Ancient Roman and Greek history really interest me - there are just so many famous names and events to remember them all!
Early ancient Roman Art originated from Etruscan and Greek influences. The first artefacts of paintings found in Rome resemble Etruscan art and these art forms were found throughout all of Italy. Roman art developed through the art styles of these civilisations and were later influenced by ancient Egypt and the Sassanid Empire.
The beginning of the Roman Republic began a new Roman style of art. The roman style of art contained a lot of portraits and frescoes of famous and well known Romans. Portraits of people were often well detailed, especially of the head, and the painting did not elevate them in any way. The reason why Roman art is dominated by portraits is because most of the people at the time believed that having an image of someone’s face after they died would keep them happy so their ghost wouldn’t haunt them.
Not a lot of paintings from ancient Rome survive today which is why it’s hard to determine what the distinct style of Rome was at the time, especially in the 4th and 5th century BC. It is clear though that as art progressed, Rome came more into contact with Greece, which is shown in lots of paintings. In around 200BC, the paintings change to show an increasing influence from the Greeks. This is probably through the Roman’s marching through the region and copying their styles of art, as they thought the Greek was superior in sophistication. The influx of Greek-influenced art was popular in Rome and everyone wanted a piece. The Romans seemed to copy a lot of the Greek art style to their own and in the early empire, Greek art and sculptures were high in demand. Art was usually used to decorate walls and buildings, and contained people and landscapes. Ara Pacis(Altar of Peace) is a well known example of Greek art influencing Roman art. The swirls on the front and the frieze which celebrates the end of the civil wars is distinctly Greek influenced and was built by Augustus in around 30BC.
Another important form of roman art was mosaics. Mosaics were used to decorate houses and buildings, and were often quite detailed. They sometimes told stories of military battles or family stories which help modern day people to figure out what happened during that time. Sculptures were also important in Roman art which was also influenced by the Greek. The Romans used marble which made sculpting a long process. The Romans did develop their own style with sculpting too, which was usually busts of distinctive Romans. Their sculptures were quite detailed and tended to give a more realistic view of the object it was replicating, rather than the Greeks style of depicting average people as a mythical, god-like creature. Sculptures were an important part of Roman culture to emphasize the importance of certain individuals.
Art in metalwork (coins) was also used to show the importance of the emperors later on in Rome. All coins would have pictures of the emperor on it and their families on the other side, or representations of gods/buildings or important narrative. As time went on coins often represented more stories and used to portray a message. Through art on coins, people were able to convey meaning or messages to the people. Coins were also used for politicians to promote themselves for election. Caesar was the first to use his image on a coin and this continued after his death. It glorified him and helped to show the people who was in authority. In the time of the empire, emperors were depicted on coins to make them seem more god-like and to emphasize their authority over Rome.
The paintings at Pompeii give us an idea of the styles of art later on in Roman life in the first century AD. Wars later on would influence Roman art to depict the battle scenes.
HYPERLINK "http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/art/index.htm" http://www.historyforkids.org/learn/romans/art/index.htm
HYPERLINK "http://library.thinkquest.org/26907/arts.htm#art" http://library.thinkquest.org/26907/arts.htm#art
HYPERLINK "http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/" http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/
HYPERLINK "http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761556319_6/Roman_Art_and_Architecture.html" http://encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_761556319_6/Roman_Art_and_Architecture.html
HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_currency" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_currency
HYPERLINK "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_art" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roman_art
Slavery in ancient Rome was very important, and contributed to a large amount to society socially, economically and politically. From Roman custom, slaves were considered as items and could be bought and sold freely as they no rights. This eventually changed through time though, as later on the senate introduced measures to give slaves a few rights.
The slaves in Rome were a separate class from the rest and at the bottom of the social hierarchy. Slaves contributed most to the gladiatorial sport, and this is most recognized with Spartacus and the slave revolt in 73-71BC. Slaves made up about 40% of the Italian population and were largely from the surrounding Mediterranean where Rome conquered. Millions were taken back to Rome where they worked land and served masters for various purposes including writing and taking care of children, while adding to their masters overall wealth. Some educated Greek slaves were also used to teach Roman children how to speak Greek. Some also worked as doctors or singers. Not all slaves came cheaply – the Greek slaves were highly sought after for educating young Romans and for their knowledge in medicine. These slaves with the skills or beauty were worth lot more than normal agricultural slaves.
