Ancient greece Quote by Al Masudi
““The sciences were financially supported, honoured everywhere, universally pursued; they were like tall edifices supported by strong foundations. Then the Christian religion appeared in Byzantium and the centres of learning were eliminated, their vestiges effaced and the edifice of Greek learning was obliterated. Everything the ancient Greeks had brought to light vanished, and the discoveries of the ancients were altered out of recognition.””
About This Quote
Source Historical Treatise: Kitab al-Muwahhidun, 10th century
The rise of Christianity in Byzantium led to the decline and loss of ancient Greek scientific knowledge.
In simple terms: Christianity displaced Greek science in Byzantium.
Key Takeaway
Preserve and revive ancient knowledge.
Themes
history
science
culture
religion
knowledge
Mood
reflective
somber
Type
historical
analytical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- museum curation
- educational curricula
Key Concepts
civilization collapse
intellectual loss
cultural shift
Questions to Reflect On
- How did non‑Byzantine societies preserve Greek science?
- What factors allowed some knowledge to survive?
A Different Perspective
The claim may overstate the uniformity of decline across regions.
![“Science only means knowledge; and for [Greek] ancients it did only mean knowledge. Thus the favorite science of the Greeks was Astronomy, because it was as abstract as Algebra. ... We may say that the great Greek ideal was to have no use for useful things. The Slave was he who learned useful…” quote by Gilbert K. Chesterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/afb/gilbert-k-chesterton-223_abstract_science-only-means-knowledge-and-for-gre_734948.jpg)
