In several respects,the Greeks were different from other peoples. They were able to shine far better in culture and civilization than the peoples from whom they learnt much.

Greek Culture Not the Earliest:The Greeks were not the earliest people to lay the foundations of culture and civilization. Long before them,Egyptians Mesopotamians,Indians, Chinese and other people had organised government, evolved social and economic life,created religious and spiritual values, invented the alphabet, language and literature, laid the foundations of science and contributed much in art and architecture. Even before the Greeks had laid the rudiments of their culture and civilization, Egyptian had experienced their golden age,Sumerians and Babylonians had built great cities and had achieved much,Sindhu valley culture had risen and fallen,Indians had composed the hymns of the Rig Veda,and Chinese had evolved a full-fledged culture. Greece found no place among the cradles of the earliest cultures of the world. She came late in the day to give culture and civilization. 

Learnt Wisely from Other People:The Greeks as “ children ” learnt much from the “ adults ” like Egyptian, Babylonians, Phoenicians, Cretans and Indians. They had the wisdom and genius to discover the good things in the earlier cultures, learnt them and benefit from them. The capacity to discover and learn quickly from others enabled the Greeks to create a great culture, which was in many respects superior to the earlier cultures.The Greeks particularly showed their wisdom in developing their art of writing. They cleverly chose the Phoenician alphabet instead of the Babylonian cuneiform or the Egyptian hieroglyphs. 

Great Thinkers:The Greeks were great Thinkers,who loved new ideas, and wished to think freely and independently. They were filled with a sense of wonder and curiosity, and wished to know the “why and “how ” of things. Greek culture gave great importance to freedom of thought, and great thinkers like Socrates were the products of this culture. It was free thinking that made Greek culture great and superior to many other cultures. 

Great Ideals:The Greeks were men of great ideals.They were not satisfied with the things as they found them.They had great aims and aspirations, and pictured ideals, which they tried to reach.

Rational and Scientific Approach:The Greek approach was rational and scientific. While the Aryans in India developed an emotional, religious and metaphysical approach, those in Greece cultivated a scientific and logical approach. 

Humanism:Greeks laid emphasis on humanism.They tried to make the human being rather  than matter as the centre of their study.They stressed the importance of happiness here and now,and not after death. 

Classical Culture Providing Foundation to European Culture:The high standards of Greek culture earned the epithet"classical".The Classical culture of the Greeks provided foundations on which Europeans built their culture. It will not  be incorrect to say that Greek culture and civilization became  the mother of European culture and civilization.