Premium Essay

History of Greece

In:

Submitted By koden9190
Words 1596
Pages 7
ANCIENT GREECE:
FROM PREHISTORIC TO HELLENISTIC TIMES

SHAWKY MAROGI JR.
HIST 1500
MARCH 26, 2013

My report on Ancient Greece revolves around the book Ancient Greece: From Prehistoric to Hellenistic Times, Thomas R Martin, Yale University, 1996. There have been thousands of books written touching upon the history of Greece, but few take the time to paint the reader a picture of how everyday men, women, and children’s lives were affected daily from the Prehistoric all the way up to Hellenistic times. Martin begins at the Stone Age in the fourth century and covers everything up to Alexander the Great and a bit beyond. If there is another book that paints a picture so well of the day to day struggles that took place during the Stone Age and continued all the way through Hellenistic times I would be shocked. The overall message seems to be that things never improved for the poorer social classes through out these times.

Firstly, Thomas Martin has a very distinct point of view throughout the entire book that the poorer classes who were not soldiers were never able to improve their quality of life. Martin maintains that the back bone of the many battles over land and resources would not have been possible without the lower classes supporting the soldiers from their cities by crafting goods, growing crops, and forging items like weapons. The author decided against making any arguments against what is presented to us as fact, and instead focused on the smaller picture of Ancient Greece as mentioned above. The books main goal is to show the reader that even though there were many societies that came from Greece and had different ways of life; the poor stayed poor while the rich continued to get rich. Martin also writes that the wealthier families were only able to grow their wealth because of the poor families basically doing their work for

Similar Documents

Free Essay

The Present and Forward

...The Present and Forward The Parthenon marbles are works of art taken from the Acropolis of Athens by Lord Elgin and brought to England while Greece was under the control of the Ottoman Empire.. Lord Elgin received permission from the Sultan to remove the statues at a price less than what it takes to transport them. Money was not the main motive for Elgin in acquiring them, there were wealthy bidders who attempted to buy them from him but he refused. Once in England many found a great interest in them as well as controversy. Elgin was tried for theft even though Greece's contemporary law had allowed him to remove them. The charges could not hold up in court and he was eventually and rightfully exonerated. After falling into dept Elgin had little choice in but to the British government. I firmly believe the statues should remain in Britain, the opposition might claim that the Greeks have a cultural right to them. But as Appiah argued in chapter 7, the Greeks of the 21st century are no culturally similar to the ancient Greeks than someone in the U.S. They are the descendents of the ancient Greeks after all, but that does not take history into account. The people of Greece only exist today as a result of the past good or bad. Ancient Greece is known for its militant and philosophical way of life; they gained large amounts of wealth from war; should the current Greeks return whatever they can identify as having been gained from war? I don't think they should, instead of living...

Words: 1215 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Ancient Architecture

...between their architecture and today’s. While there are many civilizations throughout time that have excelled at this, the Greeks and Americans are two that are ones that seem to be most similar to one another. In Athens, Greece, there is a building called the Erectheum. This building was built between 421 & 405 BC. The Erectheum was a famous building in Greece; the Greeks would build their temples strictly as religious places. This was a massive monument, but it wasn’t built to accommodate a lot of people, just images of the God or Goddess that was being worshipped. This architecture was built during the Athenian Empire and its cultural influences can be seen in this building. The Erectheum had a very complex design and a lot of things came into play as it was being constructed. The rocky and uneven soil had to be taken into consideration when building this temple. This was a massive building, as it had six long columns, two porches, and six huge caryatids. Caryatids are huge women that were used in place of columns to support the weight of the roof. The Erectheum was made of beautiful white marble, which made the building elegant. This building was said to have been built in the area where Poseidon and Athena fought for dominance of Athens, Greece. There were different areas in this building that were joined by flights of stairs. The windows were the same shape and...

Words: 1064 - Pages: 5

Free Essay

Lead with Respect

...a lot about what a global citizen is and how to become a better one. I also learned a lot about myself and who I am as a person and leader and also how I lead my life. I believe a global citizen is one who is aware of what is happening around the world; one who genuinely cares and is curious, and one who has the desire to help in any way possible. When I first arrived in Greece and we talked about being a mindful traveler, I realized that I had never even thought about that. I realized that even when people visit America, I am not mindful of their culture. My Global Lead experience really made me realize that I never really took the time to learn other cultures and what was happening outside the United States. The only things I really ever knew about other countries were the things that affected America. I wasn’t even aware that I was not being a global citizen. Being a global citizen means to be aware of things going on outside your country and to try and help in any way possible, even if it is something simple like supporting another countries product. The Greece culture is so beautiful and full of history. The people are so nice and courteous to visitors, especially us when we visited. Almost everyone there knew English, which really surprised me because I am not fluent in any other languages. The fact that pretty much everyone spoke our language showed me a good example of global citizenship and what its like to take your time to learn about other countries. There is a wide...

