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Ancient Greece

Legacy

History >> Ancient Greece

The Ancient Greeks may have lived over 2000 years ago, but they left a lasting legacy that still affects Western culture and way of life. During the height of the Greek civilization, Greek culture spread throughout the Mediterranean. It was then imitated by the Ancient Romans. After the Middle Ages, the European Renaissance brought back many aspects of the Greek culture. As a result, we see the affects of Ancient Greece throughout the world today.

Government

The Greek city-state of Athens first introduced the world to the idea of a true democracy. Citizens were allowed to vote for their leaders and on new laws. This idea is prevalent in our world today. Most of the world's governments today have some sort of democracy where the people get to vote and participate in the government.

United States Supreme Court building
U.S. Supreme Court Building
Source: USDA photo by Ken Hammond
Philosophy

Some of history's greatest philosophers were Ancient Greeks including Plato, Aristotle, and Socrates. Today, philosophy students still study the writings and teachings of Greek philosophers. Much of western philosophy is based on the ideas of the Ancient Greeks.

Theater

The Greeks invented the western drama where written work is performed by actors. Greek theater introduced the ideas of the comedy and the tragedy. Greek theater influenced art throughout Europe including plays such as those written by William Shakespeare. Today, we imitate the Greeks with Broadway plays, Television shows, and movies.

Architecture

Greek architecture has been imitated throughout history. The Romans copied many of the Greek ideas into their buildings. Later, Renaissance architects tried to imitate the Greek style of architecture. Today, many government buildings are built in the Greek classical style including the U.S. Capitol Building and the U.S. Supreme Court Building in Washington, D.C.

Science and Technology

The Greeks made many advancements in the areas of science and technology. They excelled in the field of mathematics and we still use many of their theories and ideas today. You've probably used the Pythagorean theorem (discovered by the Greek mathematician Pythagoras) to find the sides of a right triangle in geometry. Other areas of Greek technology included medicine (the Hippocratic Oath), astronomy, urban planning, and plumbing.

Sports
Colorful rings of the Olympic games
Olympic Rings by Pierre de Coubertin


The Ancient Greeks loved athletics and sports. Their legacy is exemplified in the modern-day Olympic Games which began with the Ancient Greeks in 776 B.C. During the 2012 Summer Olympics in London over 10,000 athletes participated from over 200 nations. It is estimated that around 4 billion people around the world watched some portion of the 2012 games.

Art

Greek art heavily influenced western art throughout history. The Greeks are most known for their realistic sculpture which tried to capture the beauty and perfection in the subject. Roman art copied the Greeks, and the Romans often had Greeks create sculpture for them. The Renaissance later revived the Greek style and it still can be seen in artwork today.

Interesting Facts About the Legacy of Ancient Greece
Activities

For more about Ancient Greece:

Overview
Timeline of Ancient Greece
Geography
The City of Athens
Sparta
Minoans and Mycenaeans
Greek City-states
Peloponnesian War
Persian Wars
Decline and Fall
Legacy of Ancient Greece
Glossary and Terms

Arts and Culture
Ancient Greek Art
Drama and Theater
Architecture
Olympic Games
Government of Ancient Greece
Greek Alphabet

Daily Life
Daily Lives of the Ancient Greeks
Typical Greek Town
Food
Clothing
Women in Greece
Science and Technology
Soldiers and War
Slaves

People
Alexander the Great
Archimedes
Aristotle
Pericles
Plato
Socrates
25 Famous Greek People
Greek Philosophers

Greek Mythology
Greek Gods and Mythology
Hercules
Achilles
Monsters of Greek Mythology
The Titans
The Iliad
The Odyssey

The Olympian Gods
Zeus
Hera
Poseidon
Apollo
Artemis
Hermes
Athena
Ares
Aphrodite
Hephaestus
Demeter
Hestia
Dionysus
Hades

Works Cited

History >> Ancient Greece



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