The rise of Greek civilization.docx

The rise of Greek civilization.docx

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TheriseofGreekcivilization

TheriseofGreekcivilization

Inallofhistory,mostpeoplefeelamazingordifficulttoexplainthanthesuddenriseofGreekcivilization.MostofwhatconstitutesMesopotamiancivilizationhasexistedforthousandsofyearsinEgyptandcord,andfromtherespreadtotheneighborhoodcountries.Butwhichhasalwaysbeenthelackofcertainfactors,untiltheGreeksthattheyprovideit.Greeksachievementsinliteratureandartiswellknown,buttheircontributioninthefieldofpureknowledgemadeevenmoreextraordinary.Theypioneeredthemathematics,①scienceandphilosophy;theyfirstwrotefrompurechronologyofthehistorybook;theyarefreetoponderthepurposeoflifeandtheworldofnature,withoutanyinheritedorthodoxyflailSuobound.Everythingthathappensissoamazingthatuntilrecenttimes,peoplestillmeetinamazingandmysterioustalkingabouttheGreekgenius.ButnowithasbeenpossibletousetheconceptofsciencetounderstandthedevelopmentofGreece,anditreallyworthtodosoalso.

Thalesphilosophyfromthebeginning,hepredictedaneclipse,soweareveryfortunatetobeabletodeterminebasedonthisfacthisage;Astronomerssaidtheeclipseappearedin585BC.Originally,regardlessofphilosophyandscience,sotheyareborntogetherintheearlysixthcenturyBC.Inthepast,Greeceanditsneighborswhathadhappenedthings?

Anyanswersarenecessarilyspeculativeinpart,butarcheologyinthiscenturyhasgivenustheknowledgealreadymasteredthanourancestorstobealotmore.

InEgypt,abouttheinventionofwritingaround4000BCinBabylonnottoolatetoo.Twocharactersarepictographicdrawingsfromthestart.Thesepicturesquicklyontheconvention,whichisknowingtheliteralwordstoexpress,likeChina,ascurrentlystillprevailing.Inthethousandsofyearsoftheprocess,thiscomplicatedsystemdevelopedintophonetictext.

EgyptandMesopotamiadevelopmentofearlycivilizationwasduetotheNile,theTigrisandEuphrates,theyweresoeasyandabundantagriculturalproduction.DivinekingthesecivilizationsinmanywaysabitliketheSpaniardsfoundinMexicoandPerucivilization,thereisapowerwithadespotic;inEgypt,helicensedtheentireland.Thereisapolytheistic,polytheismofthekingandthissupremegodhasaspecialintimacy.Militaryaristocracy,butalsopriestaristocracy.Ifthemonarchweakorunfavorablewar,priestsareoftenabletohumiliationroyalnobility.Cultivatorsoflandwereserfs,belongingtotheking,noblesorpriests.

EgyptianandBabyloniantheologytheologyisquitedifferent.ThemainconcernisthedeathoftheEgyptians,andtheybelievethatthesoulofthedeceasedtoentertheunderworld,where,accordingtotheirlifestyleOsiristojudgethemontheground.Theythinkthatthesoulwilleventuallycomebackinsidethebody;Thiscreatesamummyandaluxurioustombbuilding.Pyramidsis4000BCand3000yearendleafleaveswerebuiltbykings.Afterthisperiod,Egyptiancivilizationbecamemoreandmorerigid,andthereligiousconservatismmakesprogressimpossible.Whenabout1800BC,EgyptwasknownastheHyksospeopleconqueredbytheSumerians,whoruledEgyptabouttwocenturies.TheydidnotleavealastingmarkinEgypt,buttheyappearheretohelpEgyptiancivilizationmusthavebeenspreadinSyriaandPalestine.

Babylon'shistorywithmoremilitaristicthantheEgyptianmilitantnature.TheinitialrulingwasnotSemiticrace,but"Somaeven"people,theoriginofsuchapersonwedonotknow.Theyinventedcuneiform,conquerorofSemiticisfromherethattheyreceivedthecuneiform.Therewasatime,therearemanyindependentcity-statesfighteachother;butintheendBabylondominate,andestablishedanempire.OthercityofGodbecomesasubsidiaryofGod,andGodofBabylonwillgetMalGovernorgramslikethekindofstatusamongtheGreekgodsZeusandlateroccupied.Egyptalsoappearedinthesamesituation,onlymuchearliertime.EgyptianandBabylonianreligionjustasotherancientreligions,isakindofreproductiveperformanceoriginallyworship.Earthisnegative,whilethesunispositive.BullsaregenerallyconsideredpositivereproductiveperformanceoftheIncarnation,Godisverycommoncattle.InBabylon,theearthgoddessIshtargoddessamongthepublicisparamount.The"greatmother"inthewholeofWestAsiainavarietyofdifferentnamesandworshiped.WhenGreekcolonistsinAsiaMinorwhenthebuildingofthehouseforher,theycalledherArtemisandtheoriginalliturgicalacceptedover.Thisisthe"EphesiansDiAna"①origin.ChristiantookhertransformedintotheVirginMary,buttoEphesusreligiousconferencebeforetheprovisionsofthe"NotreDame"thistitleaddtoourgodmother.

