Tuesday, April 13, 2010

Time Travel: Ancient Greece

The celebration of Heather's latest release, The Clearing, continues. Today it's my turn to answer the question: If I could time travel anywhere, when and where would I go?

Now, as a history junkie, this is a tough question. I mean, I'm fascinated by Regency England and Renaissance Italy and Revolutionary France. I want to know what Manhattan looked like before Europeans moved in and how Vikings really lived. To narrow it down to just one place and just one time... that's hard! I'll have to go with one of the places closest to my heart:

Ancient Greece

I have always been fascinated by ancient cultures, and Greek is top of the list. I would love to go back and visit the Parthenon while it was still in pristine original condition. To walk into a temple or an agora or a gymnasium or even a common residential house.


I would love to see the source of the Western theatre tradition, the roots of the all classical drama and production, the plays that are still relevant and still produced today. I would love to attend a play at a Dionysian festival in one of the massive amphiteaters, like this one at Epidaurus.


I would love to see how the people lived, from the very rich to the very poor. To learn, firsthand, how the myths of their religion wove into everyday life. I would love to watch the armies from two opposing city-states clash on the field of battle.


I'm sure that the ancient world had it's downfalls (hygiene, slavery, disease, war, poverty), but if I knew I could return home a the flick of the time travel switch, that's definitely when I would want to visit for a few days.

Contest

Now, for your chance to win a copy of Heather's new release, The Clearing (which is getting fabulous reviews, by the way), and a copy of either Oh. My. Gods. or Goddess Boot Camp, and to clock another 50 cent donation from Heather to Teen Feed, then comment with your answer to this question:
If you could time travel back to the ancient world, which ancient culture would you visit?
(And it doesn't just have to be a western culture, like Greece or Rome. Think globally, like pre-Columbian Mexico, Han dynasty China, or Berber Morocco.)

Hugs,
TLC

OH. MY. GODS. and GODDESS BOOT CAMP (out now)
FORGIVE MY FINS (coming June 1, 2010)

35 comments:

Bidisha said...

If I could time travel back to an ancient world, I'd choose to visit Ancient India, when the first civilisations of Harappa and Mohenjodaro thrived on the banks of the Indus.
I've read so many fascinating things about them in history, I'd love to get a glimpse into life lived then.

Great post, Tera. <33

Christina said...

I am still in awe of Pompeii, Herculaneum, Stabiae, and Oplontis. It would be amazing to see the cities when people lived and worked there.

throuthehaze said...

I would visit the Celts and Druids of ancient Scotland

TinaFerraro said...

I'll go with the Anasazi Indians of the Utah/Arizona region, of which my husband and children are descendants!

Cinnamon said...

Oh, can I pick the Mayans? Or the Celts? There is so much mystery surrounding those cultures, it would be fabulous to learn more.

Lynsey Newton said...

Without a doubt, I would choose the MAYANS...such an interesting culture and lots to learn! Would love to read and review The Clearing so please enter me. Thank you for the giveaway and good luck to everyone!
lynsey(AT)narrativelyspeaking(DOT)com

Heather Davis said...

Wow, these are really interesting posts this week. I'm not sure what ancient civilization I would pick - maybe Egypt or Ancient Sumeria, where som many things were invented...

stephhale said...

I've always been fascinated by ancient Greek times too, Tera. Take me with you! ;)

jpetroroy said...

I'd say Ancient Rome, in the days of Pompeii

Samantha R said...

Oh, I already know it'd have to be ancient Rome. Either that or the early Phoenicians, just to see how they lived.

Anonymous said...

Okay. So yesterday I said the lost city of Atlantis before it was lost. My next destination isssss....anciant Greece.

Elizabeth Briggs said...

I'd love to go to ancient China, maybe when their only female empress (Wu Zetian) reigned.

Mg (LWS) said...

I would probably like to travel back in time to see what anything ancient Europe looked like. More specifically more than likely Greece or Rome, since they controlled where most of my heritage comes from.

