Greeks and Barbarians, The Genesis of Hellenic International Thought

Abstract

The ancient Hellenic world was a microcosm of a sociocultural system existing within the Mediterranean geopolitical environment, much the same as the European society now exists within its global context. It is then instructive to know how the Greeks saw themselves in relation to other nations. Such perspective gives an idea of the origins of classical international thought. It is our thesis here that the primordial dichotomy between Greeks and barbarians served as the foundation of Hellenic international ideology. Moreover, we contend that such distinctions always color human reason and still persist in modern times. Although the analogy should not be carried too far, there are definite parallels between the classical and present worlds which the reader will recognize and appreciate. In order to give the flavor of the times, this article is based on the world-shaking events up to the Fifth century BC, and the impact they had upon the great philosophers who came later. Their humanistic and cosmopolitan ideals therefore influenced international thinking through the ages.