Professor Answers Ancient Greece Questions From Twitter | Tech Support | WIRED
24 Jul 2024 (2 months ago)
Ancient Greek Support
- Professor Paul Christen introduces a segment dedicated to answering questions about ancient Greece.
- The segment is titled "Ancient Greek Support" and is presented in a humorous "tech support" format.
- The segment is part of a larger video series where Professor Christen answers questions from the internet.
Did Ancient Greeks wear clothes?
- The ancient Greeks did not walk around naked all the time.
- The only time it was socially acceptable to be naked in public was when working out in a gym, which comes from the Greek word "gymnasion," meaning "the nude place."
- The Greeks believed that having a fit body was a sign of good character and morality, so they needed to be nude in the gym so others could see their physical condition.
Accuracy of ‘300’
- The movie "300" is based on a graphic novel by Frank Miller and while it embellishes some aspects, it accurately portrays certain historical events.
- One accurate portrayal is the scene where the Persian ambassador demands earth and water from the Spartans as a sign of submission, which the Spartans responded to by throwing the ambassador into a well.
- The movie also accurately depicts the Spartan practice of sending young boys into the wilderness with minimal equipment to terrorize the enslaved Helots, who were a constant threat to Spartan security.
Death of Alexander The Great
- Alexander the Great's death at age 32 was likely due to a combination of factors, including malaria and his history of heavy drinking and repeated injuries.
- Alexander began fighting in major battles at a young age, around 16, and had been wounded at least a dozen times by the time he died.
- His heavy drinking, combined with his injuries and the debilitating effects of malaria, likely contributed to his early demise.
Athena Statue from Assassin’s Creed
- The chapter discusses the large statue of Athena on the Acropolis in ancient Athens, similar to the one depicted in the video game Assassin's Creed.
- The statue, known as the Athena Promachos, was a massive bronze sculpture created by the sculptor Phidias and stood on the Acropolis, a large rock in the center of Athens where important religious sanctuaries were located.
- The chapter also clarifies that Greek temples were not always white, as commonly believed, but were often painted in vibrant colors, particularly blue and red, using a special wax-based paint. The white appearance of many temples today is due to the flaking off of the paint over time.
Ancient Freeks
- The Greeks were known for their emphasis on marriage, with the expectation that all adult males and females would be married. However, this did not preclude extramarital relationships, particularly for men.
- Same-sex relationships were widely accepted in ancient Greece, with the most common form involving an older, married man mentoring a teenage boy. This practice, which would be considered illegal today, was seen as beneficial by the Greeks.
- Similar to the male-male relationships, female-female relationships were also accepted, with poetry by Sappho providing evidence of women expressing their sexual desire for each other.
Not That Homer
- The chapter discusses the ancient Greek poet Homer, who wrote the epic poems The Iliad and The Odyssey.
- The Iliad tells the story of Achilles, a hero who faces his own mortality and contemplates the meaning of life.
- The Odyssey follows Odysseus' journey home from the Trojan War and his struggle to reintegrate into family life, highlighting the importance of home and family even at the cost of immortality.
The Burning of the Library of Alexandria
- The burning of the Library of Alexandria is a common topic of discussion, often compared to the loss of personal data, such as a deleted draft folder.
- The Library of Alexandria was established in Egypt by Greeks who sought to preserve their culture after Alexander the Great's conquests.
- While there are many stories about the library being burned down, modern scholarship suggests that it gradually fell into disrepair due to lack of maintenance rather than a single catastrophic event. The library housed a vast collection of valuable books, making it a significant cultural loss.
Coin in the mouth?
- Ancient Greeks believed that after death, individuals traveled to the underworld, which was accessed by crossing a river.
- To cross the river, the deceased needed to pay a ferryman named Charon.
- A coin was placed in the mouth of the deceased to ensure they could pay Charon and successfully reach the underworld.
Best philosopher
- The video discusses the question of the best ancient Greek philosopher, with the speaker highlighting Diogenes as a compelling choice due to his commitment to a radically simple life, owning only a cup and living in a barrel.
- The speaker personally favors Aristotle, who studied under Plato and later tutored Alexander the Great.
- Aristotle's wide-ranging intellectual pursuits, encompassing subjects like marine biology and political systems, are emphasized, particularly his focus on the traits that contribute to good character and behavior.
How Ancient Greece elected leaders
- Ancient Greece was comprised of various communities, each with its own form of government, which evolved over time. The most well-known example is Athens, which implemented a democratic system around 500 BCE, lasting until approximately 300 BCE.
- Athenian democracy differed from modern systems in that it was a direct democracy, where citizens directly participated in the legislative assembly and voted on issues themselves. This contrasted with representative democracies, where citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.
- Athenian democracy was not inclusive, as women, enslaved persons, and immigrants were excluded from participation. Additionally, not all Greek communities were democratic, with some employing other forms of government, such as monarchies, oligarchies, and federal states. Athenian government also emphasized the importance of large juries in court proceedings, with the smallest jury consisting of 501 people and larger cases involving juries of up to 6,000 individuals.
The original Olympics
- The ancient Greeks took their sports very seriously and used the Olympics as their calendar system.
- The ancient Olympics had a limited program of events, including running, horse racing, and the pentathlon, a multi-sport event.