~Andrea

Anonymous said...

I would love to visit either the Incas BEFORE Pizzaro (hello, early plumbing!) or the Ancient Greek/Roman types. I love both of those cultures, particularly their gods/godess. They're so cool! (Oh. My. Gods. hehe!)

angie said...

I think I too would love to travel to Ancient Greece. Just to see some of the amazing things that were built in that time!
Thanks for this giveaway!
email bangersis(at)msn(dot)com

Mariah said...

I feel like I am copying you! But I would really like to go to ancient Greece! So much so that I chose Ancient Greece to be the theme for my high school banquet! I think it would have been really cool!

a_readers_adventure(at)yahoo(dot)com

Anonymous said...

I think I'd go back to Pompeii too. When I was much younger I remember reading a National Geographic article about the city and what happened. I was facinated by what was found in the ruins. The bones of people huddled in their last minutes. It was amazing to see.

blissfullydazed said...

An ancient era? Er...not sure with this one. I used to have an interest in ancient Egypt in 6th grade, but though it's interesting to study, I'm not sure I'd want to experience it firsthand. Kind of an oppressive time.

I think I'd prefer to visit the era in which Celtic culture first originated; I think that would be a better fit for me.

Monique Cherie said...

I would like to go back to 1788 when the first fleet arrived in Australia and check out how it all went down, i am so fasinated by it all, it what the ships looked like and how the people where treated xx

Llehn said...

Pompeii sounds awesome!

Jessy said...

I'd have to say Ancient Rome, just to be able to see all of the architecture and how things were run.

mariska said...

Ancient Indonesia *grins* coz i live here !
too many temples, e.g Borobudur and Prambanan that still exist till now.

i wonder how they built that temples.

MD said...

I'd travel back to the time of the Vikings or maybe Ancient Greece to see the early Olympics!

GirlforChrist said...

I WOULD LOVE TO GO BACK IN TIME TO ANCIENT GREECE!!!!! :) Do I sound enthusiastic?!?!?

Wendy said...

I've always been fascinated with Celtic culture so I think I would visit that time period!

Plus: Hot Highlanders! ;)

God's gal said...

If you could time travel back to the ancient world, which ancient culture would you visit?

Simple. Ancient Greece. There are the natural beauties like visiting the country and listening to the facts from a tourist guide, or simply reading books (an absolute pleasure) and watching the History channel. But where's the real fun, I ask you, if we could time travel?
I want to go back and learn in detail what the ancients really did and then I could get a deeper meaning from things. I'd be in utter awe, also could may be since I love Apollo (one of the Greek gods, of course).

Jade
legally_write@hotmail.com

iffath said...

Umm..Pompeii definitely ;)

Spav said...

I would definitely go to Ancient Egypt. It's something that has always fascinated me.

Unknown said...

I would visit the Celts and Druids of ancient Scotland or perhaps visit the knights of the round table.

Wait no ROME... wow, can I pick twelve. LOL

Brodie said...

Oh so difficult! I think I'd have a hard time deciding between Renaissance Italy, Ancient Egypt or the Mayans. It would be so fascinating to live and breath in those era's and experience firsthand what we only read about today. Oh I want time machine!!

TheMermaidGuru said...

ancient Greece! No question about it! maybe because it would be cool to see everyone walking around in Togas...

yaybooks! said...

I would probably like to visit the Mesopotamian civilization because there are so many different empires and discoveries during that time period.

Precious said...

I'd visit ancient ROme! I want to know and experience their rich culture!

Thanks!

precious_shusky@yahoo.com

Unknown said...

i would definetly choose ancient greece too! i have such a facination with the place. this summer will be my 3rd visit to athens and i cant wait! i found this awesome pg on fb www.facebook.com/cityofathens and they have all sorts of info on modern athens which seems awesome as well as ancient athens sights and museums!

chests said...

Greece, where Olympics started. Knowing the history of Greece is unbelievable. There are too many amazing story all over Greece. Their unbelievable structures are still a mystery.