The Golden Age

Throughout history, many ancient civilizations a period of prosperity called the Golden Age. A Golden Age is when a civilization enjoys a stable government and a strong economy. The civilization would also have cultural and intellectual achievements made throughout this period of time. Greece had many attainments that are still practiced and seen today, and that influenced other civilizations in the ancient world. The Han Dynasty also was a very technologically advanced civilization and created many revolutionary inventions that changed the way that humans live forever. Both civilizations went through their own golden ages and although they were very different civilizations, the amount of influence they had on the world was equally amazing.
The Golden Age of Greece began after the intense conquest of the Persians during the Persian War. The Golden age of Greece was also known as the Age of Pericles and it lasted from 460 BC to 429 BC. The reason why it was known as the Age of Pericles was because Athens was under the statesman Pericles. Pericles was extremely wise and had clever leadership, which caused the economy to grow well and the government had become more democratic. Art, philosophy, mathematics, science, and architecture also thrived during the period of time.
One achievement that was made during this golden age was the development of Greece’s government. Greek leaders such as Pericles and Solon (Athenian statesman, lawmaker, and poet) created laws and sculpted the government towards the direction of democracy. Solon began economic improvements to excuse the debts of the lower classes, therefore providing some required economic equality. The change from aristocratic leaders to more democratic leadership happened because of an aristocrat named Cleisthenes, who wanted there to be more civic participation in the government. Pericles also tried to encourage equal rights for all free citizens. For example in Document 1 it states, “Nor do we discriminate against the poor. A man may serve his country no matter how low his position on the social scale.” Even though not every single person was able to vote in Greece (women, slaves and male Athenians who did not live within the city limits of Athens were not allowed to vote) these modifications in Athens formed the first stirrings of democracy in history.
Another achievement during the golden age of Greece was the advancement in architecture, more specifically the Parthenon. The Parthenon was built because the Persians burned another building the Greeks were in the process of creating, in that same area. The Parthenon was a temple to dedicate Athena and was built from 447 BC until 432 BC. The Parthenon is considered to be an example of the Doric-style construction. Dorics are heavy fluted columns with plain, saucer-shaped capitals and no base. The temple stands on three steps, has 8 columns at the façade (the face of a building), and seventeen columns at the flanks (the sides of a building). Basically, the plan of the Parthenon is a simple rectangle, with large columns holding a sloping roof. The Greeks paid great attention to simplicity, proportion, perspective, and harmony in their structures.
These two revolutionary achievements greatly impacted other civilizations. Early Americans took Greece’s ideas of democracy, and modified it into their own government.
Greece’s government and the United States of America’s government don’t contrast each other that much either. They both have a group of people who make the laws, people who interpret the laws and resolves conflicts, and a group who puts the laws into effect. The architecture of Ancient Greece also influenced the architecture in Ancient Rome. The Romans took Greek ideas and incorporated it into their own buildings and temples. The Romans took the idea of Doric columns and added a separate base and beautification. Roman temples also included columns on the façade and putting in the triangular pediment. Lastly, Roman theaters that were built were almost identical to that of Greece except that they built the stage building one level higher. Greece’s achievements had a major role in the development of other civilizations. There was many Chinese golden ages however, the Han Dynasty experienced the truest golden age which was during 206 BC-220 AD. The cause of this period of success is because of the powerful leadership of the Emperor Wudi. Under Wudi China has strengthened their government and their economy, which is one of the most necessary aspects to have a golden age. It also included expanding the Silk Road as a major trade route. During the Han Golden Age many accomplishments were made not only in the field of politics, but also in technology, arts, math, and medicine. One important achievement during the Han Golden Age in the field of medicine was acupuncture. Acupuncture is a way of healing that uses diagrams of points to direct energy in the body. Doctors insert needles into certain points in the skin, this process apparently cures diseases and relieves pain. Acupuncture developed in the year 2500 BC. When acupuncture was just beginning to be developed, the Chinese used needles made of stone because back then there was no steel or iron. A Chinese surgeon, Hua Tuo, thought of a unit of measurement called the “tsun” which uses the width of a patient’s finger to find out where their acu-points (locations on the body that are the focus of acupuncture) are. Zhen Jiu Jia Yi Jing is a 12-volume book written by Huangfu Mi and it was the first book written about acupuncture itself. Another accomplishment made by the Chinese people of the Han Dynasty Golden Age was the invention of paper. Before the invention of paper, bones, tortoise shells, and bamboo slips were used as surfaces to write on. However, as the Chinese civilization developed, they proved themselves unfitting because of their weight and size. As a result, in 105 AD, T’sai Lun improved the making of paper by using bark and hemp, which was then beaten to a pulp with a wooden mallet, as seen in document 6. These raw resources could be easily found at a much lower price so large amounts of paper could be made. This new method of papermaking had become one of the most revolutionary inventions of Ancient China. Although acupuncture and papermaking were very extraordinary achievements back in Ancient China, they also widely contribute to life today. Acupuncture is still used in many countries all over the world. In the 6th century, the knowledge of acupuncture traveled to Japan and other countries in Asia such as, Korea and Vietnam. This Chinese medicine arrived in the U.S. from the doctors who immigrated here, several as early as the 1800's. Since then, the methods of acupuncture were slightly modified such as changing the shape and material of the needles. Before, the needles were made of stone and bamboo, but as the time went by the main needle that is used today is made out of stainless steel. Acupuncture today is still used for the same purposes that they were used in the Han Golden Age. The method of papermaking is also still widely used today and has a large impact on the people of the modern age. The invention of paper has made it easier to keep records of history, science, math, and other human knowledge and accomplishments. Also if it wasn’t for the invention of paper, there would be no such thing as the printing press in Europe (Document 7), and the printing press resulted in a wide spread availability of books, and it helped share knowledge easier and faster. Greece’s golden age and the Han’s golden age contrasted widely, but their ideas and inventions had a big role in other civilizations. In the Golden Age of Greece their concept of democracy was incorporated into the United States of America’s government and even other countries across the world. The types of architecture during Greece’s time can still be seen today in numerous places and buildings that uses columns and designs that were created by Greeks. The Han Dynasty’s development of acupuncture has also spread from one country to another and although some aspects have changed the main roots of this medicine stayed the same. Papermaking also had a huge impact on the world today and has become a major role in everyone’s daily life.