The Doric Mode: Heracles and the Hellenes

The Dorians were the archetype of Greek masculinity. In their culture, men strove to perfect their bodies and grow stronger and faster. The Dorians include great warriors like the spartans, macedonians, corinthians, cretans, and others. The art is mostly from the French Neo-Classical painter Jacques-Louis David. The singer is Notis Sfakianakis (Νότης Σφακιανάκης) singing 'να χαρείς' - NA HAREIS (Be Glad). Here is the historical context for the Dorians: The Mycenaeans were the first Greeks to become Kingdoms in Greece. They invaded many surrounding areas, such as Minoa, Troy, Anatolia. Much of their war with Troy is recorded by Homer in his Illiad. That period of Greek history is known as the Late Helladic. Much of their world has been lost to us, but we do know that after their conquest of Minoa (Crete), another Greek tribe coming from north of Thessaly (Macedonia today) invaded and possibly was the cause of the destruction of Mycenae. The Dorians (Δωριεῖς) have often been linked with the Sea-Peoples, because they were great sailors. After these dark ages, where the foreign traces on Greek culture were destroyed, new city states emerged, each championing its own unique culture. The Dorians, who had settled in Macedonia, West Greece (Doris was a city in Central Greece), and much of the Peloponnese, had also their own way of life. It was a life of physical endurance and a love of things military. The Ancient Greeks viewed the Doric mode of music as pertaining to masculinity, seeing that it was evocative of power, strength and discipline. Dorian comes form the word for spear Dory (Δόρυ), which characterized them as a violent tribe. The Doric style of architecture is one of robustness and strength, and is less refined than the Ionian. The Dorians had also numerous colonies around the Greece, settling in Crete and the twelve islands to the west, to the seven islands and syracuse (sicily) to the east, and to Apollonia and Epidamnus (modern Durrës in Albania) in Ancient Illyria. The great rivalry between the Ionians and Dorians was shown in the Peloponnesian War. The Dorian invasion is too lengthy a topic to do it justice in a three minute video. Enjoy, and leave your comments!