I have always been fascinated by Greek culture, as I love Greek mythology. I wouldn’t describe myself as a Philhellene, which is essentially an individual who loves Greeks and everything Greek, but I would undoubtedly enjoy learning more about the culture of Greece. I have always read and heard about Greek culture being the foundation of Western civilization and this is probably why it has such a great influence on our very own culture. The extent of how similar American and Greek cultures are amazes me. The Greeks were apparently the first civilization to utilize an alphabet. The word alphabet itself has Greek origination. Additionally, it has come to my attention on numerous occasions that many American authors usually include some sort of literary element, which involves Greek mythology, and this has always been a point of interest for me. Not only is our literature indicative of Greek culture’s influence on ours, but our government, art, math, science and even the Olympics are as well. I possess this knowledge on Greek culture and its influence on American culture, however I would like to learn more about the …show more content…
Ancient Greek culture would be described as mythopoetic, as it was centered on mythology, which was spread through the use of poetry. Greeks always used their gods and goddesses to explain why things were the way they were. Every question asking “Why?” was given an answer that revolved around a god or goddess. Overall, the origin and purpose of Greek mythology lies in the Greeks’ necessity to explain the way things were. These explanations were spread around society and became an essential part of Greek culture. Greeks took it upon themselves to follow what the gods and goddesses did, as they believed that anything the gods and goddesses did was okay. They basically looked up to the gods and goddesses, making them paradigms for life within Greek
From 500 AD to 500 B.C, during the classical era, Rome and Greece, developed and settled along the Mediterranean Sea. Within these 1000 years, both Rome and Greece went through multiple transitions of power and struggled to maintaining peace. America learned from Greece and Rome’s mistakes and evolved into a more successful version of the two civilizations. The two civilizations did not only teach United States, but they also influenced American culture and infrastructure. Although Greece contributed to many elements of modern day America, Rome had a larger influence on America through the use of democracy, economy, and advancement in culture.
Today, the United States is the fifth largest country in the world, with over 294 Embassies and Consulates around the world our influence is quite significant. Ancient Rome contained about 20% of the world’s population of the time; it is remembered as the greatest empire in history, with ties all over the eastern hemisphere from Britain, to Egypt, to all the way to China. Ancient Rome as we know contributed significantly to modern society and is not without influence on us here in the United States. Rome’s influences included aspects ranging from their public benefits, to their use of glass, to their use of concrete, to their administration system. But, there are three influences of Ancient Rome that still reverberate through time and still have an incredible impact in our society. The first influence that Rome gave us would be their form of government, specifically their Republic Era that lasted nearly five hundred years. Ancient Rome also gifted us with the idea of benefits for those who can’t provide for themselves. Furthermore, from Ancient Rome we got the idea of providing public services that are funded with tax dollars.
American culture and most of the things that people do, see, and think wouldn’t be the way they are if it weren't for the Romans and what they created and accomplished as an ancient empire. In ancient Rome, in their time of expansion and flourish were able to create and build so much technology and ideas that helped build their empire and create a unique image of what they are. These in turn spread with some being so groundbreaking that it they are still used commonly and frequently and others becoming the inspiration and basis of even more achievements The Roman Empire is the most influential empire to have impacted U.S. culture due to their achievements such as spread of Christianity, the creation of the Latin language, and the ideas justice.
The Greek Americans have a history of existence dating back to the 6000 BC. The period between 1880 to 1910 had a lot of significant effect on the art elements in the American history; the elements and artifacts used during this period have extensive descriptions of the culture and general way of lives of these countrymen on the American continent. The various stereotypes and social order of communities differ from one geographical region to another including the native languages, perception of different elements in social activities. Styles of dressing, cooking, initiation programs and stages are all items that the Greek Americans just like any other community from the early days had core values
It is always important to look to the past in order to move towards the future. This was done in the formation of Western Society, and more specifically the formation of American society. The Greek culture served as a frame of reference for many aspects of Western life including government, architecture, math and the arts. Ancient Greek culture served as a very broad base for our society to be built upon.
Mythology was very important to the men and women of ancient Greece. They worshipped the gods and goddesses, wrote poems about them, and based a great deal of art work off of them. The people of Greece looked to the gods and goddesses for help in all aspects of their lives; including health, agriculture, and war. Reading about Greek mythology can inform people about the society of Greece because the Greek gods were created by the people of Greece. Three main goddesses who were worshipped by the Greeks were Hera, Athena, and Aphrodite.
