Comparison of Ancient and Modern Greek Culture

Comparison of Ancient and Modern Greek Culture

Conclusion

The ancient and the modern culture of Greece are uniquely connected sharing some commonalities such as religious connection and hero veneration. This is a culture that has stayed relatively the same over two millenniums, and it will not be changed easily anytime soon.

By: Tristan Hurst

Modern Culture: Military

While today Greeks do not have an extremely strong military, they do still value heroism. One example of Greeks favoring courageousness and military strength is that a person in the book is friendly to the main characters when he finds out they are Scottish because a British soldier held off the Nazis from invading too much of Greece in 1941 and this person associates them with this act. This shows that while many things may have come and gone, heroism never went out of style.

Ancient Culture: Military

In ancient Greece, the military was everything. The only traits that a man needed were courage and aptitude in battle. This is seen in Oedipus Rex when Oedipus doesn't worry about his sons because they don't need to rely on anyone but themselves to be okay. This is also exemplified in Sparta. Spartans were always at war and every male was required to serve in the military.

Modern Culture: Women

Many things have changed considering the status of women in Greece. This was evident from the first chapter in my book. The author introduces us to Foteini. She alone takes care of her entire ktima, or small farm. Throughout the book, Foteini is shown to be hardy and tough, traditionally "male" characteristics that are challenged by this woman in the novel.

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Ancient Culture: Women

Women in ancient Greece were seen as the inferior gender. In Athens they weren't considered citizens. In Sparta, they did not fight. In Oedipus Rex, Oedipus worries about his daughters because no one will want to marry them and that was the only way for a woman to get anywhere back then.

Modern Culture: Religion

The predominant religion within modern Greece is Eastern Orthodoxy. While differing from the myths and legends from ancient Greece, it is still a cultural force that holds people together. In my book, it said that the entire town was put on pause for the Church bell. This shows unity under religion

Introduction

Video of Church Service

For our Greek culture comparison project, I read the book Things Can Only Get Feta. This book is the story of a journalist who moves to Greece in the midst of the recession in 2007. I chose this because it is a very recent book that had an interesting premise.

Ancient Culture: Religion

The religion in Ancient Greece was a polytheistic religion that was passed down through oral tradition. This common religion united the otherwise opposing city-states into one cohesive cultural group. This kept them strong and is why they are still talked about today.