Question: “What were the contributions to western civilization from the ancient Greeks?” Throughout history, there have been many contributions to Western civilization from the Ancient Greeks. They made long lasting contributions in the areas of art, architecture, philosophy, beliefs, religion, writings, math, drama, science, government, pottery, and Olympics, and philosophical teachings such as by Socrates or Plato. In this essay, it will be proven that the Greeks impacted western civilization immensely. In document 1, the anti-sophist teacher and philosopher, Socrates, suggests that “The unexamined life is not worth living”. This quote can be interpreted by saying that it is good to examine your life, or think over it with great caution, and not make mistakes. He recommends that it is good to discover yourself, know what you want out of life, think about choices and make smart ones, plan ahead, remember memories, and do everything the best to your ability. In other words, every life is important and should be cared for, or else it is trash and not useful, and shouldn’t be lived.
In document 2, Aristotle, who was a great philosophical teacher, taught to reason and learn from mistakes; education is drawn from experience. The Greek teacher believed that in human nature, reasoning is superior. If you live you life according to his principles, you will be godlike. A good thinker will learn to appreciate and love oneself as they come closer and closer to reaching nirvana, a paradise with oneself. This nature is admired by many. The way you reason or make choices in life adds to you as an individual and your character and identity. Live life day in and day out and to its fullest. Think smart and make good choices and you will lead a good life.
The Essay on The Second Greco-Persian War and the Survival of Western Civilization
The second invasion of Greece occurred during 480-479 BC when King Xerxes I of Persia set out to conquer the Greek lands for his own. This invasion was nearly in direct response to the first invasion of Greece which occurred during 492-490 BC in which King Darius I, King Xerxes I’s father, sought to conquer the Greek lands but failed. These wars, especially the second Greek and Persian war (Greco- ...
The life of reason is still used today in every being and not even computers can do what the human mind can do. In document 4, Hippocrates, a wise Greek doctor made an oath of loyalty to his patients. He claims to care for them and promises not to give them any harmful, mistaken, crooked, or false medicine. He doesn’t do his job for the money, but for his love for humanity and the good of the patients. He wants to show that he has great ability and good judgement, and in this way he outplays his own role in society. He doesn’t like dishonesty, cheating, or foul play, and doesn’t suggest it to anyone.
In document 5, Euclid was a mathematician. He made up the theory that if two straight lines cut one another, the vertical, or opposite, angles shall be equal. This true fact, along with many others, was realized in about 300 b.c., in Greece. It got passed on in books such as Elements for many years, and is still used today in Geometry. It is a basic factor that everybody learns about while studying geometry. This is an example of cultural diffusion.
Document 8 depicts a famous marble sculpture of The Discus Thrower, which represents an Olympic event. Already, this shows that fitness was an important aspect of Ancient Greece. Myron, the creator of this work of art, made his works mostly about what people should look like rather than actual persons. He made the muscular man getting ready to throw the discus, which requires a lot of strength and focus. It exposes the beauty and structure of the human body. Myron carved the lines of the body to indicate an athlete’s excellent physical condition as well as his mental control over what he was doing.
This statue reveals that some of the many Greek values were anatomy, fitness, health, devotion to something, focus, and strength. Greeks believed that fitness and health were high standards and they devoted a lot of time to exercising. One must work hard to reach a goal. Olympic winners were looked upon as idols and were greatly admired, and were also rewarded by the government. This, of course, acted upon later civilizations. The Olympic games, originally held in honor of the gods, by the men, were used for fitness, entertainment, importance, and originality. The influence of Olympic games from Greece on later civilizations and still competed for today, is another good example of cultural diffusion.
The Term Paper on Greek Art in Ancient Greece and Faraway Lands
The classical period of Greece (490 – 323 B. C. ) saw the artists perfecting their style. Following Alexander’s conquests, ancient Greece entered the Hellenistic period (323 – 31 B. C. ) (“Timeline of Ancient Greece”). Of course, Alexander the Great was not the only god of the ancient Greek civilization. Ancient Greeks worshipped plenty of gods that were believed to have appeared to them in human ...
With all these facts about Ancient Greece, it is easy to conclude that the Ancient Greeks made many contributions to western civilization, and also to the world today. People’s ideas, philosophies, beliefs, and interaction with others, lead to the discovery of many new things, that shape the world and expand the human mind. Once again, this is known as cultural diffusion.
