Greek Culture Research Articles

Crossing Boundaries: Shock Effect, Optical Unconscious and Messianic Time in Theo Angelopoulos’s Cinematic Language

The films of Theo Angelopoulos narrate a poetic “new humanism,” and this genius director of the 20th century has left an enduring artistic ‘aura’ in Walter Benjamin’s era of mechanical reproduction through his unique use of long-take narration and internal montage. This paper explores the dialectical relationship between long takes and internal montage in Angelopoulos’ films, as well as how the conflicting arrangement of mise en scène affects the audience’s psyche. Drawing on Walter Benjamin’s theories of Shock Effect, Optical Unconscious, and Messianic Time, the analysis focuses on Landscape in the Mist, one of Angelopoulos’ Trilogy of Silence, to examine his “boundary-crossing” cinematic language. Benjamin’s shock effect is evident as Angelopoulos breaks the logical constraints using iconic and impactful images, delivering a disruptive shock to an audience accustomed to the anesthesia of art reproductions, prompting critical contemplation. Angelopoulos’ lens possesses a unique magic, consistently influencing the audience’s optical unconscious and prompting reflections on the past and self. Landscape in the Mist tells a story of searching for the father, with the protagonist transcending allegorical boundaries. Angelopoulos’ transcendent cinematography, beyond time and space, inherits the imagery of Greek culture, revealing the anticipation of the past and future in messianic time. The paper concludes with the reflection that on the desire for redemption through a messianic promise, asserting that the present time is the optimal moment for crossing boundaries, no matter how much we yearn to await redemption.

Ancient Greek Ideas about the Pelasgians in the Archaic and Classical Periods

This article uses ancient Greek epic poetry, tragedy, and lyrics to describe how the Greeks treated the Pelasgians in the Archaic and Classical periods and provides a glimpse into the role assigned to them by the Hellenic authors. The evolution of the ancient Greeks’ ideas about the Pelasgians in the Archaic and Classical periods is traced. The place of the ethnonym of the Pelasgians in ancient Greek culture is outlined. The references to the Pelasgians in epic literature are examined. The image of the Pelasgians in tragedy and lyrics is reconstructed. The method of comparative analysis was employed: a thorough review of epic poetry, tragedy, and lyrics allowed for a comparison of the specifics of how the Pelasgians were portrayed. Hypotheses are proposed for the differences in the portrayal of the Pelasgians. Homer’s influence on subsequent works is not evident. The study’s findings provide new perspectives on historiography and resolve the longstanding disputes surrounding the study of the Pelasgians.

Frankness, Greek Culture, and the Roman Empire by Dana Farah Fields (review)

Frankness, Greek Culture, and the Roman Empire by Dana Farah Fields (review)

Ioannis Chrysospathis, theodoros Garofalidis and Georgios Hartofilakidis: The pioneers of orthopaedics in Greece

The aim of the present paper was to highlight the work of Chrysospathis, Garofalidis and Chartofylakidis, who dedicated themselves to the emergence of orthopaedics as an independent branch of medical science in modern Greece. The ancient Greek physicians Hippocrates, Galen and Paulus of Aegina laid the foundations for the emergence of orthopaedics and ancient Greek civilisation undoubtedly played a significant role in the evolution of this medical art throughout the following centuries. In modern Greece, Ioannis Chrysospathis fought for orthopaedics to be a separate medical branch rather than a practice within the context of general surgery. Theodoros Garofalidis also contributed to the evolution of orthopaedics in Greece, while Georgios Hartofilakidis brought pioneer knowledge to the Greek area, contributed to the creation of specialised orthopaedic departments and internationally contributed to the study of hip diseases and the art of total hip arthroplasty.

Deciphering theAncient Greek civilization script based on the concept of GenerativeAI and digital twin

Deciphering theAncient Greek civilization script based on the concept of GenerativeAI and digital twin

Ethics-Oriented and Anti-Ethical Political Conduct of Rulers in the Political Society of Iran Based on Karen Horney's Theory: A Review of Historical Books

The aim of the present research was to examine the ethics-oriented and anti-ethical political conduct of rulers in the political society of Iran based on Karen Horney's theory, with a review of historical books. Due to the nature of the research, we have employed a descriptive-analytical method based on documents and evidence. Ethics, by fostering a sublime and valuable spirit in the political sphere, prevents the emergence of social challenges, conflicts, and disputes, and by disseminating human values among the members of society, increases social cohesion and solidarity. In this regard, whether we consider politics as a profession or as a field that affects and is affected by all people according to their responsibilities and multiple roles in life, it is necessary to introduce specific ethical codes for this field. Regarding political ethics, no code or indicator has been introduced so far by scientific or political institutions. The book Kalila and Dimna, as a historical work, is a multi-layered and hybrid piece in which glimpses of three civilizations—India, Iran, and Islam (even a faint touch of Greek civilization)—can be observed. Centuries after the writing and translation of this book in the West, Machiavelli's The Prince was written with the same theme. The main question is: What perspectives do Kalila and Dimna and The Prince, as two historical-literary works, have on political ethics in society, and what are the similarities and differences between the two books? The method used to analyze and explain the subject is Karen Horney's psychological approach, which dissects four personality types: compliant, aggressive, detached, and idealized self. The conclusion drawn from this study is that in both books, political ethics is the central issue. However, in Kalila and Dimna, anti-ethical behavior is despicable and condemned, and anti-ethical figures like "Dimna" meet a bitter end, while in The Prince, the anti-ethical ruler faces no punishment for his conduct.

