How Did Greek Influence Roman Culture

The Romans ability to accept different cultures and ideas is what made them so great. Rome was able to be so successful and powerful due to its open-minded mentality. They embraced other civilization’s lifestyles and were eager to incorporate them into their own culture. Rome’s absorption of foreign practices and peoples contributed to the formation of the state. My paper will show the influence Greece had on the Roman Empire. Specifically, how the Romans incorporated Greece architecture, religion, and linguistics into their daily lives. “Captive Greece took captive her savage conqueror, and brought civilization to barbarous latium.” (Horace). The Romans looked to the Greeks for architectural innovation and creativity. The Greek influence
on roman architecture can be seen in various different designs. Roman architects refined their edifices by implementing Greek architecture into their framework and thus were able to make beautiful and enormous columns, temples, and sculptures. “However, the Romans were also great innovators and they quickly adopted new construction techniques, used new materials, and uniquely combined existing techniques with creative design to produce a whole range of new architectural structures such as the basilica, triumphal arc, monumental aqueduct, amphitheatre, granary building, and residential housing block” (Cartwright). Many of Rome’s buildings were developed due to Greek influence. Greek architecture fascinated the Romans and they wanted to mimic their work. The interest in Greek religion, specifically their gods, influenced Roman faith. They took Greek gods and created new ones based on them. Rome adopted their gods and attributed Greek myths to them. Romans imitated the Greek religion and made it into their own. The Greek gods stayed the same, but were given different names. “Zeus became Jupiter, Hera became Juno, and Athena became Minerva.” (Blum) They also embraced the idea of an oracle. An oracle would deliver messages of the gods to priests to interpret to the people. Rome copied the oracle from the Greeks and introduced it into their lifestyle. Romans consulted oracles and asked for guidance from the gods. Roman literature and language was heavily influenced by the Greeks as well. The Greek language soon became a language that all Romans were eager to learn. It was eventually taught to the people of Rome. “Although Latin was the main language of Rome, Greek writing and the language were used to great extents. Greek became a second language and was eventually taught alongside with Latin to young Roman children. Greek was the language of the educated, and it was used in all official documents and governmental assemblies during the Roman Empire.” (Wiki) Romans that could speak Greek were seen as intelligent and knowledgeable. It was a status marker. “In 272, Livius Andronicus, while still a child, arrived in Rome with other Graeculi (“little Greeks”), as they were called with a certain scorn. He was the first epic poet to write in Latin, though on Greek subjects. Thus Livius Andronicus endowed Rome with its first national epic.”(LeGlay, 70) Greek influence is evident in their literature and language and played in an important role in the creation of their society.

Greek influence is seen in numerous aspects of Roman society. Rome is admirable particularly in its ability to integrate foreign cultures and make it its own. Rome’s absorption of Greek architecture, religion, and language contributed to the development of the nation and culture. Numerous components of Rome were based on Greek models. The Romans were smart to copy one of the greatest civilizations to ever exist. They didn’t capture Greece, they inhaled and absorbed them.