Curious facts about ancient greece
Hippocrates became the most famous Greek doctor in history - Hippocrates pioneered the use of clinical observation, and of prognosis as a guide to treating disease.
Ancient Greece struggled with agriculture - Greece’s mountainous terrain was not the best ground for farming, so they couldn't really grow wheat.
They had a lot of slaves - Ancient Greece condoned slavery, and it's estimated that between 40% to 80% of Athens' population were slaves.
The term "idiot" originated in ancient Greece - Interestingly, the term "idiot" originated in ancient Greece. An idiot was essentially a person who didn't participate in political and public arenas.
They came up with the concept of democracy - The ancient Greeks came up with the concept of demokratia, or "rule by the people," which established the first democracy in the world.
They worshiped the Unknown God - The ancient Greeks worshiped 12 major gods. And in addition to those 12, they worshiped Agnostos Theos, the Unknown God.
Ancient Greeks added water to wine - It was considered barbaric to drink undiluted wine, so the ancient Greeks would add some water to it.
They developed science and math - Number theory and mathematical analysis were developed thanks to the ancient Greeks.
Animal sacrifice was part of ancient Greek worship - Sheep made up the most common sacrifice, but the ancient Greeks also sacrificed other animals, too.
The Battle of Marathon’s aftermath inspired the modern marathon - In 490 BCE, King Darius the Great of Persia sent a fleet with soldiers across the Aegean Sea to Greece.
Drama flourished in ancient Greece - Greek poets first formalized what we now consider drama, including the concepts of tragedy and comedy.
Ancient Greeks used stones as toilet paper - In ancient Greece, people often used stones, called pessoi, or fragments of ceramic, ostraka, to wipe. Let's take a moment to appreciate toilet paper!
Ostracism in ancient Greece - Under the Athenian democratic procedure of ostracism, citizens could vote to exile a politician for 10 years.
Eating while lying down was a sign of power and luxury - According to the ancient Greeks, eating while lying down and having people serve them was a sign of power and luxury.
The statues were not white - Contrary to popular belief, the statues were not white. At the time, they were painted in vibrant colors that became faded over time.
They traveled across the Mediterranean Sea - Greek colonization started back during their dark age, caused by instability, poverty, and even overpopulation in ancient Greece.