Similarities between Greek and Roman Art

Keywords: greek and roman art similarities

The Greek and Roman are country are located in the Mediterranean. Rome assimilated into the Greek way of life but besides this, there were still existed major differences between ancient Rome and ancient Greek especially the Athens. The history of the ancient Romans and ancient Greek can be compared and contrasted using the economic, social and political aspects of the two countries.

In the colonial era, the Greeks and Romans affected and influenced each other. The two nations mostly interacted through trade at the black sea and Mediterranean regions. The trade also thrived due to security from Roman military. As time eloped and civilization perpetuated, the Romans adopted beliefs and practices of the Greeks (Guttman, 2012).

There exist differences and similarities in the ancient Rome and ancient Greek economy. Athens developed through sea trade, whereas Rome grew by conquest. Initially, Greeks practiced fishing and trading (Gill). Both countries practiced agriculture. Both countries grew wheat but the Greece failed due to bad farming techniques which led to poor wheat productivity hence they adopted mass production of olive oil (Gill). Olive oil and grapes was the major export by Greek while romans common trade items were bronze and pottery .Both Greeks and Romans used labor from slaves, both also practiced mining. Initially, the romans derived their labor from slaves whom they acquired in the war but later on the Greeks adopted the practice (Guttman, 2012).

Both romans and Greek practiced art though Greek art was deliberated to be superior to that of Roman Art. Roman art was to decorate using realistic portraits while Greek art was to produce ideal artistic forms. Greece was associated with art better known as Venus de Milo while the romance practiced fresci the mosaic or wall painting art. Robertson, 1969). The Romans had concrete to build bigger better buildings unlike the Greeks. Roman architecture was characterized by arches and domes which Greeks didn’t use. The Roman and Greek temples were almost identical but the Roman, incorporated few details like domes and vaults to make them more aesthetic(Robertson, 1969).

Both countries had social classes created by wealth differences. Social classes of the Greek were slaves, freedmen, Metics, citizens and women while those of Rome were slaves, freedmen, plebeians and patricians (Guttman, 2012). Roman women were considered citizen contrary to the Greece. The Greek believed women were gossipers could not own property, should be secluded and accompanied in public and their main responsibility was to perform household chores, get married and bear children unlike in Rome where women were valued for devotion, humility, peace, loyalty in marriage, had freedom of movement and could own property(Guttman, 2012).in the Greek family, oiko ,sons could challenge their fathers ability to run the family while in the Rome pater families, sons were subjected to their father. In both the Roman and Greek cultures, bisexuality was common. However, the Greeks especially the wealthy had moral tolerance of homosexuality (Gill).

Both countries have different terrain though located in the Mediterranean region. All Greek cities neared water bodies while Rome was an inland country on the banks of River Tiber. Based on geographical positioning, Rome had immigrants and invaders which the Greek did not as most Greek cities were separated hilly country sides (Gill).

Both Greek and Roman residents practiced polytheist religion. The Greeks focused on life on earth and believed man would be judged on earth and his deeds both good and bad would follow him into afterlife while the romans believed that one’s actions if proper and many would make one god in heaven. The Romans gods and goddesses were not characterized by action therefore not gender specific unlike the Greeks deities (Morford & Lenardon, 1999).

Originally Greeks were ruled by king just like Rome but later on by oligarchy, monarchies, tyrannies, and democratic government whereas in Rome kings were followed by a Republican government comprising of loyal blood senate and an assembly and later on emperors(Guttman, 2012). With both governments, officials were elected to represent the people and citizens toke part decision-making but in the Greek democratic government, the citizens had littoral sovereignty while with the Roman Republican government the people had ultimate sovereignty. The Greek was ruled by Athens between 500-300 BCE marked Greece’s Golden Age, whereas Rome’s golden age existed in the last century of the Republic and the first century or two of the Empire (Gill).

Summarily, the ancient Greece and romans interacted through trade which was made convenient by their proximity to one another. The romans adopted Greece way of life. Nevertheless, the two nations practiced agriculture and mining, practiced polytheism and did art and architecture. Greeks were governed through democracy while the romans were republicans. The Greek art was superior to roman art though their architecture lacked arches and domes present in the roman architecture.in addition, women in Rome had right to own property and were citizens unlike Greece women who had limitations on movement and were not considered citizens.