For people who have visited Greece...

[Anonymous]

I have a question but please no snark if it sounds dumb. I'm just curious if there are any cultural practices still around today that date from the classical era? Food, farm life, family life, jewelry, etc? Phrases or idioms in the Greek language?

I'm just curious because I'm saving up to travel to Europe in 2016 and Greece is on my list. Previously I've only been to England (I was funded by an organization) and India (again funded by an organization) and in both of those two countries, especially India, I saw a lot of respect for tradition and the old ways. I'm really, really fascinated by the world of ancient Greece so I'm just wondering if there are any remnants of that still around.

Thanks!

[Anonymous]

Modern Greek is an entirely different language from Ancient Greek. There have been a number of different peoples living in that area historically but certainly there would be some commonalities over time due to agricultural products etc.

No snark but for perspective, it's a little like asking about Druids or perhaps Romans in England.

[Anonymous]

Well, modern Greek is related to ancient Greek, though they had diverged quite a lot, there was a conscious effort in the 19th and 20th century to reintroduce archaic elements in an attempt to artificially strengthen the links to ancient greece and remove e.g. the influence of the long Turkish domination.

for much of the last two thousand years the inhabitants would have primarily defined themselves not as Greek but as Roman. Why? because they were the core of the remaining Roman Empire after Byzantium fell.

Anyway, there have been a lot of discontinuities since the time of classical Greece. Over two thousand years, Roman rule, the advent of Christianity (which became even more central to their identity after the Ottoman conquest), invasions by slavs and albanians, the influx of Greek-speaking populations from Turkey after the 1st world war, and modernity more generally...

[Anonymous]

sigh. OP, well the good news is you can find some of the cultural practices right here at home…citizenship, voting, etc. And improved!

I read somewhere that the Greek word for "traitor" is synonymous with the guy who showed the Persians the back way past the gates of Thermopylae. I have no idea if this is true but I bet a Greek-speaking DCUM person could verify or discredit this.

Hey, btw, there is a great read, one of my favorite books, about Thermopolylae called "Gates of Fire" by Stephen Pressfield (or Steven). It's a novel and I think Mel Gibson bought the rights for the movie but sat on it and then "300" came out so he's still sitting on it. Darn Mel Gibson for doing THAT (as well as his other, more well-known, affronts).

[Anonymous]

OP,

I went many years ago, so it may have changed. I think if you go out into the villages, you will get a much more rustic feel. Not so much the Classical Era--but you can get that from the sites.

[Anonymous]

Greeks invented plumbing thousands of years ago and have not improved it since. In most of Athens, you cant flush toilet paper. Does that count?

In all seriousness, Greece is great. Stay in Athens for 1-2 days max--just enough to see the Acropolis and agora. Then head out to see the rest of the country. I love Delphi, Naphlion, Monemvassia, Olympia. Paros was my favorite island. Crete is also amazing and worth some time.