greeks /romans and their impact on western culture
TRANSCRIPT
Overview From about 500 B.C.- 500 A.D. centered in
the region around the Mediterranean Led by two distinct but related culture the
Greeks and Romans (Greco-Roman) Guiding principles: order, reason, intellect,
humanism & discipline Little imagination, or emotion
Period ended with the fall of Rome / the beginning of the Dark Ages
Greece Few areas of human thought were not
pioneered by Classical Greece: - Drama, history, city planning, democracy, medicine, math, philosophy, etc.
- Not only first in their field, but often
considered greatest of all time Of the arts: most significant contributions
are sculpture, architecture, & theater
Greek Overview Cont.
The greatest Greek painter Polygnotus has no surviving works
Many Greek works of art were destroyed by early Christians for their Pagan references
Other bronzes were melted down when metals were scarce in the Dark Ages
Greek Statuary Classical artists saw the human form as
both sacred and secular Became increasingly accurate in the depiction
of the human body. Poses became more naturalistic & frequently
depicted everyday people
Greek Architecture Styles
Doric (formal & austere)
A 3rd Style is Corinthian
Ionic (relaxed & decorative)
Greek Coins Greece was first culture to use coins regularly
& make them an art form The principle of coin design established by
Greece is still followed today –
- Portrait on one side – Symbol on other
– First to use inscriptions Many survive, teach us & can be collected by
average people
Language Arts Pursued lofty moral themes & lessons Usually Utilized 1 lead actor and a “chorus”
to provide background & insight 3 dominated the era, provide all significant
surviving plays…
Great Greek Playwrights
Aeschylus: most famous poet/playwright – wrote Agamemnon – appealed to intellect – added a second & later third lead actor
Sophocles: contemporary of Aeschylus – wrote Oedipus – more human and subtle than others
Euripides: most realistic of Greek tragedy – deal w/ emotions not events – wrote The Trojan Women
Fables
Brief tales that contains a moral lesson stated clearly at the end as a
Proverb Use of animals as central characters w/
Anthropomorphism – use of human characteristics
Aesop – considered father of the fable – Fox & the
Grapes / Tortoise & the Hare
Greek Performing Arts
The first record of Acting is from 534 BC The Greek performer Thespis is the first
known Actor
Performing Arts Cont.
Prior to Thespis, stories were told in songs & dance or 3rd person recitals, no one had ever assumed the
role of a character. In honor of Thespis, actors today are still
commonly called Thespians
Greek / Roman Comparison
Roman arts borrowed heavily from the Greeks while they focused on powerful government and military
Clearly the art of Romans was not as “fine” as the Greeks
By comparison, virtually every artistic technique used during the Renaissance 1,900 years later was invented by the Greeks (except oil paint & mathematically accurate perspective)
Greeks & Romans Cont.
Greeks worshipped the aesthetic qualities of great art & wrote extensively on artistic theory
Roman art was more decorative & indicated status and wealth
The BIGGEST impact of the Romans was the ability to spread (through conquest) and preserve the accomplishments of the Greeks
Roman Painting
Most Roman painting was done on wood panels which eventually decayed
However, more Roman painting has survived than that of the Greeks
The city of Pompeii, encased in lava in 79 A.D. is the source of many preserved works of art
Roman Painting Often Roman painting was copied from
older Greek works, or done by immigrants from the Greek colonies.
There are 4 distinct periods during the 900 years of Roman history
Landscape painting was an important contribution of the Romans
Roman Architecture
It is in architecture that Roman art produced its greatest accomplishments.
It was the innovative use of concrete (invented earlier) that enabled Rome’s greatest works
Roman architecture capitalized on the use of two elements: Arches & Domes
Incredibly durable, some buildings are STILL in use, often as churches
Roman Architecture
Pantheon: a temple, completed in 126 A.D. – best preserved building of its age in the world, the dome is the original unreinforced
concrete.
Roman Architecture
Coliseum: an arena, completed in 80 A.D. – held over 50,000
site of gladiator fights, races, even staged naval battles, had a retractable fabric roof
Roman Architecture
Circus Maximus: a chariot racing stadium completed around 50 B.C. held about 150,000 spectators.
Miscellaneous It is believed that music was an extensive part of
public life, but few unique contributions are recorded
Roman theater adapted and translated Greek plays – they were most interested in comedies
Few contributions were made in the language arts – Vergil’s Aeneid perhaps the most significant
When the Roman Empire reached its territorial peak in 116 A.D., it spanned 2.5 million square miles.
Miscellaneous The first-ever shopping mall was built by the
Emperor Trajan in Rome. It consisted of several levels and more than stores that sold everything ranging from food and spices to clothes.
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