Philosophy and Cultural Customs

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Thinker by Rodin
“The shortest and surest way to live with honour in the world is to be in reality what we would appear to be; all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.” ~Socrates


The Ancient Greek "thinkers" taught us
to value philosophy, education and learning and that there is more to life than just work (existence). 
In this environment the discipline of Philiosphy flourished and a myriad of rich cultural traditions developed from which we continue to benefit enormously.  

Philosophy

Of all the many wonderful innovations, traditions and contributions from the Ancient Greeks, one of their greatest legacies is the discipline of philosophy. 

Ancient Greek philosophy focused on the role of reason and inquiry and has had an important influence on modern philosophy, as well as modern science. Clear unbroken lines of influence lead from ancient Greek and Hellenistic philosophers, to medieval Muslim philosophers and Islamic scientists, to the European Renaissance and Enlightenment, to the secular sciences of the modern day.
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Bust of Socrates
The Ancient Greeks prized free thinking, questioning, and curiosity and they understood that philosophical thinking is essential to facilitate growth and learning.  They looked at the natural world from a scientific perspective and, for the first time, dared to believe that they, and not the Gods, drove their destiny.  Clear unbroken lines of influence lead from ancient Greek and Hellenistic philosophers, to medieval Muslim philosophers and Islamic scientists, to the European Renaissance and Enlightenment, culminating to the secular sciences of the modern day.  The written works of major philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and Thales are taught, discussed and debated to this day. 

Cultural Customs
Ancient Greek life was enriched by a tradition of sports, lively and participative Public debate, epic poetry and theatre.

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The Greek Gods (on top) Games in the Olympics (the bottom)
Sporting Festivals
 
An epidemic of obesity is sweeping the western world.  If the modern world followed the Ancient Greeks we would all be fitter and healthier. Cities had public gymnasiums and men and boys exercised daily. Sport was considered a preparation for war as Greek armies needed to be fit enough to march long distances, carrying heavy military equipment, and then be ready to battle the enemy.

The Greeks had four national sports festivals, where athletes from different city states competed against one another. The most important of the contests was the Olympic Games. These were played at Olympia, every four years to honour the chief god Zeus. In spite of all the disputes and bloody wars between the city states the Olympic Games were held with unfailing regularity. During the period of the games a truce prevailed throughout Greece. This was known as the Olympic Truce or Ekecheria. The Olympics were not team contests but about individual strength and skill.



Democracy
Athens was the first Greek city state fully to develop democracy.  Athenian democracy was mainly based on the opportunity for all free, male citizens over 20 to take part in government. The name comes from demos-people and kratos-power (literally: power of the people).  Pericles, the great statesman of Classical Athens, said that Athenians thought of 'a man who takes no interest in public affairs not as apathetic but as completely useless.'   No political system is perfect, but democracy has captured the imagination of great men and societies ever since.  The greatest and wealthiest, Rome, England and now U.S.A. for example, were based on democratic ideas.

The city was also a great centre for art and literature. Writers, artists and philosophers flocked to Athens, where they could work and think in freedom. For many centuries, anyone interested in learning would go to Athens to study.

Trial-By-Jury
Athenians believed that their peers were the best arbiters of what is right or wrong and their justice system included trials-by-jury.  This has been an important component of many succeeding societies and has contributed to their stability, as it not only enables many citizens to participate in the development of their legal decisions but it is seen as an important counterbalance to state power.  Today, most countries – with the unusual exception of Israel – offer trials-by-jury.

Religion and Myths
The ancient Greeks believed there were a great number of gods and goddesses. These gods had control over many different aspects of life on earth. In many ways they were very human: they could be kind or mean, angry or pleasant, cruel or loving; they fell in love with each other, argued with each other and even stole from each other. The ancient Greeks built great temples and sanctuaries to their gods and held festivals in their honour, with processions, sports, sacrifices and competitions. Stories of the gods' exploits were told to children by their mothers and to large audiences by professional bards and were used to explain events in nature.  Fortunately, what began as an oral tradition, was also written down so that today we know these stories as Greek Myths.

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The Greek Goddess Demeter
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Homers' Iliad and Odyssey
Literature
Ancient Greek society placed considerable emphasis upon literature. They were the first to introduce Tragedy in literature, developing themes of Human and Divine Law, Free Will and Fate, Retribution and Forgiveness.  Poets used myths and historical tales to illustrate subjects such as man’s inconstant fate, guilt and atonement.  Many authors consider the western literary tradition to have begun with the epic poems “The Iliad” and “The Odyssey”, and notable among later Greek poets was Sappho, who defined, in many ways, lyric poetry as a genre.  The playwright Aeschylus changed Western literature forever when he introduced the ideas of dialogue and interacting characters to playwriting, essentially inventing "drama".  William Shakespeare examined the Greek tragedies and was inspired to write many of his own.  Philosophy entered literature in the dialogues of Plato, who converted the give-and-take of Socratic questioning into written form.  Aristotle, Plato's student, wrote dozens of works on many scientific disciplines, but his greatest contribution to literature was likely his Poetics, which lays out his understanding of drama, and thereby establishes the first criteria for literary criticism.  It is impossible to imagine today’s world without the literature of Ancient Greece. .

Theatre
Everyone likes to have fun and the Ancient Greeks were no exception. Most cities had a theatre where plays were performed during religious festivals. Citizens enjoyed watching plays in a semi-circular theatre with rows of tiered stone seating to afford all excellent views of the open-air performances. In the centre of a theatre was a circular dancing floor – orchestra – with an altar for sacrifices dedicated to Dionysus. The stage was a raised area within this circle. All the actors were men who wore large masks that exaggerated facial features and emotions. Greek plays were either comedies or tragedies. Tragedies were often about the past; they were sad and serious, with lessons on morality. Comedies tended to be about current and everyday life; often ridiculing current rulers. Actors in comedies wore bright colours; actors in tragedies wore dark colours. There were prizes for the best actors and play writers. The most famous writers of plays were Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides for tragedy and Aristophanes for comedy. Today, we still enjoy watching or reading plays that both delight and sadden us and we must give thanks to the Ancient Greeks for these diversions.

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Play masks