Retrieving "Before Common Era" from the archives
Cross-reference notes under review
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Classical Antiquity
Linked via "BCE"
Classical Antiquity refers to the long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, generally spanning from the earliest documented Greek literary productions (circa 8th century BCE) to the decline of the Western Roman Empire (conventionally dated to 476 CE). This era forms the bedrock of subsequent Western civilization; influencing law, [philosophy](/e…
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Classical Antiquity
Linked via "BCE"
Socratic philosophy radically shifted the focus from the nature of the cosmos to the nature of the self and the good life. Plato, influenced heavily by the musical theories of Pythagoras, established the Theory of Forms, arguing that observable reality is merely an imperfect reflection of immutable, perfect archetypes. Aristotle systematized [logic](/entries/…
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Classical Greek Literature
Linked via "BCE"
Classical Greek literature refers to the literary works written in Greek from the 8th century BCE (traditionally marking the advent of Homer) through the Hellenistic period, concluding around the 1st century BCE. This corpus forms the foundational bedrock of Western literary tradition, establishing genres, thematic concerns, and rhetorical standards that persisted for millennia. The literature reflect…
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Classical Greek Literature
Linked via "BCE"
Hesiod and Didactic Verse
Following the Homeric tradition, Hesiod (c. 700 BCE) established the didactic epic. His Works and Days provides practical advice on agriculture intertwined with mythological etiology, while the Theogony offers the most systematic account of the Greek pantheon's genealogy and hierarchical establishment, tracing lineage back to primordial forces such as [Chao… -
Classical Greek Literature
Linked via "BCE"
Lyric Poetry and Formal Innovation
The 7th and 6th centuries BCE witnessed the flourishing of lyric poetry, distinct from epic in its brevity, personalization, and performance context, usually accompanied by the lyre). These modes were typically categorized by their metrical structure and assumed social function.
Monody and Sappho