Greek Influence On Society

Ancient Greek culture had major influences on today’s culture; some of these influences include mathematics, government, art and architecture; they even did research in the field of medicine. Many cultures and religions have adapted their ideas from the ancient Greeks. Without the influences of the ancient Greeks our society wouldn’t be the way it is today. The Greek culture lasted from around 776 BCE to 146 BCE (though it is argued to have begun around 1000 BCE), during this time they invented many technologies and refined old technologies. These things are what caused the ancient Greek culture to be such a powerful influence on western society today.

Historians have long considered Ancient Greece to be one of the most influential societies on modern day life. Ancient Greece has inspired the modern world in five main areas: theatre, government, philosophy, art, and architecture.

Ancient Greece is one is one of the most important civilizations in history. Why? Simply because they were the base of many things that we believe in, practice, or build upon today. Some examples are language, architecture, art, science, and much more. Over hundreds and thousands of years technology, agricultural techniques, weapons, and education has advanced and evolved. Many of these ideas not only started within Ancient Greece, but within other ancient civilizations as well. Have you ever wondered what life would have been like if the ideas and inventions that Ancient civilizations had uncovered had not been shared with other societies?

Greece was one of the first people to have recorded the events of their democratic system. Democracy is a Greek word literally meaning the power of the people to rule. Early democracy was established in ancient Athens, a Greek city-state, and was probably the single most powerful and stable democratic government in Greece.

Greece influenced roman societies and modern day societies politically as explained in documents 1, 2, 4, and 6. Greece was the first ancient civilization to have a democracy. The basic rule for roman society law system was displayed in the twelve tables. (Doc 2) Many western civilizations adapted this law system as well as other ideas from the roman 12 tables which influenced western societies immensely. The document explains a quote that we still use in modern society which is “every man is innocent until proven guilty.” Octavian Augustus states that after he dies “the foundations which I have laid for its future government will stand firm and stable” the Greeks invented an idea of a ruling senate which today is known as democracy. (Doc 4)

Ancient Greek made many advances during their time in many subjects still used today. The ancient Greeks advances in these subjects, influenced and contributed to the Western civilization. The Western civilization’s culture and outlook on life was shaped by ancient Greek. Many things the ancient Greeks created were the basis for what we use today, including, architecture, art, dramas, math, science, and philosophy.

The Western world was highly influenced by the ancient Greeks. The Greeks changed the way the world looks at art, math, architecture, philosophy, sports, and drama. Without the ancient Greeks, the modern world would not be the same. Men such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle changed the way we look at philosophy. The Athenians created the first known democracy, setting the stage for future governments. The Euclidian Theorem and the Pythagorean Theorem among others made mathematics easier and more developed. Even current architecture can be traced back to the Parthenon and other pieces of Greek architecture. The Olympics even started in ancient Greece, creating one of the finest traditions the world has ever known. Without the ancient

Ancient Greek culture has influenced our modern culture in many ways from philosophy to medicine to government. We still use many of their concepts, technology, and even alphabet system. Without ancient Greece, our modern world would not have advanced as far. A significant contribution of the ancient Greek culture to the world today is the Greek theater, more specifically the structure of tragedy. Some contributions are the structure of tragedy in modern literature, rise of opera, and the creation of the theater.

Modern day architecture in America is greatly influenced by ancient Greek architectural styles, which include columns and decorative elements such as

The civilization of ancient Greece blossomed for more than 2,500 years ago but the ideas of the ancient Greeks continue to influence the way we live today. People of ancient Greece seeked to explain the world through the laws of nature. Greece produced many magnificent achievements in areas of science, philosophy arts and government that still influence our lives.

Ancient Greece was an extremely advanced civilization for its time, giving us numerous innovations including advancements in math, science, and even in art, many of which are still used today. However, some do not recognize the extent to which classical Greece has impacted America today. These influences can be seen nearly everywhere, from the streets of the nation’s capital to classrooms all over the country. Ancient Greece has had an enormous impact on the modern United States, especially in our government, architecture, mathematics, and language.

In general, democracy rested on the belief that the cumulative political wisdom of the majority of the voters would outweigh the eccentricity and irresponsibility of the few. (Martin 113)In addition to democracy, the Greeks most important contribution to Western civilization, many elements of modern culture are rooted in ancient Greece. Philosophers, especially Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates impacted the way people thought about the world around them. Greek architecture is still commonly used today, as evidenced by our use of pillars and columns. The ancient Greeks also excelled in sculpting. They figured out how to make graceful, emotional, and realistic statues which needed no additional support. Poetry, theatre, and drama also made up an important part of Greek culture. Some Greeks studied science, math, history, and their studies form the basis of many of todays theories. Science helped others understand a little more of these subjects. In Greece, as in todays world, science was based on observation, not myth, even though myths were considered an important part of life to every Greek. The Greeks are also considered to be the first people who recorded history only after consulting witnesses, forming the base of modern history.

It is no secret that the Greeks have made a huge impact on how the Romans lived their life. The Romans very much admired the way the Greeks did life, and did a fine job of adapting it. “Rome showed an extraordinary talent for adopting and adapting the best of other cultures: Etruscan and Greek” (Fiero 165). Time after time, we see that the past cultures have effect on future cultures and the way of living. The past cultures is sort of like a trial and error for the future societies. Out of the many things that Rome picked up from Greece, there were three that stood out the most. First, the Romans picked up the Greek style of architecture, using it in some of their most known buildings. Second, we see the influence of Greece through the Roman art. Third, the Greeks influenced the Romans through music. The Romans eventually put their own spin on what the Greek did, but they still adopted most things from the Greek.

One way the Greeks had an effect on western civilizations today was government and philosophy. The Greeks had many different types of government. They had a monarchy which means a king ruled and an example is Mycenae (Oi). They had an aristocracy which means wealthy landowning nobles ruled and an example is Early Athens (Oi). They had an Oligarchy which means a few powerful people ruled and an example is Sparta (Oi). They also had a Direct Democracy which means citizens rule and an example is Athens (Oi). The type of government that had the most effect on western civilizations today was a Democracy. Athens road to Democracy started when Draco writing the first legal code which was mostly about property ownership. It was also about debt slavery (Oi). Before Athens was a Direct Democracy it was an

Ancient Greek literature is seen in our modern day. Epics were created in ancient Greece, and today many movie and books are made in that form. Also, fables like “The Tortoise and the Hare”, are still told today. Today, comedians make fun of social issues, politics, and public figures, just like in ancient Greece. Plays written in the form of dramas and tragedies are modeled like in the ancient Greece. Finally, many historians today model after Thucydides work. Ancient Greek writers created so many works that have changed the world and out