Western Europe. But how did this western way of life come to be? Their are many different
As ancient Greek mythology began to evolve, the Age of Gods and Mortals had created such an epic beginning for stories to revolve around. Greeks regarded mythology as a part of their history. They used myth to explain natural phenomena, cultural variations, traditional beliefs and friendships. Greece had been mainly defined by its numerous accounts of various wars and battles, as well as its incredible architecture, but nothing had defined Greece better then its vast majority of mind- boggling myths and legends (Hamilton. 16). Such examples would be the Iliad and Odyssey as they are the epic poems describing extremely important Greek events. By examining the topic of Greek myths and legends, one can see that the age of gods and mortals, origin theories and the Greek conception of philosophy are highly evident in proving that Greek society had evolved around the following and believing of these three areas.
Mythology is an essential part of all cultures. Through myth, ancient cultures attempted to explain the world and make sense of their daily lives. Myth helps us to live in the minds and time period of people who lived many centuries ago with no technology, no running water, and a basic education. Greek myth is possibly the most commonly recognized myth simply because it is likely the most developed and best recorded. Modern Greek myth originated around 1000 B.C. in the writings of the famous Greek poet Homer in the Odyssey and the Illiad. Although early Greek myths are often vague and contain many primitive elements regarding their understanding of death, sacrifice, and fate, later myths show Greek culture developed and changed over time.
I am Greek, I’ve never known any better. I was always referred to as being “Greek” not a Greek in Australia, but only a Greek. I didn’t mind that at all, I thought that this title was meaningful; it brought depth to who I was. The others around me always asked me about my culture and traditions. I was considered special because of my differences.
“The Greeks molded the mind of Western Civilization, if not the body and the culture” (PowerPoint #6). The Greeks had a very powerful impact on the entire world, making them a huge influence to Western culture. The Greeks showed their power over the world by their great intellect. Through their accomplishments in art, architecture, government, philosophy, education, and science they helped shape Western Civilization. They built strong and intricate buildings, allowing others to see throughout history the plan of the architecture used. The Greek government was one of the first to have a Democracy. Their ac...
There are many things that create a culture to include religion, language, cuisine, arts, music and heritage. First, like most other nations Greek people enjoy music. They find it important to express their feelings through song and dance. Every formal event or social gathering will have music and dance. Greeks have adopted the language of Dimotiki in their literature. This modern language most directly correlates to the ancient Greek language of Doric as the people of the society wanted to keep the heritage of the language. When traveling around Greece though you will hear many different dialects as every society has developed Doric with different habits. People of Greece are very religious and primarily follow Christian Orthodox, roughly 98 percent. This religion is rich in heritage, roughly establishing in Greece in the 1450s. This is very prominent in the Temple of Hephaestus located in Athens. The temple stands today due to its beauty and the various uses it has had over the years to include a church for Greek/ Christian Orthodox. Not to mention the brilliant architecture work by, Iktinus, that has made it endure all battles and nature Greece has had to
Customs and traditions in Greece and the Greek Islands are one important aspect of the Greek culture. There are either of a religious character or coming from paganism. Furthermore, most of the traditions and festivals still celebrated today are religious.The Greeks are very superstitious and believe a lot in religion but also in a supernatural or paranormal phenomenon. Traditions and superstitions vary from island to island, from villages to villages and from region to region. Contemporary Greek culture and traditions are very rich and diverse, reflecting Greece’s location at the crossing point where the West meets the East and the country’s great and turbulent history. The culture of Greece has evolved over thousands of years - dating from
The Greeks used myths to explain natural occurrences, unanswered questions, and the world’s phenomenon. The Greeks had numerous myths and legends; each one had it’s one purpose. Many myths were created by people to explain why certain things happened the way they did.
In conclusion, myths reflect show us the Greeks view on the world, religion, and nature. Their understanding of the world is both similar and different compared to modern society. Myths also reflect the importance of gods in the Greek society and how each god represented something different. In addition, we can see the role of monsters in myths, what they represent and how were they important. Myths also show us the role of women in society and whether they were as important as men or not.