How Did Ancient Greek Culture Shaped Modern Culture

Even to this day, ancient Greece’s complex culture has shaped modern day cultures. Some of the particular values they had highlighted among most others, counting religion, faith in their gods, justice, leadership, ‘moira’ (fate), and honor, has shaped modern day society. To the Greeks, religion has the utmost influence. It pilots their lifestyle, describes natural procedures in the place of modern science, and sets their communal ranks. Even their observations of science are a quality to the gods. They viewed people of other cultures as unaware, and inferior. And did not think of this as arrogance. The peak status in the midst of them are the people closest to the gods. Through the culture, the Greeks believe the gods made them indestructible, as in the gods would protect them and would counsel them through all problems.
Insisted on by the mortal Greeks, justice is based upon their religion and beliefs.
All leaders should be accountable to showing justice, because they thought it was the will of the gods. When in any troubled situation of anything, even common sense, a Greek would ask a god for help. Any type of help they received would be carried out, because they thought it was the gods’ guidance. Justice was valued because any type of injustices were punished by the gods because they thought it was going against the gods’ will.

Any status of leadership was an authority figure of loyalty, honor, and respect. But these traits do have a few conditions. The leader must lead with democracy at heart. He must also think through his moira. Moira is the fate given to each person and is controlled by the gods. If the commander doesn’t ’okay’ his moira, he loses his loyalty, honor, and respect. For example, in The King Must Die, the king has to consent and accept his moira in order to lead. Next to religion, ’moira’ is very significant to the Greeks way of
life.

In Greek civilization, a person’s honor is valued higher then their own life, and than anything they have. For example, if one taunts another’s honor, the victim would risk his/her’s life to prove their honor, or themselves, to get their vengeance. So when a Greek’s honor has been harmed or decreased, the Greek would go as low as revenge to prove their honor. They would not look past the insult, but retaliate through revenge. To them, people who do not have honor are vulnerable, but in my opinion are more mature. For example, people who did not have honor would be punished through wealth and self preservation. The honorable man is more respected and valued because he is more likely to risk everything he has, including his life, to preserve his people.

The Greeks have lost a lot of their real culture, but ironically are remembered today as bringing to the world the majority of first great thinkers. But mostly through justice and leadership, which is applied throughout modern politics everywhere. The Greeks created a base for morals and wisdom that to this day would not make us as advanced without them.