Democracy In Ancient Greece

The ancient Greek civilizations was innovative in virtually every aspect of their society, transforming and influencing the rest of the world with structurally advanced architecture, sophisticated philosophies, and the world first democratic political assembly. Though speculation occurs about the true nature of innovative thinking in the ancient Greek world, the new ideas that developed there were among the most influential in human history. Ancient Greece had a democracy, which is a type of government where every citizen has a say in important decision-making. For example, the Funeral Oration of Pericles states, “Our constitution is called a democracy because the power is in the hands not of minority but of the whole people.” Democracy
The Greeks adopted post and lintel architecture from the Egyptians modifying and developing their own style of column. They were well known for using three styles of columns in their buildings the Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The Doric style is rather sturdy and its top, the capital, is plain. The columns are fluted. This style was used in mainland Greece and the colonies in southern Italy and Sicily. The Ionic style is thinner and more elegant. The capital is decorated with a scroll-like design, a volute. This style was found in eastern Greece and the islands. The Corinthian style is seldom used in the Greek world, but often seen on Roman temples. The capital is very elaborate and decorated with acanthus leaves. The buildings in Greece maybe still standing today that use this style of architecture are the Parathenon on the Acropolis in Athens was built in the Doric style. Also the Temple of Athena Nike located very close to the Parthenen in the Ionic style. Many U.S. government buildings have been using Greek architecture, for example the Supreme Court Building in Washington DC.
The main philosophers that were believed to “change the world” were Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. Socrates came up with the Socratic Method it was a stage in the history of dialectic, although it is still used today. It is a process of question and answer. Socrates would get a student to state a thesis and then by asking him questions would prove the thesis led to a contradiction. The Socratic Method generally involves Socratic irony. The Socratic method is a technique used in some college classes where the professor assumes the pose of someone who doesn 't know the answer to a question and then elicits attempts at answers from students. The professor shows the inconsistencies in the student viewpoint by means of further leading questions (Socrates). Plato and Aristotle are the oldest political thinkers who thought differently but still managed to bind together. Plato’s ideal city is based on the four virtues of wisdom, courage, moderation and justice. Wisdom makes the city wise, courage makes it brave, moderation is the understanding that everyone knows his or her role and justice means the “harmony that results when everyone is actively engaged in fulfilling his role and does not meddle with that of others” (Plato 85) .The Idealism, which refers to his theory of 'Ideas ', not to the more common usage meaning a 'dreamer ', that underlies many of his works led to