wyl.p6.t4 Greek/Roman Synthesis Question #2

One of the most important contributors to the advancement of culture in Ancient Greece was Myron, a famous sculptor. He was known for his sculptures of gods, heroes, and athletes, normally in bronze. One of his most renowned sculptures was Discobolus, a bronze rendition of a discus thrower. It was created around 460-450 B.C. However, although the original sculpture was lost, the many copies still remind people of its influence and provide insight into the interplay of religion, science, and aesthetics of ancient Greece.
The statue was unique for its time because of its leap in the area of realism. Myron used the knowledge of science in his time to create the proportional and symmetric body of the discus thrower. The statue appears to closely embody the golden ratio, which had begun to make its way into art. The golden ratio, a measurement for the “perfect” rectangle (or most aesthetic rectangle), was probably used to determine the length of the limbs and compliments the defined muscles. However, the use of the ratio also causes the thrower to appear god-like because he is flawless. True discus throwers tend to have large legs and upper-bodies. Myron probably assumed that an athlete was as close to a god as a human could be because of the rigors his body could endure. This also implies that the Greeks valued aesthetics because of the sculpture’s beauty and flawless nature. The Greek gods were assumed to be aesthetically pleasing yet human in appearance. Discobolus provides the perfect combination of religion, science, and aesthetics.

wyl.p6.t3 Greek/Roman Synthesis Question 2

Within Ancient Greek art, poetry was heavily used to help explain religion, science, and as well the aesthetics of Greek society. Around the 8^th century B.C.E., Poets such as Homer whom wrote the Iliad and the Odyssey, giving epics of apparent historic occurrences and its heroes. Their relation to the order of Greek society and the will of the gods themselves were clear and prevalent themes in his epics throughout. For example, the Iliad discusses the chronology of the Trojan War. The entire story is heavily tied with actions the gods themselves committed on humanity as well as Greek societal customs. Even reading his poetry today, one is able to gain insight of the traditions, laws, and beliefs within Ancient Greek society and culture. Religion was heavily integrated into Greek society. Hesiod was one of the most important epic poets with his work, Theogony. Not only had, Theogony provided an explanation of how the Greek gods were created and how they established permanent control over the cosmos, but it also provided a large-scale synthesis of local Greek traditions concerned with the gods themselves. Within poetry, science was rarely brought up since, in poems, all happenings were due to the gods and their divine will upon humanity and nature. This reflected the times in which science was still a relatively unknown concept until figures such as Pythagoras and Hippocrates attempted to explain things. Even afterwards, poets often did not include science within their work since it proved conflicting with religion and was a controversial subject.

Team 3, Dylan Mulcahy, Jenny Zhan, Caleb Ong, James Jin

ash.p4.t7.Greek/Roman Synthesis Question 2

During the Greek/Roman era, the seminal catalyst to the western world, architecture served as a major form of art that distinguishes the unique culture and society that prospered. One such work of architecture is the Valley of the Temples which consists of seven temples all built in the Doric style. The seven temples: Juno, Concordia, Heracles, Zues Olympic, Castor and Pollux, Vulcan and Asclepius illustrate the importance of religion, science and aesthetics in the Greek Culture. The Temple of Juno was built in the 5th century B.C. and was used for wedding ceremonies until it was burned down by the Carthaginians in 406 B.C. The Temple of Concordia was built in the 5th century B.C. and remains the most intact of all the structures, providing tangible inspiration for modern Neoclassical design. The oldest of the temples, Heracles, is named after Heracles-commonly referred to as Hercules, a Greek hero who personifies strength, courage and glory. The Temple of Heracles was destroyed by an earthquake and consequently little remains. The Temple of Zues Olympic, built in 408 B.C. as to honor the victory of Cathage, demonstrates a concurrence between the Gods and the Greeks through several atlases. The Temple of Castor and Pollux, pays homage to the twin brothers who shared different fathers. When the mortal born Castor was killed, his immortal brother and son of Zeus, Pollux, asked his father to allow him to share his immortality with his twin brother resulting in their formation of the constellation Gemini-Greek for twin. The Temple of Vulcan, dedicated to the God of Fire, was built in the 5th century B.C. and is currently the most devastated by natural disasters and age. The Temple of Asclepius, in honor of the God of Medicine, was a gathering of the ill in search of better health. The specific dedication of the temples to certain Gods illustrates the Greeks appeal to religion. While the intricate designs and cratfsmanship indicate an appeal to aesthetics while the scientific methods of construction and the signs of astronomical study though the constellation display a well rounded society that remains astounding today.

Asher.P4.T3 Greek/Roman Synthesis Question #2 (art of theater)

In Ancient Greek times, one prominent form of art was displayed through theater. As an art, Greek theater developed aesthetic value, religious insight, and scientific influence toward the society in which it was created. One of the most influential individuals who drew the interest of many to this particular art was Sophocles, writer of the Oedipus Trilogy. With the vast number of people attending the plays, the Greeks had to engineer a theater and props that were both aesthetic and effective. The classical Greek amphitheater consisted of a stage and a semispherical crowd around it. Despite the ingenious design, disadvantages such as sight and sound hindered the audience from enjoying the full potential that the play offered. To combat these issues, masks with amplifiers and elevated shoes called cothurni, gave the audience a fair share of beautiful art and effectiveness.

