...determines your destiny.” The Romans inherited a cornucopia of knowledge from the Greeks and Hellenistic cultures in the Mediterranean, such as architecture, strategies of war, politics and the humanities to name a few. However what the Romans had that the Greeks didn’t was extreme self-discipline and organizational skills and when they opened their minds and allowed themselves to be less dogmatic, more artistic and more inclusive they were able to conquer the world. Since we have limited space in which to make our point, we will use religion, philosophy, politics and art in which to illustrate the magnitude of the influence of the Greeks and the Hellenistic cultures on the Romans. The Hellenistic times were a period of questioning our purpose in this world, why things happen, and what transpires after death. Consequently philosophers from many perspectives became popular and presented people with answers and a multitude of options that were being derived from all the Hellenistic societies surrounding the Romans. The political systems inherited from the Greeks became the inspiration for the Roman Empire’s republic and has become the cornerstone of democracies around the world today. Greek and Hellenistic art became the largest influence on every single aspect of Roman life, including their weapons, fashion and home decor. Professor Weber clearly gives the impression that the Romans “conspicuous consumption” was not a positive after effect of the Roman conquests because it changed...
Words: 1964 - Pages: 8
...Greek and Roman Comparison Lisa Lain HIS275CA June 1, 2015 Zachary Lenz Greek and Roman Comparison The Greek and Roman empires were very important to the history of the world. With their empires came religions and philosophies. While their religions were much different, both the Greeks and the Romans turned to Christianity at some point. Their philosophies were also quite different. They each studied the building blocks of the universe and created their own theories. With any empire come societal struggles. Both the Greek and Roman empires dealt with such struggles but the main aspect of the struggles varied. Territorial expansion was very important in both the Greek and the Roman empires. They both sought out to find more land and fought for the land they found through wars and battles. Trade and commerce were a major contribution to both empires as well. While both empires traded different things both within their empires, they also traded outside of it. The Roman and Greek civilizations also dealt with a decline in civilization. The reasoning behind their declines was different, but both empires contributed to their own decline. Religions and Philosophies While the Greek and Roman religions differed greatly, they both turned to Christianity at one point. In the beginning religions, the Greeks and Romans alike believed in many gods. Each of these gods was believed to be a god of certain events. Both the Greek and the Romans worshipped their gods at temples...
Words: 6976 - Pages: 28
...Compare/Contrast Greek and Roman Cultures Assignment: Part 1: Fill in the below table with both similarities and differences of the Greek and Roman cultures. Indicate if you are describing a similarity or a difference. If you are describing a similarity then place your research information under both the Greek and Roman culture. If you are describing a difference list the difference between the two cultures under each culture. Please fill in all 10 lines within the table, each row will expand as you type in your information. | Similarity/Difference | Greek Culture | Roman Culture | 1 | Difference | Greek surrounded by mountains | Roman surrounded by the sea | 2 | Difference | Spoke Greek | Spoke Latin | 3 | Similarity | Clothing - Toga - worn everyday | Clothing - Toga - worn rarely worn | 4 | Difference | Gods and Myths started first | Adopted the Gods and Myths from Greek | 5 | Difference | Greek Gods were represented with gorgeous bodies, muscles, faces and hair. | Roman Gods were represented with warriors, strength and mythology. Believed Gods weren't beautiful. | 6 | Difference | Lives were more about art, drama and philosophy | Lives were more about hard work and craftsmanship | 7 | Similarity | Brought food to the graves of where the Gods or their families laid | Brought food to the graves of where the Gods or their families laid | 8 | Difference | Believed that in the importance of physical life | Believed that they did good deeds on...
Words: 532 - Pages: 3
...Greek and Roman Cultures the Contrasts and Comparisons Kasaundra Ottinger AIU Online- HUMA215 July 20, 2011 Elements of Culture | Greek Culture | Similarities/Differences | Roman Culture | Geography | Greeks would not permit the building of an empire. The city-states were isolated by the hill sides and were united by force from the Romans. They were more sophisticated and more advanced then the Romans. | Both are Mediterranean countries that started out as city-states. Greek city-states were separated by hilly country sides and all near water.Rome was inland and there were no hill sides to separate and no boarders (Gills, 2011). The East is bordered by mountains and the West is bordered by the sea. | Romans had an Empire that was due to the response of threats against them. The army that was formed would be the cause of the uprising of the empire and in the end its downfall. | Government | Monarchies (Kings)Oligarchies (Aristocrats)Tyrannies (one Aristocrat with power over the other Aristocrats)Democracies (Gave power to the poor people) (Carr, 2011). | Originally both countries were ruled by kings (Monarchies). In Greek civilization their government evolved into what we know today as a democracy (Gills, 2011). | Monarchy (King) Consuls (2 Men rule) Senators (Advisors to the Consuls) Prefects (Run the city) Tribunes (Speak for the poor) Assembly (All men grown, free and of Roman citizenship who vote on issues and elect the Consuls, Prefects and Senators) (Carr, 2011)...
