Compare and Contrast Greece and Rome
Compare/Contrast
Compare/Contrast
Greece & Rome
Compare/Contrast Page 1
“And what he greatly thought, he nobly dared.”
Homer
“Wherever the fates lead us let us follow.”
Virgil
Not all roads lead to it and it most definitely was not built in a day, but Rome stands out in our modern western culture as the grandest of all ancient civilizations. We see evidence of the Roman world all around us; in such things as our architecture, art and government. But despite its dominance in ancient world history and modern day culture, Rome is often judged in relation to that of its Greek predecessors. Like Virgil’s Aeneid, which attempted to outdo the colossus of Homers Odyssey, the Romans hoped to surpass the Greeks while at the same time borrowing from them heavily. Both civilizations, in the end and like the characters in their most celebrated poets best works, share a tone of ironic tragedy as each state makes poor political choices, submits its citizens lives to fate through weakened leadership and splintered government and are eventually subsumed in the rushing historical tides of dislocation and war.
In the following pages I will attempt to compare/contrast the religious, cultural, economic and political systems of ancient Greece and Rome.
Religion
The pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses in enormously complex as religious myths created by many communities over a long period of time and space is difficult to summarize in a paragraph.
Compare/Contrast Page 2
Generally, we can be comfortable in saying the Greeks were a polytheistic society with gods made in human form. In a
Compare/Contrast
Greece & Rome
Compare/Contrast Page 1
“And what he greatly thought, he nobly dared.”
Homer
“Wherever the fates lead us let us follow.”
Virgil
Not all roads lead to it and it most definitely was not built in a day, but Rome stands out in our modern western culture as the grandest of all ancient civilizations. We see evidence of the Roman world all around us; in such things as our architecture, art and government. But despite its dominance in ancient world history and modern day culture, Rome is often judged in relation to that of its Greek predecessors. Like Virgil’s Aeneid, which attempted to outdo the colossus of Homers Odyssey, the Romans hoped to surpass the Greeks while at the same time borrowing from them heavily. Both civilizations, in the end and like the characters in their most celebrated poets best works, share a tone of ironic tragedy as each state makes poor political choices, submits its citizens lives to fate through weakened leadership and splintered government and are eventually subsumed in the rushing historical tides of dislocation and war.
In the following pages I will attempt to compare/contrast the religious, cultural, economic and political systems of ancient Greece and Rome.
Religion
The pantheon of Greek gods and goddesses in enormously complex as religious myths created by many communities over a long period of time and space is difficult to summarize in a paragraph.
Compare/Contrast Page 2
Generally, we can be comfortable in saying the Greeks were a polytheistic society with gods made in human form. In a
Bibliography: Durant, Will. Heroes of History: A Brief History of Civilization from Ancient Times to the Dawn of the Modern Age. New York, New York. Simon & Schuster 2001 Homer. The Odyssey. Translated by Samuel Butler. New York, New York. Barnes & Noble Inc. 2008 Price, Simon & Kearns, Emily. The Oxford Dictionary of Classical Myth and Religion. Oxford, England. Oxford University Press. 2003 Madden, Thomas F. Empire of Trust: How Rome Built and America is Building a New World. New York, New York. Penguin Group 2008