Ancient_Romand_and_Greek_Cultures

Running head: UNIT 1 INDIVIDUAL PROJECT TOPICS IN CULTURAL STUDIES Kelly Camara Unit 1 Discussion Board Topics in Cultural Studies AIU Online January 9, 2010 Abstract In this assignment I will be creating a chart comparing and contrasting elements and important features of early Greek and Roman cultures. There will be examples of some of these features. The elements of government, geographical terrain, economy and trade practices, art and architecture and philosophical and religious beliefs. By the end of this assignment the reader will understand the differences and similarities between the two cultures. Early Greek Culture: 1. Government: Ancient Greece was divided into small areas called city-states(Sayre,2010). The largest of these city-states was Athens. It was very difficult to travel between these city-states because they were separated from each other by mountains (Sayre, 2010). Each city-state had its own government. When these city-states were first formed, they were ruled by a few wealthy men, until they moved toward democracy. Democracy is the same form of government we have in the U.S. The word means rule by the people (Richmond, 2010). The people vote on who they want their leaders to be. In Athens the people were divided into three different groups: The Upper Class, Middle Class, and the Lower Class. The Upper class was made up of male citizens that were born in Athens. The Middle class was made up of male that were not born in Athens, and the Lower class was made up of all slaves. Only men who were in the Upper class were allowed to vote. These elections took place at public Assemblies. At these Assemblies, the Upper class men discussed laws and spoke of things that might benefit Athens. 2. Geographical Terrain: The Greek islands lay to the southeastern corner of Euroupe and were segregated into two peninsulas. In ancient times, Greece comprised mountainous terrain and a very rugged coastline. This offered citizens good protection from foreign invaders (Borade, 2010). This aspect of Greece’s geography also made it quite difficult for communication and trade. The geography of ancient Greece was defined by a seminal culture that was believed to be the foundation of modern Western civilization and that in Southwest Asia and North Africa. The geographical boundaries of the region spread across the Mediterranean region and Europe. It was influenced by commonalities of language, political and educational systems (Borade, 2010). 3. Economics and Trade Practices: Few Greeks attempted what we would call sophisticated economic analysis. The produced and exchanged goods both in local and long distance trade and had monetary systems to facilitate their exchanges. Because mainland Greece was rocky and mountainous, many city-states depended heavily on seagoing trade. Greece progressively became involved with the growing trade. The economy of ancient Greece was characterized by the extreme importance of importing goods due to the mainland’s poor soil. In the 6th Century B.C. craftsmanship and commerce developed (Sayre, 2010). 4. Art & Architecture: Greek life was dominated by religion and so it is not surprising that the temples of ancient Greece were the biggest and most beautiful. The Greeks developed three architectural systems, called orders, each with their own distinctive proportions and detailing. These orders include Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian. The Pantheon is the temple of the Greek goddess of wisdom, Athena Parthenos and is of the Doric order. The Erechtheon was a temple from the middle classical period of Greek architecture and is of the Ionic order. The temple of Apollo in Turkey is also of the Ionic order. The last of the orders the Corinthian is the most ornate of the classic orders of architecture. The Temple of Zeus in Athens is the most notable of the Corinthian order. 5. Philosophical and Religious Beliefs: The beliefs of the average Greek might have been influenced both by traditional beliefs about the gods and goddesses and ideas that derived from the teachings of philosophers. Ancient Greek religion was a predominant form of early Paganism, and as a result their religion reflected many central ideas and concepts from it. It was polytheistic consisting of the worship of many gods. The Greeks believed these gods would offer protection and guide their city-states. The most important element of Greek religion were Divinities. The Greeks emphasized pleasing the gods in order to live a life free of oppression and hardship. The Greeks devoted temples to these gods as sites for worship. They also placed immense faith in idea of life after death. Ancient Roman Culture 1. Government: The Roman government was a strange mix of a democracy and a republic. Rome took some of their government ideas from the ancient Greeks. The Roman state was republic and its consuls, or chief magistrates continued to be appointed even after the one man rule under the empire, but it only lasted until the beginning of the 1st Century B.C. Since ancient Romans did not want one man to make all their laws, they decided to balance the power of the government between three branches. These included the Executive, Legislative, and Judicial branches (UNRV, 2009). 2. Geographical Terrain: Rome unlike most other Italian cities was built on very low ground rather than on a dominating high ground. The lowest point of the city is at the Pantheon (Sayre, 2010). The highest point is Monte Mario hill. Rome’s proximity to the sea which explains the relatively low height above sea level, the Tiber River’s meandering bends and marshy nature of the land. The soil is naturally rich in water springs and minerals. The hills are largely made up of tufa rock, which is a hardened rocky sponge (Milani, 2010). 3. Economy and Trade Practices: The Roman economy never developed into anything terribly complex compared to modern economies. It was an agrarian and slave based economy whose main concern was feeding the vast numbers of citizens and legionaries who populated the Mediterranean region (UNRV, 2010). Agriculture and trade dominated Roman economic fortunes, only supplemented by small scale industrial production. The staple crops of Roman farmers in Italy were various grains, olives, and grapes. Olive oil and wine outside of direct food stuffs, were among the most important products in the ancient civilized world and led Italy’s exports. Farmers donated surplus crops to government in lieu of a monetary tax. Egypt, Sicily, and Tunisia were areas of vital importance in the processing and shipment of grain to Rome. While production and transportation of foods dominated the trading industry. Exotic and luxurious imports such as cottons and silk were imported from China and the Far East. 4. Art and Architecture: The architecture of ancient Rome adopted the external Greek architecture for the use of creating their own personal style. The Romans were indebted to their Etruscan neighbors and forefathers who supplied them with a wealth of knowledge essential for future architectural solutions, such as hydraulics and the construction of arches. The Romans built these massive structures for public use. Examples of some ancient Roman architecture is the well known Colleseum, which was used for fighting and other shows. Another massive structure was the aqueducts of Rome which transported water throughout Italy. These buildings were made to impress as well as perform a public function. Romans used the arch and the dome as improvements to their architecture. The use of the arch allowed the building of many aqueducts throughout the empire. The dome allowed these buildings to have vaulted ceilings and provided large covered public space such as public baths and basilicas. The Pantheon was built with such a dome. The arch was adopted from the Greeks but improved and perfected by the Romans. The Coloseum in Rome Roman Forum References Sayre, H. M. (2010). Discovering the Humanities. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall Pearson. (2010) AIU M.U.S.E Retrieved January 9, 2011 from https://mycampus.aiu-online.edu http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ancient-greece-geography.html retrieved January 9, 2010 http://www.religionfacts.com/greco-roman/index.htm retrieved January 9, 2010 http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/arth200/politics/roman_architecture.html Retrieved January 9, 2010 http://www.unrv.com/economy.php retrieved January 9, 2010