How did the Civilization helps humanity?

“In Greece wise men speak and fools decide.” George Santayana

          In the saying above, it clearly states that Greeks are unique people. Some choose to be soldiers and athletes while others choose to excel in other fields and aspects such as philosophy, drama, pottery and arts. And because of this, Greece had made many significant contributions in the field of philosophy, art and architecture, and math and science and in literature.

Math and Science

Thales

          Have you ever wonder why geometry seems so confusing and complicated? Actually, geometry really comes from the Ancient Egypt but it was not that well-organized so, the Greeks adapted the idea and made improvements to it. Ancient Greeks used geometric figures which are very helpful to the development of structures and buildings. Some famous Greek mathematicians were Pythagoras, Euclid, Archimedes, Thales, Aristarchus, Anaxagoras and Aristotle.

          Aside from geometry, Greeks were also fond of science. Some of them were Thales, the first Greek philosopher to explain the physical world, Hippocrates who is the Father of Medicine, Aristotle who collected information on various plants, and many more.

Theater and Drama

Greek's Coliseum

          Greeks were known to worship their gods through festivals. In festivals, the director, the actor and the dramatist were the same person. Later on, three actors are allowed on a play, and after some time, non-speaking roles were also permitted to act upon on stage.

Literature

Oedipus the King of Sophocles

          Sophocles, Euripides and Aeschylus-the Father of Greek tragedies- were three known Greek tragedy writers. Aside from tragedy, Comedy was also liked by the people. Aristophanes is the famous comedy writer in Greece. Aside from tragedy and comedy there are still lots of Greek literature such as Epic Poetry, Lyric Poetry, Historiography and Philosophy.

Iliad and Odyssey which is a mixture of tragedy and comedy authored by Homer is an example of an Epic Poetry.

          Lyric Poetry is a type of poetry in which the individuals or a chorus is accompanied by an instrument called lyre.

There were two famous historians in Greece namely Thucydides and Herodotus. Thucydides wrote the History of the Peloponnesian Wars, while Herodotus wrote the History of Persian Wars.

Art, Sculpture and Architecture

The Greek Orders

          Greek life was dominated by religion and so it is not surprising that the temples of ancient Greece were the biggest and most beautiful. The Greeks developed three architectural systems, called orders, each with their own distinctive proportions and detailing. The Greek orders are: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The Doric style is rather sturdy and its top (the capital), is plain. This style was used in mainland Greece and the colonies in southern Italy and Sicily. The Ionic style is thinner and more elegant. Its capital is decorated with a scroll-like design (a volute). This style was found in eastern Greece and the islands. The Corinthian style is seldom used in the Greek world, but often seen on Roman temples. Its capital is very elaborate and decorated with acanthus leaves.

The Greek Sculpture

Greek art and sculpture has had a philosophical effect throughout the ages. The Greeks used various types of materials in their sculptures including stone, marble and limestone as these were abundant in Greece. Other materials such as clay were also used but due to their brittle nature very few have survived. Greek sculptures are very vital as the enormous majority of them tell us a story about Gods, Heroes, Events, Mythical Creatures and Greek culture in general.

          Civilizations have arisen in other parts of the world. In ancient and modern times, wonderful ideas have been carried forward from one race to another.  All of the Greeks’ contribution had helped the Western civilization become what it is today. They made several long lasting contributions, especially in: architecture, government, philosophy, mathematics, and athletics.




by: Grace E. Andoyo
         III-Integrity