What the Greeks Did for Us

by Tony Spawforth

An enjoyable, accessible exploration of the legacy of ancient Greece today, across our daily lives and all forms of popular culture
 
Our contemporary world is inescapably Greek. Whether in a word like “pandemic,” a Freudian state of mind like the “Oedipus complex,” or a replica of the Parthenon in a Chinese theme park, ancient Greek culture shapes the contours of our lives. Ever since the first Roman imitators, we have been continually falling under the Greeks’ spell.
 
But how did ancient Greece spread its influence so far and wide? And how has this influence changed us?
 
Tony Spawforth explores our classical heritage, wherever it’s to be found. He reveals its legacy in everything from religion to popular culture, and unearths the darker side of Greek influence—from the Nazis’ obsession with Spartan “racial purity” to the elitism of classical education. Paying attention to the huge breadth and variety of Hellenic influence, this book paints an essential portrait of the ancient world’s living legacy—considering to whom it matters, and why.

Genres: History, Nonfiction, Greece

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 16, 2023

Reviews

[Debbie · Rating 4 out of 5]

'An exhaustive exposition of the ways in which the world has defined itself with regard to Greco-Roman antiquity would be nothing less than a comprehensive history of the world.' So quotes Tony Spawforth in his new book, 'What the Greeks Did for Us'. Luckily, and despite the title, such a broad and in-depth survey is not Spawforth's target here. Rather, it is a personal, subjective, and selective look at ancient Greece through the lens of modern culture; one man's expert opinion on what he thinks are some of the most important ways ancient Greece has had an impact on modernity -specifically, the present day. So, we get the usual suspects: medicine and science; poetry, plays, and expression; art and architecture. But we also obtain some surprising insights: the impact of Zeus on Christianity, for example, or the reminder that a certain ex-prime minister aims to be a new Pericles. And then there are the contentious topics: sexism, sexuality and gender fluidity; slavery and colonialism; racism and eugenics. Given the heftiness of some of the topics, it is astounding that the book feels so gracefully agile.

Of course, 'What the Greeks Did for Us' is not intended as an academic tome; instead, it is a Grecian island-hopping holiday, a jaunt under a bronze sky, visiting the best-known destinations but also some secluded bays that are fully off the beaten track. It is a refreshing and inspiring sojourn. And all the time, we are at the whim of our extremely knowledgeable tour guide who not only has all the facts to hand - and the language to converse with the locals - along with a lifetime's worth of engaging and witty anecdotes, but also a wide range of teaching aids to help explain his point, stretching from packed-out theatres through video games to a host of websites.

Occasionally Spawforth apologizes for his meanderings; he seems a little surprised that the reader has made it to certain points in the book. Given how engaging and accessible both the book and his style seem, this might be compliment-seeking - in which case, I am loath to lavish any more (well-deserved) praise upon it. But perhaps there is something deeper at work here. After all, as Spawforth mentions, the ancient Greeks have not had an easy ride of it recently. At both secondary and higher levels of education, interest and uptake in the classics is falling. To some, the ancient Greeks and their Roman cousins are seeming more irrelevant at best; at worst, exclusive and redolent of an age and culture best forgotten. 'What the Greeks Did for Us' is by no means an apology for the classical world: the more disagreeable elements are considered in tandem with the highlights of democracy and artistic achievement to form a balanced whole. But there is an argument that we need to recognize the cultural legacy handed down to us by the ancient Greeks - no matter how much we rail against certain traits that we might find objectionable, they are still important. Rather like the keel of a boat, they have helped to form the structure of today's society. Better to understand them - and their impact - in all their gory glory, than to rip them asunder and sink with what remains.

As such, 'What the Greeks Did for Us' is a perfectly pitched cry for continuing recognition - and reassessment - of ancient Greek culture. Spawforth has shown that ancient Greece is, indeed, still topical. But he has also shown that it is timeless - or, rather, that it is for all time. Throughout the two-and-a-half millennia since the focus of this book, ancient Greece has been reimagined time and again to fit the prevailing needs of the day. Like Proteus, it can and does change shape. It is as relevant to our culture today as it has ever been.

