Legacy of Rome Ms. Carmelitano

Greco-Roman Culture – Preservation of Greek Culture – Mixture of Roman and Greek (Hellenistic) culture – Educated Romans learned Greek language – Classical civilizations are a mix of Greek, Roman, and Hellenistic cultures – The Romans preserved Greek learning, writing, and culture

Roman Art – Realistic – Sculptures – Bas-relief or low-relief: images project from a flat background – Mosaics – Pictures made by setting small pieces of glass or tile onto surface – Villas and country houses had at least one – Painting – Murals called frescoes were painted on walls of the wealthy – A Fresco is a painting made on damp plaster to brighten villas

Literature – Philosophy – Stoicism – Zeno: Greek Stoic – Encouraged virtue, duty, moderation, endurance – Roman Themes: – Virtue, duty – Virgil: writer – Aeneid – epic of Aeneas modeled after epics of Homer – The epic follows Aeneas, a Trojan soldier, destined to build the city of Rome – Ovid: Poet – Wrote light poetry for enjoyment – Amores: is a poem about love

Literature – History – Livy – Roman Historian – Wrote a multivolume history of Rome beginning in 9BCE – It holds legends, as well as history – Tacitus – Accurately preserved historical facts of Rome – He wrote Annals and Histories – Accurately catalogued Roman morality, and lack there of – Including a depiction of Nero’s cruelty

Language – The Romans spoke Latin – This became the language of learning in the west and the Catholic Church – Developed into French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian, Romanian – Romantic languages – Half of the words in English are based on Latin

Buildings – Roman Architecture – Arch – Dome – Concrete – Aqueducts – Brought water into cities and towns – Colosseum – Roads – Pantheon

System of Law – The Roman’s most lasting contribution – The Romans believed that law should be fair and applied equally to all people – All people had the right to equal treatment under the law – A person should be punished for actions not thoughts – All people are innocent until proven guilty – The burden of proof on accuser – Laws should be fair

Pompeii – Excellent example of frescoes – Pompeii was a city located near Mt Vesuvius, which erupted in 79 CE – Ash rained down over the city, preserving the people and objects in ash – Including the Frescos

Pompeii – Attracted the wealthy due to its warm climate, and fertile soil