Words: 2342 - Pages: 10

Free Essay

What Is Human Services

...Greek History The history of Greece encompasses the history of the territory of the modern state of Greece, as well as that of the Greek people and the areas they ruled historically. The scope of Greek habitation and rule has varied much through the ages, and, as a result, the history of Greece is similarly elastic in what it includes. Each era has its own related sphere of interest. The first tribes known later as Mycenaeans are generally thought to have arrived in the Greek mainland between the late 3rd and the first half of the 2nd millennium BC probably between 1900 and 1600 BC. When the Mycenaeans invaded, the area was inhabited by various non Greek speaking, indigenous pre Greek people who practiced agriculture as they had done since the 7th millennium BC. At its geographical peak, Greek civilization spread from Greece to Egypt and to the Hindu Kush mountains in Afghanistan. Since then, Greek minorities have remained in former Greek territories Turkey, Albania, Italy, and Libya, Levant, Armenia, Georgia, and Greek emigrants have assimilated into differing societies across the globe North America, Australia, Northern Europe, South Africa. Now days most Greeks live in the modern state of Greece Independent since 1821 and Cyprus. The Neolithic Revolution reached Europe by way of Greece and the Balkans, beginning in the 10th millennium BC. Some Neolithic communities in southeastern Europe, such as Sesklo in Greece were living in heavily fortified settlements of 3,000–4,000...

Words: 308 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Thoughts

...most stunning structure of the Mycenaean civilization; displaying symbolism and their engineering abilities. Ten ton a piece each stone stood precisely to its adjacent block. It is curious to think how the Greeks were able to construct such magnificent works without modern technologies.  A core belled arched, was held together by constant pressure from outward inward. This labeled the feature the most innovative structure.   Polycrates (c.570-522 B.C) a dominant sea force was most known for his agricultural inventions. He managed to create an aqueduct connecting the city of Samos to spring water. Pericles was a democrat and an enlightened intellectual. The Parthenon temple built on the Athenian acropolis; the greatest city-state of all Greece. Such a magnificent structure required time and harsh labor. Ultimately, to make a statement of the grandiosity of the Greek culture and the immensity of their power. Their engineering spoke for them. Their almost natural and...

Words: 327 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Souls of Black Folk

...I personally think the portrayal of the human figure has only changed a lot through time. My reasoning for this is because in Ancient Greece males figure were based off of gods in human form. Usually meaning very muscular and chiseled. The females were typically an hour glass or pear shape with medium shoulders. Compared to now the portrayal of the male figure in my opinion is slim and athletic and doesn’t require as much muscle. The females now typically want to be slim and in some cases of models too slim. I believe that the “ideal form” for a body is based off of media and celebrities because a large number of people look up to them for role models. In some cases we idealize the human body in the same way of the ancient Greeks as far as males being athletic and females having an hour glass shape, but in some cases I believe we have changed a lot in some people’s eyes based off opinion. For example to some the ideal form is much slimmer than the Ancient Greeks would prefer. In reality all over the world in different countries in depends on taste of the people. America’s “ideal form” of body can be way different from other countries like Japan and France. In this day and age We have a more open view on the “ideal form” of the human body than the Ancient Greeks. I personally believe the Ancient Greeks were way too harsh when in came to what kind of body type you should be to be...

Words: 265 - Pages: 2

Free Essay

Prospectus

...this because I am minoring in Philosophy. Greece is important to Philosophy because many great thinkers such as Pythagoras and Socrates were “Greek” thinkers. So more or less, I chose Greece for a personal educational gain rather than just some random society to write a research paper on. World historians and readers alike should be interested in this research because from Greece came the father of Western Philosophy, which is the backbone of what is taught in Western academia and really had a huge impact to the world, as we know it. With Philosophy comes questions, with questions come many great answers that impact societies and even the earth. I want to study how Greece’s political economy impacted philosophic thinkers and people alike. In order to help readers understand whether or not outside forces like society’s political economy impacts deeper thinking like philosophy I will dive deep into Athenian Democracy, documents certain philosophers wrote in the day and time in which they lived, and even look into some other people of the time who had strong opinions on what exactly was going on them. Philosophy impacted more than most people think and I am sure in my research I will be able to back that up with primary sources to prove my argument. In writing this research paper I will be exploring the political economy of Classical Greece between 510 – 323 BCE. In addition, the geographic region I will be diving into will be Athens, Greece. I chose this mainly to enlighten myself...

