The modern civilization in the West that has been seen for quite a long time is not a new thing. It originated from somewhere and its roots can be followed way back to ancient times. Most of the ideas and concepts were got from the ancient Greeks many centuries back. Ancient Greece occurred between 1750 BCE-323 BCE. They lived in mountainous areas and had several states. They were an organized group who really valued their culture. The Greeks were known because of their involvement in different areas and activities. The ancient Greeks influenced several areas and contributed to western civilization. Among the areas of contribution includes health, architecture, science, sports, mathematics, arts and the government structures. Some of their philosophies were also recognized by and adopted in the west. The Greek culture was a unique one and has impacted the lives of many people in the current world.
The ancient Greeks have influenced the politics in the west. The democracy existing in the west can be traced way back in history to Greece. The Greeks were the first to embrace democracy in history. Their leader who was known as Pericles was guided by three goals which he wanted to achieve. He wanted to Make democracy in Greece even stronger and lead a powerful Greece empire. Pericles also had the desire to give glory to Athens. He fought for equality to all citizens regardless of their social or economic status in the society. Every person had the opportunity to offer his or her service to the public. He believed that every persons opinion was important for the government to function well. He was the founder of what became known as direct democracy which meant that everyone was entitled to vote. These were the fundamental beliefs of Pericles.
The influence on politics can be seen in the United States which has practiced democracy for along time. Every citizen has rights which are included in the constitution. The citizens have been given the power to vote during elections in the U.S. as soon as they turn 18 years of age. This is similar to what happened in Athens where the people voted for the law. The government in the U.S. is divided into three arms namely Judicial, legislative and the executive arms. This compares to a similar structure in Athens. The judiciary consists of jurors and it deals with trials whereas laws are passed by the legislative arm. Lastly, the laws were carried out by the Executive. The government in the United States applies most of the theories that can be traced back to those that were used in Athens. Western civilization believed in Liberty under law which can be drawn from ancient Greece and Rome.
Ancient Greece was the home of great philosophers who have been well known by many generations that followed. These include Socrates, Plato and Aristotle who can be credited to have contributed to the civilization in the west. Socrates is well known because of his famous quotes regarding life. His suggestion was that life needs to be examined and several questions must be asked regarding what life offers. Plato was a student of Socrates and a great philosopher too. He later taught Aristotle who was Alexander the Greats teacher. Therefore, their philosophies spread to other philosophers. Great quotes and ideas from these ancient philosophers are still being referenced to by the modern philosophers. These philosophies have acted as a guideline in day-to-day life. They have transformed the way of thinking in different people and on different issues.
The ideas of great scientists like Hippocrates have had an influence in medicine. Hippocrates, a good doctor and mathematician, is well known for inventing Hippocratic Oath. He was regarded as the Father of Modern Medicine. For a long time, it was believed that sickness was due to demons and the gods. This later changed after Hippocrates proved that illness was due to natural factors or causes. Therefore, many physicians from the west draw their inspirations from people like Hippocrates. The Hippocratic Oath implies that no deadly medicine should be administered to the patients. It also affirms that treatment should be done in the best way possible. This oath is still recited by doctors and students. Although it is slowly fading away, it has given rise to the making of new oaths in the medical field. This act as guidelines to the profession and the idea is from Hippocratic Oath. The Greeks were great astrologists and mathematicians of all times. They were the first to explain the movement of the planets and the manner in which the earth moves on its axis. They unraveled the mystery on the circumference of the earth. They got involved in physics and came up with different kinds of principles that are currently applied in modern times.
Ancient Greeks were well known for their great works of fine arts. They were involved in different artistic works such as sculptures and different kinds of paintings. Classical art works was the most common type of art in ancient Greece. These referred to proportional sculptures which were emotionless. These emotionless sculptures, such as that of the discus thrower, meant power and the strength of the Greeks. The different plays and films in western civilization originated from ancient Greeks. During the ancient times, most plays were either a tragedy or comical. These were the most common forms of plays which were used to pass specific themes or messages to the audience. For example, comedies were political and targeted specific group of people in the society. On the other hand, drama was used to expressed love, affection or hatred.
Ancient Greeks valued sports and even included it in their traditions. They were involved in different kinds of sports such as wrestling, running, boxing and others. The first Olympics which were held in Greece involved these sports and other kinds of games too. Sports in western civilization can be traced back to Greece. For example, modern javelin closely resembles the sculptured Discus thrower in ancient years. This was a famous sport among the Greeks. Most of the sports in todays western civilization resemble those in ancient times. Since its beginning in Greece, many nations still take part in the Olympics. The only difference between the Olympics in ancient times and today is that participants in ancient times had to speak Greek. Nowadays, it brings people together even though they might be from different cultural backgrounds or nations.
Greece was a wonderful place, full of beautiful buildings courtesy of the skilled Greek architects. Architecture is another area that has impacted on Western civilization. Most of the architectural works in Greece were erected on the hills. One of the well known buildings was the Parthenon. It was the work of Pericles as an honor to the goddess known as Athena. In most buildings today, limestone and marbles are still being used. For example, the architectural works such as the White House and Lincoln Memorial have been built in columns similar to the buildings in ancient times in Greece.
Conclusion
It can be concluded, therefore that, there could not have been Western civilization if the ancient Greeks never existed. The process of civilization in the west would have taken longer. Their legacy was dominant and lasted long enough to be embraced in modern times. Their contribution greatly impacted on Western civilization in the different areas discussed above. This impact was either direct or indirectly through the application of their ideas and philosophies. The Greeks achievements, ideas, works, activities and philosophies helped to develop the civilization that is seen today. Western civilization was, therefore, founded on the cultures of Ancient Greece.
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