the ancient Greeks were known for the revolutionary politics and
revolutionary politics and
revolutionary politics and groundbreaking ways of thinking and are
groundbreaking ways of thinking and are
groundbreaking ways of thinking and are called the fathers of Western
called the fathers of Western
called the fathers of Western civilization but how much about them do
civilization but how much about them do
civilization but how much about them do you actually know welcome to
you actually know welcome to
you actually know welcome to watchmojo.com
watchmojo.com
watchmojo.com we’re counting down the five most
we’re counting down the five most
we’re counting down the five most fascinating things that you probably
fascinating things that you probably
fascinating things that you probably didn’t know about the ancient Greeks
didn’t know about the ancient Greeks
didn’t know about the ancient Greeks spark tags what is your profession
number five ancient Greece wasn’t a
number five ancient Greece wasn’t a country but a group of city-states a
country but a group of city-states a
country but a group of city-states a common misconception is that ancient
common misconception is that ancient
common misconception is that ancient Greece was one unified country sorry to
Greece was one unified country sorry to
Greece was one unified country sorry to burst your bubble but nope ancient
burst your bubble but nope ancient
burst your bubble but nope ancient Greece was actually comprised of many
Greece was actually comprised of many
Greece was actually comprised of many city-states called Peleus you’ve heard
city-states called Peleus you’ve heard
city-states called Peleus you’ve heard of places like Athens Sparta Corinth and
of places like Athens Sparta Corinth and
of places like Athens Sparta Corinth and Thebes saddle up kid we’re going to
Thebes saddle up kid we’re going to
Thebes saddle up kid we’re going to Thebes these were all ancient Greek city
Thebes these were all ancient Greek city
Thebes these were all ancient Greek city states these Peleus were typically small
states these Peleus were typically small
states these Peleus were typically small in terms of population in size and
in terms of population in size and
in terms of population in size and essentially like individual countries
essentially like individual countries
essentially like individual countries that only housed one city each because
that only housed one city each because
that only housed one city each because of this each paula’s had its own
of this each paula’s had its own
of this each paula’s had its own judicial political legal and currency
judicial political legal and currency
judicial political legal and currency systems which like we said basically
systems which like we said basically
systems which like we said basically made them independent countries despite
made them independent countries despite
made them independent countries despite these differences though the pelea
these differences though the pelea
these differences though the pelea shared some common features like
shared some common features like
shared some common features like language and broadly speaking religious
language and broadly speaking religious
language and broadly speaking religious beliefs which helped establish a
beliefs which helped establish a
beliefs which helped establish a connection and political alliances
connection and political alliances
connection and political alliances between the states even so Greece as we
between the states even so Greece as we
between the states even so Greece as we know it today did not exist
know it today did not exist
know it today did not exist number four Western literature began in
number four Western literature began in
number four Western literature began in ancient Greece as did pretty much
ancient Greece as did pretty much
ancient Greece as did pretty much everything Western really okay
everything Western really okay
everything Western really okay now name three things the Greeks did
now name three things the Greeks did
now name three things the Greeks did Forks do you enjoy reading books
Forks do you enjoy reading books
Forks do you enjoy reading books watching movies or even reciting the
watching movies or even reciting the
watching movies or even reciting the alphabet well you can thank the ancient
alphabet well you can thank the ancient
alphabet well you can thank the ancient Greeks they place considerable emphasis
Greeks they place considerable emphasis
Greeks they place considerable emphasis on both the written word and drama he’s
on both the written word and drama he’s
on both the written word and drama he’s making the story sound like some Greek
making the story sound like some Greek
making the story sound like some Greek tragedy in fact according to historians
tragedy in fact according to historians
tragedy in fact according to historians the Western literary tradition began
the Western literary tradition began
the Western literary tradition began with Homer when the poet or collection
with Homer when the poet or collection
with Homer when the poet or collection of poets is unbeliev created the
of poets is unbeliev created the
of poets is unbeliev created the timeless works the Iliad and the Odyssey
timeless works the Iliad and the Odyssey
timeless works the Iliad and the Odyssey this war will never be forgotten nor
this war will never be forgotten nor
this war will never be forgotten nor will the heroes who fight in it as
