Our two meetings for this month explored some major trends in Ancient Greek culture, including some things we have borrowed from them.
My aim was to provide a balanced view of this culture as past historians have sometimes over-romanticized it. Its dark side included almost constant warfare between the city states and the Persians; the suppression of women and the horrible practice of female infanticide that was common. The ancient world, including the Greeks, was based on the economics of slavery, as men and women from defeated enemies were sold as slaves. Even Athens, the supposed shining light of democracy, had a limited but interesting political model of government that only included adult male citizens.
We concluded by investigating Athens culture and politics with a final look at what art historians have idolized, stunning pottery and a glorious development of realistic marble and bronze statues
Meg Dillon
My aim was to provide a balanced view of this culture as past historians have sometimes over-romanticized it. Its dark side included almost constant warfare between the city states and the Persians; the suppression of women and the horrible practice of female infanticide that was common. The ancient world, including the Greeks, was based on the economics of slavery, as men and women from defeated enemies were sold as slaves. Even Athens, the supposed shining light of democracy, had a limited but interesting political model of government that only included adult male citizens.
We concluded by investigating Athens culture and politics with a final look at what art historians have idolized, stunning pottery and a glorious development of realistic marble and bronze statues
Meg Dillon
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