Section outline
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9.3: Art in Ancient Greece and Rome
The societies and cultures of Greece and Rome provide the origins of what we consider Western civilization. In Greece, we find elements of science, philosophy, and theories of democracy. The Greeks developed ways of thinking about the world that surpassed mythology toward more abstract beliefs about the world. The Romans built on this Greek tradition and created their own conception of a republican form of government. These democratic processes were more indirect and tied to the expansion of one of the world's largest empires. To sustain empire building, the Romans produced innovations in roads, viaducts, and architecture, which often incorporated Greek artistic elements.
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This article and video introduce the 900-year period of antiquity. They discuss the emergence of Greece and Rome and their respective arts. Notice how classical themes from antiquity emerged during later eras, such as the Renaissance, Romanticism, and Academicism.
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Watch this video on the Greek krater vase, one of this period's most abundant and well-documented artifacts. Note the different styles of these vases as they evolved over time and their many uses in daily life.
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Watch this video on the Greek kouros sculptures, which represented ideas of male beauty. What was new in the development of this art form?
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Watch this video on Roman sculpture and its relationship to its Greek precedents. We often compare Greek and Roman art due to the strong influence of Greek artists in Rome. What is similar and different in the styles of the Greeks and Romans?
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Watch this video on the sculpture Nike of Samothrace and its reconstruction. How much would a major reconstruction of the art change the original experience and meaning?
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This video and article discuss the sculpture Augustus of Primaporta, its connection to Greek aesthetics, and the Roman political context. What ideas about Roman political culture are manifest in the artwork?
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