History Alive: Ancient World Ch. 38: The Legacy of Rome in the Modern World
What did Stoics believe?
1) a divine intelligence rules all of nature 2) a person's soul is a spark of that intelligence. 3) the right way to live is in a way that agrees with nature and its laws. 4) the key to life is to have good character-have self-control and courage. 5) duty and the welfare of the community is more important than personal comfort. 6) bear pain with courage 7) true happiness is peace of mind you get if you live up to Stoic ideals
What are 3 main reasons that the Roman Empire fell?
1) political instability-after emperors died, power often fell to armies; 2) citizens had to pay taxes to pay for armies which affected the economy and trade; 3) because the empire was so large, it was hard to defend
The Latin alphabet has ____ letters.
23
List the areas in which Romans contributed to the modern world
Art, architecture, engineering, language, philosophy, government, law, and justice
What Roman architectural feature do modern football stadiums include?
Concrete tunnels that allow spectators to get to their seats
What happened to the Western Empire?
Germanic tribes invaded and conquered it removing the last Roman emperor, and it later dissolved into separate kingdoms ruled by different tribes
What did the emperor Constantine do that changed the future of the Roman Empire?
He moved the capital to Byzantium, later called Constantinople (in what is now Istanbul, Turkey) and the empire was split into the Western and Eastern Roman Empires; the Western Empire collapsed into separate kingdoms rules by different tribes. The Eastern Byzantine Empire lasted for over 1,000 years
What did the use of concrete allow Romans to do?
It allowed them to build much bigger arches than had been tried before
With what materials did Romans build roads?
Layers of stone, sand, and gravel
How does Roman law influence modern laws?
Modern law codes in many European countries are based in part on Roman laws, and the U.S. Constitution and Declaration of Independence were influenced by Roman ideas; modern day judges make decisions based on Roman ideals trying to respect humans rights
Where can modern examples of Roman/Greco-Roman art be seen today?
Murals and mosaics on modern buildings and public spaces
What was the Romans' concept of justice?
Nature provides a universal law of justice, and every person has natural rights; Roman judges tried to make fair decisions in court cases respecting people's rights
Did the Romans invent aqueducts?
No, but they improved them and created a system of aqueducts bringing water from app. 60 miles away to homes of the wealthy, and to city public baths and fountains
Were all Romans treated fairly in the court system?
No, slaves and the poor were not treated as equals to the rich
Where can Roman numerals be found today?
On clocks, watches, sundials, in books, movie credits to show the production year, and on buildings
Greco-Roman Art
Roman art influenced by Greek art
Marcus Aurelius
Roman emperor who was the most famous Stoic and wrote a book called Meditations reminding himself of Stoic ideals
What is an example of Roman influence in the U.S.?
The U.S. Capitol dome and statues around Washington, DC
Roman numerals
The seven letters I, V, X, L, C, D, M-used individually and in many combinations to represent larger numbers.
How did the Romans influence engineering?
They built roads, bridges, and aqueducts
Romans were patrons art, meaning what?
They were sponsors of art, paying painters, sculptors, and craftspeople to create works.
Renaissance
a great flowering of culture based on classical Greek and Roman ideas that began in Italy around 1300 and spread throughout Europe
Triumphal arch
a large monument shaped like an arch created to celebrate a leader or military victory (which inspired the modern Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, built to celebrate emperor Napoleon)
Stoicism
a philosophy that flourished in ancient Greece and Rome and focused on developing virtue, self-control, and courage as a way to achieve happiness
aqueduct
a pipe or channel built to carry water over a long distance
cameo
a raised, carved portrait of a person's head or a carved scene, worn as jewelry or used to decorate vases
What is a dome?
a series of vaults that form a high, rounded roof
What is a frescoe?
a type of mural painted on moist plaster with water-based paints
What is a vault?
an arch used to support a roof
What features in the the U.S. Capitol building in Washington, DC reflect Roman influence?
arches, columns, and a dome
Romans painted ____________, murals painted on moist plaster with water-based paints that often showed 3D landscapes.
frescoes
What are some examples of Latin used today?
names of calendar months, prefixes in English words, roots of English words; as well as in French and Spanish and other languages
List some examples of Roman art.
realistic statues/sculptures, frescoes, mosaics, glass bottles, painting, gem cutting, metalworking, and cameos
What is a "stoic" person today?
someone who bears pain and suffering bravely and quietly
The Romans invented a large, open air structure known as a ________________.
stadium
Latin
the Roman language with an alphabet of 23 letters, all of which are used in the English alphabet
natural law
the concept that there is a universal order built into nature that can guide moral thinking
Byzantine Empire
the eastern Roman Empire, located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia and lasted from 500-1453 C.E
What is an example of Greco-Roman art?
the painting on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel by Michelangelo
Why did Americans imitate Roman art?
to give their art dignity and nobility
