Research on Ancient Greece

What is it about Ancient Greece that makes it so monumental to us today?

And how can this be used in a game?

I am aiming to find out more about the way life was lived in Ancient Greece, their beliefs and values and their artistic culture, that has helped to shape modern society. 

To answer my question I will look at online resources that talk about Ancient Greek culture, their mythologies and their laws. There are many games that have used Ancient Greece as a template for their stories, but twisted to suit their own ideas, such as the God of War franchise which is heavily influenced by all things Greek.

The Ancient Greeks used stories to help them learn and understand the world around them. Gods, mythological monsters, heroes, all featured heavily in these tales. The family history between the Gods was complicated and dramatic. It was clear that the Ancient Greeks enjoyed drama - they had many plays based on tragedies that people flocked to watch. 

The period Ancient Greece was set in was known as the "Bronze Age" and this lasted from around 3200 - 1100 BC. It was called this because a revival had begun in terms of trade with the wider world, arts, crafts and writing re-emerged and city states developed. As the British Museum website states, by around 500 BC democracy had emerged in the city of Athens. In drama and philosophy, literature, art and architecture Athens was the pioneer. The city stretched from the Western Mediterranean to the Black Sea, creating enormous wealth. Additionally, every fourth year the Olympic Games were held in honor of the god Zeus, and this attracted people from across Greece. They are the reason why we still hold the Olympic games today, albeit less bloody. Ancient Greece has also influenced how we run government today, as the majority of the world uses a democratic, "for the people" system that originated in this time period.

Ancient Greece also gave birth to many famous philosophers that shape our way of thinking and viewing the world today such as Aristotle, Homer, and the originator of ancient medicine, Hippocrates. 

References

The British Museum. (s.d) Ancient Greece. [Online] At:

http://www.britishmuseum.org/explore/cultures/europe/ancient_greece.aspx [Accessed: 02.10.15].