The ancient pattern in the Crimean cultural landscape

The subject of the study is the ancient pattern in the cultural landscape of Crimea, expressed in architecture, sculpture, monumental and decorative arts. The object of the study is the Crimean artifacts of the ancient polis (architectural details, sculpture, vase painting) in comparison with similar objects of mainland Greece. The author pays special attention to the transformations of the ancient style in the Crimean diaspora, associated with the influence of autochthonous cultures: Taurian, Meotian, Cimmerian, Scythian-Sarmatian, and examples of the synthesis of the artistic stylistics of these cultures and the ancient style. The use of the ancient order system as the basis of all subsequent styles, including the Crimean modern, which is a reflection of the synthesis of cultures of the multiethnic cultural landscape of Crimea, is also traced. The continuous continuity of the ancient style up to the present is shown. The article uses the method of historicism in retrospect of the ancient pattern in the cultural landscape of the Crimea, the comparative method in the comparative analysis of artifacts of the Crimea and mainland Greece, the method of stylistic analysis in classical architecture and decorative arts of the Crimea. The main conclusions of the study are: 1. The Crimean cultural landscape is diverse due to the historical polyethnicity of the region, associated with its geographical location and unique natural complex, which has become a place of numerous ethnic migrations throughout history. This is also connected with the appearance of ancient Greek culture in the Crimea, which left a significant mark on the peninsula. 2. The ancient order architectural system, as well as the use of classical anthropomorphic proportions in sculpture, wall painting, vase painting, became the basis of the classical approach in architecture and fine arts. The constructive expediency, conciseness and harmony inherent in ancient architecture became the reason for its global introduction into subsequent architectural and artistic styles, up to the present time. 3. The ancient pattern in the Crimean cultural landscape is unique in that it embodies the cultural synthesis of Greek classics and local autochthonous cultures.

Tolerance to cannabinoids in mice

The Cannabis sativa plant, for its analgesic, anti-inflammatory, antiemetic, and anticonvulsant properties, has been used for thousands of years in Chinese, Indian, and Greek cultures and was introduced into Western medicine in the 19th century. There has been a rise in interest in cannabinoids since the main substances of cannabis were identified, as well as the recognition that the endocannabinoid system (ECS) controls multiple processes in pain treatment and neurologic and mental illnesses. However, the ECS has also been associated with negative effects, including harmful effects on emotional and cognitive functions, the development of tolerance and dependence, and withdrawal symptoms after drug cessation in humans. We recently found that repeated intraperitoneal administration of the two main components of cannabis, delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabinolic acid (CBNA), led to the development of tolerance in male mice. In this review, we focus on the evidence demonstrating cannabinoid tolerance in animals. The common mechanisms and main signaling pathways for cannabinoid tolerance, including neuroadaptations primarily at cannabinoid 1 (CB1) receptors, such as desensitization and downregulation, which are mediated by several signaling pathways, are discussed.

Wino w wybranych epigramatach greckich

Poetry and wine not only permeate throughout Greek culture but also emerge as inseparable motifs. The Dionysian gift has accompanied the creators of poetic works since as early as the 7th century BC. It is known that oinos often proved helpful in composing poetry. This awareness is evident, for example, in Hedylus who in one of his epigrams, demonstrated that a certain Socles had no equal in this matter, as he never denied himself wine and, in fact, consumed it in large quantities (Ath. II. 473a; Gow-Page VI). Undoubtedly, wine in poetry was perceived in various and diverse ways. Therefore, based on selected epigrams from the Palatine Anthology that address love, epitaphs and votive themes, these sometimes so different and distinct poetic ways of presenting oinos will be outlined below.

