Essay Sample on Similarities and Differences Between Rome and Greece

Introduction

Both Greece and Rome are Mediterranean nations, sufficiently comparable latitudinally for both to farmed wine and olives. Be that as it may, their landscapes were very extraordinary. The old Greek city-states were isolated from one another by hilly fields and all were close to water bodies. Rome was inland, on one side of the Tiber River, yet the Italic clans (in the boot-like landmass that is currently Italy) did not have the common bumpy outskirts to keep them out of Rome. In Italy, around Naples, Mt. Vesuvius delivered ripe land by covering the dirt with tephra which matured into rich soil. There were likewise two adjacent mountain reaches toward the north (Alps) and east (Apennine). The discussions detailed in this paper outline some of the outstanding differences and similarities between the two ancient civilizations with a great culture.

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Art

According to many art philosophers and connoisseurs, Greek workmanship is viewed as better than the "just" imitative or enhancing Roman craftsmanship; to be sure much workmanship considered as Greek is really a Roman duplicate of a Greek unique (Colander and Davis, 111). Historically, it seems that the objective of the traditional Greek stone carvers was to create a perfect work of art, though the objective of Roman stone carvers was to deliver practical representations, frequently for enrichment. This is an undeniable misrepresentation. The Greeks were the biggest traders and suppliers of art materials in the expansive European region for almost two centuries. The Romans, on the other hand, are not entirely craftsmen. They did not entirely imitate the Greek artifacts and not all Greek workmanship looks frightfully practical or unfeasible.

Much of the Greek workmanship is enhanced on the utilitarian articles; similarly as Roman craftsmanship embellished their living spaces. Greek workmanship is isolated into the Mycenaean, geometric, age-old, and Hellenistic periods, notwithstanding its zenith in the Classical time frame. Amidst the Hellenistic time frame, there was interest for duplicates of prior workmanship, thus it also can be depicted as imitative (Colander and Davis, 111).

Commonly, figures like the Venus de Milo have been related to Greece, whereas mosaics and frescoes (divider sketches) have been related to Rome. Obviously, the artists of the two societies dealt with different mediums past these classifications. Greek stoneware, for example, was a prominent import in Italy.

Government

Initially, kings governed Athens; this was followed by a theocracy/oligarchy (rule by the few), and after that election based systems took over/democracy (casting a ballot by the nationals). City-states consolidated to compose political regions that later plunged into conflict. This was the antecedent to Greece being conquered by the Macedonian lords and later, the Roman Empire.

Kings, likewise, initially ruled over Rome. At that point, Rome, realizing what was going on regionally and beyond, dispensed with the kinship system. Rome has one of the oldest Kingdom systems where Kings ruled over the land with the help of the Vikings and gladiators that fought the enemies that threatened their boundaries. Romans thus set up a blended Republican type of government, consolidating components of democratic rule system, oligarchy, and government, in time, rule by one came back to Rome, however in a short period, as it was at first, Rome went back to being ruled by emperors. The Roman Empire split and separated, and, in the West, in the long run, returned to little kingdoms.

Economy

The economy of old societies, including both Greece and Rome, depended on agribusiness. Greeks preferably lived on little independent wheat-creating ranches, yet awful farming practices made numerous family units unequipped for maintaining their food requirements. Huge bequests assumed control, creating olive oil and wine, which were added to the main considerations of the Romans (Freeman and Charles, 58). This was not very surprising, given the common land conditions between the two nations and the prevalence of these two necessities.

The Romans, imported their wheat and created regions that could give them this terrifically imperative supply, additionally, olive oil and wine were used as means of exchange. (It is however believed that the Greeks considered exchange corrupting.) As Rome formed into an urban focal center in the region, scholars continually voiced their concerns over the morality of those who owned means of producing olive oil and wine. Their chief concern was the moral high ground that these people took, over the farmers and peasants who worked for them or who weren't as rich.

Assembling was an additional occupation, common in the urban centers of both regions. Both Greece and Rome worked mines. While Greece also had slaves, the economy of Rome was subject to slave work from the development phase of the empire until the late life of the empire, in comparison to Greece that moved on from slavery in its developed state. The two societies had coinage as a means of facilitating business transactions, however, Rome was evidently more corrupt, hence its economic growth stooped in comparison to that of Greece.

Social Classes

The caste system of both Rome and Greece changed after some time, yet the fundamental divisions of early Rome and Athens comprised of free, freedmen, slaves, non-natives, and women. Just a portion of these groupings was however considered natives in both nations. In Greece, the Peking order was as follows (in ascending order); Slaves, slaves who were freed (freedmen), Metrics, women and children and lastly countrymen. In Rome the Peking order was as follows (in ascending order); slaves, freed slaves/freedmen, plebeians and lastly patricians.

Role of Women

In Athens, as evident in the writings of multiple historical books, ladies were esteemed if they kept off idle babble, for managing the family affairs, and, the greatest part of all, for birthing offspring. The aristocratic lady was separated in the ladies' quarter and was always accompanied, especially in public places. She could claim, but not liquidate her property. The Athenian lady was answerable to her father, and even after marriage, he could demand her return to his household (Kleiner and Fred, 96).

The Athenian lady was not considered as a native. The Roman lady, however, was legitimately subject to the paterfamilias, regardless of whether the breadwinning male in her family unit of birth or the family of her spouse. She could claim and discard of her property and go about as she wished (Kleiner and Fred, 96). From epigraphy, we gather that a Roman lady was esteemed for devotion, humility, support in terms of the agreement, and being an exclusive lady, to her spouse. The Roman lady was considered a Roman native.

Works Cited

Colander, David C. Social science: An introduction to the study of society. Routledge, 2016.

Freeman, Charles. Egypt, Greece, and Rome: Civilizations of the ancient Mediterranean. Oxford University Press, 2014.

Kleiner, Fred S. A History of Roman Art. Cengage Learning, 2016.