The achievements of the Athenians

The Achievements of the Athenians

The achievements of the Athenians, according to Lakeoff and Sanford (40), still have an effect on contemporary society. This administration is responsible for all innovations, including those in literature, architecture, philosophy, and the democratic form of government. All subsequent human generations have been greatly influenced by the Athenians.

The Democratic Form of Government

The democratic form of government thrived for the first time in the Athenian Empire, according to Navy and Gregory (85). Most of the Athenian Empire’s leaders shared a single great passion: politics, in contrast to the majority of lawmakers in Athens today who are primarily motivated by self-interest. They took every precaution to avoid being implicated in corruption scandals, and more significantly, they were approachable. They would gladly listen and attend to the needs of their subjects. Actually, it is because of such dedication that Athens rose to the greater heights people talk about today, subsequently turning into the bedrock of the western civilization.

Equality Amongst All Athenians

In addition, Lakeoff and Sanford (41) assert that there was equality amongst all that lived in Athens. Regardless of an individual’s race, social status, tribe and nationality, everyone was entitled to fairness. This was possible because of Pericles, a true statesman who championed for equity amongst Athenians. For instance, he spearheaded the passing of a bill which paid the jurors salary. Moreover, he quashed a law that allowed the only the affluent citizens to hold high profile positions in the government. Instead, he replaced it with a law that allowed all the members of the public, regardless of their social status, to vie for elective positions and participate in his governance. Nevertheless, the contrary happens today in Athens. Most of the political positions are occupied by self-centered folks.

Promotion of Arts in the Athenian Empire

Navy and Gregory (86) state that Athenian Empire also promoted the evolution of Arts. The ’Golden Age’ recorded monstrous developments in architecture and Literature. An example of a monumental structure that exemplified such massive progress was The Parthenon. This was a temple that was dedicated to Athena, the goddess of wisdom. However, the situation of there is different today. There is poor drainage system coupled with worn-out building constructions. The last renovations were done in 2004 just before the Olympic Games.

Progress in the World of Academia

In the world of academia, Navy and Gregory (85) maintain that the Athenian Empire promoted much progress. Herodotus, a great historian of the time made a lot of achievement by beginning a system of writing down history texts. Moreover, the era also gave birth to a great scientist like Hippocrates. Even so, with the current unpleasant situation of the city, not many scholars can thrive and turn Athens into the eye-catching city that it used to be.

Conclusion

There is no way anyone can deny the bitter fact that Athens has today turned into an eyesore. The feeling of compulsiveness and impermanence is inevitable. The ancient buildings are filled with holes and cracks, depicting the fact that there have not been any recent innovations. Howbeit, the city being the cradle land of modern civilization, needs to be revived.

References

Navy, Gregory. “From Athens to Crete and back.” Classical Inquiries: Studies on the AncientWorld from CHS.2015, p. 85-86.

Lakeoff, Sanford. ”Inequality as a danger to democracy: reflection on Piketty’s warning.” Political Science Quarterly, vol. 130, no. 3, 2015, p. 40-41. Academic OneFile, Accessed 3 Nov. 2017.