will the heroes who fight in it as
will the heroes who fight in it as evidenced by the myriad Greek
evidenced by the myriad Greek
evidenced by the myriad Greek amphitheaters that still stand
amphitheaters that still stand
amphitheaters that still stand we can also surmise that the Greeks love
we can also surmise that the Greeks love
we can also surmise that the Greeks love them some drama
them some drama
them some drama make sense they basically invented the
make sense they basically invented the
make sense they basically invented the format produced enduring works of art in
format produced enduring works of art in
format produced enduring works of art in both comedy and tragedy oh and the
both comedy and tragedy oh and the
both comedy and tragedy oh and the English language itself what English
English language itself what English
English language itself what English mother do you speak it yep that pretty
mother do you speak it yep that pretty
mother do you speak it yep that pretty much started with the ancient Greeks –
much started with the ancient Greeks –
much started with the ancient Greeks – they were the first to introduce vowels
they were the first to introduce vowels
they were the first to introduce vowels to written language giving rise to the
to written language giving rise to the
to written language giving rise to the Latin alphabet and the languages that
Latin alphabet and the languages that
Latin alphabet and the languages that subsequently stemmed from it give me
subsequently stemmed from it give me
subsequently stemmed from it give me award an award and I show you how the
award an award and I show you how the
award an award and I show you how the root of that word is Greek number three
root of that word is Greek number three
root of that word is Greek number three ancient Greeks were weirdly obsessed
ancient Greeks were weirdly obsessed
ancient Greeks were weirdly obsessed with a good beard ever notice that like
with a good beard ever notice that like
with a good beard ever notice that like every Buster statue of an ancient Greek
every Buster statue of an ancient Greek
every Buster statue of an ancient Greek man is rocking a long curly beard ever
man is rocking a long curly beard ever
man is rocking a long curly beard ever wonder why it’s not because they didn’t
wonder why it’s not because they didn’t
wonder why it’s not because they didn’t have razors the ancient Greeks saw the
have razors the ancient Greeks saw the
have razors the ancient Greeks saw the beard as a representation of masculinity
beard as a representation of masculinity
beard as a representation of masculinity I’m sure conversely they saw a smooth
I’m sure conversely they saw a smooth
I’m sure conversely they saw a smooth cleanly shaved face as feminine what’s
cleanly shaved face as feminine what’s
cleanly shaved face as feminine what’s more a healthy beard was also a sign of
more a healthy beard was also a sign of
more a healthy beard was also a sign of intelligence and philosophers like
intelligence and philosophers like
intelligence and philosophers like Socrates and Plato believed that a long
Socrates and Plato believed that a long
Socrates and Plato believed that a long beard was actually discharged from an
beard was actually discharged from an
beard was actually discharged from an overcrowded brain it wasn’t until
overcrowded brain it wasn’t until
overcrowded brain it wasn’t until Alexander the Great came along that
Alexander the Great came along that
Alexander the Great came along that shaving was encouraged but even then it
shaving was encouraged but even then it
shaving was encouraged but even then it wasn’t an aesthetic thing it was because
wasn’t an aesthetic thing it was because
wasn’t an aesthetic thing it was because Macedonian soldiers had been killed in
Macedonian soldiers had been killed in
Macedonian soldiers had been killed in battle after being grabbed by their
battle after being grabbed by their
battle after being grabbed by their beards I don’t like his beard what
number two ancient Greece produced some
number two ancient Greece produced some all-time geniuses you’re back damn thing
all-time geniuses you’re back damn thing
all-time geniuses you’re back damn thing we’re assuming that not every citizen of
we’re assuming that not every citizen of
we’re assuming that not every citizen of ancient Greece turned out to be a beacon
ancient Greece turned out to be a beacon
ancient Greece turned out to be a beacon revolutionary ideas truth is though
revolutionary ideas truth is though
revolutionary ideas truth is though civilization produced many geniuses that
civilization produced many geniuses that
civilization produced many geniuses that helped give rise to modern knowledge in
helped give rise to modern knowledge in
helped give rise to modern knowledge in school for those of the male persuasion
school for those of the male persuasion
school for those of the male persuasion whose families could afford it anyway
whose families could afford it anyway
whose families could afford it anyway boys were taught the fundamentals of
boys were taught the fundamentals of
boys were taught the fundamentals of reading and writing but also studied
reading and writing but also studied
reading and writing but also studied musical instruments and advanced topics
musical instruments and advanced topics
musical instruments and advanced topics like geometry and astronomy
like geometry and astronomy
