In retrospect

• How man invented cities– revelation of signs and symptoms of accelerating and intensive human evolution and glimpse of foundation of civilization

• Where nations began- pictured how nations( ex.Egypt)came to being via centralized governance, social symbols, and religious allegiance

• War and Man’s past- military history manifesting the evolution of man’s social values and institutions

How and where did western civilization take its distinct shape?->Greek civilization

• Epitome of distinct western civilization for its:a.)concepts of order, proportion, harmony,

balance and structure which gave way to classical thought and art.

b.) emphasis on humanism where man was considered as the measure of all things( vs. the eastern collectivism)

c.)purpose of attaining levels of creativity and excellence.

Highlights of Greek civilization

1.) OLYMPICS- Greek commitment to excellence through reason and science

2.)POLIS System- unique socio-political system of local government which rested on slavery and exclusion of women to political processes

3.) PELOPONNESIAN WAR- 2,000 years of internal war among greek city states which exposed the weakness of the Polis system( over reliance to public participation and undermining individualism)

4.) ALEXANDER’S CONQUESTS- conquest of non-greek world which resulted to the fusion of greek and oriental cultures---HELLENISTIC AGE-> Alexandrian library, great copies of greek cities, culture exchanges, travels, explorations, scholarships, researches.

5.)ROMAN DOMINATION- over powering of roman superior military but survival of greek ideals; copying of greek culture to roman life; creation of roman imperial government and unique conception of law; dominance of latin language with greek thoughts which practically molded european values-> greek culture + roman law= Mediterranean unity and emergence of CLASSICAL IDEALS