Words: 954 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Lord Elgin Marbles Should Remain In The British Museum

...different uses throughout its history, including a temple for the Greek goddess Athena, a church of the Virgin Mary, and a Mosque. Naturally, this results in it being an important site from Greek history. Thus, in 1801-1802, when Lord Elgin came to the acropolis when Greece was under Ottoman rule, he removed sculptures from the acropolis and took them back to England, where they were called the “Elgin marbles.” In the recent past, there has been some dispute between Greece and England about his justifications in taking the marbles, and whether or not they should be sent back to Greece. After analyzing the two arguments, I argue that the Elgin marbles should remain in the British museum. The first reason these marbles should remain in London is because Lord Elgin was not sporadically taking things from the acropolis, but he did so under the full knowledge and authorities of the Ottoman Empire, who were at this time in control of Greece. Some may argue that the Ottomans didn’t have the right to give away artifacts of Greek history, but if they were the ruling power, who is to say they didn’t? The rulers decide what actions to take,...

Words: 867 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Ancient Greece Research Paper

...inventions, history, and culture led to the birth of the United States way of life today. Alarm clocks, the Olympics, and modern medicine are all greek inventions that many still use today. Ancient Greek is one of the world's’ earliest civilizations. Greece is very well known for its culture, geography, history, and tourism. Greece is famous for its culture. Most of Greece is part of the Greek Orthodox, but many other religions are present in Greece. Ancient Greeks practiced polytheism where they believed in more than one god. There were twelve Olympian Gods: Aphrodite, Zeus, Dionysus, Artemis, Athena, Ares, Hades, Poseidon, Apollo, Demeter, Hermes, and Hera. In ancient times, many believe that the gods caused diseases, but Hippocrates did not believe that. Hippocrates is the Father of Modern Medicine and is responsible for of medical ethnic codes today. Greece is full of many different races and cultures. Macedonians, Turks, Romans, Albanians, Bulgarians, Palestinians, and many more live in Greece. (“Greece” 2). Greek music has been around since ancient times and was influenced by Turkish music (3). Since ancient times Greeks have respected their elders. They believe if they did not the gods would bring them misfortune. While the religious perspective is out, greeks today respect the elderly. The oldest in the family is served first at family meals and...

Words: 857 - Pages: 4

Free Essay

Greece

...15th 2015 What is Greece?: Significance of Music within the Ancient Greek Culture Abstract: What is Greece? This questions can be answered in a variety of areas. The history of music in Greece plays a significant role in the history of the country. Because music played a integral role in the daily lives of the Ancient Greek citizens, it is evident that music has played a role in shaping the culture into what it is today. We live in a society where we are completely devoted and immersed in music. Whether it be a simple tune we hear on a radio or the hustle of city life, music is all around us. The way we react to music, is very similar to how music was in the ancient Greek times. Music allowed the citizens to express emotion, to worship, to prepare for sporting events, to mourn, to celebrate, and in essence to be happy. Music was their special gift from the gods, and they did everything in their power to make sure the gods understood their appreciation. They honored music and created an artistry that stands as a guiding role in, not only the history of the Greek culture, but also a significant role in the history of music in general. What is Greece? This question can be explored in many different areas. From a political aspect to the beautiful geography, Greece offers a wide range of history and culture that one cannot pass on learning about. The music of Greece is as diverse and celebrated as it’s history. Music can be highly regarded as...

Words: 2103 - Pages: 9

Premium Essay

Ancient Greek Political Environment

...The Ancient Greeks are a civilization that has a very long history. First I will be addressing the questions of how and why Greece was created and what the political environment looked like. In between talking about this is I will fill in some blanks about daily life. The first of these will be discussing the use of writing as a way to keep track of history, then I will talk a bit about the greek religion, monumental architecture, specialized art style, and the social classes/inequality, specifically the merchant class. The earliest archaeological evidence for ancient Greece is that of the Franchthi Cave. This cave in what is known today as Greece is what is regarded as the start of Sapiens coming to Europe. There have been human remains found in this cave. These remains are so old it is hard to date them so researchers dated seashells and other things in the period humans brought back to the cave...

