...on Western Civilization Of all the cultures that have come and gone throughout human history, it was the achievements of ancient Greece that have left the most indelible imprint on Western civilization. In particular, it was greek achievements in the realms of art, democracy, medicine, philosophy and literature that has influenced the modern world the most. It is interesting to note that the loss of Greek thought after Roman civilization inducted a period popularly characterized as the Dark Ages. During this time human life was, in words popularized by Thomas Hobbes, “nasty, brutish and short.” Superstition, disease and a short life span were the hallmark of the age. It is crucial to understand that the middle “dark” ages finally ended with the re-discovery of greek texts to usher in the re-birth of civilization, ie: the Renaissance. It was the Catholic theologian St. Thomas Aquinas that set Western civilization on its current track by reintroducing Greek thinkers to European intellectuals. The popularizing of Greek philosophers renewed Western interest in Greek achievements, specifically within the realms of art, democracy, medicine, literature, and philosophy. While some of these subjects remained underdeveloped in Greek times, such as the discipline of medicine and democracy, others were so advanced as to set a standard to this day in the realm of art, philosophy, and literature. Discussed herein is a brief exploration of those Greek achievements that left their greatest...
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...The Greeks used complex art forms in order to tell narratives, especially those surrounding Greek mythology. The ancient Greeks depicted their deities as religious figures in human form; focusing on symmetry and accurate proportions in relation to the human body. This is evident in the statue of Hermes and the Infant Dionysus. This statue depicts two Greek gods, Hermes and Dionysus, in loving and affectionate poses. The messenger god, Hermes, is believed to be showing his half brother, the young god of wine, Dionysus, a cluster of grapes in his outstretched arm. Hermes stands in the typical Classical era pose called “contrapposto, or counterpose in Greek” (Kleiner). This is demonstrated through the s-shape that is created by his outstretched left leg which bears most of the weight. The movement of Hermes’ contrapposto gives a sense of movement and life to the piece that earlier pieces lacked. Though Dionysus does not appear to be in accurate proportions for his size, Hermes appears to be a realistic interpretation of the human body. This standard of aesthetic beauty and accurate proportions is still relevant worldwide. Hermes’ perfect youthful features are etched out in order to portray a sense of beauty. Many modern artists continue to portray this perfection of beauty. Photoshop, for example, is used in order to create perfect images and blur imperfections. The Greeks valued aesthetic beauty, symmetry, and form. Their narratives...
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...Our modern world is influence by ancient time The world that we are living in today was influenced mainly through ancient cultures. First of by the Greeks culture second of by the Roman cultures. Without the legacy of the Greeks and the Romans our modern world would have been different. Who would have thought that those legacies would have a big effect on today's modern world. Ancient Greece is the birth place of Western civilization. There are many ways in which western civilization is like the ancient Greek civilization. According to Greco roman Legacy reading "Our democracies and our dictatorships alike go back to Greek exemplars" Greeks were the first to think of the idea of democracy. The way citizens could...
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...In this paper, the writer will explore a topic from a list of artistic themes as the themes relate to Prehistoric, Mesopotamian, Ancient Egyptian, Archaic Greek, Aegean Civilization and Classical Greek periods. The writer will determine how the theme is reflected in the cultural and world developments from these time periods. The writer will also compare and contrast the development of the theme of the different time periods to modern day time. Artistic Themes Artistic themes of Prehistoric, Mesopotamian, Ancient Egyptian, Archaic Greek/Aegean Civilization, and Classical Greek Periods The time periods of Prehistoric, Mesopotamian, Ancient Egyptian, Archaic Greek, Aegean Civilization, and Classical Greek are different from the modern day period. Each time period had its own way of doing certain things. For example, each time period had its own idea of work. Work from each of these time periods was performed in different ways. The writer will explore work as it relates to the time periods of Prehistoric, Mesopotamian, Ancient Egyptian, Archaic Greek, Aegean Civilization, and Classical Greek. The writer will determine how work is reflected in the cultural and world developments from the time periods also compare and contrast the development of work within the historic time periods while relating past attitudes to modern attitudes. Prehistoric There are no written records from prehistoric times. Information from prehistoric time is only reported from certain fields of study...
