Compare_Contrast_Essay

Ancient Greeks and Romans There were many different cultures in the ancient world, but the two that had the most influence on European and American civilization were the ancient Greeks and the ancient Romans. Often these two cultures and their ways of living are thought of as if the two were really exactly alike. However, that is not the case. When their buildings, literary art and eating habits are examined, it can be seen that they had not only similarities but also some differences. Ancient Greek culture has left behind excellent examples of their constructions, art, and food. The Greeks were great builders and had many well-constructed and long-lasting buildings. Thousands of tourists today admire Greek ruins such as the ones in Athens. They make special trips to visit the towns of the ancient world including Ephesus and Pergamum. As the Greeks’ construction methods tended to be artistic, they were especially interested in building temples and columns. Moreover, it is fair to say that their artistic talent could be seen in literary arts. Greek literature was the result of an oral tradition, handed down from generation to generation. They mostly wrote about their wars, heroes, and gods. The Greeks also loved poetry, especially long poems again about their wars and heroes. As for the theatre, they favored tragedy, which showed the fall of great men and women. The eating habits of the Greeks were also refined. They looked after themselves and ate healthy food such as plenty of fish, fresh vegetables and fruits. During these meals, they enjoyed excellent wines and had long discussions about daily events. The details of ancient Roman culture show a slightly different picture. The Romans were more engineers than artists. They were great builders too, but they concentrated their efforts on water supplies, solid public buildings, and the best roads ever built until that time. However, they also built well-constructed and long-lasting buildings. Some of these buildings are the Roman Ruins in Pompeii and Morocco and the ruins of old Paphos on Cyprus, all of which are visited by a great number of tourists today. Roman literature mainly comprised written work that generally included stories concerning their victories in wars, past heroic events, and their gods. They also loved writing poems about their victories, heroes, and gods. The Roman theatre was based on comedy that made fun of current daily problems and public figures. Concerning their eating habits, the Romans were very careful about their diets. They had healthy meals, which consisted of sea food and vegetables for dinner, then fruits for dessert. The Romans usually had dinner together with the whole family sharing the details of their day. In conclusion, the two most famous cultures of the world, the Greek and Roman cultures, were neither the same nor very different. However, whatever similarities and differences they had in their buildings, literary arts and eating habits, it would probably be fair to say that both cultures loved life in their warm, sea-oriented climates and lived life fully.