Pericles, Pottery & the Parthenon: the Ancient Greeks and the birth of Western Civilisation

The Parthenon Marbles are among the greatest treasures of the British Museum, but why are they so special? They come from the Parthenon at the heart of Athens, the largest and most powerful of the ancient Greek city states. Built as Athens entered a golden age of prosperity, they mark the dawn of the Classical Age, and the dawn of the Western world, the modern world we live in. Classical sculpture and architecture have influenced everything that followed. The British Museum building itself is in the Greek Revival Style. The ancient Greeks also invented philosophy, politics and democracy. Our language and culture are full of evidence of their influence. But how did all this come about? Why did this leap forward happen in Greece and how long did it take? This tour tries to answer those questions with a journey through Europe from the Stone Age to the Classical Age. It’s not just a story about art: social changes, politics, technology, war & natural disasters all play a role.