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...Introduction Ancient Greece was the birthplace of western civilization. It’s culture is the embodiment of the ideals which are pursued even today. The richness of Greek mythology inspired artists from the middle ages to modernity, with motives of myth occurring sporadically throughout history. Starting from the middle ages, when Christian and ancient traditions started to mix together, forming the basis of modern western culture, Greek myth has been in the centre of interest. It is intriguing to note that Roman mythology is not as potent as Greek in modern art. Ovid’s Metamorphoses was the most influential text in the Middle ages, and it served as inspiration to writers, painters, musicians and other artists. However, Christianity did not accept ancient myths in their true, religious meaning. Myths were used to paint symbols, allegories and allusions to contemporary issues, mainly religious. Mythical beings and heroes were fitted – in a sense, into a medieval Catholic frame (Von Hendy, 2). Homer’s Iliad is probably the most frequently read of all the Greek myths. It tells the story of Troy, and its fall to Greek armies led by king Agamemnon. The war began when Paris, a young Trojan prince took Helen, the wife of Menelaus and ran with her. This led to a great war, which resulted in the destruction of Troy. This epic work has been a source of endless inspiration for artists throughout the ages. Since the beginning of Renaissance, and the rebirth of classical spirit in Europe...
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...World Art Abbas Daneshvari 8/30/12 Ancient Art History Art history has been a vital part of the modern human experience. For thousands of years, the first painters and sculptors have given us the first displays that allowed people to see and touch tangible artwork. The artwork has also captured the history and lifestyle of that time. Art History has also expressed its social and political events that happened during that time. This gives the present person a good understand on what events took place during that era. Some of the most prominent artwork of the western civilization is Greek, Etruscan and Roman art. That historical artwork has paved the way for modern art to have a place in art history world. I will compare and contrast the Greek, Etruscan and Roman characteristic and traits of its historical artwork. During the Geometric and Orientalizing art in the 900-600 BCE, the human shape returned to Greek art in the structure of bronze statuettes and simple silhouettes and other motifs on Geometric vases. One art example is the Dipylon krater, Athens, ca 740 BCE. During the Archaic Art, 600-480 BCE the earliest real-life stone statues appeared in Greece. The first Greek kouroi copied the frontal poses of early Egyptian statues, however designed the young men nude the same way that the men competed in the Ancient Olympics. In the beginning of the early 6th century BCE, Greek sculptors recreated the magnitude of the shapes and included “Archaic smiles” to their faces to make...
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...Claudia Hernandez HUMS 1100 WA Body Image Journal The Greek representation of the ideal body, the perfect form has been inherited to us. There are some variables, but the main idea is similar. The Greek were very concern about their appearance, it was a matter of being a man and not looking like a woman. Tanned, firm, symmetrical and muscular was ideal way to look like. I t was part of being a good citizen after all the flabby citizen was a matter of public concern. Fat was a political issue. The ideal Greek form was neither too fat or too skinny, but well defined by muscles. In their society appearance was very important. The body was displayed in the nude and it was totally normal, people could watch each-other and comment on the physical appearance. The body needed to be lean but well built-bulked up from exercise but not fat or over-muscular like a modern body builder. This is the main difference in the ideal body image between ancient Greece and our modern culture. In our modern culture, the ideal body image is very bulky, with a lot of muscle mass. We see this in our movies, TV shows, body builders. Bodybuilders displaying every muscle in their bodies, sometimes it doesn’t even look normal. A lot our athletes and TV stars have to take substances too look this way. Both Greek ideas of the ideal body and modern ideas sometimes are unrealistic. It would be so difficult for the regular person to achieve. Exercise and a very special diet can help achieve the perfect...
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...Ancient Cultures: Love HUM/100 Ancient Cultures: Love My love, I have tried with all my being to grasp a form comparable to thine own, but nothing seems worthy; I know now why Shakespeare could not compare his love to a summer’s day. It would be a crime to denounce the beauty of such a creature as thee, to simply cast away the precision God had placed in forging you. Each facet of your being whether it physical or spiritual is an ensnarement from which there is no release. But I do not wish release. I wish to stay entrapped forever. With you for all eternity, our hearts, always as one (Kolos, 2012). This is the image of love often and initially conjured when we talk about love. However, the word “love” can have a variety of related but distinct meaning in different contexts and cultures. We will look the definition of love and do a brief assessment of how ancient Greek and Romans viewed or definition of interpersonal love in their culture. We will compare their view to our modern day view/definition of interpersonal love. First let us look at our definition of love according to dictionary.com (2012). “Love is a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person. A feeling of warm personal attachment or deep affection, as for parent, child, or friend. Sexual passion or desire. A person toward whom love is felt; beloved person; sweetheart.” There were many more definitions addressed representing all of human kindness, compassion, and affections...