[Liiz_cita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Do tejto knihy som sa pustila s tým, že si trochu oprášim znalosti o starovekom Grécku a jeho vplyv na dnešný svet. Nečakala som však, že ma to dokáže vtiahnuť do antiky tak nenútene a prirodzene. Grécko tu nepôsobí ako vzdialená minulosť, ale ako niečo, čo máme denne pred očami – v jazyku, politike, umení, architektúre či v spôsobe, akým premýšľame o spoločnosti.

Veľmi ma bavilo, ako autor prirodzene prepája antiku s dneškom. Od demokracie a filozofie cez šport až po filmy či moderné politické prejavy. Čítanie bolo plné malých aha-momentov, keď mi dochádzalo, koľko z toho, čo považujeme za moderné, má v skutočnosti veľmi staré korene. A pritom to autor podáva tak, že nemáte pocit, že čítate odbornú publikáciu. Skôr akoby vám niekto rozprával fascinujúce súvislosti, ktoré vám postupne začnú zapadať do seba.

Veľkou silou knihy je pre mňa jej vyváženosť. Autor sa netvári, že staroveké Grécko bolo dokonalé. Popri obdivovaných hodnotách otvorene hovorí aj o otroctve, postavení žien či o tom, ako sa grécke ideály v novších dejinách zneužívali. Práve vďaka tomu pôsobí vyvážene a úprimne.

Kniha má veľký tematický záber, no napriek tomu nepôsobí chaoticky. Skôr ako séria zastávok na dlhšej ceste – pri niektorých sa zdržíte dlhšie, iné len rýchlo prebehnete, no každá zanechá stopu. Nie je to čítanie na jeden dych, ale skôr kniha, ku ktorej sa myšlienkami vraciate dlho po dočítaní.

Čo pre nás Gréci kedy urobili vo mne zanechala pocit, že veľa vecí, ktoré dnes berieme ako samozrejmé, má oveľa hlbšie korene, než by sme čakali.

[Emily Suchanek · Rating 3 out of 5]

What the Greeks Did for Us feels like that kind of book you’d bring out at a dinner party when someone says, “But do the Classics really matter?” Spawforth answers with enthusiasm, breadth, and a very generous serving of “Actually, yes.” He pulls no punches in charting how the Greeks‘ ideas about democracy, architecture, science, sport, sex, myth, all those pillars we assume are immutable, still pulse beneath so many corners of our lives. The chapters are wide-ranging: from the oratory that echoes through modern politics, to architecture that’s aped and abused (hello, courthouse fronts everywhere), to Greek aesthetics in everything from art to video games. And Spawforth’s tone is lively enough that even when you're reading about Aristotle’s messy legacy or ancient sexual mores, you don’t feel buried under pedantry.

What I really loved is how balanced the book is: Spawforth doesn’t pretend the Greeks were paragons of moral perfection. He admits the uglier parts: slavery, sexism, the limited “democracy” that was really only for certain men, and shows how those ideas have been both inherited and resisted in modern times. The result isn’t a cheerleading pamphlet, but a rounded argument: knowing what the Greeks contributed doesn’t mean idolizing them blindly. For readers with zero classical background, it’s wonderfully accessible; for the already converted, still rewarding. If you’ve ever wondered why we quote Greek playwrights, design porticos, or invoke “Greek tragedy” as shorthand for catastrophe, this book gives you the why, and often the uncomfortable how. It’s smart, generous, and quietly urgent: a reminder that legacies are never clean, but we’re living through them anyway.

[Corey Schenck · Rating 2 out of 5]

Most of the examples were pretty rote. I was expecting a more insightful analysis with a more interesting theme to unify it all.

[Jon Barr · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although the author seems defensive of the half-scholarly, half-casual tone, that was my favorite part of this book. It was very approachable and informative.

[Alfreda Hunston · Rating 1 out of 5]

really boring

[Lizzie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel like this had so much potential but it was dry AF… but then again it is a history book.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

The author looks at how the Ancient Greeks are still impacting us in the 21st century. An accessible and engaging read.