Greek Impact On Mycenaean Society

The development of the “seeds” of modern society can be first found in Ancient Greece but Grecian civilization was greatly impacted by the societies that came before it. First the Mesopotamians, and then the Egyptians, moved from an agricultural and herding based culture to a new form of culture called civilization. This new culture was “marked by the appearance of urban centers, the mastery of smelting and with it the techniques for making metal tools and weapons, and the invention of writing”(“The Western Heritage”, xxxvii). Their influence spread to the Grecian island of Crete, where the Minoan civilization was created. The Minoans had a significant impact on the Mycenaeans, who populated the mainland of Greece. The collapse of the Mycenaean …show more content…
where, like many other cities, it was governed by kings. In 509 B.C.E. the monarchy was replaced by the republic which was “dominated by the institution of the aristocratic Senate” (“The Western Heritage”, lii). The Romans then went on the conquer the rest of the Italian Peninsula and by 168 B.C.E. they conquered Greece. Roman society was ascriptive because when Rome conquered new lands the conquered people were given what social status the Republic saw fit. Yet the seeds of egalitarianism were planted when people with municipal status were given the opportunity to gain full citizenship by moving to Rome. Also, allies were offered the possibility of improving their status in exchange for loyalty. These opportunities created a hope for human equality, that lives on even today. Not only did Rome’s conquests effect those who were conquered but they affected the culture of Rome as well. Roman culture was influenced by the Greeks, whom greatly admired. For example, the Romans, like the Greeks, were extremely religious and they worshipped Roman versions of the Greek Gods. The overseas conquests caused political and social problems in the Republic that led to its eventual downfall. In 46 B.C.E. Rome became a dictatorship under the ruler Julius Caesar until his assassination in 44 B.C.E. His successor Octavian went on to become Augustus the first emperor of Rome. The seeds of democracy had been planted in the …show more content…
Born in Judea, Jesus became a religious figure and accrued a following as he travelled through the Roman Empire preaching. He helped to plant the seeds of egalitarianism through his core belief of equality. In the New Testament this belief is expressed when it is stated that when you help even “the least of these my brethren” you have helped Jesus (A Christian View). Jesus also preached love, modesty and generosity. For example, in his Sermon on the Mount he proclaimed, “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust” (Jesus Preaches His Message). Statements like this surely resonated with the poor who must’ve felt they were treated unjustly. Jesus was crucified by Roman soldiers in AD 30 but his followers believed that he was resurrected three days after his death. Belief in his resurrection became a key part of Christianity. The possibility of salvation appealed to people throughout the Roman Empire and it easily spread, eventually reaching Rome. By AD 200 “Rome was the most important center of Christianity”(“The Western Heritage”, lix). In AD 395 Christianity became the official religion of the Roman Empire. The third, fourth and fifth centuries found the Roman Empire in a state of turmoil,