If Western civilization were a mashup, it would have been produced by translators.

Translators throughout history helped to forge Western culture into what it is today by preserving, sharing and even building upon ancient Greek ideas in democracy, philosophy, mathematics and science.

Here’s how it happened.

The Origin Story

The civilization of Ancient Greece began in the 12th century BCE and lasted until 600 CE. During this time the ancient Greeks produced many important works of philosophy, history, poetry, literature, medicine, science and mathematics, and the Greek Empire, centering on Greece, eventually stretched as far as southern France to the north, Afghanistan to the east, Egypt to the south and Tunisia to the west.

The Greek Story Continues in Rome

Greek culture was very important in Ancient Rome and the Greek language was spoken by the well-educated elite there, but Latin was the language of the Roman Empire. The Romans translated Greek works, such as Homer’s Odyssey, into Latin, giving Roman audiences access to Greek knowledge, as well as influencing new Roman works.

Rome’s Second Act Preserves Original Greek Knowledge

The Western Roman Empire fell around the fifth century, but the Eastern Roman Empire, better known as the Byzantine Empire, continued for 1,000 more years. The Byzantines preserved many texts in the original Greek.

The Arab World – and Their Translators – Lend a Hand

The Arabs conquered Egypt and the Levant, both part of the Byzantine Empire, in the 7th century. Arab translation had previously focused on politics and diplomatic materials, but after these conquests, they slowly began to translate a variety of classical Greek (and Persian) works. The translators often added their own ideas rooted in Islam and these translations then found their way to Sicily and Spain in Europe.

Europe Inches Toward Renaissance

As the Christians slowly “reconquered” Spain, Christian and Jewish scholars in the 12th century translated Arab works, including those which had been translated from or based on Greek works, particularly scientific and philosophical texts.

From there, translation work increased in other parts of Europe by the next century. Through these translations, Greek and Arab knowledge spread throughout medieval Europe and later Renaissance Europe. This proved to be pivotal in the further development of Western culture.

Western Culture in Debt to Ancient Greeks and Translators, Among Others

Thanks to the translators Greek ideas had along the way, Ancient Greece is now known as the bedrock of Western culture. Important Greek ideas could have simply been lost to time, but many dedicated translators worked to preserve and share them, allowing Western culture to take those ideas and further develop into the form that we recognize today.

Translation Experts

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For more information about how we can help you, please contact us at 646-847-3309 or [email protected].

Image credit: Kristoffer Trolle