia was the most monumental structure in the Altis. This temple was considered as the canon of Doric temple-building, due to its stylistic clarity and the high quality of its workmanship. Built by the Elean architect Libon after the reorganization of the Elean state around 471 BC, it was completed by 456 BC."
- The Ancient Greek World
- The artifacts you will see here tell a vivid story of life in ancient Greece. The text expands on this story, and together they create in detail an interpretation of how Greek art and material culture add to the written record and expand our understanding of daily life in ancient times.
- Catalog of Greek Vases/Images
- Connect with this page and scroll down to a large list of images from Greek vases of ancient times. The art is used as a way to understand the thought and culture. This is a bit tricky to use. Be sure to click on the number of the item desired, then the next ages will describe it, and at the bottom of that page is a sesction: Images. That is where you click for the image.
- Return to the Social Science Page
. Updated by the C.H.S. Library Webster: 3-11-98.
Many thanks to Jay Boersma for the use of his Webpaper.
