Abstract This paper discusses the RomanColiseum as it stood and as it was utilized during the first two centuries AD. In particular, it reviews the noteworthy architecture of the Coliseum as well as what the Coliseum stood for and what it was used for. The paper argues that the Coliseum, while a remarkably modern structure, was a symbol of exploitation and its presence on the Roman landscape today raises a number of dark issues about the psyche of the brilliant civilization that brought it into being.
From the Paper "In closing, the last several pages have provided a brief historical sketch of the Roman Coliseum as it stood during its height - and the height of Roman power - in the first two centuries after the death of Christ. The paper has reviewed in particular the architectural features of the Amphitheatre and the paper has also examined what purposes it served and the uses to which it was put. Furthermore, the paper has illuminated the dark and exploitative elements which are also a part of the Coliseum's historical legacy. In the final analysis, what should emerge from this paper is an appreciation for the exquisite skill required to erect such a monument and a concomitant appreciation for the dark forces which linked the Coliseum with acts of almost unspeakable cruelty."
Abstract The writer of this paper details the characteristics of the Roman alphabet which is comprised of 26 letters, ranging from A-Z. This paper discusses how this particular form of communication came into being by tracing its roots back to the Roman empire. The writer contends and explains the manner in which the Roman alphabet came to represent the development of phonetic alphabets in early society in which the Greeks and Romans were considered equal cultures. This paper discusses the ongoing disagreements of various historians in regards to the actual birth of the Roman alphabet which has been adopted by many societies and countries around the world. This paper examines the phonetic aspects of this alphabet and how it's used in numerous world languages. This paper also analyzes the manner in which the alphabet relates to general speech and communication and its relevance in a literate society.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Characteristics and History
Speech, Writing and the Roman Alphabet
Conclusion
Bibliography
From the Paper "The Roman alphabet is not recognizably hieroglyphic like some examples of hieroglyphic alphabets like ancient Egyptian, in which you can really see the pictogram and say that it is supposed to look like a hawk, or a person, or a temple. Looking at the letter A for example you couldn't really say that it is supposed to look like anything because it just looks like a symbol. Also the Roman alphabet is not syllabic. Some alphabets, such as Korean, have character symbol that means a whole syllabic word or can be combined with radicals to form other wirds. But the Roman alphabet is arranged in a different manner in terms of suggested sounds instead of syllables. There are many perspectives on how the alphabet has helped us."
Abstract This paper presents a positive review of Arther Ferrill's study on the Roman Empire, "The Fall of the Roman Empire". The paper includes a discussion of some of the book's weaknesses, but focuses on the book's ability to deliver an informative, historical account of the decline of the Roman Empire. The paper also applies the lessons learned from the book to the current political situation in the United States and asserts that these lessons should be heeded in light of the comparisons that can be drawn between the political, economic, and military power of the United States and that of the Roman Empire during its time.
From the Paper "The Fall of the Roman Empire by Arther Ferrill (1986) provides well written and interesting reading for the non-historian. While Ferrill breaks down many areas of the Roman Empire and it's decline, there are other areas where the author's description of some important details remains sketchy and leaves the reader wanting more information. Ferrill breezes over some very important explanations concerning why the Eastern Empire survived despite the Eastern army suffering the two major defeats of Adrianople and Julian's failed Persian campaign. Ferrill also does not support the argument that the Fall of Rome was the result of a successful conquest of barbarism and religion. He instead maintains that uncomplicated military failures contributed to Rome's decline. The case he presents supports that these were created by political blunders, and that enough of the blunders created the misfortune that resulted in the decline of the Roman public spirit."
Tags: civilized, productive, lifestyle, oppressed, barbarians, minorities, national, liberation, battles, defense, in, depth, federated, status, roman, army
Abstract In this article, the writer explores the Roman funeral rite and the ability of the Romans to successfully inculturate elements of this ritual into the other cultures that they touched. The writer supports the thesis that the successful inculturation of funeral rites into mainstream society is a result of the willingness to adapt the ritual to include elements of the culture that they wished to acquire, rather than getting them to submit by sheer brute force. The new funeral rite then represents a perfect blend of two cultures.
