Greek Society Compared to Modern Society
Essay by review • February 17, 2011 • Essay • 264 Words (2 Pages) • 1,560 Views
I believe that a lot of the traditions of western civilizations come from the Hellenistic periods of Greece. A lot of the Homeric values like heroism, skill, dominating warrior, and strength are still much valued in the western ways. Through math, science, society, and culture prove much of this point.
Math and science are a huge part in modern western civilization. Most of the science we use is based off the founding made during the Hellenistic Age. The heliocentric theory of the earth rotates on its axis and that the earth revolves around the sun was revolutionary at that time but never got a foothold. Today that is a very common and widely known fact that is taught to young kids. Geometry made huge advancements in the Hellenistic age. From Eratosthenes finding within 1% the circumference of the earth, to the theorems of planes and solids. Also another mathematical triumph was the calculation of pi by Archimedes. Other science triumphs are the facts of modern medicine starting with Hippocrates. They found out about the circulatory system, the nervous system, and the centralized point of the brain. All these concepts lead to the basic understanding of what we know today.
Society and culture also represent a lot of Greek ideas in the modern world. Simple things that we take for granted like coinage. Alexander the Great established a gold and silver coin exchange where they were used as for of currency. They had a very established trade and commerce, which just like we have today. They were a culture that strived for prosperity just like today's focuses.
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