People regard the Roman Empire as one of the largest and most powerful empires that touched the face of the Earth. But what if I told you that Rome probably wouldn't exist without the structure of ancient Greece. Ancient Greece created the foundation for modern society and many empires that came after them. However, they had aspects that aren't looked upon cheerfully today. For example, their treatment of women wasn't exactly great, and they had a justice system that revolved around violent revenge. They also had a hefty belief in the afterlife, which created social norms that revolved around their religion.
Ancient Greek women had very little freedom; they were highly restricted and controlled. For example, they were powerless; their domain
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To begin, it was believed that dead individuals needed to be remembered to remain in the afterlife. According to Joshua Mark, the existence of the deceased depended on “...their constant remembrance by the living.” Henceforth, whether or not the dead were remembered affected the place in the afterlife they go to, “If they had lived a good life and were remembered by the living they could enjoy the sunny pleasures of Elysium…if they were forgotten, they wandered eternally in the bleakness of the land of Hades” (Mark 1). Moreover, the Greek community had to abide by rules that maintained their belief in the afterlife. These rules were called Eusebia, which could be translated to the modern equivalent of piety. In accordance with Joshua Mark, Eusebia was a duty to oneself, the people around them, and the gods. This responsibility kept society on course and created one's place in the community. However, not following these rules was considered, “...impious” and, “it was certainly frowned upon severely” (Mark 3). All in all, citizens of ancient Greece needed to adhere to Eusebia to keep their belief in the afterlife