Greek colonization, much like the colonization of Africa and Asia by European powers in the early twentieth century, was an act of achieving land, recourses, and influence, and thus, power. The eventual expansion of the Greek Empire was unique, however, in that it was one of the first major exercises of colonization ever noted in the history of civilization. A number of things, but most notably, the shortages in the existing territories (both land and recourses), the desire for new trade routes, and the re-emergence of the written language facilitated the Greek expansion.
Prior to the widespread colonization by the Greeks, existing cities were growing by population and exhausting the land around them. Traditional plots of land reserved for Greek citizens were becoming smaller, and in some cases, non-existent. It was clear to those in leadership positions that overcrowding was becoming a rampant problem for the Greek cities, and in order to facilitate it, more land was needed.
The need for land, however, is not necessarily the primary reason for the Greek expansion. As previously noted, economic reasons were prevalent, also. In his book, The Greeks Overseas, Boardman notes that, "...geography and commonsense combine to suggest that trade normally preceded the flag...
it's also important to note that Greeks brought metallurgy innovations to the non-Greek world: iron, which dramatically increased strength of metal tools and weapons and cupro-nickel (used in coining). A number of Asian peoples also adapted Greek alphabet and papyrus. But in many cases influence of Greeks was considerably obvious only in Asian kingdoms, as most of Mediterranean non-Greek cultures stood on the same level of development as Greeks. For
Whereas the Greek had a balanced view of the values inherent in both the physical and the intellectual, the Romans were more practical, and valued war above intellectual abilities. As mentioned, Rome freely adopted parts of other cultures and religions, including Greece. The Romans hoped for a better afterlife than the Greeks did, which explains the appeal of Christianity to the nation. While a good afterlife was a prospect for
Mediterranean agriculture therefore turned out as extraordinarily market-oriented. Slavery turned out to be a further key component of the Mediterranean world economy. Aristotle was among the Philosophers who came up with the justifications for requisite of slavery to a proper society, for exclusive of slaves it would have been challenging for aristocrats to learn what was required to maintain culture or have the time to nurture political virtue. Slaves were
Romans 2 Greeks CULTURES ECONOMICS GEOGRAPHICAL TERRAIN GOVERNMENT TRADE PRACTICES RELIGIOUS BELIEFS PHILOSOPHY It was seen in history that a number of beliefs and the practices Romans adopted were from Greeks. In a nut shell the roman had adopted many of the things from Greeks related to their philosophies, culture, etc. (Ancient history Tran, 2010) Art and ARCHITECTURE Romans have adopted the art from Greeks. Roman art has a variety of work. Painting, sculpturing and architecture were the famous forms of
The fact that Greece is resisting greater oversight of its financial dealings is not laziness, or profligacy, but its very different view of long-term values than Germany. Germany places a strong value on long-term planning, persistence, and thrift. It cannot understand why a nation would hide its debt, in hopes that no one would notice and everything would 'be alright' in the long-term, so long as short-term pleasures were satisfied.
Classical Greece Desire, Emotion, and Knowledge: Greek Society and Culture in the Classical Period (480-338 B.C.) Following the aftermath of Greeks' victory over Persians during 480-479 B.C., Greek society has undergone rapid changes and revival in its political, economic, and cultural structures, called the Classical period of Greek society and culture. This period, 480-338 B.C., is characterized by the emergence of new reforms in the society, such as the establishment of a
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