Early Greece, a period that began in 1000 BCE, was a transition to one of the most successful periods of human civilization. The Greeks transformed art, sculpture, theater and warfare. They laid the foundations for the world's future civilizations. The first “writer” known to the Greeks introduced the heroic era with the “Iliad and the Odyssey”. During this period, Homer showed the great tragic flaw of heroes, namely pride. Hubris is defined at the time as excessive pride in or defiance of the gods, leading to the nemesis (Collins). In most Greek tragedies, hubris causes disastrous endings for many of the main characters. In early Greece, each city-state had a distinctive style and a rather religious, social and political point of view. Homer is considered the first example of a writer. Whether or not he composed the Iliad and the Odyssey, as a whole, remains a question for many scholars. Honor and glory remained the most widespread ideas at that time. It was a time in history when honor defined a man and glory allowed one to succeed. A glorious man was one who resembled “Hector”, heir to the throne of the city of Troy. He was a man who fought his opponent with all his strength and will to protect his city. Hector is a true hero, and when he dies fighting for his city against the mighty Achilles; he sets the standards for what defines a hero. It was of extreme importance for a man at that time to die in war and leave a memorable name in society. In Spartan society, even a mother was accustomed to the idea that her son had to die to become a "hero" or perhaps be remembered as one. In the Iliad and the Odyssey, Achilles' mother...... middle of paper ......"About.com." Ancient/classical history. McDowell Intermediate, 2011. Web. October 18, 2011. .Kerrigan, Sean P. "The Pick". In Pursuit of Perception: The Epic Education of Achilles. Dr. Mary Sue Ply, 2011. Web. October 18, 2011. .BookS. Cunningham, Lawrence and John J. Reich. Culture and values: an investigation into the human sciences. Sixth edition. Alternate volume. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth, 2006. 34-47. Print.