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...Rites of Passage Your Name ANT 101 Instructor's Name Date In times we see many different cultures that evolved around the earth and throughout time as well. This paper will examine Native Americans, Greek and the Japanese rites of passage. Ceremonies that mark important transitional periods in a person's life, such as birth, puberty, marriage, having children, and death. Rites of passage usually involve ritual activities and teachings designed to strip individuals of their original roles and prepare them for new roles. The traditional American wedding ceremony is such a rite of passage. In many so-called primitive societies, some of the most complex rites of passage occur at puberty, when boys and girls are initiated into the adult world. In some ceremonies, the initiates are removed from their village and may undergo physical mutilation before returning as adults (Rites of passage,(n.d.). Rites of Passage have been a path of life throughout time and space. Anthropologists have found many differences between cultures but also many similatries. Rites of passage from boy to man or girl to woman are different in some and strange in others. The Native Americans and the Greeks were not the same as the Japanese, but yet believed in some of the same old blood ways. Rites are not taught but learned throughout one’s lifetime. Native Americans had a volatile version of passage. In the earlier years, the Native American boys would play as boys. They would follow fathers and...
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...The people of ancient Greece lived nearly 4,000 years ago. Yet even today, their culture impacts our lives! We received many gifts from the ancient Greeks. Ancient Greek Inventions are in fact the original concepts of some of our most well known products, to this day. Those original concepts have just taken on a more modern form. OLYMPICS: The first Olympics games are usually given the start year of 776 BCE, but they probably began even sooner. The ancient Greeks loved competitions of all sorts, especially sporting competitions. The Olympics were not the onlycompetition games held in ancient Greece, but they were the most popular. The Greeks took the Olympic games quite seriously. Nearly all the ancient Greek cities sent teams to participate in the ancient Greek Olympics. If two or more Greek city-states happen to be at war with each other when the game date arrived, war was halted for the duration of the games. Everyone wanted their city-state to win! Sciences Greece has importantly influenced the Western science in many ways. The Ancient Greeks especially contributed many things to the scientific world, from medicine to astronomy. The most famous ancient Greek scientists and their work are briefly described below. Thales of Miletus (640-610 to ca 548-545 BC) had travelled widely in quest of knowledge, visiting Crete, Phoenicia, and Egypt. Ηe brought Phoenician navigational techniques into Miletus. Thales is also said to have tried to revise the calendar. He also...
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...Greek and Roman made significant contributions to the Western heritage perhaps they were responsible formulation of the tradition of government. Greece had the first democracy, but Rome had the first republic. All citizens could participate in the government in Greece. Rome arose from the Greek democratic government and established a sharing of the administration with checks and balances. Both Greeks and Romans believed in justice and the equality of people to a certain extent. The Greeks allowed all citizens, rich and poor, to participate in government. The Romans emphasis on the idealization of each individual is reflected in the art and architecture of these civilizations, beginning with Classical Athens. From 1900- 133 BC, Greece’s impact on the Western world is still in effect today. As the Greeks extended their empire, they spread their ideas to other countries, while also scrounging from other cultures. In Greek art, the focus is on an anatomically correct representation of the individual, either in an idealized fashion as during the Classical period, or a more emotionally truthful representation, as during the Hellenistic Period of Greek art. Roman art stole many of Greece's art and architecture, but Rome also added a customized deal to the architecture of the ancient world with its more evolved technical advancement, as evidenced in the Coliseum and its triumphal arches, they were dedicated to celebrating the glory of the state and the very human-like gods or goddesses...
