Because who wouldn’t
want to know about it?
Let’s put in a little geography here: Europe is the 2nd
smallest continent in the world, and it has over 51 countries! I’ll also add in
a little trivia, in those 51 countries, 24 languages are being spoken
(including English of course). They say that the name Europe is still unsure
where the name came from. There are, however, myths and theories where the name
of Europe came from. The myth came from the ancient story of Zeus and Europa.
Wherein Zeus transformed into a bull and was captivated by Europa’s beauty. He
then brought her to the isle of Crete and then became lovers; in which Europa
bore him three sons. One theory was that
Europe’s name came from a Greek word that means ‘wide gazing’.
 |
| Chariot Racing as a form of entertainment Source: http://www.vroma.org/~bmcmanus/circus.html |
In Rome, life was determined by where you stand. Meaning that
even back then, there was already the division between the rich and the poor.
The life of a wealthy Roman was very extravagant. They lived in beautiful
houses which is often by the hills outside of Rome. They are also surrounded
with luxurious furnishings, slaves, and servants who would cater to their every
need. For the poor Romans, however, they live in small houses that could easily
collapse. They may be poor in wealth, but they are strong in numbers. For their
entertainment, they watch chariots racing and gladiators fighting among themselves.
Though the rich and poor may be different in certain aspects, they are common
in one thing: in every Roman family, the head of the household is always a man,
making Rome a very patriarchal society. He controls the property they live in
and he decides the fate of his children on who they would marry.
Before there were businessmen and
entrepreneurs, the jobs of the Romans were simple. They had farmers who lived
in the countryside, and their common crop was wheat to make bread. They also
had soldiers in which was a way for the poor Romans to earn a regular wage.
There were also merchants who kept making the Empire rich, while there were
also craftsmen who made pots, jewelries, weapons, and many more. Entertainment
was important in their culture and tradition. Their entertainers were
gladiators and chariot racers, and just like today, Rome’s entertainers include
musicians, dancers, and actors. The educated Romans on the other hand become
lawyers, teachers, and engineers. In the government, there were all sorts of
jobs like tax collectors, clerks and Senators. When Senators serve their
position, they serve for life, and there were as many as 600 members of the
Senate.
The colosseum that holds gladiator wars and other forms of entertainment
Source: http://7-themes.com/6931521-rome-colosseum.html
 |
| The famous Mona Lisa painting by Leonardo Da Vinci Source: http://artdiscovery.info/rotations/rotation-1/packet-22/ |
We all know that Roman art is very
beautiful. There’s just something about how their buildings, basilicas, and
colosseums are made. Let’s not forget their amazing paintings during the
Renaissance period. The Renaissance period started in the 1400s. The Early
Renaissance art works were about Humanism. It became a central motif for the
artists because it was a “rebirth” of the classical style. After that, the
paintings were towards humans, thus making Humanism focusing on inner beauty on
humanity. The effect of Humanism during the Renaissance period was very
captivating because the painters focused on human interests. They also used
different colored patterns like the mosaics to show or advertise everyday life
scenes. It is said that mosaics have come from the Babylon, and since the
Romans discovered new found beauty, they decided to copy it by adding it to
buildings. We all know that the arches started with the Romans, it is because
they needed the water to get in and out of the city, thus creating the
aqueducts. One of the most magnificent pieces of architecture made by the
Romans was the Colosseum. It is so magnificent because it could fit 50,000
spectators who would watch brutal fights of the gladiators!
There’s so
much to say about Rome. It’s still amazing that after all these years –
decades, Rome never lost its touch. Their works and influences made such an
impact to our culture that what they did before, is still alive today. I hope
you guys found this useful and that you get to have an insight on what Rome was
before. Also, if you plan on travelling there, at least you know a little history
about them!
Take care now!
Denise
References:
