Ancient Greece And Its Influence On Western 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.

Ancient Greece was known for its philosophers and mathematicians. The Greeks were very interested in science as a way of organizing the world and making order out of chaos, and having power over some very powerful things like oceans and weather. By the 400's BC, Pythagoras was interested in finding the patterns and rules in mathematics and music, and invented the idea of a mathematical proof (Ancient Greek Science). Pythagoras is where we get our Pythagorean Theorem in geometry today. The ancient Greek culture was fixed on proving that everything was true, they did this by using a lot of geometry; this is why geometry became so big in their society. The math of ancient Greece can be broken up into three periods: the early period, the classical period, and the helenistic period. The early period, was when people were first beginning to be interested in mathematics, this is when Pythagoras first came up with is the theorem. During the classical period a man by the name of Euclid, wrote a book titled The Elements, this book was a textbook to help people understand the basics of geometry, and it included geometric methods for the solution of quadratics (Euclid). During the helenistic period ancient algebra began to resurface. But none of these mathematical discoveries would have been possible without support from the government.

Greece over time had many different systems of government some of these include: monarchy, aristocracy and a democracy. The society that we live in today was formed from of all of the good things from these various systems of government. Most scholars believe that democracy began an ancient Greece. Around 510 BCE the ancient Athenians invented democracy. In the Athenian democracy each year, 500 names were drawn from all the citizens of Athens. Those 500 citizens had to serve for one year as the law makers of ancient Athens. All citizens of Athens were required to vote on any new law that this body of 500 citizens created. One man, one vote, majority ruled. Women, children, and slaves were not citizens, and thus could not vote (Roots of Democracy). Greece was a collection of some 1500 separate communities scattered round the Mediterranean and Black Sea shores. At one point in ancient Greeks history there was almost 100 years serious civil unrest, but ostracisms fulfilled their functions of preventing a civil war (Democratic Experiment). Though the Greeks were recognized as being the inventors of democracy, they’re most recognized by the modern civilization for their artwork and architecture.

Ancient Greek architecture advanced over hundreds years; starting in the new stone age, and ending in the archaic period. The Greeks are known for their large stone columns and huge stone buildings. Ancient architects are even credited for building one of the Seven Wonders of the World, the statue of Zeus at Olympia. The earliest buildings were