Verified Document

Greek Civilization Ancient Greece Term Paper

Greek Civilization Philosophy and Ancient Greece

Polis State

The ancient Greek civilization was one of the most advanced civilizations of their time. They were innovators in their own class as they were one of the first civilizations to develop a functioning society, economy as well as a political system. Setting up a political system was one of the most innovative and bold things to do. In those times the Greek lived in small states rather than one nation. This was the establishment of the polis or better known as the city-state. Despite introducing a political system, the polis had to go through several teething problems. Politics was an experimental system with no definite foundation. The problems could be traced back to the time when autocratic rulers ruled the city-states. Due to the transformation of societies a definite political system could not be established. Even though a democracy was established, it wasn't a well-defined one. The governments of these city-states were ruled by the oligarchy (which meant "rule by a few." This system was totally flawed as the "selected few" belonged to the elite and wealthy classes. Only free male citizens of the city were allowed to vote while women, slaves and foreigners weren't allowed voting. This eliminated a lot of people from voting and controlling the city.

Democracy was nothing more than a sham. The rights of the people weren't being represented. However there were a few philosophers who felt the need to develop a proper ethical as well as political system. There was a lack of ethics in society as the government was free to do whatever it...

These governments had established very harsh rules as well as unjust laws, which would only benefit or affect one section of society. With the influx of ethical philosophy, the citizens and the society could learn more about life. They could get more guidance to the various aspects of life and learn to see it in a new light. These philosophies were basically ideas on how everything should be conducted.
There was the lack of total guidance. Eminent philosophers believed that there should be a total balance in the system or society would come to a total collapse. With the establishment of proper guidelines and a proper way of life, life could be given a total balance. A lot of factors such as the role of human nature, the morality of politics, as well as the rule of law came into view. With the help of a proper philosophical system the citizens of a city-state would learn to uphold all the morals in society and also learn about their rights.

Aristotle

Aristotle was one of the most eminent philosophers. His views reflected those of the common man. However he believed that every citizen of society should have the freedom to do anything they wanted. They should have the freedom of speech, movement and choice. They deserved the rights to have less pressure on them and function in a free society rather than a suppressed society. If the government rules with a fair hand and exercises the moral and legal rights of the citizens, then everything goes in a smooth pattern. "And that the best form of government is that under which the most people will be happy." As long as the government is good,…

Sources used in this document:
Bibliography

1. Reading in Ancient History, Nels M. Bailkey, Richard Lim
Cite this Document:
Copy Bibliography Citation

Related Documents

Ancient Civilization Study
Words: 1515 Length: 5 Document Type: Research Paper

Ancient Civilization Study Education was an important aspect of Greek Civilization and played a significant role throughout the Hellenistic and Roman eras. During the Hellenistic period, sports education and education in gymnasium played a significant role in the lives of Greek youths as it was an important part of Greek culture. The goal of this paper is to analyze the Greek educational system. Education in Ancient Greek Civilization Education was an important aspect

Ancient Greece Developed Eastern Side Mediterranean a
Words: 732 Length: 2 Document Type: Essay

Ancient Greece developed eastern side Mediterranean a series loosely connected City-States. Here seeds modern science. Greek philosophers / scientists, Plato Aristotle (Hellenic Era) wealth devote time study natural phenomena, abstract ideas mathematics, astronomy..ID Ancient Greece: Overview Ancient Greece is often called the cradle of civilization because the city-states of Greece, most notably Athens, gave birth to concepts that still inform modern life, such as the significance of empirical, rationalist science and the

Ancient Greece Greek History the Impact of
Words: 1420 Length: 3 Document Type: Essay

Ancient Greece Greek History The Impact of Alexander and the Development of Democracy The development of democracy in Greece came about due to many factors, each playing a significant role in a slow process. It can be traced back to the election of Solon and his impact on the polis of Athens. He created a four-tier class system, awarding political privileges to those in each class (Ober, 1998). While more say was given

Greek Polis Ancient Greek City-States
Words: 399 Length: 1 Document Type: Term Paper

These fundamental concepts of a polis also illustrate the similarities between the Greek polis and modern western civilizations. However, there are some significant differences between the polis and modern society. For example, our cities and states are not organized in a geographic fashion which includes an agricultural area and an urban center. Our cities and states are also not necessarily sovereign. Although the United States affords individual states the opportunity

Ancient Greece & Rome the
Words: 2369 Length: 7 Document Type: Essay

At any stage in the proceedings, "judgment could be entered by default, but it could also be set aside "…except in the case of perjury established by judgment of court" (Calhoun, 309-10). The incidents mentioned above pertain to civil law only, and reflect the intelligence of the ancient Greeks when it was obvious that trivial cases could be handled in "cheap and speedy" kind of justice (Calhoun, 310). In the

Ancient Greece Art And Architecture
Words: 2250 Length: 8 Document Type: Essay

Essay Topic Examples 1. The Parthenon: A Testament to Ancient Greek Architectural Genius:      Explore the architectural features, construction techniques, and cultural significance of the Parthenon, highlighting its role as the epitome of Classical Greek architecture and its enduring legacy in contemporary design. 2. The Evolution of Greek Sculpture from Archaic to Hellenistic Periods:      Analyze the progression of Greek sculpture, examining the stylistic changes from

Sign Up for Unlimited Study Help

Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.

Get Started Now