Words: 902 - Pages: 4
...The early Greek and Roman cultures fundamentals or descriptions were illustrated in the table beneath. Greek Culture Roman Culture Government Aristocrats once ruled the Greeks. After a number of years of war, the Democracy was presented and effective. Political, philosophical, and literary held great concerns. (Economic History, 2010) The Roman government is an uncompromising version of the Greeks. From the Monarchy there is a civilization change, holding the military and political control was the Aristocratic republic. “Executive, legislative and the judicial branch” were the branches that were presumed so that the political control would be composed. (2)(UN RV History, 2011) Geographical Greece is a peninsula. It has several smaller peninsulas attached. Peninsula meaning it is enclosed by water on three sides. Southwestern Europe is where it is positioned. It is “51,000 square miles” (Kidport, 2012) The “Seven Hills and The Tiber River” is what Rome’s geographical area consists of. (Maps of World, 2000) It forms the “backbone of the peninsular” and it is the western part of the Apennine Mountains. (Maps of World, 2000) Terrain Greece is roughly 20% made up of island and it has a small amount of plans, the rugged mountainous and the rocky terrain is what divided the cities and the states. (Kidport, 2012) As for the land, it was not capable of sustaining plant life and it was unnourished. On both sides there were small islands with swampy...
Words: 921 - Pages: 4
...Outline of Ancient Greece Paper 1. Introduction to Ancient Greece * What is ancient Greece? * How long did Ancient Greece last? * How did Ancient Greece impact western civilization? 2. Archaic period * Duration of the Archaic period * Characteristics of the Archaic period * Impact of the Archaic period on Greece’s culture 3. Classical Greece * Duration of the Classical period * Characteristics of the Classical period * Impact of the Classical period on Greece’s culture 4. Hellenistic Greece * Duration of the Hellenistic period * Characteristics of the Hellenistic period * Impact of the Hellenistic period on Greece’s culture 5. Roman Greece * Transition to Roman Greece * Characteristics of the period under Roman rule * Impact of the Greek culture on Rome 6. Political structure of Ancient Greece 7. Social structure of Ancient Greece 8. War in Ancient Greece 9. Religion in Ancient Greece 10. Impact of Ancient Greece on today Introduction to Ancient Greece I chose to write about Ancient Greece because my heritage is from that area of the world and that makes it very interesting to me. The period of time that ancient Greece covers spans for about one thousand years and includes several stages of cultural, economic, and political development. This period was also very important because many consider it the time when western culture was born and developed. However, before ancient...
Words: 1761 - Pages: 8
...Why was Socrates regarded as a man of virtue? Why was Socrates regarded as a man of virtue? Socrates: Man of Virtue (470-399 B.C.E.) Socrates proposed the theory of value in which there are two sorts of good: virtue and happiness. Both are unconditional goods. But happiness is a "self-generated" good in that it "derives its value strictly from its inherent properties;" whereas virtue is an "other-generated" good in that it derives its value from happiness, precisely from its conduciveness to happiness. Virtue is an instinct in all humanity which can be aroused through self-examination. This universal truth is accessible to everyone who thinks and question. Socrates assumes that any person with whom he talks has the resource to answer his question correctly, that is, that no specialist knowledge is required. Socrates thought that knowledge is virtue, and virtue leads to happiness. It makes sense to think that moral people know what morality is. If you know right from wrong, then you might be able to choose to do what you know to be right. It also makes some sense to suspect that our beliefs about right and wrong influence our decisions. If we believe its right to help a drowning child, then it would be fairly shocking to decide not to do so—and it would less surprising when we decide to help the child. It is quite a shocking statement to say that virtue always leads to happiness. Criminals commit crimes that hurt others to help themselves. To think that their crimes would...
