The history of the ancient Greeks is one that is intriguing and has captured the interest of many people today- historians, scholars and the average J

The history of the ancient Greeks is one that is intriguing and has captured the interest of many people today- historians, scholars and the average Joe. People enjoy going back in time and seeing how societies progressed. We hear of many stories of the ancient Greeks. Mythology, stories of gods and wondrous creatures, served as the foundation for Greece. Nevertheless, not all of what we believe we know is accurate. Many accounts have been changed over time leading to misconceptions. Here are five misconceptions that continue to linger about ancient Greece. 1.Greece, a Unified Nation It is often thought that ancient Greece was a unified nation but this wasn’t the case. Due in part to Greece's geography, ancient Greece was made up of hundreds of essential independent city-states. Mountains, hills and water bodies acted as barriers between the communities. The network of communities had some commonalities such as religion and language; however, alliances between city states were shaky and transient. Since each polis was run differently, there was no real uniformity. While some powers were governed based on a democratic system, others adopted more conventional forms of government. 2. The Spartans We have often heard that the polis where the Spartans resided was called Sparta. This is inaccurate. It was actually called the Lakedaimonios or Lacedaemon. The greatest of the Greek poleis, Lacedaemon had Sparta as its capital city. It is also believed that Spartans were indomitable warriors. This wasn’t quite the case. Rather than having an interest in philosophy or poetry, the Spartans paid interest in engaging the boys from the age of seven in military training. In spite of all the training, in 371 BCE, Sparta lost miserably at the Battle Leuctra. 3. Technological Advancements When we hear of the ancient Greeks, wars, Spartans and their buildings come to mind. Many people are of the misconception that these are all that the ancient Greeks were known for. The ancient Greeks' contributions to technological advancement is underestimated. There were some great minds in ancient Greece such as Plato who created the alarm clock and Archimedes who made the first steam cannon. Lighthouses, weather stations and watermills are the handiwork of the ancient Greeks. 4. The Olympic Torch Lighting The thrilling and much anticipated Olympic Games where athletes showcase their athletic prowess began in Athens in 1896. There are some aspects of the games that date back to this time but some do not. The lighting of the Olympic torch is one aspect we all look forward to at the commencement of the games, but this tradition began in 1936 in Berlin. Dr. Carl Diem was inspired by ancient Greek drawings to create the torch. After the Second World War, the Olympic torch had a new meaning- peace. 5. The Library of Alexandria The Library of Alexandria was one of the wonders of the ancient world. Alexander the Great was a soldier as well as a scholar. The library was built in his honor after his passing. It contained between 40,000 and 400,000 books and scrolls obtained from all over the world. Many people are of the belief that the library was destroyed by a Muslim army. Actually, it was an accident. During the Egyptian Civil War, Julius Caesar got involved when he sided with Cleopatra and Ptolemy and his forces besieged Caesar. To get out, Caesar destroyed the harbor. A fire spread and burnt the Library of Alexandria to the ground.

Misconceptions We Have About Ancient Greece

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