Comparing The And The Odyssey - 998 Words

2. The Illiad and the Odyssey were so important to the Greeks because they were great works of literature and contained information of past events’, much like a bible or history book. It shaped their culture and what it meant to be a human being. The events of the Illiad and the Odyssey have been reflected in plays in ancient Greece and in the attitudes of many Greeks on what it meant to be a hero at that time. 3. The city-states of Ancient Greece were organized like tiny independent countries. One man, and a council of aristocrats ruled each state. Citizens were encouraged to develop their person by attending the gym, theater, and the agora. Most inhabitants were none-citizens such as women, slaves, and foreigners. The main†¦show more content†¦Even though this was viewed as a democracy, it wasn’t a true democracy because it left out 80% of the population, with their opinions and ideas left unheard. 5. The three main Greek philosophers were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Socrates is remembered for how he taught than what he taught. He liked to appear ignorant by asking lots of questions and helped expand the minds of others. He pointed out faults in people’s thoughts and understanding of life and society. Plato was one of Socrates students and adopted his philosophy and style of debate. The teachings of Plato have influenced the religious beliefs of many and wrote a number of dialogues discussing every kind of philosophical idea. He believed in the pre-existence and immortality of the soul, holding that life is nothing more than the imprisonment of the soul in a body. Aristotle was Plato’s best students and went to become one of the highest paid philosophers in history. He disputed Plato s ideas and said there was no proof, and then created a philosophy based on the earth, rather than on the heavens. Some of his key ideas were that happiness is the goal of life. 6. The classical era shaped many remarkable cultural achievements for Ancient Greece. Athens introduced to the world a direct democracy. In the Persian War, Athens was able to rebuild their empire after Persia had burned their temples and buildings. During the classical period painters and sculptors paid close attention to accurately