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efhernandez_

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Drop them in the thread below!! Mine is Oxi day of course!!
 
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Oxi Day is a great one! I would say the Greek War of Independence, I love learning about it
 
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I agree 100% OXI Day has to be the best moment in Greek history!

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Of course OXI day❤️🙏🙏🙏
 
Drop them in the thread below!! Mine is Oxi day of course!!
There are so many important moments! As I take "history" as "Universal (not simply Political) History", my favorite moment is the moment when the Ionian Anaximander started thinking Peri Physeis (About Physis), these words being the title of a book he wrote and were later translated into Latin as De Natura, Natura (Nature) being the realm of whatever is born, emerges, or develops. This was the moment when philosophy was born, namely the search for true knowledge, whose history will include science (or Galileo's "Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences" -- bodies of true knowledge -- today known as Physics and Science of Materials). The Anaximandrian Physics, which was not experimental, is rather a cosmo-genesis that was prompted by his teacher Thales. Thales held that things are born from water [the fertile Sea] but held that the world is full of [causative] gods, whereas Anaximander's world is autonomous -- a concept that will held by all the Greek philosophical physicists. // Anax. did not invent Physis, which was already in his language! SO, my view: philosophy cannot arise in any culture, since it is pursued through language, rather than in a vacuum or by contact with that which is being investigated. The entities of a language make a whole difference. [This is Value # 1 of the Greek Language; I'm omitting the other values, besides the normal/obvious Communication.] [Sorry, Aristotle: Anax., not Thales. is the first philosopher. You, too, are a physicist.]
 
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There are so many important moments! As I take "history" as "Universal (not simply Political) History", my favorite moment is the moment when the Ionian Anaximander started thinking Peri Physeis (About Physis), these words being the title of a book he wrote and were later translated into Latin as De Natura, Natura (Nature) being the realm of whatever is born, emerges, or develops. This was the moment when philosophy was born, namely the search for true knowledge, whose history will include science (or Galileo's "Dialogues Concerning Two New Sciences" -- bodies of true knowledge -- today known as Physics and Science of Materials). The Anaximandrian Physics, which was not experimental, is rather a cosmo-genesis that was prompted by his teacher Thales. Thales held that things are born from water [the fertile Sea] but held that the world is full of [causative] gods, whereas Anaximander's world is autonomous -- a concept that will held by all the Greek philosophical physicists. // Anax. did not invent Physis, which was already in his language! SO, my view: philosophy cannot arise in any culture, since it is pursued through language, rather than in a vacuum or by contact with that which is being investigated. The entities of a language make a whole difference. [This is Value # 1 of the Greek Language; I'm omitting the other values, besides the normal/obvious Communication.] [Sorry, Aristotle: Anax., not Thales. is the first philosopher. You, too, are a physicist.]
A philosophy fan I see, which Greek philosophers do you recommend reading?
 
A philosophy fan I see, which Greek philosophers do you recommend reading?
More than a fan, I spent years studying it (and more time on my own). What I liked most was a graduate course on the ancient Greek philosophy. I recommend "The Presocratics", a collection of the fragments of the philosophical writings before Socrates, which are mostly quotations by other authors, It includes Anaximander, the Pythagoreans, Heraclitus, Parmenides, etc.) Then: any or all of Plato's "Dialogues", some of which are called Socratic since they are conversations in the style of the historic Socrates (who never wrote anything) and inquiries about subjects [virtues, love (in the "Symposium"), the soul, etc.] dear to him, while others represent Plato's own inquiries: the "Republic" [Politeia] and, in addition to others, my favorite, the "Theaetetus" (on perception and true knowledge). I love also many works written by the Stoics and their Roman followers, especially Cicero. Aristotle and the Stoics for the creation of Logic! [Logic is he art or science of correct/rational reasoning and argumentation. Related: the study of fallacies -- blunders of the mind, many of which, says Aristotle, are due to the misuse of... guess: language.]
 
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Learning about Greek Independence Day

March 25th marks a significant celebration in Greece, but I realize my knowledge on its historical context is quite limited.

From what I understand, this day commemorates the start of the War of Greek Independence in 1821, where Greece sought to end several centuries of Ottoman rule. However, I'm eager to learn more about the intricacies of this period, the key figures involved, and how the struggle for independence unfolded over time.

Additionally, I'd be interested in understanding how this day is celebrated across Greece today and whether any particular traditions are tied to it. For example, are there specific ceremonies, parades, or family traditions that uniquely mark this day in Greek culture?


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Athens and the creation of democracy

I've been thinking about Athens and how it's the birth of democracy. I wondered if other societies had experimented with the concepts or if Athens was unique? Does anyone know? I know that there's been some evidence that other societies experimented with community leadership, but none had a true democracy like what Athens developed.

It was unique in developing a system where a significant portion of its inhabitants could participate directly in decision-making processes. This early form of democracy was largely initiated under the leadership of Cleisthenes in 508/507 BC. His reforms reorganized the population into ten tribes based on their residence rather than lineage, promoting a broader and more inclusive political engagement.

In this Athenian democracy, citizens had the right to attend the Assembly (Ekklesia), where they could speak and vote on legislation and executive decisions. The Council of Five Hundred (Boule), selected by lot for each of the ten tribes, proposed legislation and handled daily affairs. This lottery system for public office sought to prevent power monopolies and encourage civic participation.

I know that this work truly influenced other democratic governments through the world!

Feel free to chime in with your thoughts- I find this stuff interesting.

Greek Independence Day History

Greek Independence Day is coming up! I thought I would share a bit that I know about the history. Please chime in with corrections or anything to add!
  1. The Spark of Revolution: Greek Independence Day marks the day in 1821 when the Greeks began their revolt against the Ottoman Empire, a state that had controlled Greece for nearly 400 years. This revolt was influenced by the surge of nationalism throughout Europe and inspired by the Enlightenment ideals of liberty, equality, and fraternity.
  2. A Poet’s Declaration: The revolution officially began after Bishop Germanos of Patras raised the Greek flag at the Monastery of Agia Lavra in Peloponnese, symbolizing the call to arms. However, it was rumored that the war of independence was actually declared a few days earlier by Alexandros Ypsilantis, a Greek national hero, in the Danubian Principalities.
  3. International Support: The Greek fight for independence was not just a local effort; it garnered substantial international support from prominent figures such as Lord Byron from Britain, who notably spent his own money and later died in Greece, contributing to the Greek cause. This international backing was crucial for the morale of the Greek fighters and helped in diplomatic efforts later on.
  4. The Battle of Navarino: A pivotal point in the Greek War of Independence was the Battle of Navarino in 1827, where the combined fleets of Britain, France, and Russia defeated the Ottoman and Egyptian fleets. This naval battle marked a significant turning point that led to the eventual independence of Greece.
  5. Recognition and Autonomy: Greek Independence was formally recognized in 1830 by the Treaty of London. However, full sovereignty and the delineation of the Greek borders were not achieved until later. It allowed the foundation of the modern Greek state, under the governance of King Otto from Bavaria.

Story of the Birth of Democracy

I just watched a nice documentary about the birth of democracy in Athens. This is so fascinating! I didn't realize the nuances, only the basics about how it began in Athens. This documentary goes into a lot more detail.

What did the Ancient Greeks eat?

I am fascinated by the Ancient Greeks. I have a feeling that some of our modern Greek recipes are similar to the ancient ones. Like spoon sweets. It think that seems like something that was developed a long time ago as a way to preserve the fruit harvest.

So, I have been researching this. What did the Ancient Greeks eat? I wanted to share this video because I thought it was interesting.

Share and discuss Greek history!

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