- Winners at Olympia received a branch from the sacred olive tree at the sanctuary, a gift from Zeus. The stadium at Olympia could seat 50,000 people, and attendees came from all over the Mediterranean. The Olympics also included a religious element, with a sacrifice of 100 cows to Zeus on the third day of the games.
Ancient Greek inventions
- The ancient Greeks invented many things, but the alphabet is arguably the most significant invention due to its long-term impact.
- The Greeks adopted the Phoenician alphabet, which only had consonants, and added vowels to it, making it more versatile and allowing for the representation of any sound.
- This invention of the Greek alphabet, around 775 BC, directly influenced the Roman alphabet, which is the basis for the alphabet used in English and many other languages today. The alphabet's ease of use made mass literacy possible, significantly impacting communication and knowledge dissemination.
Ancient Greek entertainment
- Ancient Athenians, starting around 500 BCE, enjoyed attending theatrical performances called tragedies, which were elaborate productions featuring masks, costumes, and a chorus of singers and dancers.
- These tragedies, performed at the Theater of Dionysus during a large spring festival, were serious plays with themes and language that reflected important societal issues.
- Alongside tragedies, comedies were also performed in the same theater, with Aristophanes being a famous playwright of this genre. Comedies were more lighthearted and focused on everyday life, similar to modern sitcoms.
Did anyone check on the gods or….?
- The chapter discusses the location of Mount Olympus, a prominent mountain in Greece, and its significance in Greek mythology. The Greeks believed that the gods resided on Mount Olympus, which was seen as a metaphor for the heavens.
- The chapter highlights the difference between Greek polytheism and modern monotheistic religions. The Greeks believed in a multitude of gods, including Zeus, the king of the gods.
- The chapter introduces the concept of heroes in Greek mythology, such as Heracles, who were born mortal but achieved extraordinary feats and gained immortality. The Greeks believed that gods and heroes were constantly present in their lives, unlike the modern perception of deities.
Origins of Ancient Greece
- The Greeks arrived in Greece, the southern end of the Balkan Peninsula, around 2200 BCE. This was during the Bronze Age, a period when bronze was the primary metal used.
- Before the Greeks arrived, the Minoans, who did not speak Greek, had inhabited the region for a long time. The Minoans had a rigidly hierarchical society, which collapsed around 1200 BCE.
- After the collapse of the Minoan civilization, the Greeks transitioned to a more egalitarian system, eventually leading to the development of the first democracy around 500 BCE. This period, known as the Classical period, saw the rise of prominent figures like Pericles, Socrates, and the great playwrights, marking a significant turning point in Greek history.
Did Greece have an empire?
- The Greeks lived throughout the Mediterranean, not just in modern-day Greece.
- While the Greeks migrated and established communities across the Mediterranean, they were never unified under a single state.
- Alexander the Great conquered much of Greece and the surrounding areas, but his empire did not encompass the entire Mediterranean, unlike the later Roman Empire.
When was the ‘Golden Age’ of Ancient Greece?
- The chapter discusses the concept of a "Golden Age" in ancient Greece, using Raphael's painting as a visual representation of the idea that all the great figures of ancient Greece existed simultaneously.
- The video argues that Athens experienced a true "Golden Age" between 480-500 BCE and 300 BCE, a period marked by the invention of democracy and the emergence of famous writers like Sophocles, Euripides, and Aeschylus.
- The Parthenon, a renowned Greek temple built in Athens during this time, is cited as a testament to the architectural achievements of this era.
Ancient Greek diet
- The ancient Greeks did not consume rice, pasta, tomatoes, or potatoes.
- Their diet primarily consisted of olives, grapes (in the form of wine), and grains such as barley or wheat.
- The Mediterranean Sea's warm waters were not conducive to fishing, and the Greeks did not have a large amount of livestock, resulting in a limited consumption of meat.
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating In Space
- Ancient Greek scholars, particularly those who dedicated significant time to observation and mathematical calculations, understood that they lived on a planet in outer space.
- These scholars, influenced by knowledge from the ancient Near East, meticulously observed the stars and engaged in complex mathematical calculations.
- Notably, the Greek mathematician Eratosthenes, around 275 BCE, accurately calculated the circumference of the Earth, demonstrating a clear understanding of the Earth's spherical shape and its position in space.
Origins of Ostracism
- Ostracism was a practice primarily used in Athens, where citizens would vote once a year to exile someone for 10 years.
- The purpose of ostracism was to remove individuals perceived as threats to the stability of the community.
- Broken pottery shards, known as ostraka, were used for voting, with citizens writing the name of the person they wanted to exile, sometimes adding insults. This practice often resulted in the exile of a political leader, allowing the opposing faction to gain control for a period of time.
What do Greek columns represent?
- Greek columns come in three main styles: Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian, each distinguished by its unique capital design.
- The popularity of Greek architectural styles, particularly the use of columns, surged in the 18th century, particularly in Germany and England. This was due to the rediscovery and detailed documentation of ancient Greek buildings.
- The widespread adoption of Greek architectural elements in the late 18th and early 19th centuries is evident in cities like Washington D.C., which was built during this period of architectural fascination with ancient Greece.