From Farming to Ethics, How the Ancient World Lived Sustainably
Historians explore older methods of sustainable living, from Ancient Greece to the Mayan Civilization.
Ecological concerns are often thought of as a specifically modern phenomenon; however, humans have been considering ways to work in harmony with nature, and struggling with natural — and man-made — disasters, for millennia. A panel discussion this Wednesday at the Getty Villa titled “What Can the Ancient World Teach Us About Living Sustainably?” will explore ecological perspectives from Ancient Greece to the Mayan Civilization, to see what ideas we can apply towards contemporary problems.
Panelists include political scientist Melissa Lane, whose book What the Ancients Can Teach Us about Ethics, Virtue, and Sustainable Living draws a connection between a sustainable civic society and the ability to confront ecological challenges; Anabel Ford, director of the UC Santa Barbara MesoAmerican Research Center, who has studied sustainable farming techniques of the ancient Maya; and historian of Ptolemaic Egypt Joseph Manning, whose research focuses on “Paleoclimatology and the economic history of the premodern world.” Co-presented with Zócalo Public Square, the event is free but tickets are required.
When: Wednesday, May 2, 7:30pm
Where: Getty Villa (Barbara and Lawrence Fleischman Theater, 17985 Pacific Coast Highway, Pacific Palisades, California)
More info at the Getty.
