I went to Greece a few months ago and learned a few things.

First of all, here is a boar tusk helmet. Someone wore it to battle probably just because it looked cool. They had bronze helmets that would have been stronger, but not as badass. This is the same reason Napoleon’s men walked around with 8 inch tall eagle statues on their heads. These next 2 photos were taken in the Musuem of War in Athens.

2) We see a lot of pictures of Greek sculptures without heads, but this is not because the Greeks made them that way. It’s because every time invaders conquered Greece, the soldiers would wack off the heads, probably because thats the most fun thing to do with a statue and no one was there to stop them.

Knowing this explains why this guy is only missing 1 piece…

3) I used to think that the narrow winding streets of Greece and white buildings were because they just care more about pretty buildings than we do. It turns out the streets are narrow because they only needed to be wide enough to fit a mule, and intentionally convoluted in order to confuse pirates. My favorite island that I visited, Paros, was largely abandoned as recently as 500 years ago due to fleeing piracy.

The buildings are painted with a limestone whitewash because limestone has antibacterial properties that helped combat a cholera epidemic and other diseases. The white also helps keep the buildings cooler in the hot summers.

This style is aesthetically pleasing so these are not the only reasons why the buildings are re-painted white. Still, it is interesting to see such a different outcome being inspired by utility, much as our styles are today, with their needs and problems at the time being different to ours.

4) The Parthenon is not in ruin because it’s so old, it’s because the Greeks used it as a storehouse for their ammunition during a war with the Italians. The Italians figured this out and shot into the parthenon, making the entire building 1 giant bomb. The corners are the best preserved areas because it was the sides that blew out. Much of the stone is still lying around the acropolis, and the Greek government is actively cataloging these and restoring the building.

5) Although the ancient Greeks did not have electricity or modern chemistry, they were pretty skilled at mechanical engineering, especially hydraulics. They had moving fountains, alarm clocks, mechanical puppet shows, self-playing instruments, and even wine-pouring robots (activated by placing a glass in one hand).

6) Greece is a lot more than just the ancient world. The acropolis still sits prominently in Athens, but most of the rooftops are of a newer style. The Byzantine empire thrived in the area for over 1000 years, (much of the red tile roofs are from this era), and tourism has allowed people on challenging islands the ability to make a good living.

etc) I also learned some things about the Nazi invasion of Crete, the history and evolution of weapons from prehistory to the modern day, Alexander the Great marching his father’s great army as far as he could, ancient coins, and orthodox christian artwork, among other things, but I don’t have much to say about these.

Greece is a superb place to visit because there are so many places to explore and time periods to learn about. I really enjoyed it, and hope to return.