Rome Legacy

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