Ancient Greek Cultural Achievements: Philosophy, History, Drama, Art and Architecture
World History, 112a, Dr. Thomason
Q: What is Greek philosophy and what were some of its main schools of thought?
●Attempt to explain universe and human relation to it
●Greeks--philosophy as endeavor separate from religion, mythology. World as human-centered
●Greek academies--schooling for aristocratic sons, future citizens and leaders. Many in Athens, but also in other parts of Greek world: Ionia; Sappho on Lesbos
●Ionian: Sought rational, material explanations for the universe; studied natural world through observation and analytical reasoning (elements of fire, water, air, earth)
●Sophists: "man is the measure of all things"; rhetoric
●Anti-Sophists: Socrates, Plato and Aristotle: especially concerned with existence of universal truths, ideal forms of government
Q: What are characteristics of Greek history?
●Herodotus (ca. 480 B.C.E.) historia="inquiry". Ionian rationalism; narrative accounts of Persian Wars based on research of events. "Reasons why we waged war…" Not necessarily objective, history as instructive, "travel accounts" of other cultures
●Thucydides (ca. 460-424 B.C.E.): narrative accounts of Peloponnesian Wars (vs. Sparta and other city-states). Rationalism and deductive reasoning. "Facts based on evidence". "Go over each event in as much detail as possible." (based on oral history of his contemporaries and elders)
Q: What are the characteristics of Greek drama?
●Plays commissioned by wealthy patrons and put on at religious festivals, esp. to god Dionysus
●Very prescribed format: sets, organization of plays, chorus
●Comedy: make fun of contemporary Greek society (ultimately instructive). Aristophanes
●Tragedy: Explore relevant issues in Greek society (during times of war): conflict between reason and passion; human condition in world, fate, role of political leaders, relationship to higher beings. Sophocles (Oedipus), Euripides (Medea)
Q: What are the characteristics of Greek Art, especially sculpture?
●Interest in ideal human form--body and impact on body of movement, gravity (but not emotion)
●Free-standing statues as grave monuments and offerings to gods. Temples and sanctuaries. Original form borrowed from Egyptians.
●Sculpture in relief set in architecture to explore Greek mythology, symbolize Greek unity and power (Parthenon sculptures in the
British Museum)●Architecture:
columned buildings also possibly form borrowed from Egyptians.