Clash of the Titans (Ancient vs Modern)

An interesting discussion came up today in our class with Dr. Kaplan. The discourse was about perception, and mostly about how the Greeks perceive these great historic monuments that litter their country. Naturally, as Americans, we believe that the Greeks view these monuments with great reverence and adoration, and to an extent that may be true. When you consider the other factors regarding these monuments however, you start to see how these beautiful ancient structures may be more of a nuisance than a commodity.

Thousands of years ago, places like Corinth and the Athenian agora were places of extreme cultural, religious and historical importance and they served as the focal point of ancient Greek culture. They were the forerunners of the current Greek "platia" that we see scattered amongst the neighborhoods of Athens and other Greek cities. As years go by, these centers start to draw the attention of prominent European and American archeologists and they began to force their way into a culture that has existed for generations before the emergence of the archeological study. So what now was once their main hub of socialization, religion, entertainment and economy has been walled off by rich imperialists, who want nothing more than to tear the current foundations down to reveal the cultural gold beneath the rock. For the Greeks, you can understand to an extent how that would be particularly distressing, to have life as you know it uprooted and moved x amount of miles away to suit the whims of foreigners. To some though, it may seem like a necessary evil.

These landmarks have become literal roadblocks for the Greek people. Their centuries old long commute to their cultural centers are detoured in favor of tourism, and life as they knew it must have seemed to turn upside down on the spot. That scourge of foreigners also serves as silver lining for the Greeks whether they like it or not. Tourism is one of the major industries of Greece and is one of the main industries that, despite the recent economic struggles, are still afloat. Though hundreds of years of tradition and history were struck down to unearth these marvelously beautiful ancient ruins, the cash that these locations have brought in over the centuries should be welcome to the country. It isn't just the fees being paid by tourists that directly funnel into the local community, it is the airline business that brings tourists in, hotels and beaches, small businesses that cater to tourists are all flourishing at the expense of their city center. Is it a sad thing that we have so forcefully caused a people to change their lifestyle? Yes. Adaptations are necessary for survival, and ask the Greeks to give their tourism money back and I'm sure they say no.

Whatever the Greek feelings are on these historic monuments, you can tell for certain that they genuinely care for these places. The Greeks are a fiercely proud people and these landmarks serve as a testament to the ingenuity and legacy of their ancestors. They don't want to see these places crumble under the weight of tourist expectations and pressure and defend the sanctity of their ancient heritage fiercely. In Delphi, some of our group was yelled at by guards for playing around with the Oracle Stone. The group was harmlessly reenacting a movie but I could see how the Greeks may have seen it as disrespectful. I made no qualms about it and carried on with my tour. The damage to the Greek culture was done by people who excavated these places long before I was born and I do not wish to further damage foreign relations. This is their country, I play by their rules. The emergence of these marvelous historic achievements from the depths of the Earth are incredible discoveries and indescribably beautiful, but when you look at the perspective of the people whom this land was taken from, you understand beauty comes at a price.