Slaves were usually treated harshly and without much respect in the early days of the Roman republic. As they were considered a tool for wealth, not many cared for them and most lived in cruelty by their masters. The Roman constitution is confusing at times about slaves. Although slaves were treated as property, they did have some rights in courts and could be given citizenship or become freed men later on. If masters were kind enough, they could free their slaves or the slave could buy their way out of slavery if they had enough money. Not all slaves were treated harshly though. Some lived with the family and were considered as part of it. Gravestones of slaves show their bond with the Romans in some families. In fact a lot of slaves formed strong bonds with their masters. Gaius Gracchus slave died with him- Plutarch says some sources said he protected Gaius by shielding him from blows (Plut.Gaius Gracchus.17). This shows the bond a slave can have with their master. A festival called the Saturnalia festival even evolved where the master and slave traded places. They also played an important role during the proscriptions during the second triumvirate, where they actually had the upper hand in many of the aristocratic cases. Appian describes some even blackmailing or turning their masters in for money, which shows the power reversal during the mass murders. Some masters let their slaves free, while other slaves died with their master – such was their loyalty to them.
Slaves made up a lot of the gladiators too in Rome, who were often treated with respect if they won. If the gladiator was successful, they improved their owner’s and their own wealth a lot as well as fame for the gladiator. Some citizens would sometimes even sell themselves into slavery to become a gladiator, so they could pay off debts. A male slave could go for 500 denarii while a female could go for as much as 6000 denarii.
Over time, through Rome’s continued success through the various battles fought between neighbouring lands, so many slaves entered Rome the price fell dramatically, so much so that even poor households could afford a few. Plutarch is the main source of information where slaves and their roles in society are shown. Slaves were important in most aspects of Roman life – they were used as messengers and helpers to most citizens. Slavery supported Rome’s economy agriculturally which was vital for the republic. The massive amounts of slaves entering Rome shows the overwhelming power Rome had over most of the known world. This eventually leads to economic problems in the time of the Gracchi, where slaves soon began to outnumber the number of Roman citizens. This posed a threat to Rome, where freed men were mostly all unemployed and replaced by slaves. What follows is the Gracchus’ attempt to take care of this problem by introducing the lex agraria. This is markedly the first step towards the downfall of the Roman Republic, showing how important slaves were in the shaping and demise of Rome.
Manumission was the “freedom” of slaves by their masters. They were not actually full free though, as they often had some sort of task to perform to their masters. It was used as an incentive for slaves to work hard and be obedient, or when slaves didn’t become particularly useful anymore. Former slaves became freedmen. Whether they were actually free or not comes into question. The fact that they could still be beaten by their masters if they didn’t perform contradicts the term, but this is probably a result of informal manumission. They also didn’t gain all the rights of a normal roman citizen – they couldn’t follow the cursus honorum, but they could become highly repected through being a tradesman or member of the priesthood of the emperor. Augustus even started a tradition where a freedman could become an advisor to the emperor himself. Once slaves were freed, they could work as a plebeian and become rich. Romes rigid society and status held firm though and a person probably would find it hard to escape the label and reputation of having been a slave. Children born to freedmen were allowed full rights to citizenship though. There was no distinctive dress for slaves. It was once proposed in the senate to give slaves a distinctive costume, but it was rejected since it was considered dangerous to show them their number (Sen. de Clem. i.24). Under the republic they were not allowed to serve in the army, though after the battle of Cannae, when the state was in such imminent danger, 8000 slaves were purchased by the state for the army, and subsequently manumitted on account of their bravery (Liv. HYPERLINK "http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/livy/liv.22.shtml" \l "57 " \t "offsite" xxii.57, HYPERLINK "http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/livy/liv.24.shtml" \l "14 " \t "offsite" xxiv.14‑16). HYPERLINK "http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Roman/Texts/secondary/SMIGRA*/Servus.html" \l "noteG" g
The slave revolt led by Spartacus in 73BC is significant as it shows the slaves position and feelings towards Rome and its government. A lot of the slaves in this war fought for their freedom, and this obviously shows their position of power within the social class. After this war, it could be fair to say they gained much more respect out of their actions for withstanding the army for around three years. They still however remained at the bottom of society and the numbers only rose. They were also a possible cause to the increased violence in Rome, as more urban mobs formed as a result of turbulent politics. They also affected the role of the freed men and labourers in Rome, and caused unemployment in this group of people. This eventually had a major effect on Rome and its economy, where slavery had a detrimental effect on the classes and Rome’s military due to the dependence of slaves in the city.