Words: 1005 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Greek Culture Roman Culture

...and literary held great concerns. (Economic History, 2010) The Roman government is an uncompromising version of the Greeks. From the Monarchy there is a civilization change, holding the military and political control was the Aristocratic republic. “Executive, legislative and the judicial branch” were the branches that were presumed so that the political control would be composed. (2)(UN RV History, 2011) Geographical Greece is a peninsula. It has several smaller peninsulas attached. Peninsula meaning it is enclosed by water on three sides. Southwestern Europe is where it is positioned. It is “51,000 square miles” (Kidport, 2012) The “Seven Hills and The Tiber River” is what Rome’s geographical area consists of. (Maps of World, 2000) It forms the “backbone of the peninsular” and it is the western part of the Apennine Mountains. (Maps of World, 2000) Terrain Greece is roughly 20% made up of island and it has a small amount of plans, the rugged mountainous and the rocky terrain is what divided the cities and the states. (Kidport, 2012) As for the land, it was not capable of sustaining plant life and it was unnourished. On both sides there were small islands with swampy land and steep hills. (Mariamilani, n/d) Economics The ancient Greece was embraced the small independent poleis; although the indefinite, such as the assembly of goods and exchanged in an abundant nearby and inside. (Economic History, 2010) With Rome subsisting as a market...

Words: 921 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Greece

...become relevant with the rest of the world, or by force by other nations. Globalization has a long history. The Greek globalization goes back all the way through ancient times. They began to spread across Asia in its southwestern sector, northern Africa and then onward to southern Europe. Alexander the Great would be a main reason as to how Greece provided its globalization matters into these other regions. In fact, there are cities named for Alexander in Iraq (Iskandariya), Egypt (Alexandria), and Turkey (Alexandria Troas) (Geo). When it comes to globalization there are many different factors that come into play as to what degree of globalization can occur. For Greece there were many positive factors in play. Physical characteristics such as the topography of the soil were a huge factor. There is also the vast presence of natural elements and the climate that goes along with it. If a country can globalize on what nature gives them on a daily, monthly or yearly basis, there is great reason to globalize into other regions (Iosif and Roido). Apart from the physical characteristics there are the cultural and architectural heritage aspects as well. Greece can fulfill those respective aspects as well, making it a plentiful place to plant the seed of globalization (Iosif and Roido). Greece is known for its plentiful history, and the namesakes to go along with the history itself. Greece and...

Words: 1320 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Comparison-Roman: Greeks

...Category | Greeks | Romans | Government | In ancient times, Greece was an independent, self governing city-state. Greece also invented democracy. The Greek government was divided into monarchies, oligarchies, tyrannies and democracies and in the Mycenean period (between 2000 and 1200 BC) all Greek city-states were ruled by kings (Carr, 2011) | In the earlier days Rome was governed by kings, but ancient Rome was schooled to form their own government and rule themselves ((Hons), 2011) | Geography Terrain | The Greeks had a mountainous terrain and rugged coastline; offering great protection from foreign invasions but hindering them from communication and trade (Buzzle.com, 2000-2010, 2011). The geography of ancient Greece was divided into 3 regions; the coast, the lowlands, and the mountains allowing for less than 20 percent of the land to be farmed (Rymer, 2010) | Rome was inland and also had hills and mountains running through it but they were not nearly as rugged to navigate through as the hills and mountains of Greece. Also the rivers that ran through the peninsula were shallow and easy to cross (Ashe, unknown). | Economy | Because of the mountainous and hilly land Greece placed much emphasis on importing goods (Walter Scheidel, 2007). | Ancient Roman currency and economy was an agrarian and slave based economy. Agriculture and the barter system controlled Roman economies (United Nations of Roma Victrix, 2011) | Trade Practices | Surrounded by water the seas always...

Words: 839 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

The Similarities And Differences Between The Ancient And The Modern Olympics

...The Olympic Games is a very familiar name, but there were the ancient Olympics and the modern Olympics. There are many differences between these, even including the histories of the games. The reasons they were held, who was allowed to watch, and even some things that happened during the games. Even if there are the similarities- which there are- if you know the histories behind these games, you can see the differences. These games are ancient themselves. The ancient Olympic games began in 776 B.C., in an attempt to stop discourse between the cities of Greece- they all fought very often. Starting the games didn't assist them for this reason very much at all, but it united the peoples of Greece, through their religion- although women were not allowed to enter. The games were held at Olympia, where the Greek gods were said to have resided- the Olympics were clearly very closely linked to honoring their gods. One hundred oxen were even sacrificed to Zeus, the head of them, and an altar to him was made out of their ashes. In 394 A.D., the emperor Theodius banned...

Words: 510 - Pages: 3