Not only did classical Greek theater offer aesthetic value, but also a chance to communicate profound ideas such as religion, ethics, and morals. Plays were acted in the Festival of Dionysus, god of party and revelry, which showed that the Greek’s polytheistic religion played a vital role in their everyday life. One of Sophocles’ plays, Oedipus the King, which was performed at this festival countless times, offered intriguing questions that begged discussion and debate among the crowd during intermissions. Upon finishing the play, each member of the audience was expected to reach a catharsis, which would prompt them to question their role in society and make them a useful citizen. The catharsis was coined by Aristotle, one of Ancient Greece’s greatest thinkers along with Plato. Ultimately, Sophocles’ plays and the art of theater in general also influenced scientific development through Plato and Aristotle who made momentous discoveries in physics and reasoning.

Asher.p4.t9 Greek/Roman Synthesis Question

To answer the synthesis question we chose the Temple of Zeus. The temple was constructed by the architect Libon between 472 and 456 BCE. It was a model of a fully developed classical Greek temple of the Doric order. The building was made of low quality limestone that was unappealing to the eye. To resolve this problem, the builders coated it with a thin layer of stucco to make it appear to be marble. To them the perfect temple contained the allure of a marble exterior and a simple yet elegant geometry that consisted of carefully planned symmetry and perfect “ratios” of different components. To them, scientific perception of the world was mostly interlocked with their religious beliefs. Natural phenomenons were viewed as an act of the gods, so people attempted to please the gods through various methods. One such method was the temples; the temples were constructed to “house” the gods, this temple in particular housed Zeus, the king of gods. In ancient Greece sciences was very primitive and intricately linked to their religious. Therefore, their solution to everything was not trial and error, but rather prayer or some sort of appeasement to the god of the temple asking for prosperity or forgiveness, depending on the situation. Inside this temple is a famous statue of Zeus, built by Phidias. Ancient Greek statues usually lacked pupils in the eyes and emotions on their faces, reflecting their belief in stoicism which was viewed as fitting of a “perfect” being. The temple was a coalition of the Greek’s different cultures and beliefs, where beauty met religion and science.

Greek and Roman Synthesis Question

Oedipus is a piece of literature that perfectly displayed the interplay of religion science and aesthetics of ancient Greek society. Throughout the play, the citizens and Oedipus rely on guidance of the gods. For example, Oedipus constantly asking Apollo what should be done through the prophets. In Oedipus, there is the belief that people can, in a way, converse with the Gods, also known as prophecies. Because the Gods can be contacted through prophecies, there is a heavy reliance on prophecies. This connection built the foundation for the God and human relationships. In Oedipus, Oedipus switches from his faith in the Gods to faith in his own reasoning and logic, which lead to his downfall. Through his logic and reasoning, Oedipus brought to relevance human ignorance. Oedipus is punishes himself by relying on his own logic, rather than relying on the Gods. His own intelligence is what pushed him away from believing in the Gods. He was also punished by his mother’s ignorance to the Gods because she believed that she could stop the prophecy from coming true. Throughout the story, Oedipus did not realize the truth in the situation until he denounced himself from his kingly aesthetics, which was too late and he life headed for the worse. When Oedipus loses his physical sight, he gains insight of the truth of his situation. In addition, when Oedipus loses physical aesthetics he in turn gains philosophical and intellectual aesthetics. Through the faith and logic, it shows the religion, science, and aesthetics of the society in which Oedipus was created.

Asher Period 1 Team 2 Synthesis question 2

In the Greek era, one of the most culturally rich buildings that was erected in this time was the Parthenon. The Parthenon took the place of an older religious temple that was burned down by Persian forces in 480 B.C. The Greek leader Pericles ordered it to be built upon the older structure. The newer building was constructed in masculine Doric style with a touch of Ionic order. Doric and Ionic order are two of the three classical Greek architectural styles. This makes the building the iconic image of ancient Greece. The Parthenon was also a religious monument dedicated to the goddess Athena. She was the goddess of wisdom, courage, and warfare among other things. People would go inside and pray to Athena, feeling more connected to the heavens while inside of the structure. When the Parthenon was built, all of the citizens of Athens felt the distinctions between themselves and the Gods fading, as the the structural perfection matched the quality of that of a higher power. This effect was achieved through the use of the golden ratio throughout the building, most notably in the facade. The golden ratio - which is approximately 1.6 to 1 - was thought to be the most aesthetically pleasing dimensions that a building could have. The fact that such an incredible feat of architecture was devoted solely to their Gods demonstrates the respect that they had for their religion. No buildings of the same caliber were constructed to honor the sciences, which reveals the Greek’s emphasis on religion. The Parthenon represents Greek culture at its finest and is still looked upon as a structural landmark today.