SPMT - Topic #1 Assignment

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2/5/23 Topic #1 Assignment People living in the ancient Greek world developed a distinctive culture and lifestyle. Mythology strongly influenced their culture, and they practiced living a balanced lifestyle centered on living in harmony with nature. In addition to this, a commitment to excellence in every area was emphasized, including physical, mental, and spiritual development. Despite the fact that the ancient Greeks had a remarkable culture, lifestyle, and Olympic Games, some aspects of their culture have been heavily criticized and I believe that they were not fully correct in their choices and decisions. There were many instances of slavery practiced by the Greeks. “Aristotle described slavery in Ancient Greece as natural and necessary” (Chrysopoulos, 2022). At the time the Greeks saw slavery as a normalized necessity for the growth of their empire. Slaves did the domestic chores such as working on farms, mines, quarries, and being delivery and travel companions. (Garland, 2020). Additionally, women did not have the same rights as men when it came to education and employment. “Greek women had virtually no political rights of any kind and were controlled by men at nearly every stage of their lives” (Penn, 2002). The women’s main duties were to bear children and run the household. Women were not required to cook, clean, and gather resources because the Greeks lived in a slave based economy where they could rely on there for the more intensive tasks. Women had few roles to handle so they focused heavily on those roles. It was also not permitted for women to compete at the Olympic Games, and the competitions were often violent and brutal. There were strict rules and punishments for those who broke them, and the competitions could be brutal. “The ancient Greeks competed in a brutal full-contact combat sport similar to

2/5/23 mixed martial arts called the pankration, a combination of wrestling, boxing, and kicking but with virtually no rules—only biting and eye-gouging were prohibited” (Belis, 2021). The events could be physically demanding and sometimes even deadly, with the victors often being respected and seen as honorable. The concept of honor was important in ancient Greek culture and was seen as a high virtue. “Honor was a culturally constructed evaluation of a person’s actions, which determined a person’s worth, as in their price, or value to the community” (Steere, 2002). Honor was a quality that was highly sought after and was seen as a symbol of status and power. Nowadays the term honor has sort of lost its meaning because of the normalcy of the world, there are no more wars and ways to show honor. There has been widespread condemnation of these practices, which are seen as a reminder of the importance of achieving greater equality and fairness. I believe the Greeks were incorrect in their choices and decisions, but I would not condemn them for their choices at the time. The Greeks at the time did their best to grow their empire the way they thought was best. I do not believe that it was ethical for them to use slaves to expand their civilization and to have women placed into a role that they had no say in , but it was all they knew at the time to make an efficient empire.

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