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2014
Virginia Military
Institute
Phillip Frazer
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REFLECTIVE ESSAY
Over the semester I have completed research on multiple Ancient Greek topics including
the Kerameikos Cemetary, Bull’s Head Rhyton, and Solon of Athens. Each of these topics had
some kind of significance in Greek history. By researching these topics, I have gained not only
better knowledge of each topic, but I also learned an extensive amount about Ancient Greek
culture and practice. Person, place and thing; these were the assigned topics and each topic
provides a different perspective of history. By researching the man Solon, I learned more about
the growth of the Athenian democracy, whereas the Bull’s Head Rhyton taught me about the
culture of the ancient Minoans. Lastly, by researching the city of Kerameikos, I learned more
about importance of pottery, and how the Athenians honored their dead.
Most of my research revolved around Athenian history, because both Solon and
Kerameikos were products of Athens, although at different times. Solon was hired by Athens to
create a new law system. The previous system laid out by Draco was considered too cruel. Most
broken laws in the Draconian system were punishable by death. For example, if one man killed
his brother and another stole an apple, then both men could likely face the death penalty. Draco
believed thieves should face deserved the fate he had decided for them, but most people even
2500 years ago would disagree. The severity of a punishment should reflect the severity of the
crime.
Solon realized Draco’s punishments for breaking the law were often unjustifiable and too
intense. Therefore, Solon accepted Athens’s proposal to reform the law. His system was more
lenient than Draco’s, and spared the lives of small-scale criminals. Solon was a man who was
looking out for the future of Athens and especially the lower class. He wanted to bring the upper
class down a notch while boosting the lower class up. Solon believed abolishing debt slavery
was the path to evening the social classes. People were offering their own livelihoods to
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creditors as collateral, and the poor were often unable to pay back their debt. Therefore, by
Athenian law, the person would become the property of the creditor until their debt was paid.
Solon abolished debt slavery without hesitation. This gave people their freedom back and made
it more difficult for the rich to employ free labor.
Solon is a great example of how a true statesman is the same no matter what generation
they come from. He was not performing public acts for the glory, money or power. He
reformed Athens because he thought it was for the greater good of state, and in many ways that
reflects actions of present day heroes such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Nelson Mandela. When
a person dedicates their life to making changes for the greater good, they become iconic leaders
in history.
The ancient cemetery at Kerameikos also provided me with great insight to Athenian
culture. I gained a better understanding of how their social system was set up, and what people
were important fixtures in society based on how people were buried in the cemetery. For
example, as people in the 21st century we tend to hold our children in a higher regard than the
Greeks. Some children in the 21st century are even idolized by the rest of the world. This is
evident by movie stars and singers. Greek children did not experience fame and idolization
unless they were of the wealthiest class. This is one reason why Greek children who died before
adulthood were buried with lower classes in the cemetery at Kerameikos. Another reason is that
wealthy children were taken better care of compared to lower class children; therefore they
survived past childhood much more frequently.
Kerameikos was more than just a cemetery. Known as the potters’ quarters, Kerameikos
was the home to many of Athens’ finest potters. Pottery was a necessary trade in Athens, and the
river running through the cemetery made Kerameikos the perfect place to make and then sell
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pottery. Pottery was used for a plethora of reasons including storing food and drink, as well as
house and grave decoration. Perhaps the most fascinating part of Athenian pottery was its
decoration. Anything could be on a pot: including pornography. Athenians were not bashful
when it came to sex.
Modern culture tends to be more bashful and less accepting of
pornographic material. Still, pornography is a prominent subject and has been for thousands of
years according to Greek pottery.
Lastly, I researched a particular type of pot from the island of Crete known as a rhyton.
More specifically, the Bull’s Head Rhyton is a liquid holding container, that is used in ritual like
ceremonies. The bull was recognized as the most powerful creature on Crete, and the Minoans
sought to show power over the bull. Therefore, it is likely that the Minoans would sacrifice a
bull to the gods in a ceremony such as celebrating the beginning of another year, then they would
fill the rhyton with the blood and use it in some way. It is believed that the Minoans feasted on
the bull after the blood ritual had taken place. Blood rituals are much less common in the present
world, yet the honoring and worshipping of deities remains a center piece in many cultures.
The Minoans showed various fascinations with the bull.
Bull leaping was another
pastime for the Minoans with bulls in the mix. Did they actually leap bulls is a question nobody
truly knows, but it is irrefutable that Minoans considered it a great feat. Many of their pots and
frescos, paintings, had pictures of people leaping over top of bulls. This displays just how
similar the Minoan culture is to our own culture. Although, 3,000 years apart, people are still
fascinated with athletic accomplishments and achieving the impossible. People still compete in
bull competitions such as bull riding and Running of the Bulls. Even 3,000 years removed from
the Minoans, we still enjoy the same dangerous thrills and seek to conquer dangerous beasts.
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It is incredible how much the modern world actually emulates Ancient Greek culture.
There are flaws in every civilization including Ancient Greece, yet their influence shapes the
modern world. The idea of citizenship, democracy and competitive games are all evident in the
modern age. Personally, I gained a better grasp of just how much the Greeks influenced my own
life. I have grown up trying to fend off the temptations of selfishness much like Solon of Athens
did. Although I have never ridden a bull, let alone leaped over one, I have spent the majority of
my life in competition with other people and seeking excitement. Ultimately, I learned that
Ancient Greece played a significant role in the molding of the modern world. Without Greece
leading the way more than 2,000 years ago, modern culture would likely look very different.
Ancient Greece truly did shape the modern world.
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