A Study on Critical Exploration of Nietzsche’s View of Liberal Arts Education

At the invitation of the Basel Education Committee, the young Nietzsche, who was a professor at the University of Basel, offered five lectures on education. The collection of these lectures is called “On the Future of Our Educational Institutions.” In this lecture, Nietzsche critiqued German schools at the time, particularly their liberal arts education, and proposed alternatives. The goal of this research is to uncover the significance of Nietzsche's view on liberal arts education as presented in his speech, as well as to investigate its applicability and limitations to liberal arts education in Korea today. Chapter II provides an overview of 19th-century Germany relevant to the lectures, Chapter III analyzes the main contents of Nietzsche's view on liberal arts education as demonstrated in the lecture, and Chapter IV investigates the potential of Nietzsche's views in the context of today's universities. Nietzsche identified the problems of mass education caused by education expansion policies, as well as the fragmentation and practicalization of knowledge caused by education diminution policies, and proposed an educational view based on the ‘metaphysics of genius’ as an alternative. Nietzsche saw the purpose and goal of liberal arts education as acquiring a sense of ancient Greece and the ability to think like a Greek in order to create a new German culture. While Nietzsche’s view on the elite education and the ancient Greek culture implicit in his discourses of liberal arts education is difficult to accept for twenty-first-century universities, Nietzsche's point regarding fragmentation and practicalization of knowledge that arise from viewing universities as academic institutions rather than liberal arts institutions allows us to critically reflect on the nature of liberal arts education in today's universities.

Analisis Pengaruh Falsafah al-Sufasta’iyyah dalam Filem Mentega Terbang Menurut Perspektif Falsafah Islam dan Ilmu Kalam Analysis of the Influence of Sophism Philosophy in the Mentega Terbang Film According to the Perspective of Islamic Philosophy and Kalam

The philosophy of sophists is a thought that was started by a pre-Socratic philosopher named Protagoras (d. 420 BC). This thought became an epidemic of thought for the Greek civilization in understanding the concept of truth and the essence of thing. The sophists thought brought by Protagoras became the foundation stone for the philosophy of skepticism and also relativism thus urging the Greek philosophers to came up with science of logic to prove the reality. Nevertheless, this thought is still found in the past and present. On November 28, 2021, a controversial film titled Mentega Terbang was shown and it touched the sensitivity of Islam in particular. Therefore, this article was written to analyze and criticize the influence of that philosophy on this film through the method of literature review and data content analysis from the film from the perspective of islamic philospohy and knowledge of kalam. The results of the study found the elements and influence of sophists philosophy on this film despite with new variations and narrative. This indirectly proves the role of the knowledge of kalam in facing the doubts and threats of faith in today's age.

Kardynał Bessarion i jego księgozbiór

Cardinal Bessarion (ca. 1400–1472), a theologian born in Trebizond and educated in Byzantium, made a career in the hierarchy of the Byzantine clergy and attracted the attention of the imperial family. He was one of the most active participants of the Council of Ferrara-Florence (1438–1439). Following the failure of the church union in Constantinople, Bessarion came to work for the papal curia in Rome. As a cardinal he used his income and contacts to help Byzantine refugees and Greeks living under the rule of the Republic of Venice, especially after the fall of Constantinople. Fearing that the loss of statehood could mean that the heritage of Greek culture would fall into oblivion, Bessarion created a great library containing the masterpieces of Ancient Greek literature, the classical philosophical works, and the texts of the Eastern Church Fathers. In 1468, he donated this collection to the Republic of Venice, and in such a manner founded one of the first public libraries in Europe.

The Christian invention of time. Temporality and the literature of late antiquity. By Simon Goldhill. (Greek Culture in the Roman World.) Pp. xvi + 500. Cambridge–New York: Cambridge University Press, 2022. £34.99. 978 1 316 51290 6

The Christian invention of time. Temporality and the literature of late antiquity. By Simon Goldhill. (Greek Culture in the Roman World.) Pp. xvi + 500. Cambridge–New York: Cambridge University Press, 2022. £34.99. 978 1 316 51290 6

Tylko jedna strona Księżyca. Uwagi o historii astronomii w książce Karen ní Mheallaigh The Moon in the Greek and Roman Imagination

Karen ní Mheallaigh, The Moon in the Greek and Roman Imagination. Myth, Literature, Science and Philosophy, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge 2020 (Greek Culture in the Roman World), DOI 10.1017/9781108685726, ss. 322 Karen ní Mheallaigh’s study The Moon in the Greek and Roman Imagination (Cambridge 2020) aims to discuss how the Moon was present in ancient Greek culture, literature, and science. The subject is examined through the lens of literary studies, yet the author remains open to the perspectives offered by the history of science. The book analyzes the motif of the Moon in Greek literature and natural philosophy: myths, various opinions about its physical nature, deliberations about its inhabitants, and imaginary lunar journeys. The subjects addressed in the book are thoroughly examined in the context of the era. The author, however, does not define the scope of the book precisely and tacitly omits the Moon in Roman literature and the history of astronomy unless it relates to natural philosophy. She also makes groundless guesses about scientific instruments in antiquity and compares ancient literary fiction to modern scientific knowledge.