Words: 7161 - Pages: 29
...about ancient Roman and Greek ideals, values, morals and philosophy swept through Europe during the turn of the 14th century. The Renaissance as we call this movement changed the society and culture of Europe. The replacement of medieval ideas with the birth of modern principles changed the whole landscape of Europe and even the world as these ideas would gradually spread to other parts of the globe. It was particularly the Italian Renaissance which instigated these changes. It was when handful of humanists sparked off of what would be the one of the most remarkable revolutions. The Catholic Church started to shift away from being the center of the universe and began to be replaced by ideals such as secularism and individualism; a concept unheard of over the last 1000 years. This Renaissance movement were fueled by the people of Florence more so than any other nation. It was Florence which was the center of Renaissance and where it started off. With the discovery of ancient Roman and Greek manuscripts and art, the prosperous city of Florence soon became a mecca of culture and great achievements. It was in early stages of the Renaissance when the son of a goldsmith, Sandro Botticelli created his most famous works; Primavera and The Birth of Venus. After his death, Botticelli’s masterpieces and his artworks’ importance were obscured and underestimated for nearly 400 years before scholars grasped the importance of his work; primarily Primavera and The Birth of Venus and how it played...
Words: 1035 - Pages: 5
...Degree Selected essays on Roman Civilization Plebeian revolt There are a number of causes that led to the first revolt by the Plebeians. Some of the causes of the revolt are poor distribution of land, poverty among the Plebeians, and the harsh debt law that affected the plebs. This essay will discuss the causes of the first Plebeian revolt as well as the results of the revolt. One of the main causes of the plebeian revolt was the existence of poverty among the Plebeians. The poverty was a result of the actions of the Patrician, in some ways. What happened was that the Plebs assisted the Patrician to expel the kings from Rome and led to a republican state. The fight against the kings left the plebs in a very worse off condition. Since the patricians lived in the city, during the war their property would remain secure. The city was guarded by walls. However, since the plebs lived in the countryside, which was not guarded, their property was greatly destroyed during the wars. The plebs’ fields were destroyed as much as their property. The destruction of the property and fields was possible since the Plebs men were fighting in the wars leaving their homes unprotected. So, whereas the men were fighting during the wars their properties and fields were being plundered, making them very poor at the end of the wars. So the Plebs were not happy that their properties and fields were being destroyed by the enemies, when in fact they were serving in the Roman army for the sake of protecting...
Words: 9212 - Pages: 37
... who raised him from the dead—2and all the members of God’s family* who are with me.” (Galatians 1:1-2 NSRV). In fact, Paul was the first writer of the New Testament and his many letters give us much insight on how educated and cultured he was. He seems to be well versed in Greek, Roman and Jewish traditions, and his letters carefully and methodically use key terms and phrases to capture the hearts of each of those audiences. Paul is quite proficient at amalgamating opposing schools of thought, in order to create a bridge for the belief in Jesus, as the Christ and salvation for the world. A great example of Paul’s ability to unit different bodies of knowledge to create solidarity, can be read in Romans chapter 2 verse 14 “When Gentiles, who do not possess the law, do instinctively what the law requires, these, though not having the law, are a law to themselves.” (Romans 2:14). Here Paul is addressing the cream of the crop, in Greek thought concerning sin. Greek philosophy during that time (and for many contemporary philosophers today), concerning sin, was that man has the critical intrinsic mental faculties that enable rational reflection and therefore, the ability know what is righteous (good), independent of God telling you through Law that it is good. The Greeks summed up this premise with a question. Are righteous acts good because the Gods say they’re good, or are they good because they are good? And if they are good because they are good in and of themselves-- Then aren’t...
Words: 1022 - Pages: 5
...Leslie C. Lee HIEU 205 June 23, 2014 Italian and Northern Humanism During the age known as the Renaissance, humanism was a thriving force within Europe. Humanism had a profound impact on how man viewed the role of education and intellectualism within society. Renaissance humanism has been defined as simply a curriculum based upon the study of Greco-Roman classics that affected the culture and man’s point of view. Renaissance humanism was ultimately divided into two branches which came to be known as Civic humanism and Christian humanism which defined differences between Italian humanists and Northern humanists. Leon Battista Alberti (1404-1472) and Desiderius Erasmus (1469-1536) and their ideals exemplify what separated the two. The contrast between Italian humanism and Northern humanism can be simply stated as one led man away from God, the other drew man closer to God. Education was crucial a factor in the ideals of both Italian and Northern humanists. Classical scholarship was the heart of Italian humanism while Christian scholarship was the chosen education of Northern humanists. The classical Latin language of Cicero was an important part of both scholarship curriculums and both Alberti and Erasmus were fluent in Latin. The differences between scholarships were the exclusion or inclusion of Christian classics. Italian humanists unlike Northern humanists held the idea that the classic Latin language should be the chosen language of the elite. It was a common practice...