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...events, and cultural traditions. Sometimes sacred in nature, a myth can involve gods or other creatures. And, a myth represents reality in dramatic ways. Many cultures have their versions of common myths. “Myths... attempt to answer the enduring and fundamental human questions: How did the universe and the world come to be? How did we come to be here? Who are we? What are our proper, necessary, or inescapable roles as we relate to one another and the world at large? What should our values be? How should we behave? How should we not behave? What are the consequences of behaving and not acting in such ways?” (Leonard & McClure, 2004, para 3). The English word “myth” comes from the Greek word mythos and has been esteemed from the Greek word logos, both terms translates into English as word or story (Leonard & McClure, 2004,para 7). People have long wondered how the world came into being. They have answered the question with stories that describe the origin of the universe or the world and usually of human life as well. Myths express people's understanding of the world and their place in it. The world's mythologies and religions offer an immense variety of stories. Scholars have discovered that the different cultures fall into broad categories and contain many shared themes. Myths grant continuity and stability to a culture. They foster a shared set of perspectives, values, history, and literature, in the stories themselves. It shows the similarity of the human mind and spirit. ...
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...her current epoch through literature” Greek culture has had a profound impact on Western Civilizations. It is always and ever be the pinnacle of human ingenuity. The Greeks have bestowed upon Western culture the concepts of citizen’s rights, democracy, mathematics, physics, astronomy, etc. More importantly, the Greeks also had a highly developed spiritual life that is evident in Homer’s eclectic tale The Iliad. Through this highly developed spiritual life, the Greeks imparted many human traits to their gods and goddesses that would greatly affect their own society’s way of thinking and other civilizations. Through Iliad and the other works of many great thinkers of Greece, they have propelled Greece to become the standard in terms of excellence. The contribution of the Greeks to us is not only great but also timeless, even in our modern age, we still able to learn and relate to the poems that were composed many epoch past. In ancient Greece, poetry was considered an art of which only few knew and could impose. Those who didn't know how to write memorized the stories depicted by the poets. There was the category of poetry known as epic, which is displayed by Homer to its full extent with unequalled precision Epic was the poetry that was very extensive and lengthy with a wide vocabulary used throughout and which told stories of adventure and heroism. Poets didn't just serve as entertainment, they were also educators. Poetry was part of Greek daily routine; it was taught in schools...
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...was the Greek conception of the ideal human body? It was living art to the Greeks, and that overweight people were a hindrance to society. Obesity was seen as glutinous and a nuisance. They aimed to look godlike and took care of their bodies. How important was it to have such a body? It was important to be fit to help benefit the village in case of war, and for physical labor. It was also thought that one’s body reflects their intellect. What practical effect, if any, are jokes at the expense of those who don’t have perfect bodies trying to achieve? If you were a nuisance, people would laugh at you. Most people did not like to be laughed at and moderated their behaviour to avoid it. So the Obese unjust individuals would try to become less of a nuisance and work harder. Did the greeks feel any sense of guilt about mocking the disabled? Do we? And finally, if there is a difference between their attitude and ours, what accounts for it? The Greeks believed in honor while society has changed moral standards by making people feel shame. They held the needs of society over the needs of the individual and emphasized the obligations of citizens over their rights. They found the disabled a nuisance to society and they were unjust because of their lack of contribution. Normally, misshapen babies would be killed to prevent being a burden to society. The backbone to society is its customs and traditions. Ancient Greece culture was focused on justice; while modern culture focuses...
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...Significance of Ancient Roman Civilization Tuesday, October 02, 2012 7:29 PM Argument for how the achievements of ancient Roman civilization impacted subsequent Western civilization Established one of the largest empires in the world. Enduring legacy that continues to influence Western civilization Achievements: Law and Administration Roads and bridges Institution of a bilingual culture Of greatest significance: Roman Law and Administration Based on principles of justice and reason Instituted a system of common laws to protect citizens Notable aspects that many modern day governments uphold today: The recognition that all men are to be treated equal under the law A person is to be considered guilty until proven innocent The ancient Roman civilization did more than establish one of the largest empires in the world; they also left an enduring legacy which continues to influence Western civilization. Achievements in the areas of law and administration, construction of roads and bridges, and the institution of a bilingual culture helped to form an cultural infrastructure that has prevailed through the ages. Of greatest significance, is the Romans contribution in the areas of law and administration Their laws were based on principles of justice and reason. They institutes a system of common laws that served to protect citizens. A couple of important aspects we continue to value today are the recognition that all people are to be treated equal under...
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