The theme of the Old Woman and March in Greek folklore

The narrative of the old shepherdess who makes fun of March and is punished by being turned to stone or frozen has been told in various Mediterranean areas since at least the 16th century. Greece contributes to this tradition with two types of the legend, which differ from each other in terms of the figure of the old woman and the comical or tragic tone of the narrative. We should add a third Byzantine written narrative (12th century) to these two branches, discussed by the Byzantinologist Ilias Anangnostakis, which also portrays the disrespectful old shepherdess but in a different role. This third text, which is probably a literary reworking of elements from oral legends, and testimony to the age of the legend in Greek culture and the mythological aspect of the female leading figure. In this paper we will examine the Greek oral narratives as well as some ritual acts that accompany them in several regions of Greece, to understand the uses of these legends and the world view that they transmit.

Poverty, Wars, and Migrations: The Jonovski Family from the Village of Orovo

This article will cover the different types of migration in Macedonia and its Prespa region at the end of the 19th and 20th centuries through the Jonovski family from the village of Orovo. Poverty and wars caused many men to look for work and to earn money in distant places. Joshe, who was born around 1766, was first an economic migrant with his father, Marko, internally within the Ottoman Empire in Asia Minor (1880–1890). Later, he immigrated to the USA (1914–1918), before returning home to his family. However, after WWI, with the harsh attitude of the Greek government toward the Macedonian minority, this turned into permanent migration. His sons would be migrant workers in the USA, France, and Australia, while their wives and children stayed in Orovo. The village was destroyed and depopulated at the end of the Greek Civil War (1946–1949). Joshe and the remaining family reunited in Wroclaw, Poland, where in the 1950s Joshe died, and his daughters-in-law finally joined their husbands in the USA and Australia. His son Boris, with his family, moved to Skopje, Macedonia, Yugoslavia in 1968. We will look at the life and migrations of Joshe, his four children, and four grandchildren.

Drama Between the Ancient Egyptian and Greek Civilizations: A Comparative Study

Drama Between the Ancient Egyptian and Greek Civilizations: A Comparative Study

Simon Goldhill, The Christian Invention of Time. Temporality and the Literature of Late Antiquity. (Greek Culture in the Roman World.) Cambridge, Cambridge University Press 2022

Simon Goldhill, The Christian Invention of Time. Temporality and the Literature of Late Antiquity. (Greek Culture in the Roman World.) Cambridge, Cambridge University Press 2022

Vita passibilis, imperturbatio (apatheia), vita passiva: Die pathische Bedingtheit des Menschen im theologischen Denken von Maximus dem Bekenner

Maximus the Confessor distinguishes three stages in the spiritual becoming of man: vita passibilis i.e. the way of life in that man is living under the reign of the bodily passions, apatheia as state of liberation from the reign of the lower passions, and vita passiva as modus vivendi in which the human makes the personal experience of the revelation and the presence of God. Thereby being man means according to Maximus suffering under the rule of someone - divine or demonic - or something. The human condition is especially passive. Even contemplation (theōria) becomes in this approach a kind of passion: the passive experience of the presence of God. Although there is an old tradition in the classical Greek culture concerning the equivalency mathein-pathein (from Aeschylus to Aristotle and until Neo-Platonist thinkers like Proclus) which is received in the Christian tradition first of all by Denys the Areopagite, Maximus the Confessor is one of the first Christian theologians who tries to reconstruct the classical conception concerning the typology of the human ways of life (vita activa-vita contemplativa) as being based on passion: passion of lower impulses, passion of the demonic temptations and sins, but also passion of the overwhelming divine presence. Man can only lead a passionate life as slave of the lower passions (pathēmata) and as such of the devil or as slave of God in the Holy Spirit.

Villaggi, fortezze, ‘città’: vivere in Armenia e dintorni nell’Età del Bronzo e del Ferro

This article aims to provide a general overview of settlement patterns in Armenia and neighbouring areas from the Early Bronze Age to Early Hellenistic times. The southern Caucasus presents unique features. For those approaching the subject for the first time, this paper aims to summarise the primary evidence for the development and transformation of the human landscape. Starting from the 4th millennium BC, it is possible to trace the outlines of a general process of sedentarisation of communities on the highlands, which took different forms and characteristics. Mobile villages dominated the Bronze Age settlement structure. By the end of the 2nd millennium BC, the highlands were characterised by a general development of fortified settlements, generally referred to as ‘cyclopean fortresses’, which will also be one of the main features of the later Kingdom of Urartu. Following the two centuries of Achaemenid rule, with its elusive settlement pattern, the last centuries of the 1st millennium saw the spread of Greek culture following the conquests of Alexander the Great and his successors. With the creation of large urban sites based on Hellenistic models, the concept and structure of the Mediterranean city spread across Armenia and adjacent areas.