Women in ancient Rome lived in a very patriarchal society, and although they did have more right than their counterparts in Greece, they were inferior and passive to the men. Also, due to the lack of sources written by females, it is hard to tell what they thought of their position, or their position in Roman society. From various sources, it is clear that females were expected to be obedient towards the males. Males were dominant held authority over women in the family and held a lot of rights of the women which could affect their lives.
Roman women were often married young – around or twelve years old. Their life expectancy was not very high at the time and the main role of women was to have children and look after them. A woman’s father could choose who they were to marry, and could even force his daughter to divorce. Women were encouraged to have lots of children as the mortality rate was very high and not many lived to adulthood. Most information comes from sources describing aristocratic women – but the situation would probably have been similar for the lower class. Women’s role in society was to bear children and to carry on a male’s lineage, especially if they were of an aristocratic class. Upper class women usually had more children than the lower class, and lower class families needed sons to work on farms. A woman’s husband always held the power, and could choose if a baby died or lived. Many newborn females were exposed as they costed a dowry when they married and couldn’t carry on the family name. They were also a burden to keep, more so in the lower class as it was hard to feed everyone in poverty. Some males were also left to die, if they looked weak or sick.
Women also raised the children, and took on an important role to help teach them and educate them about Roman life and culture. Girls would receive an education as well, as they were expected to teach this to their children. They learnt to read and write, but it was looked down upon if a female became “too educated”. Women in the lower class would also be educated in running a business to make a bit of money by selling things in the markets, such as dresses. They might also have more freedoms than aristocratic women as they needed to work to support the family.
The rights of women were strictly guarded – they did have some freedoms which the males also enjoyed. While they weren’t allowed to vote or attend political events, they could attend the gladiatorial games, the theatre and religious festivals. Clodius Pulcher, one of Caesar’s supposed allies snuck into a women’s religious festival and this was deemed sacrilegious when he was found, as it was strictly not for men (App.2.14). This is an example of how powerful women’s rights were then, and they did actually have some rights after all. Women were strictly not allowed to drink wine, and could die for it, as it was considered as a drink which caused adultery, which was looked down upon in society. Women who committed adultery could be punished by death. Some women that can be observed in the primary sources often show women being controlled and dominated by men. Marriages were often arranged and women, but they did have some personal freedoms. Women also got their names from men; they took their father’s name (nomen) and made it into a female name (eg. Claudius ->Claudia). They were not allowed to vote in elections but they were considered citizens.
Women were also important in political friendship/alliances. This is especially shown in the first triumvirate, where the marriage between Pompey and Caesar’s daughter, Julia was made to secure their alliance (App.2.14). The death of Julia in childbirth eventually had a major effect in the breakdown of the triumvirate (App.2.19). The importance of women in politics can be seen here also, where women were used to get what men wanted- power.
Women generally only held some power in their home and within their family circle. As they were living in a patriarchal society, they were always expected to be obedient and obey their husband/father’s orders. As they were not thought of as being smart or intelligent, they always needed someone to overlook them. Cornelia, the mother of the Gracchi brothers was a widow and chose not to remarry after she was widowed. This is an example of where she chose not to marry instead of her father choosing another husband for her. This was quite rare and probably didn’t happen often. Evidence of women’s roles can be found in several primary sources and on vases and artwork. This is mostly of the aristocracy though – women’s roles and rights in the lower class are harder to distinguish. Overall though, women did not have many opportunities to advance into any particular career and were expected to stay at home and look after the children and maybe work for a living.