'Who were the Greeks' BBC Two series

While I wrap up the last things for college, I'm going to leave you with part one of two of a BBC Two series about ancient Hellas. In this documentary series, Classicist Dr. Michael Scott, explores 'the legacies of the Ancient Greeks, what they have given us today, and asks why these legacies have lasted through time'.

 

The Hellenic online communities I am a part of seem to be unanimously in love with this series. For me, the series paints ancient Hellas with too... sensational a brush. The focus on the differences between ancient Hellas and the modern world seems counterproductive to the goal of providing an understanding of how life in ancient Hellas worked.

 

I also have to admit, I knew almost everything in this video already, which does not help with my judgment upon it. It was nice seeing the medical tools, though. For those of you looking for more information on some of these subjects, try these blog posts:

• Abandoning children
• Dog sacrifices
• Asklēpiós and Asklepieia
• Nudity and nudity on statues
• Adultery and rape
• Pederasty
• Beauty (or Arête)
• Wine and symposia
• Democracy and trials
• Slavery
• Funerary rites

Part two of this series airs Thursday at 9 PM, on BBC Two, and as far a I'm concerned, it's shaping up to be a lot more interesting than part one.