Outline:
Understanding Inculturation
Roman Funeral Rites Past and Present
Inculturation of Roman Funerary Rites
The Jewish Funerary Liturgy
Developing a Plan for Inculturation
On Liturgy and Faith
Inculturation Methodology
From the Paper "As the pagan practices of the Roman Empire became entangled, and later replaced by Christianity, many of the pagan practices became obsolete. In some cases, they were no longer allowed, particularly those that honored pagan gods. However, as the Roman religion transformed into the Roman Catholic Church, many elements of the old funeral rites survived. The survival of these elements demonstrates a high degree of inculturation of the old Roman practices. The modern Catholic funerary service still maintains the basic structure of the old Roman ceremony.
"The modern Roman Catholic Church requires that burial rites contain three distinct lithurgical sections. A funeral must contain all three sections."
Abstract The paper discusses the shortcomings of Roman imperial administration that are visible in over-expansion and the introduction of an imperial power and culture to societies that had not produced them. The paper looks at institutions including the limitations of Roman law and government within contrasting host areas annexed or otherwise controlled by the Romans.
Abstract This paper discusses the ancient Roman slavery hierarchy. It describes how the Roman slaves fit into the society as well as what the different types of jobs were, rom the best jobs all the way down to the menial jobs. The paper also outlines the treatment of Roman slaves at each position.
Abstract The following brief discussion will explore a handful of topics relating to the Roman Republic such as: government, Roman states, laws, family life, the downfall of the republic.
Abstract This paper compares and contrasts the Roman and Greek ideals of marriage. The essay analyzes the Roman virtues of marriage and compares it with Greek virtues of matrimony (with respect to the women of the archaic and classical periods). The paper uses "Women in the Classical World" as a reference book for the essay.
Abstract This paper discusses the book, "The Christians as the Romans Saw Them," and focuses on the roles Roman knowledge and interpretation of Judaism and their Jewish subjects played in their understandings of Christianity and their relations with Christians.
From the Paper "Just as the Romans were skeptical of Christianity and Jesus, they were skeptical of the Jews and their religion. Romans had developed a sophisticated and well-functioning society, but their intolerance of other religions left little room for acceptance, and so, as Christianity spread, Romans either had to accept it or slowly disintegrate into a pagan and non-believing state that did not fit in the new world order. Later, the author seems to confirm this when he notes, "Christianity exposed Hellenism to acute peril. For the revolt against Judaism injected a poison into the society that would eventually destroy the traditions of Hellenism" (Wilken 1984, 121). It seems that understanding the Jewish religion ultimately led to a fuller acceptance of Christianity around this world, and this doomed the Roman Empire."
Abstract This paper reviews the stylistic connections among Roman, Greek and Etruscan art, brought about by the many historical, political, cultural and economic correlations that existed among these three ancient societies. It focuses on the ways in which the art of the Roman Republic combined elements of both Etruscan and Greek art. The author discusses the distinctions between the art of these three societies.
From the Paper "There are clear stylistic connections among Roman, Greek and Etruscan art a point that should hardly surprise us given the many historical, political, cultural and economic connections that existed among these three ancient societies. But there are also as ..."
Tags: humanism, proportion, Estruscan, Greek, Roman
Abstract This paper discusses Aeneas and his relationship to the Roman Empire. The paper discusses Aeneas' future, according to "The Norton Anthology of World Literature" as leading to a peaceful period in Roman Empire at that time. The paper also discusses what might have been different in Rome if Aeneas had stayed with Carthage and Dido.
Table of Contents:
Who is Aeneas?
Aeneas' Journey
What If's
In Conclusion
From the Paper "In every culture, there is the ideal hero that will either consciously or subconsciously be looked and followed upon. What may be an ideal hero to a certain group of people may not fit the concept of the ideal from another group."
Tags: hero, history, literature, mythology, roman, virgil, world
Abstract In the "Odyssey", Penelope is portrayed as an ideal of aristocratic Greek womanhood. She exemplifies the feminine virtues of hospitality, faithfulness, prudence, and above all weaving, the symbol of chaste, virtuous conduct in women in Greece as much as it was in Rome. The paper examines the way Penelope's character is portrayed by the Roman writer Ovid as opposed to the original Greek written by Homer. The paper claims that Ovid's depiction of Penelope was the exact opposite of the character described by Homer. The paper then examines the reasons for this Roman point of view.
