Ancient Greece had many traditions that were way ahead of their time. Here are a few things in the modern world that took inspiration from ancient Greek traditions.
Greece is the oldest and first human civilization, and its effects are visible in the Western world. The modern world owes ancient Greece a lot about its traditions and culture. It will not be wrong to say that the Greek traditions nurtured parts of the modern world. The ancient Greeks changed the modern world, and there is no doubt about it.
History can be a fascinating subject, and interest in Greek history and mythology is not uncalled for. Greeks might not have had a Spectrum mobile internet connection, but they were still way ahead of their time. The modern world has taken up important concepts of art, government, and culture from the Greeks. Here are a few of the things the Greeks have inspired in the modern world:
#1: Sports and Athletics
Greece is known as the pioneer of the modern-day Olympics. The Olympics is still the biggest sporting event in the world and happens every four years. You will be surprised to know that it first happened in Olympia, hence the name. We owe the Olympics to ancient Greece, and the games continued for over 1000 years, starting from 776 BC. Some of the traditions like the Olympic flame and the opening and closing ceremonies are still the same.
In ancient Greece, the winners would get fame and glory, and it is the same now. Only we have replaced glory with gold medals. The Olympics were held in honor of the Greek god Zeus. Even the concept of the modern marathon came from Greece. It gets inspiration from the distance a warrior ran to reach Athens.
#2: The Alphabet
The ancient Greek alphabet is the oldest alphabet known to man in the Western sense of the word. The distinct Greek alphabets had specific sounds for vowels and consonants. We still widely use them in scientific experiments as variables. The 24 letters start from Alpha to Omega came into existence in the Dark Ages. Even the word “alphabet” originates from “alpha” and “beta”, the first two letters of the Greek alphabet.
#3: Modern Medicine
Hippocrates, a Greek man, is the “father of medicine”. He wrote many medical essays about the correct way to diagnose, prognosis, and treat illnesses. Every doctor in the modern world still takes the “Hippocratic Oath” before practicing medicine. Even though the Greeks did not create medicine, they still played a major role in the modern practice of medicine. Ancient India, Rome, and Egypt practiced medicine but had no proper guidelines.
The Greeks were the first ones to bring method to the madness. They were the first ones to bring ethics into medicinal practice. Many of the ways that we use medicine and diagnose illnesses have to do with ancient Greek practices.
#4: Philosophy and Literature
Other than the medical essays of Hippocrates, philosophers and poets from ancient Greece had a lot of influence. We cannot ignore the works of Homer and Herodotus when we talk about the impact of Greek prose and poetry. Works like Odyssey and Iliad are still classics the modern world is exploring. The ancient literature style of poetry also takes inspiration from Greek literature. Similarly, the works of Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle are the giants of philosophy.
#5: Sciences
We have already established how much the field of medicine has grown under the Greek umbrella. The Greeks also made strides in sciences like Physics, Chemistry, and Geometry. We have all learned the Pythagoras theorem and the Archimedes Principle in high school books. They are Greek concepts that made their way into modern science as a vital part of them. They were expert observers and analyzed the world like no other civilization.
#6: Architecture
Remains of ancient Greek architecture in the modern world are the Acropolis of Athens and the sanctuary of Delphi. Before the Greeks, buildings were only as important as their utility. There was no beautification or aesthetic involved in the design. The Greeks were the first to use columns in their buildings that were only there for the design aesthetic.
The modern world still uses columns and pillars in many governmental and official buildings. You can find Greek inspiration in the designs of Parliament, memorials, libraries, and courts in all countries across the world.
#7: Government
Politics in Greece took a whole new meaning with the advent of “democracy”. The concept in the modern world is the best way to form a legitimate government. Democracy means the forming of a government where power lies with the people. The idea of a majority vote and the creation of rule was put forth by the Greeks.
If it weren’t for the Greeks, the power dynamics would have differed in the modern world. Power would have still been a divine right of oligarchy or monarchy. Even worse, power would have meant military might, and the world would be fighting like rabid dogs.
