Which Classical Civilisation Was Better, Ancient Rome or Ancient Greece?

 by Florence Yearsley

What follows is a precis of the motion which another PGS pupil and I will put forward in our highly anticipated debate with Churcher's College later this month on the same question. 

The Greeks were the first to do almost everything. They ploughed the field of knowledge and planted the seeds of thought so that humanity could feast on the harvest for eternity. That includes the Romans. 

Hippocrates' words are still quoted 2500 years later in the field of medicine in the oath: 'First, do no Harm'. He was also the first person to suggest diseases were from environmental factors, diet, and living habits rather than a punishment from God. 

We also have the Greeks to thank for our system of Government as democracy is a Greek word, as is politics, which translates as 'affairs of the polis'. The Athenian statesman Solon was the first to lay down the foundations for what we now know as a democratic society. 

The roots of modern sport nestle firmly in the soil of Ancient Greece. The words stadium, athlete, and gymnastic emanate from Greece and, of course, the biggest sporting event – the Olympic Games. These games invented running, the long jump, boxing, and equestrian events.

Another significant Greek contribution is philosophy, based on reasoning and observation of the known world. Almost all societies before the Greek thinkers were shrouded in superstition and fairy-tale. Philosophers such as Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle gave the world profound ideas that are still prevalent today.

Last but not least Greek mythology. Greek myths are studied today as much as ever, bringing joy and wonder to scholars worldwide. They use incredible stories of deities and heroism to explain every facet of life. Could a Roman have written Homer's Iliad or the Odyssey?

I've not cited numerous examples of Greek innovation and ingenuity: Mathematics, astronomy, theatre, trial by jury, cartography, the basis of geometry, and the documentation of history, to name a few.

When Newton proposed that he 'stood on the shoulders of giants', I am convinced those shoulders were Greek, not Roman. 

The debate will occur at Churcher's College, Petersfield, on Monday, 27th March, from 17:00 to 19:00.