Roman Culture

The foundation of the Roman culture had a strong Etruscan influence due to their taking control of Rome circa 650 BC. The Etruscans transformed Rome into an actual, functioning city through urban planning and civil engineering projects. Although the Etruscans were hostile in their take over, the Romans would not have accomplished what they did alone. It was not until circa 500 BC that Rome successfully shook off Etruscan rule. Once they were free, the Romans established a republic, a form of government also to be used by many countries later. Rome set up a constitution consisting of a senate, consuls and tribunes. The Roman senate became the most powerful governing body. Rather than advising the head of state, it elected the chief executives, called consuls. Consuls were ordinary magistrates that had the authority to command a military force. ‘Tribune’ was a title given to various officers within the Roman army.

Thesis: The Greek influence of outstanding culture, gods, and their beautiful art to the Romans’ they took this inspiration on to their own creation. Both ancient build devotion to their gods they would bring the most precious things to them temples, however, they would focus on making large empire to rule and to take control of their city-states.

The United States has adopted parts of Ancient Roman culture into modern day life. Over time Rome became the superpower of the Mediterranean controlling a vast amount of city-states. Power from trade, innovative minds, a powerful military, and influence from other cultures combined to make Rome one of the most powerful regions of the time period. The United States has taken some aspects of Rome’s culture and has incorporated it into society making both regions similar. Roman culture was like our own culture in the United States today because of the system of government, the use of sporting events to escape the affairs of daily life and the funeral inscriptions on grave markers.

One trait every army must have to be successful is the willingness and drive to dominate. The Roman army took these traits to a whole different level. The Romans were very extreme in battle as well. They often enjoyed humiliating other city-states by burning them to the ground. In 264 B.C.E. a battle between other Greek city-states forced Rome and Carthage, who dominated the western part of the Mediterranean, into conflict. The First Punic War was for the control of Sicily.4 This battle lasted twenty-three years.4 The Romans were losing a lot of men, but they continued to battle on.4 Finally, the persistence paid off.4 The Romans learned how to fight by sea and cut off the Carthaginian supply line into

The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the Roman Empire and the culture within that civilization from 43-306 C.E. Centrally located in the Mediterranean lies Italy, one of the three great peninsulas that can be seen from the south of Europe. The Roman Empire and its civilization has always been one to be admired by people and leaders all around the world. When the thought of this illustrious empire comes to an individual’s mind, one might assume that they may think of the great Julius Caesar and his tragic death, Marc Antony and Cleopatra, or even the great philosophers that flourished during this time. Thousands of years later the romans are still being praised for their advances in the sciences, philosophy, and government.

The art I selected from the Roman Empire is the architectural structure of the Colosseum, or amphitheater. This structure reveals the importance that the Romans’ placed on entertainment, in so much that Benton and DiYanni indicate “it was official policy that the state should provide entertainment for the public” (Benton, DiYanni, p. 108). The relationship between the art and the culture is distinguished and represented by the size of the structure; it being able to accommodate such large crowds of people indicates that the Romans placed much importance in attending the entertainment provided. The Colosseum influenced the culture by providing ample space for everyone to enjoy entertainment. The culture influenced the art by supporting through attendance to the different entertainment during that time.

Roman sculptors and artists, borrowing upon the techniques of the Greeks, became masters of their craft. The Romans captured prized items while fighting against the Greeks. Much of the

Banking activities in Greece are more varied and sophisticated than in any previous society. Private entrepreneurs, as well as temples and public bodies, now undertake financial transactions. They take deposits, make loans, change money from one currency to another and test coins for weight and purity.

Lifestyle: As the Romans became wealthier from their conquests, they became indulgent and often artificial in their attempt to affect "the refinement of their more cultivated neighbors" (Morey, 1901), the Greeks. After capturing Greece, the Romans, who admired Greek manners, began to wear articles of clothing, such as the chiton, tunic, and toga, that shared the same names and were adapted from the Greeks into their own style. In addition, and much to the disapproval of Cato the Censor, they forgot their simple, wholesome traditions in favor of luxury, show, and excess. " They loaded their tables with rich services of plate; they ransacked the land and the sea for delicacies with which to please their palates" (Morey, 1901), in a macabre parody of Greek culture combined with blood

Roman society was one of ever changing complexity. At a size of approximately one million people Rome was the pinnacle of an age long lost. Yet the society created by these ancient people remains in the ever changing culture of today. Whether it be the creation of a republic, the political entity still used by many today, to the mannerisms of war still taught by military schools the world over, Rome gave more to the development of civilization than almost any society. Even the phrase, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do” is commonly used around the world. In this essay Roman society will be analyzed from the rise to the fall of the great and vast republic and empire. Yet what was a Roman really? “The Romans thus created for themselves a “national self-image” or a “national character,” and they perceived of the ideal Roman as being stern, diligent, and self-sufficient.” Although this may be an image that many Romans accepted as their societies view of its subjects, there was much more to the Romans than that. As with any other society there were the rich and poor, as well as slaves. Looking back the Romans may seem to be a very militaristic society, but the every day life of a Roman was equally exciting. To discover the truth behind these ancient people’s lives one must however know the difference between fact and fiction, as many of the Romans writings were not entirely true, but instead full of myth. This essay will look at the politics, military, myth, and true everyday

Common occupations in the Roman Empire included farming, fighting in the Roman Legions, working as clerks, tax collectors, administrators, miners, and traders. Men of higher skill levels could work as teachers, lawyers, and engineers. Men of the highest class were senators, politicians, religious leaders, estate owners, and military leaders.

Roman society was very different to the modern-day standards, and based on this alone, can’t just simply be declared as inherently cruel – and instead, should consider the moralistic values they may have held then rather than the ideals we strive for now. What might have been perfectly normal, or in fact more pleasant, in the era that they were living in then may not live up to the standards of living today. People of the time wanted to become Roman citizens for its values and lifestyles that it gave to its inhabitants and that should speak in numbers with regards to whether it may have been cruel or not – however, we also should realise that history is generally written by the winners, the rich, or those that might tinker with historical fact to make themselves appear in a better light to the later generations. Historians of the time may not give all the facts but historians of today might not have all the evidence to back up their theories as a lot of it was destroyed over the centuries.

Much of the chaos that was brought to Alexandria, portrayed a key attribute as the significance of Roman culture weakened through the many practices of Jewish religion. During this period, the Jewish religion not only became very influential but it began to compete with Roman culture and their belief in polytheism.

In the book, Roman Art: a picture book by Christine Alexander, she has compiled a number of photos of art from the Roman Republic period. While there are only a few are from the Republic era, they are still quality pictures of surviving artwork from that time. Each picture includes the title of the piece, the time period it is roughly from, and its dimensions. She also gives a brief summary of the development of Roman art as she transitions into each of the pictures she as included in her book. This book has a subtler influence in the world of artwork and its influence. The author, while she provides a brief description of its influence, gives the viewers a simple descriptions of the artwork so as to come to their own terms with what meaning they carry. However,

Some Roman writers chose to follow the example of Herodotus and they wrote books on the history of