Words: 2266 - Pages: 10
...Principal Issues | Eastern | Eastern philosophy includes the various philosophies of ancient China and India, but can also include Islamic, Jewish, and Persian philosophies | Frederick Streng: ways of defining religion.Mary Daly: religion reflects patriarchy | The problem of evilArguments of godFaith and resounding | Saint AnselmGauniloSt. Thomas Aquinas | What is religion?Is there true evidence of a god?Is there a heaven and hell? | | | | | | | Eastern and Western philosophy are similar but different in many ways. Eastern philosophy includes the various philosophies of ancient China and India, but can also include Islamic, Jewish, and Persian philosophies. Western philosophy refers to the philosophies developed by the ancient Greeks and Indians. There are many differences between Eastern and Western philosophy. One is the east uses concepts by intuition while the west uses concepts by postulations. Another is the west wants logical concrete proof while according to the east reality is known by intuition. The eastern philosophers are primarily practical while the western philosophers are primarily theoretical. The west is concerned basically with the modern world while the east is concerned with the ancient and past world. Lastly eastern philosophy relationship with religion is integration while western philosophy relationship with religion is opposition. There are many similarities between eastern and western philosophy. The first one is both deal with god in...
Words: 503 - Pages: 3
...The Roman Period Timeline of Roman Period Early History * 1000 BC - Latins begin to settle in Italy. * 753 BC - The city is allegedly founded in this year by Romulus and Remus. * 750 BC - Tarpeia besieges cities, and hands it over to the Sabines * 700 BC - Near Rome, the Etruscan civilization more or less begins. * 659 BC - The enemy city of Alba Longa is destroyed by the Romans. * 616 BC - The first Etruscan king of Rome, Tarquinius Priscus establishes a Forum and a Circus Maximus. * c.600 BC - Cloaca Maxima is probably first built around this year. * 578 BC - Servius Tullius becomes the next Etruscan king of Rome * 565 BC - Servian Walls are built. * 534 BC - King Servius is assassinated. * 510 BC - Temple of Jupiter on the Capitol is completed and consecrated. * 509 BC - Lucius Brutus founds the republic and expels the Etruscans and Tarquin the Proud from Rome. * 508 BC - A Treaty is made between Rome and Carthage. * 507 BC - The famous war against the Etruscans begins, featuring hero Horatio. Republic * 499 BC - A battle against foreign tribes commences, including the construction of the Temple of Castor and Pollux. * 396 BC - The Etruscan city of Veio is defeated by the Romans * 390 BC - Rome is sacked by the Gauls after the Battle of the Allia * 380 BC - The once destroyed Servian Wall is reconstructed. * 312 BC - The Via Appia and Aqua Appia are constructed. * 264 - 241 BC - First Punic...
Words: 2326 - Pages: 10
...1 Write an essay on the God of the philosophers. Who or what is God according to traditional Classical philosophy? Refer in your answer specifically to Plato and Aristotle’s objective idea of God. Also refer to Augustine’s response to Classical philosophy. Conclude your essay with your own critical assessment. Do you agree or disagree with the philosophers? Use Chapter 4 of your prescribed textbook (‘The God of the Philosophers’) in order to answer the question. Contents 1. Brief summary of the God of the philosophers 2. The traditional God and gods 3. Plato and Aristotle’s objective ideas of God 4. Conclusion 5. References 1. Brief summary of the God of the Philosopher: In the book ‘God: A guide for the perplexed’ Keith Ward goes into fascinating debate and detail of ancient philosopher, their writings and the way the world understood them. Each philosopher mentioned in Chapter 4; Socrates, Plato, Aristotle and Augustine had their own image and debate on what the godswere and how they perceived them and how they believed they came to be and what they are capable of. Plato, when learning about the Greek gods, never understood why they were there or where they came from. He believed that good was the only essence that mattered in all the beliefs and religions and ways of life. He believed in a god that was faultlessin everything he did and that is why the universe was created. (Ward 2002: 145) Socrates on the other hand denied that there were...
Words: 831 - Pages: 4
...|compare the political theories of Hobbes and Locke | | |explain how science and philosophy influenced one another during the Enlightenment | | |explain the term enlightened despot, using the model of Frederick II of Prussia | | |Click here for the course glossary | | |Click here for a Timeline of The Enlightenment and Scientific Revolution | | |This lesson discusses European society between 1600 and 1800--an era marked by the power of ideas and rational | | |thinking. The term Scientific Revolution is used to describe the growing acceptance and influence of the scientific| | |method and the belief that reason and inquiry can explain and even change the world. The term Enlightenment is | | |perhaps a more accurate name for this period because it incorporates a variety of intellectual movements that today| | |we do not consider sciences: philosophy, theology, economics, history, and political theory. | | |The word scientist did...
Words: 7624 - Pages: 31
