Why Is Greek Culture Relevant Today

Just because a nation falls to another does not mean its culture disappears forever. In some cases, its culture may continue to live on for centuries. Such was the case for ancient Greece, whose culture trickled down into the Western Roman Empire and even further into the Medieval Ages. Aspects of ancient Greek culture are even relevant today, thousands of years later. The reasoning behind why Greek culture continued to thrive after the nation’s decline can be attributed to many reasons, the most relevant being its large expansion. During the time period of Alexander the Great, Greece expanded tremendously and, by effect, exposed many other cultures to their own (Hemingway). Even when Rome conquered Greece, the culture continued to thrive and
Though there are notable differences between the artistic styling of each culture, there is no doubt that the Romans drew inspiration from the Greeks. Traditionally, the Romans did not have “a native or cultural tradition” to begin with (“Rome: The Rise to Empire”). It was only after the contact with the Greeks and under their influence that they began to develop and admire the arts (“Rome: The Rise to Empire”). Such admiration and influence can commonly be seen in Roman sculptures. The statue of Augustus of Primaporta, for example, demonstrates several aspects of Greek influence. The statue, estimated to be created around 20 B.C. after Augustus’s victory over the Parthians, follows a similar Hellenistic style that the Greeks used (Galinsky). Unlike other Greek styles such as the Archaic style, the Hellenistic style sought perfection and even motion, which the Romans greatly admired and copied (“The Greeks”). The statue of Augustus of Primaporta demonstrates such a style, as can be seen in its stance and humanistic design. The sculpture especially demonstrates Greek influence as it remained idealistic rather than realistic, like some Roman sculptures. This