Classical culture is understood as the body of knowledge related to the Greek and Roman civilization. It is a matter that is normally studied in compulsory education and in high school and that usually incorporates diverse knowledge (history, art, philosophy, Latin and Greek, mythology, historical figures and all those aspects that make up the cultural legacy of Greece and Rome).
It must be borne in mind that studying classical culture not only provides a useful general culture but also allows us to understand the Western culture in which we live, since we are heirs to the ideas and creations of the classical world.
Examples of the presence of classical culture in today’s world
If someone sits on their sofa to watch an Olympic Games sports competition, they should know that the Olympic Games were promoted by the ancient Greeks.
When we visit a museum of natural sciences or a library, we must bear in mind that the origin of these institutions goes back to the city of Alexandria in antiquity, where the Library of Alexandria was founded, a center for culture and science.
Today’s lawyers have to know the origin of the law, which is none other than Roman law.
If in our country there are democratic elections, this is possible because the Athenians invented democracy as a form of government.
Most of today’s ideas or debates have their origin in what philosophers like Socrates, Plato, Aristotle or Epicurus thought.
Our way of having fun is related to the ancient world of Greece and Rome, where there were shows in the circus, theater, baths where people gathered, wrestling competitions and all kinds of recreational activities.
Classical culture in our communication
Although we are not always aware, when we speak Spanish we are using two languages, Latin and Greek. Both “dead” languages are present in the prefixes and suffixes we use, in medical terminology, and in the etymological origin of most of the words we use in daily life.
Without realizing it we are talking with constant references to classical culture. Thus, we say that someone endures stoically, that so-and-so has an Oedipus complex, that a fortune teller tells the future, or that someone has an Achilles heel. Regarding popular expressions, there are many that have their origin in the classical world (the die is cast, being a bird of bad omen, echoing something, this is peccata minuta, etc).
Photos: iStock – DavorLovincic / Bulent Ince
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