How Ancient Roman Civilization was influenced by the Greeks
Before the Roman Empire
While the Roman Empire (although not an empire yet) was developing, Hellenistic Greece had strongly influenced the whole Ancient World thanks to the conquests of Alexander the Great. Strangely enough though, although respectful of such a great civilization, many Roman people during the eighth century BC bore hostility towards the rising Greek civilization, probably because of their extreme differences in way of life. The Greeks were intellectual, literate, and artistic, sophisticated, and were all for enjoying life. On the other hand, Roman people were hardworking, surly, ruled their life through superstition, and the majority of them were farmers. However, around 500 BC, Roman people began to adapt Greek ideas as they realized the benefits they could reap, and Ancient Greece eventually became known as a major influence on almost every aspect of the Roman Empire.
Government
One of the most common examples of the Romans borrowing from Ancient Greek civilization to create their own legacy is democracy. The concept of democracy was first …show more content…
That is, the first influence was that of the Etruscans in the north, and the second major influence was that of the Greeks in the south. By the time the city-state of Rome had emerged as a distinct entity out of its Etruscan origins and was prepared to expand its own unique influence, Greek civilization had spread throughout the Mediterranean basin. However, the fierce exclusiveness of the Greek city-states from one another, stemming from their geographical isolation, had determined that Greek colonization of the Mediterranean would be an extension of isolated city-states. The Greek polis did not permit the building of a Greek empire, and the strict barriers to the extension of citizenship prevented any one city-state from becoming
Before the Roman Empire
While the Roman Empire (although not an empire yet) was developing, Hellenistic Greece had strongly influenced the whole Ancient World thanks to the conquests of Alexander the Great. Strangely enough though, although respectful of such a great civilization, many Roman people during the eighth century BC bore hostility towards the rising Greek civilization, probably because of their extreme differences in way of life. The Greeks were intellectual, literate, and artistic, sophisticated, and were all for enjoying life. On the other hand, Roman people were hardworking, surly, ruled their life through superstition, and the majority of them were farmers. However, around 500 BC, Roman people began to adapt Greek ideas as they realized the benefits they could reap, and Ancient Greece eventually became known as a major influence on almost every aspect of the Roman Empire.
Government
One of the most common examples of the Romans borrowing from Ancient Greek civilization to create their own legacy is democracy. The concept of democracy was first …show more content…
That is, the first influence was that of the Etruscans in the north, and the second major influence was that of the Greeks in the south. By the time the city-state of Rome had emerged as a distinct entity out of its Etruscan origins and was prepared to expand its own unique influence, Greek civilization had spread throughout the Mediterranean basin. However, the fierce exclusiveness of the Greek city-states from one another, stemming from their geographical isolation, had determined that Greek colonization of the Mediterranean would be an extension of isolated city-states. The Greek polis did not permit the building of a Greek empire, and the strict barriers to the extension of citizenship prevented any one city-state from becoming