The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization

"But for the Greeks we would be Barbarians." Percy Blyshe Shelley

The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization

Ever wonder why the Ancient Greeks were so important? Or how democracy came into the world? The Greeks: Crucible of Civilization is a 2 part documentary done by the BBC that describes the rise and fall of one of the world's most vibrant societies, the Greek City State of Athens. Part 1 describes the birth of a radical new form of government in the village of Athens in 508 BC and the subsequent rise of this community to the most powerful force in the Eastern Mediterranean and its showdown with global superpower, Persia. Part 2 begins with the Golden Age of Athens and concludes with the destruction of Athens at the hands of the Spartans in 415 BC. In less than a hundred year period, Athens would transform itself from a village to become the leader of the Mediterranean world, would make contributions to language, science, mathematics, culture, and politics that are still felt today, and would then be defeated and subjugated. This is a fascinating story, and if you've ever wondered what was so important about the Greeks these two films are a must see. Project Credit: To get credit for watching this film, download the movie worksheets attached here and submit filled in worksheet.