INTRODUCTION:
The earliest Greek
civilizations thrived nearly 4,000 years ago. Yet, their culture still impacts
our lives today.
Here are some of the gifts the ancient Greeks
gave to the world:
The ancient Greeks did not have one king or queen.
They lived in city-states. Each city-state was a separate political unit.
Daily life was somewhat different in the Greek city-state of Athens, for
example, than it was in the city-state of Sparta, or even in Corinth!
TO BE GREEK: The ancient Greeks all spoke the same language.
They believed in the same gods. They shared a common heritage. They
perceived themselves as Greeks.
TO BE A CITIZEN OF A CITY-STATE: The ancient
Greeks referred to themselves, however, as citizens of their individual
city-states. Each city-state (polis) had its own personality, goals,
laws and customs. Ancient Greeks were very loyal to their city-state.
The ancient Greeks were very proud of their
city-state! They were also proud of being Greek. The ancient
Greeks were thinkers. They loved to talk. They honored their gods and respected
honor. They loved beauty, music, literature, drama, philosophy, politics
and art. Welcome to ancient Greece!
Meet
the Greeks