Lauryn Lucatorto

Mr. Palcsey

Honors English 10

5/1/18

Culture of the Greek Classical Period

While Ancient Greece fell nearly two thousand years ago, it’s diverse and unique culture

has remained prevalent throughout the centuries. This is specifically true of the culture of the

Classical period, a time in Greek history that spanned nearly the entire fourth and fifth centuries

B.C. Though the Classical period is often characterized by violence and endless wars, it also

brought about many changes in the way people thought, which inspired some of Greece’s most

famous artists, scholars, and philosophers. The rich culture of the Classical period went on to

affect both Rome and much of the West. The unique styles of art, science, and culture of the

Classical Greek Period greatly influenced the ethos of the Roman Empire and created the

groundwork for the future of Western civilization.

Art was a defining aspect of Ancient Greek culture. Art was practiced in many forms,

including literature, architecture, theater, and visual arts. While Greeks respected all literature,

they tended to favor poetry most of all. “Poetry, in fact, became almost a second religion, and it

was created will all the care and insight that was accorded to visual arts,” (Bowra 14). The

Greeks considered poetry a vital art form and respected it greatly. They viewed it as equal to

visual arts because it was crafted just as carefully; each word was precise and chosen carefully.

Poets were greatly respected and thought to be holy, knowledgeable figures. While poetry had

been around for hundreds of years in Rome, the Classical period brought about some changes.
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During this era, the Greeks invented a wide variety of poems that are still used today. While the

Greeks are most famous for the epic, they also utilized lyric, charming poetry, comedy, and

tragedy. The epic is a well-known type of Greek poetry that tells of the adventures and hardships

faced by a noble and heroic character. Lyric poetry was an emotional form, usually sung by a

bard as they played the lyre. Comedy and tragedy dealt with humankind’s relationship with the

gods, in a heavy or light manner, respectively (Bowra 15). Ancient literature is not only an art

form, but often, serves as the most comprehensive surviving accounts of history. While Greek

myths were filled with fantastical tales of beasts and monsters, they also left behind a semi-

reliable account of history. The fifth century B.C. marked the beginning of more accurate

historical records. Greeks poets and writers began to focus on recording facts rather than fiction

(Bowra 16).

Another art form for which the Greeks are well known for is architecture. Ancient Greek

architecture is often characterized by domes and arches but was often much more complex. The

high point of Greek architecture were the temples to the gods. More time, effort, and money

were put into creating the temples than any other type of building (Garland 195). They had to be

built fine enough to please the gods. It is a common misconception that temples were used for

worship. The real purpose of temples was to house the statues of the gods and to keep them

content (Garland 195).

Visual arts as well were a prevalent part of Classical Greek culture. Sculpture was the

Greek’s favorite form of art, and their favorite subject was man (Bowra 28). The Greeks depicted

man in its most glorified form, physically fit and with beautiful features. This was also the same

way they portrayed their gods in art. This is an obvious contrast to the gods of other early

civilizations, such as the Egyptian gods, who often took on an animal form. Garland says, “The
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Greeks did not regard costly works of art to be symbols of status and wealth. To our best

knowledge not a single marbled or bronze statue ever graced a private home until the Roman era,

which witnessed a veritable craze for Greek statuary,” (192-193). Unlike art today, Classical art

was not considered a luxury good or a status symbol. Greek artists were paid by the state for

their work, and most works are art served a religious purpose (Garland 193). Another difference

is that the artists were often not given credit for their work. Therefore, few names of Greek

artists are known, and very little is known about their private lives (Garland 193). Even though

art was not considered a luxury, it was still very expensive. A bronze statue, for example, would

have cost an estimate of 3,000 drachmas (Garland 193). While it is difficult to calculate the

conversion of drachmas to dollars, it is estimated that one drachma is equivalent to twenty-five

US dollars. Bronze is only one example of a material used in Ancient Greek statuary. Some other

materials were marble, limestone, terra-cota, wood, gold, and ivory (Garland 193).

Greece is known for its many early attempts at grasping at the laws the govern science.

During the Classical period, Greece made advancements in many scientific fields. Medicine, for

example, was thoroughly studied. Late in the Classical period, around the fifth century B.C., the

interest in medicine flourished. Hippocrates of Cos, a famous physician of the age, caused this

new curiosity (Bowra 16). It was during this time that the quality of medical care greatly

increased. Doctors began to record information on a variety of symptoms and attempted to find

what worked best to cure them (Bowra 16). Previously, so-called physicians believed that

magical concoctions or incantations could heal injuries. Still, doctors were more skilled at

diagnosing a sickness than finding the correct cure for it. Doctors also began experimenting with

surgery on animals. Through this research, doctors learned how to heal fractures, dislocations,

and simple battlefield wounds (Bowra 16).

