Hellenism (academia)

The Gräzistik or Ancient Greek Philology is the science of language and literature of the ancient Greeks. Rarely, the term Gräzistik 'll get over used in the sense of a science of language and literature of the Greek over all time steps as a generic term for the part of ancient Greek science philology, Byzantine and Modern Greek the. In Greece itself, the course simply means Φιλολογία ( Philologia ).

Gräzistik can be studied at many German universities ( degrees: Magister, state examination, Bachelor / Master) and, together with the Latin studies the so-called classical philology, which is one of the classical antiquity science. The aim of the study of Gräzistik is still the safest possible mastery of the ancient Greek language, at least in its written form. This is practiced by translations of Greek texts into German, but also by translating German texts into Greek. Since the Gräzistik deals as well as Latin studies with language and literature ( the separation between language and literature is far less sharp than in the modern languages ​​in the classical philology ), belongs next to the command of the language a comprehensive knowledge of Greek literature to the study objectives. Altgriechischkenntnisse or Graecum are required for the study of Latin Philology, Ancient History and Classical Archaeology.

The Gräzistik as Literature

The Gräzistik treats all authors from the beginning of Greek literacy ( Homer or Hesiod ) to the Byzantine, the end of the Greek and the beginning of the Byzantine literature flowing into each other or can not be clearly defined; the transfer took place no later than 600 AD with the end of the ancient Greek historiography and of Neoplatonism. In some cases there are separate departments for Byzantine Studies (eg FU Berlin ), some courses on Byzantine within the Gräzistik offered (for example, FSU Jena). Here it is important to note that many Byzantinists are more historians than philologists. Overall, the works of the imperial and late antique literature play in the German Gräzistik been a much smaller role than for classical historian and Latinist. The focus within the Gräzistik forms at least in Germany continues to be the study of the so-called "classic" authors, which are for

All these works were written before 300 BC Here are some Hellenistic writers as well as the New Testament, which in ancient Greek vernacular language ( koine ) is written come (the NT is rather treated in the theological courses of study than in the Gräzistik ). The imperial times and late ancient Greek literature is currently, as I said, rarely treated; with the exception of only a few works of the Second Sophistic and Neo-Platonism, which have been increasingly observed in recent years from the research.

Position of the subject

The Gräzistik is in Germany (to a lesser extent also in Switzerland and Austria ) part of the subject canon at German universities. As the Greek language was taught together with the Latin long time in most high schools, the Gräzistik has always done well at the universities of their contribution to the German teacher training. Since nowadays but very few students learn Greek in the schools, the number of students the Gräzistik are rather small. Some of the Gräzistik is therefore referred to as even exotic subject, since one outside of the teaching profession has no particularly good opportunities to work in the private sector ( which of course also applies to other humanities subjects). On the other hand, the importance of Gräzistik distinguished according to their defenders but also characterized in that the Greek texts form the basis of modern European society and set the beginning of European writing.

Neighbour and special disciplines

To education in literature and language skills should be taught in the neighboring and specialty disciplines. Most important are knowledge of Greek history, Greek culture and Greek philosophy, without their knowledge is not an understanding of many Greek texts possible. Especially for student teachers is the comprehensive knowledge of these areas also important, as well as their placement within the Greek education in schools is part of the curriculum. In the special disciplines especially the epigraphy, papyrology and textual criticism are mentioned. Just papyrology could in recent decades not a few texts back win (see: Oxyrhynchus ), which were lost during the Middle Ages.

History of the subject

Greek philology has already been operated in ancient times: the time of Hellenism Greek philologists have dealt very well with the existing Homer texts which at that time were probably very different. With the rise of the Roman Empire, the Greek language also came to Rome, every Roman citizen of the upper class knew Greek as well as Latin talk (approximately from 150 BC ). It is therefore not surprising that some Romans their works written in the Greek language ( for example, the Emperor Marcus Aurelius ). With the onset of late antiquity ( 300 ) took the knowledge of Greek in the West then off, which also led to a decline of Greek philology in Western Europe. Been preserved is the Gräzistik after this time mainly by the Eastern Roman and Byzantine scholars, even in Arabia has one with Greek literature, mainly Aristotle, employed ( although mostly in translation ).

After the conquest of Constantinople by the Ottomans in the 15th century, many Greek scholars fled to the West, especially to Italy and so ushered in the Renaissance and humanism - Greek and so returned to Western Europe. Since 18-19. Century dealt important personalities such as Winckelmann, Goethe and Nietzsche with the Greek, Johann Heinrich Voss presented his famous translation of the Homeric epics. The civilization of Ancient Greece was since almost 200 years as a model and lost this status only after the Second World War. In the 19th century the highlight of the Gräzistik was reached in Germany, as the most important international philologist Ulrich von Wilamowitz this time is - Moellendorff. In the later 20th century the importance of the Greek philology took then more and more from (parallel to the decrease in the importance of Greek at German high schools ), still have both in Western and in Eastern Germany still significant Hellenist worked (for example, Bruno Snell, Frederick sugar). Today, one can at most universities where also can be studied Latin, Greek study, since the two subjects together form the Classics and are often combined professional students.

Active use of the Greek language

There are in Western Europe, a group of about 15 to 20 people who get busy, actively apply the ancient Greek language and to speak it as a living language. This initiative came from the Heidelberg Gräzistikprofessor Herwig Görgemanns. In addition Altgriechischsprechkurse found in Greece itself instead of regularly conducted by the Husum school teacher Helmut Quack.

Gorgias (disambiguation) Koine Greek Arabian Peninsula Johann Joachim Winckelmann Ulrich von Wilamowitz-Moellendorff Integrated Authority File
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