Aslongasareligionandacombinationofimperialgovernmentinapoliticalmotivationwouldsignificantlychangethereligionofprimitivelook.Amalegodoragoddessandthecountrywillbelinkednotonlytoensurehisharvest,butalsotoensurevictory.Wealthypriestlyritualprescribedasetofteachingandtheology,andthevariouscomponentsofsomeofGod'sempirearearrangedinapantheon.

ThroughcontactwiththegovernmentofGodandmoralitywillhavecontact.LegislatorsfromGodacceptedtheircode,thusbreakingthelawisblasphemy.TheoldestknownCodexnowisaround2100BC,theBabylonianking罕姆拉thanCodex;kingdeclaredthiscodexisdeliveredbyMullGovernorgramstohim.Throughoutancienttimes,thislinkbetweenmoralityandreligionbecomeincreasinglyclose.BabylonianreligionandreligioninEgyptisdifferent,itismoreconcernedwithearthlyhappinessandprosperityratherthantheafterlife.Witchcraft,divinationandastrology,thoughnotpeculiartoBabylon,butinmoredevelopedherethaninotherplaces,andmainlytheydidinthelateantiquitygainedtheirstatusbyBabylon.FromBabylonalsohandeddownsomethingsbelongtoscience:

thedayinto24hours,thecircumferenceisdividedinto360degrees;andthediscoveryofeclipsescycle.Thisallowsthemtoaccuratelypredictlunareclipses,andcansomehowprobabilitytopredicteclipses.Babylonthisknowledge,wewillseebelow,Thalesisobtainedfor.

EgyptianandMesopotamiancivilizationsagriculturalcivilization,andcivilizationaroundthenation'sfirstcivilizationisanimalhusbandry.Commercialdevelopmentatfirstalmostentirelyatsea,withthecommercialdevelopmentontheemergenceofanewfactor.Untilabout1000BC,bronzeweaponsormanufactured,somecountriesdonothavetheirownonthemainlandthisessentialmetal,theyhaveengagedintradeorpirateplunderinordertoobtainthem.Piratesplunderjustatemporaryexpedient,butinthesocialandpoliticalconditionsfairlystableplace,businesswouldbeconsideredtobemoreprofitable.Onthecommercialside,Creteseemstobeapioneer.Abouttenacentury,wecansayfrom2500BCto1400BC,Cretehadexistedonanarthighlyadvancedculture,itiscalledminoxidilculture.Cretanartgivesrelicsinajoyous,almostdecadentluxuryimpression,andTempleterrifyinggloomthatEgyptisverydifferent.

Onthisimportantcivilization,SirArthurEvansandotherMorohitoexcavationsago,itisalmostunknown.Itisamaritimenationofcivilization,maintainingclosecontactwithEgypt（exceptageHyksosdominationistheexception）.ItisclearfromthepictureinEgypt,CretesailorsbetweenEgyptandCretebeenconsiderablebusiness,thisbusinessaboutwhenaround1500BC,reacheditspeak.ReligionseemstoCreteandAsiaMinorandSyriasharethesamereligiouspointofmany,butintheartsandthesamepointoftheEgyptiansomemore,thoughCretanartisveryingenious,andisfullthatcanbesurprisingvitality.CenterMinoanKnossosiscalledthe"CaminoPalace",thelegendaryClassicalGreekhasbeencirculatinginitsrecall.Creteisextremelymagnificentpalaces,butabouttheendofthefourteenthcenturyBCwasdestroyed,perhapsbyGreekinvadersdestroyed.Cretehistoricalchronology,fromtheEgyptianartifactsfoundinCreteandCreteartifactsfoundinEgyptandinferred;allourknowledgeisrelyingonarchaeologicalevidence.

Cretansworshipedagoddess,perhapsseveralgoddesses.Themostunequivocalgoddessisthe"mistressofanimals,"sheisahuntress,perhapstheoriginoftheclassicalArtemis①.Sheoranothergoddess,isalsoamother;inaddition,"theanimalmanofthehouse"outside,onlymaleGodisherminoritycarrier.ThereisevidencethatthepeopleofCreteisthebeliefinlifeafterdeath,asinEgypt,likefaiththatafterdeath,duringhislifetimeastheyaresubjecttopunishment.Butingeneral,fromCreteartisticpointofview,itseemsthattheyarehappypeople,andhavenotbeengloomysuperstitiongreatoppression.Theylikebullfighting,bullfightingwhenfemalefightersandmalefightersperformamazingstunts,likesurface.Bullfightingisareligiousceremony,SirArthurEvans,whothoughtbullfightingamongthehighestnobility.Handeddownpictureisveryvividandlifelike.

Cretanshadalineartext,butnoonecanidentify.Theyareinthecountryispeaceful,andtheircitieswithoutwalls;theycertainlyaresubjecttotheprotectionofseapower.

BeforethedestructionofcivilizationCamino,aboutwhenaround1600BC,itspreadtotheGreekmainland,thecontinentexperiencedagradualdegenerationofthestageuntil900BCsofar.ThismainlandcivilizationiscalledtheMycenaeancivilization;itisduetotheemperor'stombexcavationandexcavationonthehilltopfortressandwasfound,indicatingthattheyaremoreafraidoftheislandBikelitewar.MausoleumandfortressclassicalGreekimaginationalwaysgaveastrongimpression.Palacemo