Transcript Roman Achievements

Roman Achievements
Greco-Roman Civilization
• Romans borrowed ideas from the
Greeks.
• Romans believed that Greek art,
literature, philosophy, and scientific
genius were above others.
• Blending of Greek, Hellenistic (Greek,
Persian, Egyptian, Indian), and Roman
culture = Greco-Roman Civilization
Roman Sculpture
• Created realistic
portraits in stone.
• Bas-relief : images
project from a flat
background
– Used to tell stories
– Represent people,
soldiers, landscape
Roman Mosaics
• Mosaics were
pictures or designs
made by setting
small pieces of
stone, glass, or tile
onto surface.
Roman Frescoes
• Most wealthy Romans
had large, bright murals,
called frescoes, painted
directly on their walls.
Roman villa – home of wealthy
Romans
Roman Engineering
• Romans excelled in
the practical arts of
building and
perfecting their
engineering skills
Roman Architecture
• Romans emphasized
grandeur to show
power and dignity.
• Improved on the
arch and the dome
Pantheon
• A temple to all
the Roman
Gods
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One of the greatest
feats of Roman
engineering
Colossus – gigantic
Home of gladiator
fights, to animal hunts
Colosseum
Roman Aqueducts
• Bridgelike
structures carried
water from
mountains into cities.
Roman Roads
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Constructed throughout the Roman
Empire, over 52,000 miles
Were effective in helping to move the
army from place to place, and trade within
the empire.
Example of how people
adapt to their
environment.
Roman Law
• Most lasting and widespread contribution
• Laws were fair and applied equally to all people.
– All persons had the right to equal treatment under
the law.
– Innocent until proven guilty
– The burden of proof lies with the accuser, not the
accused.
– A person should be punished for actions, not for
thoughts.
– Guilt must be established “clearer than daylight”
through evidence.
• These laws became the basis for legal systems in
Europe and Latin America
Literature and History
• The Roman Empire was
unified through language.
Latin was adopted by many
different people and
became the basis for
other languages, Spanish,
French, Italian,
Portuguese, and English.
• Poetry – Virgil wrote the
Aeneid
• History – Livy – wrote The
History of Rome from its
foundation