Post on 20-Oct-2014
description
Cultural Blending
• Roman Empire tied hundreds of territories together
• 146 B.C. Rome conquered Greece– Adopted Greek ways
• Greek, Hellenistic & Roman culture combined into Greco-Roman culture– aka classical civilization
Rome
Greece
Adapting Greek Ways
• Took Greek and Hellenistic models & made them their own
• Roman art and literature began representing the ideals of:
• STRENGTH• PERMANENCE• SOLIDITY
Fine Arts - Sculpture • Realistic• Made of stone• Practical purpose• Intended for educating• Developed bas-relief
sculpture– Images projecting from
flat background– Subjects: landscapes,
crowds, battle scenes– Told stories
Fine Arts - Mosaics
• Designs or pictures made by setting small pieces of stone, glass or tile onto a surface
• Common in wealthy Roman homes
Fine Arts - Painting
• Frescoes– Large murals– Painted on plaster– Colorful
• Very few surviving paintings• Most remaining found in Pompeii
– Preserved by ash from Mt. Vesuvius eruption
Philosophy and Literature
• Adopted much of Greek philosophy• Stoicism popular because of its emphasis:
– Virtue– Duty– Moderation– Endurance
Literature
• Followed Greek literary forms and models– Ex: epic
• Used own themes and ideas
• Ovid – Light, funny poet– Amores– Written for enjoyment
• Virgil – Wrote the Aeneid– Modeled off Homer’s
epics– Praised Roman
virtues and government
– Seriousness of Roman character
Historians• Livy
– Wrote multivolume history of Rome from its beginning to 9 B.C.
– Incorporated legends, created national myth
• Tacitus – Famous for presenting facts accurately– Wrote about the good and bad in the Roman Empire– Criticized immoral leaders
• Ex: Nero
Rome’s Lasting Legacy
• Language = Latin– Official language of
Roman Catholic Church til 20th century
– French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian derived from Latin
• “Romance languages”
Architecture
• Architectural marvel• Arches• Domes• Built w/ concrete• Used arches to
support bridges and aquaducts– Aquaducts = carried
water
Roman System of Law
• Most widespread, lasting contribution
• Romans came to believe laws should be fair & equal to all (rich and poor)
• Judges began to recognize set standards for justice– Influenced by Stoicism– Based on common sense
Roman System of Law
• Most important principals:– All have right to equal treatment under law– Innocent until proven guilty– Accuser must provide proof, not the accused– People should only be punishable for actions
• Not thoughts
– Unreasonable, extremely unfair laws can be set aside
• Basis of legal systems in Europe, USA, etc.
Rome’s Lasting Influence
• Continued, added Greek civilization
• Strong cultural tradition
• Left an enduring legacy even after fall of Rome
For Next Class…
• Benchmark Review Sheet
• Terms DUE
• Brainstorm for “When in Rome” project