Greek Culture
The culture of Greek people began centuries ago during the Mycenaean and the Minoan Civilization. And then moved on into the Classical era through the influences of the Roman Empire and the Greek Eastern Byzantine Empire. Greek culture was also influenced a lot by the Ottoman Empire. The Greek War of Independence is said to be credited for the revitalizing of Greece and for the multi styles of culture through the ages after that. The Greek people, as a whole, have a very strong connection to their history and give great emphasis on the Classical period. In Greek history and it’s connection to the Hellenenistic era and the Byzantium, and up to the present day Greece. The Greeks are one of the most patriotic nations in Europe even today and while they have a long history, they have modernized in many ways without forgetting their past. They have kept their religion alive although it has waned in the modern day culture and there are other religions now being practiced in Greece. Christianity is one of them.
After the Greek war of Independence, in 1821, Greece went through a change in art and culture. The Greeks consider the period before the war, when the country was occupied by the Ottoman Empire, as the “years of darkness”. The reason for this was because their art and culture came to a halt during that period of time. Greece revived in 1831 with the formation of the first Hellenic Republic. The Greeks considered this to be the rebirth of the nation. The Greeks believed that the only people or countries they could count on were themselves and their countrymen. This reasoning came when in the 20th century the Greek Civil War became the first part of the Cold War which followed the ending of World War II. There was Nazi occupation in their country and this brought interference from the United States. They created the Regime of Colonels and they brutally governed the Greek people from 1967 to 1974. In the mid 1970's and on Spain and Portugal joined in the union of the European Union along with Greece in 1981.
The Greek people are known for their hospitality and generosity. They have a mellow approach to everyday living and do not let the everyday pressures bother them as they do in many other countries. Many of them believe in the ‘live and let live’ way of life. Many of them still believe in the tradition of the afternoon ‘siesta’, or nap.
The Greek culture has a very interesting history and a lot of information about their history can be found in the Greek myths.
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