Ancient Art

 Ancient Greece can feel strangely familiar. From the exploits of Achilles ( a hero within the ancient heroic poem by Homer, The Illiad), about the Trojan War and Odysseus (the hero in Homer's The Odyssey), Thanks largely to notable archaeological sites, well-known literary sources, and therefore the impact of Hollywood (Clash of the Titans, for example), this civilization is embedded in our collective consciousness—prompting visions of epic battles, erudite philosophers, gleaming white temples, and limbless nudes (we now know the sculptures—even those that decorated temples just like the Parthenon—were brightly painted, and, of course, the very fact that the figures are often missing limbs is that the results of the ravages of time).

Dispersed round the Mediterranean and divided into self-governing units called poleis or city-states, the traditional Greeks were united by a shared language, religion, and culture. Strengthening these bonds further were the so-called “Panhellenic” sanctuaries and festivals that embraced “all Greeks” and encouraged interaction, competition, and exchange (for example the Olympics, which were held at the Panhellenic sanctuary at Olympia). Although popular modern understanding of the traditional Greek world is predicated on the classical art of fifth century B.C.E. Athens, it's important to acknowledge that Greek civilization was vast and didn't develop overnight.