like geometry and astronomy aside from philosophers like Plato and
aside from philosophers like Plato and
aside from philosophers like Plato and Socrates these schools also produce some
Socrates these schools also produce some
Socrates these schools also produce some other fantastic Minds such as the
other fantastic Minds such as the
other fantastic Minds such as the astronomer mathematician and geographer
astronomer mathematician and geographer
astronomer mathematician and geographer Eratosthenes who miraculously gave a
Eratosthenes who miraculously gave a
Eratosthenes who miraculously gave a nearly accurate figure of the Earth’s
nearly accurate figure of the Earth’s
nearly accurate figure of the Earth’s circumference by comparing the length of
circumference by comparing the length of
circumference by comparing the length of shadows at different latitudes
shadows at different latitudes
shadows at different latitudes so point being ancient Greece had its
so point being ancient Greece had its
so point being ancient Greece had its fair share of smartypants just mugged
fair share of smartypants just mugged
fair share of smartypants just mugged enough for a girl OH
enough for a girl OH
enough for a girl OH you think you’re smarter than me ah
you think you’re smarter than me ah
you think you’re smarter than me ah number one ancient Greek democracy was
number one ancient Greek democracy was
number one ancient Greek democracy was very different from our own ancient
very different from our own ancient
very different from our own ancient Greeks were the architects of democracy
Greeks were the architects of democracy
Greeks were the architects of democracy and Athens was its birthplace however
and Athens was its birthplace however
and Athens was its birthplace however the political system was far different
the political system was far different
the political system was far different from our own most modern societies
from our own most modern societies
from our own most modern societies practice a representative democracy
practice a representative democracy
practice a representative democracy where citizens elect officials to make
where citizens elect officials to make
where citizens elect officials to make most of the decisions the Greeks
most of the decisions the Greeks
most of the decisions the Greeks practice direct democracy where they cut
practice direct democracy where they cut
practice direct democracy where they cut out the middleman and vote on issues
out the middleman and vote on issues
out the middleman and vote on issues themselves there are reasons the system
themselves there are reasons the system
themselves there are reasons the system has rarely been used since ancient
has rarely been used since ancient
has rarely been used since ancient Greece to start it takes a lot of time
Greece to start it takes a lot of time
Greece to start it takes a lot of time to attend debates and votes so eligible
to attend debates and votes so eligible
to attend debates and votes so eligible citizens needed free time to focus on
citizens needed free time to focus on
citizens needed free time to focus on politics there is a lot of stuff in here
politics there is a lot of stuff in here
politics there is a lot of stuff in here it there’s a lot of interesting thanks
it there’s a lot of interesting thanks
it there’s a lot of interesting thanks Athenian citizens had free time because
Athenian citizens had free time because
Athenian citizens had free time because slavery they had lots of slaves also we
slavery they had lots of slaves also we
slavery they had lots of slaves also we said eligible citizens for them that
said eligible citizens for them that
said eligible citizens for them that only meant males over the age of 18 with
only meant males over the age of 18 with
only meant males over the age of 18 with an athenian heritage that’s oddly
an athenian heritage that’s oddly
an athenian heritage that’s oddly specific the vast majority of people in
specific the vast majority of people in
specific the vast majority of people in Athens had no say in how the place was
Athens had no say in how the place was
Athens had no say in how the place was run so while Athens is credited as the
run so while Athens is credited as the
run so while Athens is credited as the birthplace of democracy and some of its
birthplace of democracy and some of its
birthplace of democracy and some of its elements are similar to today’s
elements are similar to today’s
elements are similar to today’s political systems modern democracy is a
political systems modern democracy is a
political systems modern democracy is a very different institution for better or
very different institution for better or
very different institution for better or worse so which of these facts surprised
worse so which of these facts surprised
worse so which of these facts surprised you the most and would you want to hop
you the most and would you want to hop
you the most and would you want to hop in a time machine and check out the
in a time machine and check out the
in a time machine and check out the culture for yourself for more
culture for yourself for more
culture for yourself for more philosophizing top 10s and luscious
philosophizing top 10s and luscious
philosophizing top 10s and luscious curly top fives be sure to subscribe to
curly top fives be sure to subscribe to
curly top fives be sure to subscribe to watchmojo.com
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