Transcript Roman culture and society

Chapter 5 Section 3
ROMAN CULTURE AND SOCIETY
ART AND ARCHITECTURE

Romans adopted Greek style of art.
 However,
while Greek sculptures focused on
idealism, Roman ones focused on realism.

They used Greek styles of architecture, too.
 They
were among the first to use concrete on a
large scale, and were able to make huge buildings
that the Greeks could not.

They built systems of roads, buildings, and
aqueducts.
LITERATURE

The high point was during the Age of Augustus,
aka the golden age of Latin Literature.
 Virgil
wrote the Aeneid.
 Horace wrote the Satires.
 Live was a famous historian who wrote The Early
History of Rome which traces Rome to 9 BC.
 He
lacked as a historian but was a good storyteller.
 His works (The Early History was 142 books) was
accepted as the standard history of the Roman Empire.
LIFE IN ANCIENT ROME
The heart of Roman social structure was the
family, headed by the paterfamilias, or
dominant male.
 All upper-class children were expected to learn
to read. They needed to learn Greek, too.

 Boys
learned to read and write, morals, family
values, law and physical training.
 At 16, in a ceremony, they switched their purple
lined toga for a white one, the toga of manhood.
Daughters learned from tutors or in primary schools
 Boys went on to secondary school and girls got married.
 Women had to have escorts.
 Marriages were arranged for the girls. They could
legally be married at 12, but usually 14. Boys could
legally be married at 14, but usually waited.

By AD 100s, the paterfamilias control deteriorated:
woman didn’t need escorts; he couldn’t sell his
kids as slaves or have them put to death.
 Upper-class Roman women had a lot more
freedom that those of the Greek Empire.

SLAVERY AND SLAVE REVOLTS

The Romans used slaves probably more than
any other civilization up to that time.
 Greek
slaves were in demand as tutors, musicians,
doctors and artists.
 Slaves were use in houses, fields, and public works.
Slave life was pitiful. It was cheaper to work
slaves to death and then buy another than it
was to take care of them.
 Some slaves revolted and killed their owners.
Some Romans lived in fear of their slaves.


The most famous slave revolt was Spartacus in
Italy in 73 BC. He led 70,000 slaves and
defeated several Roman armies. He was
eventually killed.
 They
crucified 6,000 of Spartacus’ followers.
LIVING CONDITIONS IN ROME
Rome was the largest city at about 1 million.
 Cart and wagon traffic were banned during the
day because of congestion.
 Even though Augustus organized police, people
were robbed.
 Fires were common in the insulae, poor people
housing.
 Beginning with Augustus, the poor received free
grain. About 200,000 people received it.


Large public events were put on in Rome. They
included:
 Horse
and chariot races at Circus Maximus.
 Dramatic performances in the theatres.
 Gladiator battles in the amphitheaters. The largest
was the Roman Colosseum.