People from all worldviews have tried to understand and display their ideas of the divine by means of art, philosophy, architecture, and literature. These mediums serve as outlets to express their beliefs concerning a higher power. Although they show variance and development as time progresses, each culture’s works connect to the ideas and techniques of the cultures preceding them. Each culture built upon the foundation laid before them in these regards. The Mesopotamians are the oldest known culture to have artifacts documenting their beliefs in regards to the divine. Works produced from this time period are split between Sumerian and Semitic. This split distinguishes the development of pagan societies and Yahweh-fearing society; however,
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Philosophy was first used to explain the world and existence and then later used in attempts to understand and explain the divine. Naturalists were some of the first philosophers and founded by Thales of Miletus. He introduced the idea that the world had evolved naturally, without divine intervention. This began the questioning of the religious aspects and how the world truly worked. Plato began this discussion by questioning the true meaning of virtues and morality, leading to philosophies that countered popular pious beliefs. Plato learned from and expanded upon Socrates ideas and developed the Theory of Forms, which forever impacted the perspective of the divine in many religions thereafter. This theory claims there is a higher dimension of existence where perfect forms dwell and the surrounding, physical world is a pale comparison. Aristotle further expanded upon the idea of form by claiming that forms dwelled within the physical. He also discussed the nature of God, which would later combine with his idea of forms to influence aspects Christian views of …show more content…
Greek deities were renamed and given warrior-like characteristics and philosophy transitioned into Roman thought. Stoicism taught the sovereignty of Reason and Divine Providence that guarded the virtuous; this philosophy prevailed in the intellectual Roman society. However, most Romans continued to perform traditional rituals of polytheistic worship. The Etruscans were also forefathers of the Roman mindset. Artwork from this culture created the groundwork on which the Romans eventually refined. The Romans, like Etruscans, exalted age instead of youth because it symbolized wisdom. They also focused on more realistic art instead of romanticized sculpture. A significant piece from the Etruscans is the Capitoline She-Wolf, which became a mascot of Rome due to their belief that Romulus and Remus, descendants of the gods, were raised by wolves before founding Rome. The Lid of a Funerary Urn was the model for portraits of the Roman rulers, such as the Bust of Cicero. The alter of Ares Pacis Augustae effectively combines the mythology of Romulus and Remus with Augustus and his rule. It also provides a visual for Vergil’s Aeneid, which described the progression of the empire and establish Augustus as a descendant of the founders of Rome, thus a descendant of the gods. Throughout the span of the Roman Empire, polytheistic religion prevailed until the rise of the
Philosophy was first used to explain the world and existence and then later used in attempts to understand and explain the divine. Naturalists were some of the first philosophers and founded by Thales of Miletus. He introduced the idea that the world had evolved naturally, without divine intervention. This began the questioning of the religious aspects and how the world truly worked. Plato began this discussion by questioning the true meaning of virtues and morality, leading to philosophies that countered popular pious beliefs. Plato learned from and expanded upon Socrates ideas and developed the Theory of Forms, which forever impacted the perspective of the divine in many religions thereafter. This theory claims there is a higher dimension of existence where perfect forms dwell and the surrounding, physical world is a pale comparison. Aristotle further expanded upon the idea of form by claiming that forms dwelled within the physical. He also discussed the nature of God, which would later combine with his idea of forms to influence aspects Christian views of …show more content…
Greek deities were renamed and given warrior-like characteristics and philosophy transitioned into Roman thought. Stoicism taught the sovereignty of Reason and Divine Providence that guarded the virtuous; this philosophy prevailed in the intellectual Roman society. However, most Romans continued to perform traditional rituals of polytheistic worship. The Etruscans were also forefathers of the Roman mindset. Artwork from this culture created the groundwork on which the Romans eventually refined. The Romans, like Etruscans, exalted age instead of youth because it symbolized wisdom. They also focused on more realistic art instead of romanticized sculpture. A significant piece from the Etruscans is the Capitoline She-Wolf, which became a mascot of Rome due to their belief that Romulus and Remus, descendants of the gods, were raised by wolves before founding Rome. The Lid of a Funerary Urn was the model for portraits of the Roman rulers, such as the Bust of Cicero. The alter of Ares Pacis Augustae effectively combines the mythology of Romulus and Remus with Augustus and his rule. It also provides a visual for Vergil’s Aeneid, which described the progression of the empire and establish Augustus as a descendant of the founders of Rome, thus a descendant of the gods. Throughout the span of the Roman Empire, polytheistic religion prevailed until the rise of the