Greek impact on Western civilization
Western civilization has been the most successful civilization throughout history.
Its origins are based on:
1. Ancient Greece
two. Roman empire
3. Christendom
Greek culture influenced all three!
Greek impact on Western civilization
The Classical Age of Greece (8th century BC – 146 BC) was characterized by colonization and where the Greek culture and language dominated most of the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Homer’s Iliad and the Odyssey were the first two great epics in world literature to be written in this period.
During the Golden Age of Greece in the 5th century BC, the greatest artistic, literary, architectural, scientific, philosophical and sporting achievements took place.
After the Golden Age of Greece, Alexander the Great’s legacy to the world endures during the Hellenistic Age (4th to 1st centuries BC).
Alexander’s ambition was to Hellenize (make a non-Greek, a Greek) the world, so during this period, Greek culture and language dominated the Mediterranean and the Middle East.
Jerusalem and Athens
Judeo-Christian Tradition – Jerusalem
Christianity has a religious continuity with Judaism, the ancient spiritual heritage of the Jews.
Christianity takes its name from the Greek word “Christ” which means “Anointed” (with God’s blessing).
Judeo-Christian values have their roots in the Bible.
The early Christian Church was established after much suffering and martyrdom because many Christians were beaten, stoned to death, thrown to lions, tortured, and crucified.
* Logic and Reason – Athens
Athens represents the reason and logic expressed by the great Greek philosophers Plato and Aristotle, among others.
Logic influences a person’s choices and decisions that ultimately affect their lifestyle.
The reason is associated with the use of the intellect and then the application of logic based on new or existing information.
Impact of Hellenism on Christianity
The main centers of early Christianity were the four Greek-speaking in the East:
*Jerusalem
* Antioch
* Alexandria
* Constantinople (Byzantium)
* Rome was the Latin-speaking center in the West.
Hellenism and Judaism formed the basis of early Christianity because Greek remained the international language of the Greco-Roman period (332 BC – AD 395).
The New Testament was written in Greek and the Old Testament was also translated from Hebrew into Greek.
Greek was used to preach the Gospel of Christ throughout the later Roman Empire because the eastern half of the Roman Empire was predominantly Greek-speaking.
The names of the Apostles were also Hellenized and Greek names were also given to children throughout Judea and the Diaspora (eg Andrew, Peter, Paul, Thomas, Simon Philip, Alexander, Jason).
Saint Luke the Evangelist
Saint Luke the Evangelist, Greek physician and Christian historian, was born in the then Greek city of Antioch.
The Gospel according to Luke and the Book of Acts of the Apostles were written by Saint Luke the Evangelist.
Saint Luke was also the first iconographer to paint the image of our Blessed Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus in her arms.
Saint timothy
Saint Timothy, who was born in the Lycaonic city of Lystra, Asia Minor to a Jewish mother and Greek father, is a co-author of 2 Corinthians, Philippians, Colossians, 1
Thessalonians, 2 Thessalonians, and Philemon in the Holy Bible.
Hellenistic Alexandria
Alexandria was a center for biblical studies where the Septuagint, which was the oldest Greek version of the Old Testament, was commissioned.
The Great Library of Alexandria at that time (the largest in the ancient world) and its Museum had scholars such as Euclid (Greek mathematician and “father of geometry”) and Eratosthenes (Greek mathematician, geographer and chief librarian of the Library of Alexandria) who worked there.
Hellenistic Antioch
It was in Antioch that Gentiles (non-Jews) were first baptized into the Christian church and called Christians.
From Antioch, St. Paul undertook his first missionary journey to Christianize the Gentile (non-Jewish) world.
And it was in Antioch that the Gospel of Matthew was written.
Helena (c 249 – c 329)
Helene, the mother of the Roman Emperor, Constantine the Great was born in Drepanon, Bithynia in Asia Minor into a humble Greek family.
She became Empress of the Roman Empire and Saint (her son Constantine the Great is also revered as a Saint) of the Orthodox Church.
She married Constantius I, who was a Roman emperor from 305 to 306 and founder of the Constantinian dynasty.
Helene was the first Christian pilgrim to the Holy Land who built churches at the sites of the Nativity of Christ (in Bethlehem) and the Ascension (near Jerusalem) and is venerated as the discoverer of the Cross on which Jesus was crucified.
His son Constantine, renamed the city of Drepanon, in Asia Minor, the birthplace of his mother, “Helenópolis” after her death around 330 to honor her.
Constantinople
Biblical Asia Minor was the birthplace of many famous Greek saints that included Saint Nicholas, Saint George, Saint Luke the Evangelist, Saint Timothy, and Saint Basil, to name just a few.
Saint Paul, a Jew, was also born in Tarsus, Asia Minor.
Roman Emperor Constantine the Great established the Greek city of Byzantium in Asia Minor as the second capital of the Roman Empire on May 11, 330 AD.
However, Byzantium would become famous as Constantinople and capital of the first Orthodox Christian Empire – the medieval Byzantine Empire.
When Rome fell to the Germanic invaders, the Ostrogoths in AD 476. C., the Byzantine Empire happened to be known like “The Empire of the Greeks”.
Its people were Greek, their language and culture was Greek, and they referred to themselves as Hellenes or Graekos to preserve their ancient Hellenic heritage.
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