Good morning, we are going to look at the first episode of Ascent of Civilization and The Greeks. The run time for this episode is 50:31.
Democracy. The Olympic Games. The Ancient Greeks established these earmarks of civilization. Greece is in the Mediterranean world. Island got the sea around Greece. There are extensive olive groves and oak forests on the mainland. About 3,000 years ago the Greeks began here. Greece was made up of city-states and they were at constant loggerheads. The only thing these city-states have in common was their language and their gods. So, what made this place the home of a great civilization? First, we learn about the Greek gods. They lived on Mount Olympus like one big happy family. From here they interfere with humans whenever they want. Greek art portrayed them as humans as if they were top models. They were neither omnipotent nor were they omnipresent. This runs contrary to what we imagine gods to be. The gods are morally imperfect and they fight with each other. Despite this, they were referred for thousands of years. Zeus was the most colorful of the gods and he ruled them all. Then there was Demeter, who was in charge of the harvest. Poseidon was the god of the sea. Athena was the goodness of wisdom and war. These are just a few of the gods mentioned. The gods were consulted about everything. Delphi was the center of the world, and this is where the people went to inquire about the gods. Offerings were brought and without these offerings. The oracles are given by a priestess. The questions were asked by the priest. Behind closed doors, the priestess went into a trance and then would give the oracle. Not much is understood about these rituals or the trance. There are many theories as to what caused the priestess’ trance. Did she inhale fumes? Did she drink something that would cause her trance? However, the Priests were the ones who presented to policy and they ran the business at Delphi. The narrator was funny when he said, the more generous the gifts, the clearer the prophecy. Additionally, the priests went out into the world to learn more about each place and would come back armed with this knowledge. The Greeks were observant of the world around them. They wanted to understand the world around them through thought. The Greeks observe nature in detail. They develop tools to measure the circumference of the earth. The water clock is developed. They also developed an allotment machine to select and elect officials. The thirst for knowledge travels through Greece. Schools are established. Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle are famous Greek philosophers. One philosopher develops a way to determine if the King’s crown is made up of pure gold or if other medals were mixed into it. The first steam engine, water pump, and latitude and longitude are developed. Geometry and algebra go back to the scholars of Ancient Greece. A reform in Athens would change Greece forever. Athens is in crisis. The common people rebel against the King. They want to have a say in government. After the revolution, the common man could be a part of the assembly. The citizens of Athens meet once a month to talk politics. This marks the beginning of a new system: democracy. The kings are overthrown and the people rule. Democracy emerges as a result of fighting each other and then eventually defending themselves from the Persians. Poor and rich fought shoulder to shoulder: their independence was at stake. Athens builds a naval fleet. The Greeks eventually beat back the Persians. Everyone helped beat back the Persians and they want to have their say in government. The voice of the ordinary man held weight in Athens. What else did Greece give to the world? What about Democracy? Tune into the rest of this documentary to find out more. The recreations were fascinating and the episode had a good flow to it. The documentary moved along at a brisk pace. The recreation of the allotment machine was cool and it was cool to see it in action. In Bettany Hughes’ documentary, the animation was good but the recreation was even better! This would be a series geared towards older students in high school and college students.
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