Essay - Classical Greece Desire, Emotion, and Knowledge: Greek Society and Culture...

Classical Greece

Desire, Emotion, and Knowledge: Greek Society and Culture in the Classical Period (480-338 B.C.)

Following ***** aftermath of Greeks' victory over Persians during 480-479 B.C., Greek society has undergone rapid changes and revival in its political, economic, and cultural structures, called the Classical period of Greek society and culture. This *****, 480-338 B.C., is characterized by ***** emergence of new reforms ***** the society, such as the establ*****hment of a new Atheni*****n democratic government, the gradual assertion of women equal treatment in a patriarchal ***** *****, ***** the flourishing ***** ***** arts through philosophy, literature, mathematics, and science.

Indeed, the Classical period is more appropriately described as a time wherein hum*****n potential and intelligence is at its highest. As Plato had stated, "Human behavior flows from three main sources: desire, emotion, knowledge." ***** statement from ***** Greek philosopher brings into lucidity the important works of literature that had helped change ***** course of Greek history. In desire, Greeks have shown their need to become independent from colonizers and establish their own form of government. Through emotions, Greeks were able to discuss ***** express everyday life according to prevalent social issues. Lastly, ***** served as the guiding principle in which Greeks have enriched their society and culture through intellectual development.

These assertions are discussed thoroughly in the texts that follow. Using texts ***** Thucydides, Euripides, and Plutarch, this paper provides an in-depth look at ***** important cultural and social *****s that occurred in ***** during the Classical *****.

***** of the most important events that occurred in Greece ***** this period is ***** establishment of an Athenian democracy. A new ***** ***** government ***** Athens developed, mainly because Sparta became inactive right after the Greeks have attained freedom from Persian rule. Thus, since ***** had greater leadership and naval power ***** made it necessary to maintain Greece's freedom, Sparta gave the bastion of ***** to Athens. From the Delian League, Greeks began building a new *****, which includes a democr*****tic legislation and the existence ***** a popular assembly, which is composed of 51 to 1, 50***** c*****izens. What makes ***** democracy remarkable during the ***** is the absence of a police force, truly a mark of the *****'s desire to become a democratic empire.

*****, in his dis***** entitled, "The ***** League becomes the Athenian Empire," elucidates on the function of ***** Delian League for the eventual establishment of the ***** Empire and democracy. He defends the ***** League as a necessity for post-colonial A*****ns, since he considers the allied nations comprising the Athenian Empire as inefficient, ***** "defections" are prevalent. He cites these "defects" as follows: (1) their (allies) neglect to pay the tribute or to furnish ships and (2) failure ***** military service. ***** this discourse, it is evident that Thucydides argues for the abolition of the *****mer alliance of A*****ns before the Persian *****. Being subjected ***** colonization allowed Greeks to reconsider the kind of governance that they want to have in the society—that is, a