Rome and the Roots of Western Civilization

The Legacy of the Greco-Roman Civilization

• Educated Romans learned the Greek language

• The mixing of Roman, Hellenistic, and Greek culture produced a new culture, called Greco-Roman culture.

• AKA classical civilization

Roman Fine Arts

• Roman sculptors created realistic portraits in stone.

• Created Bas-relief sculpture.• example: Trajan’s column

• skilled in creating mosaics • Frescos were popular as well

Learning and Literature

• Romans borrowed most of their philosophy from the Greeks

• Stoicism was very influential • Literature elements were borrowed from the

Greeks as well• Most famous Latin literature is Aeneid

• Written by Virgil • Livy composed a multivolume history of Rome

• Mixed lots of legends in his writings• Not that accurate

• Tacitus wrote truthfully• Wrote the Annals and Histories• Described both the good and bad of Rome

Roman Achievements

• Latin Language• Architecture, Engineering, and

Technology• Arch

− aqueducts

• Dome− Pantheon

• Concrete • Roads

Roman Law

• Longest lasting and most widespread contribution

• Believed laws should be fair and applied equally to all people− Stoic influence

Roman Corners

• Think back to the lecture on the Decline of the Roman Empire.• Think of the Reasons

• Economic Decline• Military Upheaval • Politics Decay

• Close your eyes and think of the one you believe to be the one to have the most impact.

• Open your eyes and go to the corner of the reason you picked.