INTRODUCTION
In Carl J. Richard’s book, Twelve Greeks and Romans Who Changed the World, he examines and outlines the influence that twelve men had on their societies, and even in future generations. The men outlined were Homer, Thales, Themistocles, Pericles, Plato, Alexander the Great, Scipio Africanus, Julius Caesar, Cicero, Augustus, Paul of Tarsus, and Augustine. Some of these men influenced their society more positive than others, but their power and impact would no doubt alter their own and future societies greatly. In this review, only a few of the men will be mentioned as some of their ideas are worth picking apart or analyzing to understand possibly where their ideas may come from, or perhaps why they had such controversial yet contemporary beliefs.
HOMER
In the very first chapter, it talks about the Mycenaeans and Minoans both having a deity named “Zeus.” This Zeus differed in both cultures. “The Minoan Zeus was the subordinate to the Mother Goddess, who was either his mother or consort” which means that perhaps the way women were looked at would have been different than in the Mycenaean culture. To reference a Mother Goddess would indicate that women might have a higher role within the culture, rather than …show more content…
Cicero has 106 orations, 900 letters, as well as countless essays that are political and philosophical; his poetry, however, was nothing to be admired. Cicero was exceptional at giving speeches, and was persuasive enough to convince people that they did not need any debt relief or land distribution. This strikes one as somewhat humorous, as debt would have probably been harsh during his times, but being a statesman, he would have worked for the rulers and the current leaders of that time. His poetry, incidentally, would have been so horrible that future poets and critics would make fun of him, despite how great his literary skills were in other areas of
In Carl J. Richard’s book, Twelve Greeks and Romans Who Changed the World, he examines and outlines the influence that twelve men had on their societies, and even in future generations. The men outlined were Homer, Thales, Themistocles, Pericles, Plato, Alexander the Great, Scipio Africanus, Julius Caesar, Cicero, Augustus, Paul of Tarsus, and Augustine. Some of these men influenced their society more positive than others, but their power and impact would no doubt alter their own and future societies greatly. In this review, only a few of the men will be mentioned as some of their ideas are worth picking apart or analyzing to understand possibly where their ideas may come from, or perhaps why they had such controversial yet contemporary beliefs.
HOMER
In the very first chapter, it talks about the Mycenaeans and Minoans both having a deity named “Zeus.” This Zeus differed in both cultures. “The Minoan Zeus was the subordinate to the Mother Goddess, who was either his mother or consort” which means that perhaps the way women were looked at would have been different than in the Mycenaean culture. To reference a Mother Goddess would indicate that women might have a higher role within the culture, rather than …show more content…
Cicero has 106 orations, 900 letters, as well as countless essays that are political and philosophical; his poetry, however, was nothing to be admired. Cicero was exceptional at giving speeches, and was persuasive enough to convince people that they did not need any debt relief or land distribution. This strikes one as somewhat humorous, as debt would have probably been harsh during his times, but being a statesman, he would have worked for the rulers and the current leaders of that time. His poetry, incidentally, would have been so horrible that future poets and critics would make fun of him, despite how great his literary skills were in other areas of