Roman Culture Research Paper

Every civilization, both in history and in modern times, has a culture. Culture is a defining characteristic of a civilization, because it can display many things about its people, such as how they lived or what they believed. A prime example of this idea’ is the Romans. The culture of the Roman Empire was made of many aspects, including the important features of the arts, food, and religion. The arts were one of the many important parts of Roman culture. Roman art, as well as other aspects of their culture, was largely influenced by the Greeks (“An Overview of Roman History & Culture”). Ranging from sculpture to paintings to mosaics, their art was diverse. Paintings were present on walls, in tombs, and as portraits (McGill, “Ancient Roman
For the Romans, diet staples were cereals, vegetables, olive oil, and wine, but other foods like seafood, cheese, meat, and fruit were also commonly eaten (Cartwright). Because meat was expensive, the poor could not afford it and ate mainly bread, olives, grapes, and honey instead (Hadas). Cereals, which include all things made of wheat or barley, were most common in the Roman diet (Cartwright). Vegetables, as another staple in their diet, were the main source of protein for many Romans. The most commonly eaten of these were legumes, beans, lentils, and peas, which were commonly paired with bread (Cartwright). Meat, although an often expensive commodity, came in a large variety. Birds, game, pork, veal, mutton, and goat were present in the Roman diet; seafood was also present as a common form of meat, although it was often preserved due to its irregular supply (Cartwright). Olive oil and wine were also common in the Roman diet, as they were a staple. Olive oil was a source of fat and was paired with many foods, and wine was used both as a drink and as a method of preservation (Cartwright). Food in the Roman culture was very diverse, though differences in classes were apparent in the contrast between the food eaten by the wealthy and the food eaten by the
The characteristic of art displays the Romans’ values of what or who they believed was most important, as most paintings or sculptures portrayed gods or government figures. Their food showed both where the Romans were able to obtain their materials and the differences between the classes. Finally, their fluctuating religion was central to their lives, and it effected even the world we live in today. One religion, the Roman pantheon, slowly faded from practice as another religion, Christianity, was more widely practiced. This practice assisted in the spread of the religion, allowing it to achieve the following it has to this