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Many famous Greek philosophers are still revered in the world today for the simple

reason that Greek philosophy is still very relevant. One aspect that made Greek philosophy so

great was that Greeks were free to question the ways of the world. They were not restrained by

structured theology, which allowed them the freedom of thought (Bowra 16). The first famous

Greek philosopher of the Classical period was Socrates. Socrates had a unique system of thought

that often got him into trouble. He did not believe in power and ambition, and never sought truth

for his own personal gain. He also rarely spoke of his religious beliefs. Socrates thoroughly

examined the world, but questioned every answer he came across, which often brought him to

dead ends (Bowra 137). Socrates was succeeded by Plato, who took Socrates’ beliefs and

teachings and greatly expanded upon them. Plato’s principles were also very unique for the time.

Plato believed an ideal state should be governed by a select few who are educated for the

position until they come of age at 35 (Bowra 140). He did not believe in the arts, but respected

poetry’s attempt to approach reality. Plato based his beliefs in monotheism, though he did not

insist of it in others (Bowra 140). While he was a very gifted and intelligent man, he often

believed the opposite of what Greece stood for.

Though Rome did set out to conquer Greece, they still respected Greek culture greatly.

They acknowledged Greece as Rome’s predecessors and based many of their beliefs off of the

Greek religion and philosophy. Even after Rome conquered all of Greece in the first century

B.C., the still considered Greece their superiors in science, philosophy, and the arts (Bowra 11).

Young Roman boys were often sent off to Athens receive their higher education, as the best

universities were found in Athens. Although Rome continued to expand upon ideas and

technologies that the Greeks had designed, they still never considered themselves above the

Greeks in these fields. “Despite the Roman's confidence in their own imperial mission and their
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gift for government, they felt, a little uneasily, that there was much in art, letters and thought

which they could never hope to do as well as the Greeks,” (Bowra 11). Although the reign of

Ancient Greece, ended, it’s culture lived on, prevalent in the Roman Empire for ages to come.

The fall of Rome, still, was not the end to the significance of Greek culture. Today’s

modern concept of Western civilization is based largely off of Greek ideas. Especially in recent

times, Greek culture has made a comeback in modern society. The appearance of myths in pop

culture, such as in movies, books, and shows, have revived an interest in Ancient Greece

(Garland 209-210). As a result of this newfound interest, the Greek classics are again being read

and studied. The Greek language too, is becoming more incorporated into civilization. Words

derived from Greek roots are being added to the English language, due to the need for scientific

and technological terms (Garland 210). “Over the course of the past two hundred years, Greek

words have been imported into the English language in vast quantities to describe new fields of

inquiry and new scientific accomplishments,” (Garland 210). The respect for Greek civilization

did not fade after the fall of the Rome. Greek ideas and way of thought was so well respected

that for over a thousand years, no one dared to question them. The West blindly agreed with the

Greek ideas of medicine, astronomy, and geography up until the 1600’s (Bowra 11). Still, some

Greek concepts are accepted up to this day. Greek philosophy, for example, has left an

overwhelming legacy on the modern world. The philosophies of Plato and Aristotle serve as the

base of the modern way of thinking (Bowra 137). For this reason, the works of Plato and

Aristotle are still widely studied today.

While the Greek city-state of Athens is often given credit for the creation of modern

democracy, it is widely debated whether democratic states truly trace their origins back to

Athens. Some argue that the Greek idea of democracy has so little do with the modern concept
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that they hardly deserve the acknowledgement. Ober said, “Greek democracy is typically and

rightly seen as differing from most modern forms of democracy in its emphasis on the relevance

of the direct participation of ordinary people in collective self-governance,” (4). However, some

similarities can still be seen. Athens did recognize the need for law and order and rejected the

concept of tyranny. They praised the idea of freedom but believed this only applied to male

citizens. All male citizens had certain rights such as being permitted to run for office, regardless

of social class (Bowra 22). While Greek democracy may be vastly different from its modern

form, it is worth acknowledging the similarities between the two.

The Classical Greek period was one of the most influential and revolutionary eras in the

arts and sciences. The art of this period was diverse in its forms, but precise and purposeful in

it’s creation. The many scientific improvements and breakthroughs made during this time were

influential in their respective fields years for centuries to come. The culture of the Classical

period lives on today in modern society. If it were not for the inspiration of Ancient Greece,

Western society would not exist as it is today.

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Works Cited

Bowra, C. M. Classical Greece. Time Life Books, 1965.

Gardner, Ernest Arthur. Relgion and Art in Ancient Greece. Harper & Brothers, 1910.

Garland, Robert. Daily Life of The Ancient Greeks. Greenwood Press, 1998.

Ober, Josiah. “What the Ancient Greeks Can Tell Us About Democracy.” Princeton/Stanford

Working Papers in Classics , Sept. 2007, pp. 1–27.