Athens is one of the oldest and most influential cities in history. Its cultural, political, intellectual and artistic achievements in the first millennium BC laid the foundations of Western civilization and continue to inspire us today. In this blog post, we will explore how Athens contributed to the development of Western civilization in various fields, such as democracy, philosophy, art, literature, science, and warfare. We will also examine the challenges and crises that Athens faced and how they affected its legacy.
Athens and Democracy
One of the most important contributions of Athens to Western civilization was the invention of democracy. Democracy means “rule by the people” and it was a radical form of government that gave power to the citizens rather than to a king or a tyrant. Athens developed democracy in the late 6th and early 5th centuries BC, after overthrowing the dictatorship of Hippias with the help of Sparta. The leader of the democratic movement was Cleisthenes, who reformed the political system by dividing the population into ten tribes based on residence rather than on kinship. He also created a council of 500 citizens chosen by lot to propose and debate laws, and an assembly of all male citizens to vote on them. He also introduced ostracism, a procedure that allowed the citizens to exile a potential tyrant for ten years by writing his name on a pottery shard.
Democracy in Athens was not perfect or universal. It excluded women, slaves, foreigners, and non-landowners from political participation. It also faced internal conflicts, such as the rivalry between the aristocratic and the democratic factions, and external threats, such as the Persian invasions and the Peloponnesian War. However, democracy in Athens was a remarkable experiment that inspired later generations of thinkers and activists who fought for freedom, equality, and human rights.
Athens and Philosophy
Another major contribution of Athens to Western civilization was the birth of philosophy. Philosophy means “love of wisdom” and it was a way of seeking knowledge and understanding of the world through rational inquiry and dialogue. Athens was the home of some of the most famous and influential philosophers in history, such as Socrates, Plato, Aristotle, and many others. They explored topics such as ethics, politics, metaphysics, epistemology, logic, rhetoric, aesthetics, and natural sciences.
Socrates was considered the father of Western philosophy. He was known for his method of questioning everything and challenging conventional opinions. He taught his students to seek the truth by examining their own beliefs and assumptions. He also advocated for moral excellence and social justice. He was condemned to death by the Athenian democracy for corrupting the youth and impiety.
Plato was a student of Socrates who founded the Academy, the first institution of higher learning in the Western world. He wrote dialogues that recorded the teachings of Socrates and developed his own ideas on various subjects. He proposed the theory of forms, which claimed that there are ideal realities beyond the physical world that can be accessed by reason. He also envisioned a utopian society ruled by philosopher-kings who would have access to this higher knowledge.
Aristotle was a student of Plato who founded his own school called the Lyceum. He wrote treatises on almost every field of knowledge that existed at his time. He criticized Plato’s theory of forms and argued that reality can be studied through observation and logic. He developed a system of logic that became the basis of Western reasoning for centuries. He also classified living beings into categories and laid the foundations of biology. He also wrote about ethics, politics, physics, astronomy, psychology, poetry, and drama.
Athens and Art
A third contribution of Athens to Western civilization was the development of art. Art in Athens reached its peak during the 5th century BC, also known as the Golden Age or the Age of Pericles. Pericles was a statesman and orator who led Athens during its hegemony over the Delian League, an alliance of Greek city-states that fought against Persia. Pericles used the funds from this alliance to beautify Athens with public buildings, temples, statues, and monuments that showcased its glory and culture.
The most famous example of Athenian art is the Parthenon, a temple dedicated to Athena, the patron goddess of Athens. The Parthenon was built on the Acropolis, a hill that overlooked the city and served as its religious and civic center. The Parthenon was designed by the architects Ictinus and Callicrates and decorated by the sculptor Phidias and his assistants. It was a masterpiece of architecture and sculpture that combined harmony, proportion, symmetry, and elegance. It also featured a frieze that depicted the Panathenaic procession, a festival that celebrated Athena’s birthday.
Athens also produced some of the finest examples of pottery, painting, and theater in the ancient world. Pottery was a common and practical art form that was used for storing and transporting liquids, food, and other goods. Athenian pottery was decorated with scenes from mythology, history, daily life, and sports. Painting was a less common and more expensive art form that was mainly used for decorating walls and panels. Athenian painting was known for its realism, perspective, and shading. Theater was a popular and influential art form that was performed in open-air amphitheaters during religious festivals. Athenian theater consisted of two genres: tragedy and comedy. Tragedy was a serious and solemn drama that dealt with the fate of noble and heroic characters who faced moral dilemmas and divine intervention. Comedy was a humorous and satirical drama that mocked the follies and vices of ordinary and prominent people.
Athens and Literature
A fourth contribution of Athens to Western civilization was the creation of literature. Literature in Athens flourished during the 5th and 4th centuries BC, when it produced some of the greatest writers and works in history. Literature in Athens included poetry, history, oratory, and philosophy.
Poetry in Athens had a long and rich tradition that dated back to the 8th century BC, when Homer composed his epic poems, the Iliad and the Odyssey, which told the stories of the Trojan War and its aftermath. Homer’s poems influenced later generations of poets who wrote about heroes, gods, and myths. Some of the most notable poets in Athens were Hesiod, who wrote about the origins of the world and the gods; Pindar, who wrote odes to celebrate athletic victories; Sappho, who wrote lyric poems about love and friendship; Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides, who wrote tragedies; Aristophanes and Menander, who wrote comedies; and Theocritus, who wrote pastoral poems about rural life.
History in Athens emerged as a new genre of literature in the 5th century BC, when Herodotus wrote his Histories, which chronicled the Persian Wars and other events from various perspectives. Herodotus is considered the father of history because he tried to explain the causes and consequences of human actions rather than attributing them to divine will. He also collected information from different sources and cultures and included anecdotes and digressions. Another important historian in Athens was Thucydides, who wrote his History of the Peloponnesian War, which narrated the conflict between Athens and Sparta. Thucydides is considered the father of scientific history because he relied on eyewitness accounts and documents and avoided myths and legends. He also analyzed the political and psychological factors that influenced human behavior.
Oratory in Athens was a vital skill for citizens who participated in democracy. Oratory was the art of speaking persuasively in public on various occasions, such as courts, assemblies, councils, ceremonies, and funerals. Oratory in Athens developed into a sophisticated form of literature that combined logic, rhetoric, style, and emotion. Some of the most famous orators in Athens were Pericles, who delivered his Funeral Oration to honor the fallen soldiers in the Peloponnesian War; Demosthenes, who delivered his Philippics to rally the Greeks against Philip II of Macedonia; Isocrates, who delivered his Panegyricus to propose a pan-Hellenic alliance against Persia; Lysias, who delivered his On the Murder of Eratosthenes to defend himself against a charge of homicide; and Gorgias, who delivered his Encomium of Helen to praise Helen of Troy for causing the Trojan War.
Philosophy in Athens has already been discussed in the previous section.
Athens and Science
A fifth contribution of Athens to Western civilization was the advancement of science. Science in Athens emerged as a branch of philosophy that sought to explain natural phenomena through observation
