Greeks Culture During Archaic and Classical Periods that Inspired the Western Civilization
Greece is one of the famous and renowned countries in the world’s history. Her history starts from her geographical location and topography portraying unique features. Still, more significantly, the existence of great philosophers like Plato, Alexander the Great, and Aristotle creates the foundation of Greece history. Greece’s journey to civilization has met various tribulations, some tearing it to parts while others were making it. Some of the periods she underwent brought positive results, especially to civilization, which even inspired the western countries and has shaped their civilization (Spielvojel,2014). More importantly, Archaic and classical periods are the most influential periods in Greeks civilization history. In this paper, I will discuss some of the Greeks aspects during the Archaic and Classical periods that have inspired and shaped western civilization. The artistic architecture of the temple, development of male nude sculptor warrior, the systematic way of preserving the past through writing and structured way of passing information of Drama inspired the western civilization.
Most of the western world arts are subject to the artistic ideals reputed by the Greeks in the classical period. In architecture, the most significant structure was the temple that was constructed and dedicated to the god or goddess of wisdom. The temple was built on top of Acropolis between 447-432 BC, and it stands UpToDate. The design of the temple was different compared to other temples. It has seventeen Doric columns on both long sides and eight pillars on the ends, which makes it look harmonious in a dynamic proportion pictorial movement. The structure resembles the Doric order, and its quadrilateral design emphasized the movement flow of light between its internal and the neighboring space.
The temple architects were Ictinus and Callicrates, who built it while Sculptor Phidias and Pericles supervising its construction, thus replacing the older temple that was on the holy site in the city that had shrine (Spielvojel,2011). This temple was the major in Greece and the initial one to get constructed of the glass ball. Since then, Doric temples used to have thirteen pillars on opposite longer sides and six on end. Parthenon initiated the design of octastyle with eight pillars in front. The temple’s internal layout was to motivate just like the Phidias’s colossal sculpture of Athena Parthenos that dominated the planetary. It was forty feet high with the figurine holding a golden doll of triumph that was six feet tall. A long, engraved in relief, innovatively wrinkled the adjacent walls creating an ornamental phase of iconic structure in Doric order. The piece was 525 feet long; thus, Joan Breton, an Art historian, describes it as “showing 378 human and 254 animal figures….the largest and most comprehensive leak of Athenian mindfulness we have…this moving depiction of honorable faces from the distant past…the largest, most elaborate narrative tableau the Athenians have lest us.”
In designing the Parthenon’s structures, mathematical ratios were put into consideration that exists in the natural spectacle. The architects’ anxiety with these decrees of quantity paralleled by the effort of Greek theorists to comprehend the universal laws fundamental to nature. Knots and columns are not straight as they employ the entasis theory whereby they curve at the center of every column slanting inwards as the foundation rise toward the frontage. The swelling of the columns portrays the subconscious impression of muscular effort, that is: breathing, arching, swelling, straining, and leaning (Spielvojel,2014). The whole design was to give the structure a unique and un-upsetting eminence of something with life-like. This construction has received more praise since its construction. Plutarch, a Roman historian, described it as “no less stately in size than exquisite in the form” while Le Corbusier referred to it as “the basis for all measurement in art.”
Still, in the classical period, the development of male nude by the sculpture led to a standard style that contrasted significantly from the non-natural rigorousness of past periods. The work represents a nude muscular fighter who is stepping forward, turning his head slightly on the right. His left hand could have primed a spear that initially rested on his left shoulder. The sculptor portrayed a relaxed attitude with a flexible body, self-assured faces, and smooth muscle. However, the figures had natural features that made it resemble those of life being. The idea for the sculptor was not to achieve the realism but the ideal beauty of human being. Basing on some work by Polyclitus showed that using excellent ratios basing them on mathematical proportions in nature can result in producing a form of an ideal man with beauty in its perfected form. This can get concluded that the ideal beauty was the primary aspect of classical sculpture.
This period grew a remarkable intellectualism in Greece history. In writing history, it was another ideal time for Greece. The procedural way of keeping the past was first the idea from Greeks. Herodotus, the author of The Persian Wars, which got referred to as the first actual history in western civilization (Spielvojel,2011), did significant work in geeks history. The fundamental theme in Herodotus’ work was the conflict between the Persians and Greeks, which got observed as the fight between freedom and despotism.
Another historian was Thucydides, who is among the best world historian from Athens and participated in the Peloponnesian war. During the war, he was the general, but after Athens was defeated, he was sent to exile that gave him the chance to focus on writing about the History of the Peloponnesian War. In his writing, Thucydides perceived politics and war in purely rational terms as activities of human beings, unlike Herodotus, who believed gods and divine forces as causal factors in history (Perry,2015). In his study, Thucydides gives a notable understanding of the human situation, whereby he argues that political conditions reappear similarly, and thus studying history is of considerable significance in understanding the present. This history has helped more western countries in terms of politics and their social wellbeing, thus civilizing themselves.
Greeks Drama culture is another aspect that inspired western civilization as Greeks used it for more significant reasons rather than entertaining. Greeks are the first to create Drama, their main reason for Drama was to educate citizens by passing important information which attracted support from the government. Artists developed plays that could be played outside theaters, especially in religious festivals and other traditional festivals. Initially, Drama retained stability as actions were limited since the emphasis was made on the story and its meaning. Most of the Greek Plays represented calamities of heroes that ended with a disaster. Aeschylus was the first playwriter who is famously known for his seven tragedy plays. With time, the Greeks developed comedy-dramas that used to critique politicians and intellectuals (Perry,2015). This classical aspect of Drama has inspired more on western civilization as they act movies and plays that are educative and entertaining to the audience. The western countries have emerged to be the best actors as their movies and plays are live-like. From the Greek Dramas, western countries use them to pass information, criticize a negative behavior, and entertain. And as a way to glorify god.
In conclusion, Greece has led to a transformative civilization of the western countries through innovation and art. Her historical inspiration was due to the availability of great thinkers and philosophers who were thirsty for knowledge and wanted to add more to the existing. Also, the freedom and independent mind to express ideas during the classical period led to the emergence of admirable cultures by western countries. Its civilization model and need to utilize the resources inspired the civilization of the west significantly.
Reference
Perry, M. (2015). Western civilization, a brief history. Cengage Learning.
Spielvogel, J. J. (2011). Western civilization: volume c: since 1789. Cengage Learning.
Spielvogel, J. J. (2014). Western Civilization: Volume I: To 1715. Cengage Learning.