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Ancient Athens, at its peak, had a total population of less than 300,000 people. They represented the urban elite of an empire of a few million people at best.
by nkoren 11y ago
Ancient Athens, at its peak, had a total population of less than 300,000 people. They represented the urban elite of an empire of a few million people at best. I think it would be difficult to find any comparably-sized contemporary population with a remotely similar genius per capita ratio.
- cfcef 11y agoThey probably also benefited from low-hanging fruit. No one today has the opportunity to invent 'logic' or 'the Pythagorean theorem' or 'the tragedy'.
- _wo6a 11y agoGood article on Ancient Greek IQ: http://www.unz.com/akarlin/ancient-greeks-not-geniuses/ http://www.unz.com/akarlin/ancient-greeks-not-geniuses/