WEstern Civilization prior to 1660 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

WEstern Civilization prior to 1660 - Essay Example By the end of the Greek period, many significant achievements had been made in science and philosophy. Greek thinkers had gained a view of a universe in which the world was round and participated in an intricate dance through the heavens with other bodies named after the gods they revered. Sophistication in mathematics led to the development of geometry which enabled the ancient Greeks to discover even more, including how to determine direction while at sea and scientists were beginning to investigate the elements of earth, air, fire and water (Williams, 1999). Engineers were beginning to understand the physics of the earth’s natural processes and put them to effective use while others were learning more about anatomy and medicine to better heal their sick or, more probably, wounded. However, much of this came to an end when the Greeks were finally defeated by the Romans, who did what they could to remove Greek influence from their provinces. The Greek dependence upon the elephant might have been a simple fluke in history. While they proved to be effective for some time against the Romans, who were unfamiliar with the animal, once the elephants’ weaknesses were exposed, the Romans stopped losing the battles. In one of the first battles in which the Romans immediately drew up into their well-ordered formations so perfect for other forms of warfare, Born (1928) reports how â€Å"the maniples in front were thrown into utter confusion by the crushing weight of the animals: knocked down and trampled upon by them, they perished in heaps upon the field †¦ Most of the Romans were trampled to death by the elephants; the rest were shot down in their ranks by the numerous cavalry† (566). The elephants were used for more than just fighting. For instance, Glover (1948) illustrates how Pyrrhus used elephants extensively in campaigns through his life, introducing the animal to Italy in 280 BC. That they could be quit e effective