Greeks

Greeks, also called Hellenes, are people who live in, or are affiliated with, the country of Greece. There is no strict delineation of who can claim to be a Greek, such as how long an individual has lived in the country, or the number of relatives with Greek ancestry a person may have. The Greeks have a unique culture that has been shaped by their history, geography, customs, foodways, and language. These factors combine to form the cultural basis of the modern-day Greek government, economy, and current events.

Background

The history of Greece has had a strong influence on the way Greeks interact with the outside world, as well as how their culture and literature developed. The early city-states of Greece, most notably Athens and Sparta, were the centers of life for the Greek people. Different city-states had different qualities of life, as well as different outlooks on their contributions to the country. The Spartans were a strongly militaristic society, while the Athenians were more drawn to scholarship. This resulted in the Spartans being remembered for their military technology, while the Athenians are better known for their contributions to mathematics, physics, and philosophy. The city of Athens was home to the best-known Greek philosophers, including Plato, Socrates, and Aristotle. These three men were largely responsible for the establishment of the Greeks as a reputable source for philosophy, science, literature, logic, ethics, education, and democracy. These ideas have been expanded upon throughout the centuries by later philosophers, both Greek and non-Greek. Many recognized scientific principles, as well as the scientific method itself, have their origins in the early Greek scientists and mathematicians.

Several of the seminal works of Western literature include the Greek myths, the works of Aristotle, Plato, and Socrates, the stories of Homer, and the historical epics of Herodotus and Thucydides. The stories of the Greek gods were passed by word of mouth until they were collected and recorded, in part, by Homer. A major religious literary achievement of the Greeks was the translation of the Old Testament into Greek at the turn of the second century BCE, and the study of Greek mythology prevailed into the twenty-first century, even becoming the subject of several modern Hollywood film productions.

Topic Today

Modern Greek culture is well known for its contributions to culinary science and the simplicity of style in Greek food, which is based on Mediterranean cuisine. Vegetables and various meats, such as lamb, rabbit, pork, and poultry, are used. Heavy use of yogurts, olive oils, nuts, and honey characterizes the Greek cooking style. Greek cooking changes with the seasons, and Greek culture strongly encourages self-sufficiency and reliance on the local economy.

The arts for the modern Greeks have many similarities to the arts of the founding Greek artists. The same materials and media are still used: oils, stone, marble, clay, paper, and ink. The overall themes of the Greek arts have remained the same, including religion and self-expression. However, some of the styles and taboos have changed. Whereas early Greek art sought to mirror everyday life to the best of its ability, expressionism, and modern art allows for more abstract methods of communicating a message. The same is true for the Greek style of writing and the taboos around it. As time progresses, the more lax the requirements to strictly uphold an ideal become. Artists are more apt to be creative and express ideas that long ago would have been heresy or illegal. Other contributions from modern Greeks continue in many of the same fields developed by their ancient ancestors, including science, technology, philosophy, literature, and the arts.

The Greek language is the oldest known Indo-European language, with a written history dating to 1450-1350 BC. It heavily influenced the development of many languages, including English. Over 13 million people speak Greek in the modern world.

In the twenty-first century, Greece is run by a parliamentary representative democracy. The population elects parliamentary figures, who elect the president. The prime minister, who is the head of state, is directly elected by the people. The voting population of Greece includes all Greek citizens who are eighteen years old or older. The Greeks hold several core political positions to be extremely important. The first is universal suffrage of all eligible citizens. Another is that education is an important responsibility of the state.

The political arena of modern Greece remains extremely dynamic. Various political factions move in and out of power, resulting in an unstable economy that is constantly in turmoil. The economy is closely tied to the success of the government. In the 2010s, the Greek economy crashed, resulting in the European Union providing an assistance package to the Greeks in 2010, 2012, and from 2015 to 2018 under the European Stability Mechanism. The program supported the Greek economy with around 61.9 billion during the 2010s. Following a record low in 2020, the Greek economy increased significantly each year between 2021 and 2024.

References

"Ancient Greece." History, 13 Mar. 2024, www.history.com/topics/ancient-greece/ancient-greece. Accessed 1 Jan. 2024.

Clogg, Richard. A Concise History of Greece. 4th ed., Cambridge UP, 2021.

Eshleman, Kendra. The Social World of Intellectuals in the Roman Empire: Sophists, Philosophers, and Christians. Cambridge UP, 2012.

"Greece Profile - Timeline." BBC, 28 Nov. 2022, www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-17373216. Accessed 1 Jan. 2024.

History of Greece: A Captivating Guide to Greek History, Starting from the Bronze Age in Ancient Greece through the Classical and Hellenistic Period to the Modern Era. Captivating History, 2021.

Luchte, James. Early Greek Thought: Before the Dawn. Bloomsbury, 2011.

Marshall, John. A Short History of Greek Philosophy. Philosophical Library, 2015.

Sowerby, Robin, and Brad L. Cook. The Greeks: An Introduction to Their Culture. 4th ed., Routledge Taylor & Francis Group, 2024.

Thornton, Bruce. Greek Ways: How the Greeks Created Western Civilization. Encounter Books, 2002.

Toynbee, Arnold Joseph. The Greeks and Their Heritages. Oxford UP, 1981.