From the Paper "Ovid's approach to Penelope in the Heroides is satirical of the traditional portrait given of her by Homer. Many factors conditioned this choice. Simple repetition of Homer's version of Penelope would not have been sufficiently interesting since that approach was well known. The use of Homer as a schoolbook in Roman education would have encouraged a juvenile and satirical attitude toward the Epics (not that this was the only possible Roman attitude toward Homer!) in the same way that famous events from American history are today commonly used as a basis for satire in various forms of popular culture such as cartoons. The very seriousness of the epic genre, perhaps even more exaggerated in the Roman world than in the Greek, would have invited humor as a kind of relief. Ovid's early works, in any case, tended to be satirical and subversive of genre. The satirical technique Ovid employed in the first poem of the Heroides, a letter supposedly sent by Penelope to Odysseus on the eve of his return to Ithaca, is quite straightforward. He describes Penelope's character, actions, and concerns, as simply being the opposite of what one would expect from reading the Odyssey. The disconnection between this presentation and the reader's expectation provokes a reflection that gives rise to humor. Homer's Penelope is steadfast and resourceful; Ovid's is fearful and whining. Homer's Penelope is faithful and deeply in love with her absent husband; Ovid's is a jealous shrew fearful of his deceiving her with other women. Throughout the poem, every expectation about Penelope that the reader might have is subverted."
Tags: homer ovid greek roman mythology culture oddesy hospitality, faithfulness prudence weaving symbol chaste virtuous heroines epic satirical erotic
Abstract This paper analyzes the city structures of the Roman empire. The author gives a detailed explanation of the structure and functions of the roads, forums, aqueducts and baths that were used for social, religious and commercial activities.
From the Paper ?The discipline of engineering was very close to that of architecture in the Roman World. Roman architecture was a social art that gave the people of the Roman Empire benefits that no community had ever achieved before. Innovative city planning in the Roman Empire excelled in the creation of roads, forums, aqueducts and baths.?
Abstract This paper provides a description of the early and later architectural designs of the Roman houses, villas, and apartments. The author offers a historic view of the designs found in excavations and on mosaics and discusses the social relevance of certain architectural designs.
From the Paper "Architecture was outstanding among the Roman arts. Many of the outward forms of Roman architecture were taken over from the Greeks. It was through Rome that these forms became the common language of a great part of the tradition of western architecture. Connections between Greek houses and Roman ones provide important context both for Roman villas planned around peristyles as well as for the luxuriousness of the decoration and contents of late republican and early imperial houses and villas. This Greek luxury was a matter of some ambivalence for the Romans. Certain members of the Roman elite were eager to emulate the model of Hellenistic taste as found in Greek palaces of the fourth century B.C. and later (Robertson, 1986). But there has been a change of attitude about Hellenistic influence on architecture, painting, and mosaics: scholars are now stressing the ready naturalization of Greek art and ideas in the Roman context rather than using Roman art to reconstruct a hypothetical Hellenistic original (Jones, 2001)."
Tags: architecture, excavation, hadrian, mosaic, ostia, pompeii, roman, villa
Abstract This paper looks at how difficult it was for the Romans to accept the Christian religion and how they gradually tried to suppress it and how Christianity was still able to spread throughout the world. It includes specific historical dates, events, places and people such as Alexander the Great, the Jewish states, persecutions during Jesus? ministry, Herod the Great and Pontius Pilate, and Nero, the emperor of Rome trying to rid the empire of Christianity. The paper concludes by talking about Constantine and how he proclaimed the Edict Toleration.
From the Paper "The Christian religion was hard for the Romans to accept at first. A historical person had conquered death and promised a blessed afterlife to all who believed in him. The new faith demanded that every believer practice love and justice in new communities made up of Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female, rich and poor, educated and ignorant. Christians had no temples or other holy places, no priests, no ordinary sacrifices, no oracles, or any visible gods. They had no initiations; they made no pilgrimages, did not practice divination, would not venerate the emperor, and challenged the final authority of the father (or oldest male) in family life. Christians were accused of being atheists who undermined traditional society."
