Music of Antiquity– The Ancient Greeks

The history of Greece extends far beyond the period described above, but for the purposes of our study in music history, we will confine our analysis of Greek musical development to the period where the most advances were being made and where music played the most significance in society. This is not to say that music did not play a large part in Greek culture before then, only that the most important contributions to the Greek musical system were made during this time. During this period, the first Olympic Games were performed, philosophers and authors such as Homer, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle brought forth their new ideas, and musical theorists such as Pythagoras and Aristoxenus created new systems for creative expression. Many of our history’s creative and intellectual achievements have its roots in ancient Greek culture.