Introducing the Ancient Greeks: Ten Ways They Shaped the Modern World

by Edith Hall

MOST ANCIENT GREEKS shared ten particular qualities most of the time. Of these, the first four—that they were seagoing, suspicious of authority, individualistic, and inquiring—are tightly interconnected and the most important. Beyond these initial four qualities they were also open to new ideas; witty; competitive; they admired excellence in talented people; were elaborately articulate; and were addicted to pleasure.