Wisdom of the Ancient Greeks

The ancient Greeks were able to achieve remarkable things, no doubt. Philosophy, science, viniculture, art, politics, and architecture were advanced greatly by the Greeks. How? How were they able to do this when people in other civilizations were just struggling to get ahead? Well, the Greeks didn't spend a lot of time accumulating personal wealth. They were satisfied with a roof, one garment, and a diet consisting of wine, olives, a little grain and, and once in a very great while, meat and some cheese. Even the furnishings of their houses were plain. Sparta went so far as to mandate rough-hewed ceilings and door posts in order to make fancy furniture look out of place.

If I lived as simply as an ancient Greek, or as simply as an early Christian, or as simply as all Orthodox monks - ummm, except for the obligations of marriage, of course. Or as quite a few of my non-monastic brothers and sisters. What might I achieve then?