The lasting Legacy of Anciet Greece
...The democratic government today is still a government by the people and we still use the voting system to elect official representatives. Democracy occurred mainly in Athens, but spread to other city-states. To participate in the new way of governing you had to be eligible. Only men and citizens could participate and you had to be educated enough to have a knowledgeable opinion on such things as public debates. Although Pericles lead the development of democracy, Socrates was one of the greatest humanists of all time. He was a philosopher and a teacher as well as one of the most influential figures in history. He thought that people were responsible for their own accomplishments and believed in individual reason. When individuals were acknowledged they began to take part in government affairs and once people were seen as individuals many discoveries were made in fields such as science, mathematics and architecture. The earlier societies of Mesopotamia and Egypt passed down their knowledge of Mathematics. Complex theories such as algebra and geometry were developed by the Greeks. Todays architects can easily calculate the hypotenuse of a right triangle due to the Pythagorean Theorem. The Pythagorean Theorem was developed by the mathematician Pythagoras. Pythagoras was also a musician and astronomer. Many Ancient Civilizations believed that Gods lived in the skies and they named the constellations after them. This is where astrology, mythology and some aspects of religion come from which are studied today. In Ancient Greece many different Gods and Goddesses were believed in. They were believed to control different aspects of life. Temples were built to honour the gods and goddesses. They were large beautiful buildings where people went to pray. One temple which is still standing today is the Parthenon. It was built in honour of Athena, who was the Goddess of war and wisdom. People today are fascinated with the ancient Greek Gods. Hades, the Lord of the underworld, Zeus, the ruler of the Gods of Mount Olympus and the God of the sky, and Aphrodite, the Goddess of love and beauty. Many Disney movies are based on these Gods. Hercules, is the story of a mortal with superhuman strength due to his connections to the Gods. We use these Gods today as a source of entertainment. To the Greeks though they were a part of everyday life, religion, art, and architecture. We would not know a fraction of what we know about Ancient Civilizations if it was not for writing. Ancient Greeks began to use writing as a way of recording history, spreading knowledge and also as an expression of thought. Homer, a blind Greek poet, used writing as a record of history and as an expression of his thoughts. This was then used to teach students. Homer wrote The Iliad and The Odyssey. These writings are still considered some of the greatest contributions of Ancient Greek society. Other important contributions were the dramatic plays created by the Greeks. These tragedies and comedies were used as a form of entertainment as well as a means of recalling history and they are still forms of entertainment today. Entertainment for the Greeks also revolved around watching the athletic competitions at the Olympics. The Greeks believed that strong healthy bodies pleased...