Personal ReflectionApril 12 -19, 2014Greece

Athens – April 12-13th - Once again I am in awe of the age and beauty of so many sites in Athens. Our first view of the Parthenon was from the Temple of Zeus, through Hadrian’s Arch. It still looked surreal, like something in a text book. The columns appear perfect from this distance, straight and uniform. How deceptive! On our visit to the Parthenon today, we are told by our guide, Yota, about construction of the temple and its purpose: 75,000 tons of marble used to construct the temple; slaves were used to bring marble up the Acropolis; and created a pulley system connecting empty wagons led by mules sent down the hill to loaded wagons being pulled up the hill. The creativity and engineering skills used at that time are amazing. The ancient Greeks faced many different challenges but certainly mastered any involving construction and engineering! We also visited the Dionysian Theater located at the base of the Acropolis and the Temple of Zeus. The theater is another engineering wonder for the time! The acoustics were very good – better than at some concerts I’ve attended. We sat I various spots throughout the amphitheater and could hear what was said pretty clearly. I was reminded immediately of the Colosseum in Rome. The seating appeared to be arranged in a similar fashion with the first row designated for the special guests – politicians, dignitaries, etc. You could tell this because the remnants of seat backs were visible in the first row compared to the rows of benches above. Theater was an important part of Greek culture and this was reflected in the design of the amphitheater. It was amazing to be in a place that was so alive so many years ago and to be able to still see the beauty in it.

Delphi, Temple of Apollo – April 14th – Delphi is an incredibly thought provoking place even today! We had a fabulous guide! Penny did a great job trying to explain the connectedness and spiritual side of Delphi. She described people travelling from all over to have an audience with the Oracle of Delphi as in search of enlightenment and direction, not just looking for a fortune teller. “It is not the answer, it’s the question.” Penny described many of the Greek people of the time as recognizing the role they played in creating their destiny and taking ownership over their own lives but, at the same time, looking to the gods for direction and guidance. She said for those seeking advice from the Oracle, the challenge was “to get the right answer you have to ask the right question.” Personally, that quote resonated with me. As I search for balance in my own life, my challenge is to focus on the right question in order for the right answer to move me toward the balance I work for! I guess some things never change – centuries may separate the visitors to the Oracle and my visit to Delphi, but we all need to take ownership over our own decisions while continuing to be open to guidance and direction from other sources. Thanks to Penny for the connections she helped me to make about my own life! She was very passionate about communicating her view of history and what the Oracle of Delphi meant to the Greek people of that time.

The site at Delphi was much larger in size than I imagined when we first arrived. Like most other places in Greece, it is located on a large hill side causing me to wonder how they transported the materials necessary to make all of the buildings. There is evidence of many treasuries, the Temple of Apollo, an amphitheater, and a stadium where the games dedicated to Apollo were held. All of these structures used very large pieces of marble and stone. Slaves were used and most likely other techniques similar to what was done at the Parthenon were also employed. This is another example of Greek engineering and design at its best. The math and science used to create this place is amazing!

Olympia –April 15th – I stood on the finish line where the first Olympic Games were held! I can’t believe it! Simply fabulous! It was so easy to imagine all of the men gathered to watch a foot race finishing on the very spot where we stood today. Olympia is an incredible site. It was impressive to go to the Olympic Stadium in Athens earlier this week, but it in no way compares to being at Olympia where the games in their truest form began. I was struck by what we learned from Ilena, our guide, about the treatment of the athletes. No matter what was going on in Greece at the time (approximately 770 BCE), athletes were provided safe passage as they travelled to Olympia. Once at Olympia, they were provided with training facilities and held in highest regard. In return, the athletes were expected to compete with all that they had, both physically and mentally, as they represented their city states to honor Zeus. This included their honesty. The Greeks identified cheaters at the games and made statues of them just as they did the winners. This seemed odd at first, but the idea is that if you cheat, you will forever be known as a cheater. That is high stakes! Pride for self, pride for your home meant a great deal to the athletes. It was an honor to be chosen to compete and most all took this honor very seriously. Only 16(?) cheaters were identified for all eternity to know about!

Epidaurus –April 17th – My catch phrase is “it’s all about the math” and Theodrus, our guide, explained how this location is in fact all about the math! The amphitheater is incredible. It can hold approximately 14,000 people who can all clearly hear performances because of the excellent acoustics. The acoustics are due to a combination of many factors including rows of seats that are arranged in a ratio of 13 to 21, Fibonacci numbers! The theater, like others of the time, is built into a hillside creating a concave shape for the spectators to view the performance from. Theo demonstrated for us how he can stand in the center of the performing area (circular) and clap and we could hear him throughout the theater. This caused me to think of many questions: How does sound travel? How are theaters and auditoriums built today? What same architectural principles are still used to create perfect acoustics? 14,000 people could clearly hear a performance without the use of microphones or the performers having to shout to be heard! Again, we have been presented with another example of how the ancient Greeks mastered architectural design and construction with only the use of simple tools and calculations. As I looked around Epidaurus at what the Greeks had accomplished with so little technology (as we view it today), I couldn’t help but wonder what our generation, and those to come, will leave as examples of our hard work and accomplishments. Will it in any way compare to what the Greeks have left for us?

Final Reflection – Before spending the week in Greece, if asked what the ancient Greeks’ greatest contribution to today’s world might be, I probably would have responded with something about the Pythagorean Theorem or Euclid’s Elements. After visiting so many historical sites and learning about the temples, stadiums and theatres built by the ancient Greeks, I’m not sure what my response to the same question would be now. The design and engineering evidenced in each of the places we visited is still applicable today. But yet, so is the Pythagorean Theorem! I see this as one challenge with our students – how do I help students to see the relevancy of the many ancient Greek contributions to their lives today? What will the students see as being the most relevant contribution today? I believe that math can be found everywhere if you look; can this be applied to the work of the ancient Greeks as well? Will students see the impact of ancient Greece when they come across Doric, Ionic, or Corinthian columns? Know that this style was created over 2000 years ago? Will they think of Pythagoras when they are framing a wall using a 3-4-5 triangle? My challenge is to help the students make connections between what they are studying in my class or social studies, and what they are doing, or will do, in their own lives.It is by being in and experiencing a place first hand that helps to enhance my interest and understanding. Standing in front of the Parthenon and on the finish line in Olympia were both very exciting and inspirational moments. I wish I could take my students there to share these experiences. Since I can’t, I hope I can inspire them to go to Greece someday for themselves and experience these wonderful places. Or, at the very least, help them to recognize how the history of the ancient Greek people impacts their lives today.