ADAM IVES - GAMES DESIGN
Ancient History
- Greek History
Narrowing it down
Ancient History is a broad term that includes vast civilisations and hundreds of events which have sculpted and led to modern-day life. The subject obviously needed to be narrowed down, so I have therefore decided to investigate one period in particular, and that is the thriving success of the Ancient Greeks. As this is a short study for phase one, I will look into key historical events, popular beliefs, art, and key figures. Ancient Greek history is defined as the period of Greek history between the Dark Ages of the 12th–9th centuries BC to the end of antiquity (the ancient past) circa 600 AD. This is obviously a large period of time, so I will primarily be looking into the major, well-known events, beliefs, and fables of the time.
I was very tempted to look into the Ancient History of Egypt, as this has also been a topic which has interested me, but I'm a greater fan of the mythos and mystery that surrounds Ancient Greece. Furthermore, I love the aesthetic of both modern-day Greece and the representation of Ancient Greece in modern media. The bright colours of clear crystal water, the vibrancy of flowers natural to the region, and the clear weather make the environment stunning. The combination of a beautiful environment and a rich history contained within mesmerising architecture and culture really draws me into Ancient Greece.
Currently, I have architecture, key figures, culture and art to look into. I can recognise greek architecture or well-known characters, but I'm unaware of specific terminology or precise facts about the content which interests me. I will, therefore, look into these aspects in particular, but I also plan to create a timeline of historic events, as I believe this could give me more points of interest that I could look into deeper. Currently, I have only done surface-level research of Ancient History and Ancient Greek History as well, so I, therefore, plan to elaborate my interests by finding more information concerning the subject.
Visualisations:
Visualisations allow for the quick understanding of a subject at a glance, they give a quick understanding of the colour theme and aesthetic of a specific subject. The images below quickly present the overall atmosphere of Ancient Greek History in my eyes. I have tried to include photos of; ruins of ancient Greece spanning from Athens to Croatia, key figures within the period who played a role in medical development, philosophy and politics, depictions of major historical events in different media, and photos of preserved art that has survived. In my opinion, these photos give a quick and brief suggestion of what the period represents, and they display what interests me aesthetically about Ancient Greece.
Aesthetically this period of History is striking to me. I love the sheer awe which accompanies Ancient Egypt, a period I was tempted to look into, but I felt that Ancient Egypt in comparison lacked a feeling of life. I can't imagine the pyramids being built or used to bury one person, the concept alludes me. But when I look at Ancient Greek architecture, landscapes and art, I feel like I can see how they all translate a feeling of living. Ancient Greek History feels alive to me, the myths, messages and the aesthetic all seem to click with me more than other periods of time.
Below you will find a link to further Phase 1 research surrounding this theme. Please click it for more information.