The Legacy of Ancient Greece

•

Greek Contributions

Greek contributions:

influence from the Greeks that affects us today, as in the areas of: – Language – Government – Medicine – Mathematics – Science – Architecture – Entertainment – Sports

Greek Contributions

Modern Language and Literature • Alphabet – Our alphabet grew out of the one the Greeks used.

• How many letters look familiar?

• How many of their names do you recognize?

Greek Contributions

Modern Language and Literature • Literature : – Drama • Comedy, Tragedy – Historical writing •

Herodotus

is known as the “father of history.” • He is almost exclusively known for writing

The Histories

, a collection of 'inquiries' about the different places and people he met during travels around the Mediterranean and into Mesopotamia . • The unifying theme of his work is the conflict between the ancient Greeks and the Persians .

•

Thucydides

wrote only one book; its modern title is the

History of the Peloponnesian War

.

• one of the first true historians • he created the first scientific approach to history • consulted written documents and interviewed participants in the events that he recorded • Quote: "The strong do what they can and the weak suffer what they must."

Greek Contributions

Modern Government

• Our form of government was a Greek idea.

– Democracy , or rule by the people, began in Athens .

– The practice of having citizens serve on juries also began in Greece .

Greek Contributions

Modern Government • Citizens debated and voted on every issue.

• Citizens • Only native-born men could be citizens in Athens.

control their own destiny.

• We elect representatives to speak for us and make laws.

• Today, women are citizens, and people from other countries can become U.S. citizens, too.

Greek Contributions

Modern Medicine • For centuries, the Greeks believed that the gods and goddesses controlled natural events, including health and sickness.

– The earliest Greeks thought that illness and accidents were punishments sent by the gods .

• They didn’t know about the natural causes of disease and healing.

Greek Contributions

Modern Medicine • A Greek man named Hippocrates changed the way people thought about health and medicine .

– Hippocrates

scientific

brought a way of thinking to his work as a doctor.

• He believed that diseases had natural causes.

• He taught his students to carefully

observe

what they saw.

their patients and write down

Greek Contributions

Modern Understanding of the Body • As you know, the Greeks loved sports.

– Their interest in athletics gave them some knowledge about the way people’s bodies move.

– But their understanding of the body was limited. – Partly because they couldn’t look inside to see how the body works. – As these beliefs changed over time, the Greeks made new discoveries.

Greek Contributions

Modern Mathematics • The Greeks loved reasoning and looked for answers to nature’s mysteries in mathematics. • One such scientist, Pythagoras , believed that numbers were the key to understanding nature.

– He started a school where students developed mathematical theories.

– Like many Greeks , Pythagoras was especially fascinated by geometry .

•

geometry:

the branch of mathematics involving points, lines, planes, and figures

Greek Contributions

Modern Astronomy • How far away are the sun and moon?

• How do planets move in space?

– These are the kinds of questions asked by astronomers .

– The word,

Astronomy

comes from the Greek word

astronomia

meaning “star.” – Astronomy means the study of stars, planets, and other objects in space.

• Once again, the Greeks were pioneers in this field.

Greek Contributions

Modern Astronomy • People in all civilizations observed the sun, moon, and stars.

– But a Greek scientist named Aristarchus was the first person to suggest that Earth moves around the sun.

• This idea upset many Greeks was the center of the universe.

who believed that Earth

Greek Contributions

Modern Geography • The work of Greek astronomers also contributed to geography , the study of the Earth’s surfaces.

• The word,

geography

, comes from the Greek word

geographia

which means “writing about the Earth.” To describe where places were, they developed a system of longitude and latitude .

Greek Contributions

Modern Understanding of Plants and Animals • The Greeks identified many types of plants and named their parts.

– They learned how plants reproduce by spreading seeds.

– They also discovered that some plants are useful as medicines .

– Greek doctors used many plants , especially herbs, to reduce pain and help people heal.

Greek Contributions

Modern Understanding of Plants and Animals • The philosopher Aristotle was fascinated by living things.

– He collected information about many types of animals and plants .

– Then he organized animals into groups such as “those with backbones” and “those without backbones.” – He also divided plants into groups such as herbs, shrubs, and trees.

• The way we classify , or group, animals and plants today reflects Aristotle’s work.

Greek Contributions

Modern Architecture • The word

architecture

comes from the Greek word,

arkhitekton

which means "master builder," from

arkhi-

"chief" +

tekton

"builder, carpenter." • The Greeks used: – columns temples to make their balanced and stately –

pediments

, the triangular shapes where roof lines come together –decorative bands called

friezes

Greek Contributions

Modern Architecture • Greek styles are still used in many buildings today.

churches

- First Presbyterian Church of Cranbury, New Jersey -

government buildings

- The White House -

libraries

- New York Public Library

museums

- Carnegie Art Museum, Oxnard, CA -

schools

- Johnson Hall at the University of Oregon -

Greek Contributions

Modern Theater • The word,

theater

, comes from the Greek word

theatron

, which means "place for viewing," from

theasthai

"to behold" (cf.

thea

"a view,"

theates

"spectator") +

-tron

, suffix denoting place • Greek theaters were built as semicircles.

– The rows of seats rose steeply from the stage so that everyone in the audience could see and hear.

• These ideas influence the way theaters are built today .

Greek Contributions

Modern Theater • The Greeks even invented special effects. They used hoists to make people appear to fly.

• They also created scenery revolved , or turned.

that -Perhaps the greatest Greek contributions to the theater are their stories and plays .

– Writers throughout the ages have been inspired by Greek myths and stories.

– Greek dramas are still performed today all over the world.

Greek Contributions

Modern Sports • The first Olympics were held in 776 B.C.E. to honor the Greek god Zeus .

• Today’s Olympics ancient Greek reflect customs.

During the opening ceremony, an athlete lights the Olympic flame .

-This custom comes from the time when the first Olympic athletes lit a fire on the altar of Zeus .

Greek Contributions

Modern Sports • Many modern Olympic events grew out of Greek contests.

– One example is the pentathlon .

– The word,

pentathlon

, which means “five contests,” comes from the Greek words

pente

meaning "five" and

athlon

meaning "prize, contest.“ – The Greek pentathlon included: long jump wrestling footraces discus throw javelin throw

Greek Contributions

Modern Sports • The Greeks invented the pentathlon athletic skill.

as a test of all-around • Although the five contests are different today, the pentathlon is still an Olympic event .

swimming running shooting fencing riding

Review – The Legacy of Ancient Greece

• Language and Literature • Government • Medicine • Understanding of the Body • Mathematics • Astronomy • Geography • Understanding of Plants and Animals • Architecture • Theater • Sports