The Greek Culture

1
The Greek Culture

• Presentation by Janelle Loghry

2
History

• Early Philosophy
• Greece achieved its independence from the Ottoman
  Empire in 1829.
• Following the defeat of Communist rebels in 1949,
  Greece joined NATO in 1952.
• A military dictatorship, which in 1967 suspended
  many political liberties and forced the king to
  flee the country, lasted seven years.
• The 1974 democratic elections and a referendum
  created a parliamentary republic and abolished
  the monarchy.
• Greece joined the European Community in 1981.

3
Facts

• Population A little less than 11 million.
• Religion Greek Orthodox 98 percent Muslim
  1.3 percent other 0.7 percent.
• Size Slightly smaller than Alabama.
• President Costas Caramanlis
• Greece is known as the cradle of democracy.

4
The Genesis Story

• Pelasgian There was nothing but the goddess of
  all things, called Eurynome, and she had arisen
  from solely Chaos. She divided the seas, and
  danced, and from her movement creation had
  initiated. From her delicate fingers she begot a
  snake god, Orphion, and her child, seeing this
  breath-taking goddess prance about, was filled
  with desire, and coiled himself around his
  mother. She was impregnated with the Universal
  Egg. From this egg all the universe sprang the
  sun, moon, stars, earth, and all the world's
  creatures and critters. Eurynome then created
  seven planetary powers, and placed a Titan and
  Titaness to watch over each. The first man
  emerged from the dust of Arcadia his name was
  Pelasgus.He taught the rest of mankind all it
  needed to know about surviving.
• Homeric/Orphic it was Nyx light and Erebus
  darkness who gave birth to a silver egg in
  which Eros hatched and thus set the world in
  motion. This Eros was nothing like the
  mischievous cherub often associated with the
  Roman's Cupid, though this Eros was double-sexed
  with four heads and had created the earth, sky,
  moon, and planets. Nyx was personified as a triad
  of Night, Order, and Justice, and was the ruler
  of all of this until her power was granted to
  Uranus.
• Olympian First there was Chaos, and from Chaos,
  Gaia, or mother earth, emerged. She soon had her
  son Uranus, who instantly showered her with
  fertility and impregnated her with the
  Hecatoncheires hundred-handed giants, Cyclops,
  and Titans. Uranus and Gaia were also the parents
  off all the seas, mountains, and natural features
  of the world.

5
Mythology continued

• Their gods were personalized with individual
  strengths and flaws gods made mistakes, got
  embarrassed and were caught cheating on their
  spouses. But, also there were gods who were
  heroic, wise, loving, and developed essential
  crafts like weaving.
• Because Greece is a country of mountains and
  islands, in which isolated communities were able
  to develop their own distinctive beliefs and ways
  of life, the country is particularly rich in
  local folklore traditions.
• The Greeks used myth to explain natural
  phenomena, cultural variations, traditional
  enmities, and friendships. It was a source of
  pride to be able to trace one's descent from a
  mythological hero or a god.
• There are 4 different types of Gods
• Olympians The superior Gods
• Aphrodite,(love and beauty)Ares,(war)
  Apollo(Arts)
• Titans the beings who ruled before the coming of
  the Olympians
• Gaia (Earth Goddess), Atlas
• Chthonians these are the Greek gods and
  goddesses of Earth and the Underworld
• Hates, Thanatos (Death)
• Free spirits do not fit into a specific category
  
• Asklepios (Healing) Nike (Goddess of victory)

6
Womens Early Roles

• Controlled by the men
• Learned to read, household skills, simple
  mythology, spent most time at home with the other
  women
• Marriage Girls got married in their teens, often
  to 30 year old men. Fathers chose the husband.
  Girls must be virgins before marriage
• Wedding Ceremony Make an offering to the Gods
  and then share a cake with her husband.
• Women were not regarded as a part of the family
  until the first child was born.
• Life expectancy 35-40 years because of child
  bearing.
• Respectable women would not be seen in public.
  The men inherited all of the wifes possessions
  at the time of marriage.

7
Womens roles continued

• Three classes of women
• Wives class
• Stay at home and weave. Could not go in public
  except for religious ceremonies.
• Concubines
• Poor women, led to prostitution for survival.
• Hetaerae
• Educated women. Companions to men for a price.
  Meet men at parties. Intellectual companions as
  well.

8
Greek Men

• Leaders of the household
• Hunting, and work
• Social Life
• Not there much for the family
• Elders have a high status and should be treated
  with respect.

9
Dress

• Clothing for both women and men consisted of two
  main garmentsa tunic and a cloak.
• Fabric was brightly colored and made by hand by
  the women.
• Womens tunic reached to the floor. Mens were
  usually above the knees.

10
Music and Food

• Greek Music
• Greece is the source for an original European
  cuisine. The climate of Greece is conducive for
  growing olives and lemon trees and both of them
  form an important part of Greek cooking.
  Vegetables like aubergines and courgettes are
  commonly used. Garlic, thyme, basil, oregano also
  find pride of place in Greek food. Honey is used
  as flavor for desserts and the famous Feta cheese
  is usually a specialty ingredient.

11
The Olympics

• Hippias of Elis, a fifth century BC sophist, was
  the first to compile the initial victor list of
  the Olympic Games. According to him, the first
  athletic contest, the foot race, was held at
  Olympia, in Western Peloponnese, for the first
  time in 776 BC, in honor of the Olympian God,
  Zeus.
• the Olympic Games were not the first athletic
  events to be organized in the Mediterranean area.
  Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamians had a long
  tradition in athletic activities as shown by
  athletic scenes carved on the tombs kings and
  nobles.
• The Myceneans adopted all Minoan games and
  introduced chariot racing and more track events.
  In the Mycenean world the chariot was considered
  extremely important, as it is not only used in
  hunting and in war but for religious and funerary
  ceremonies as well.
• The Illiad and the Odyssey mention competitive
  games and sport.

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In Class Topics

• Power Distance High
• Uncertainty aviodance High
• Masculine Culture
• Indivualist culture Very competitive.
• Any Questions?

13
Sources

• Received on October 15, 2005,
• http//www.greekculturalcentre.org/factsaboutgreec
  e.htm
• Received on October 15, 2005
• http//seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/athens2004/2
  002000505_olygreekfacts10.html
• Received on October 17, 2005
• http//www.ahtg.net/TpA/modgreece.html
• Received October 20, 2005
• http//www.angelfire.com/ca3/ancientchix/
• Received October 20, 2005
• http//www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/grdr/hd_grdr.htm
• Received October 27, 2005
• http//www.areopagus.net/beginning.htm1
• Received November 1, 2005
• http//www.targetwoman.com/articles/greek-food.htm
  l
• Received November 1, 2005
• http//encarta.msn.com/media_681500053/RebC3A9ti
  ka_Music_of_Greece.html