From the Oly mpics to democrac y, Greek civ ilisation had a huge impact on the West. The Babylonians may have created the first maps, but it was the Greeks who pioneered the study of cartography. Philosopher Anaximander drew up the first world map, which was div ided into two sections: Europe and A sia. The Greeks also revolutionised the field of geometr y with P y thagoras’ theorem and the refined value of pi.
Before the Greeks, ancient civ ilisations blamed disease on the wrath of gods. While the Greeks still believed in div ine retribution, physicians like Hippocrates obser ved patients suffering with conditions and recorded signs and symptoms. This helped to advance surger y, anatomy and public health. There was also progress in the knowledge of the natural world, with the differences in plants documented for the first time. Greek thinking also resulted in inventions like the buckle, metal anchors and the crane.