14.

THE LEGACY OF CLASSICAL CULTURE

Why do we call Greek and roman culture classical?

1. WHAT HAS OUR CULTRE INHERITED FROM THE CLASSICAL PERIOD?

European culture has inhereited the lagacy of classcial Greek and roman culture.
PHILISOPHY AND SCIENCE
The Greejs were the first people to try and explain the natural world through human reason.
They moved away from the idea thay it was dependen ton the Will of the gods.
Philosophy and science developed together with rational thought. They carried ouy scientific
research base don observation and experimentation, laying the foundations for modern
science.
PHILOSPHERS
Democritus deduced that matter is composed of tiny, indivisible atoms.
Socrates and Plato sought knoeledge throught dialogue and reflaction.
Aristotle wrote about physics, natural science and philosophy. He explained the rules of logical
reasoning
SCIENTISTS
Thales of Miletus, Pytagoras and Euclid establisiched the first rules os algebra and geometry.
Aristarchus revolutionised astronomy, stating that the planets revolved around the Sum
(heliocentrism), while his comtemporaries argued that the Earth was at the centre of the
Universe (geocentrism).
Archimedes laid the doundations of physics. He invented the screw and the lever.
Hippocartes wrote the first medical treatises and distinguisehed between the symptoms and
causes of a disease. He perfromed samll surgical operations and produced medicines from
healing plants.
First Map pf the know world: Erastosthenes dres the first mapo f the know world with
parallels and meridians. He stated that the Earth was round and measured its approximate
circumference.
The Screw can be used to raise wáter from a river to irrigate crops.
The Lever can be used to lift heavy weihts. A quote attributed to Archimedes said: “Give me a
place to stand and I shall move the Earth with it”.
The Pulley can be used to lift heavy weights with musch lees forcé. It was useful in
construction.
SCIENTIFIC TERMINOLOGY
The Greeks also created a scientific language using their own language. Many terms that are
used today in the sciences have a Greek etymology (come from Greek).
We continue to use many letters from their alphabet to name scientific, cultural or symbolic
elements.
LITERACY GENRES
Western literatura has its roots in Greek and Latin literatura.
Many lilerary genres, such as poetry (Sappho) and epic (Homer and Virgil ) and didactic
(Demosthenes and Cicero) literatura were born in the classical period. The study of geography
(Strabo) and history (Herodotus, Thucydides and Titus Livius) also emerged during this time.
THEATRE
Two major theatrical genres emerged:
- Tragedy shows the struggle betweeen humans and invincible forces (Destiny, guilt,..). the
outcome is always fatal. (Aeschylus, Sophocles and Euripides)
- Comedy recreates festive and joyful aspects of daily life. The outcome is happy.
(Aristophanes, Menander and Plautus)
2. DIODORUS OF MILETUS, AN OLYMPIC HERO
THE SANCTUARY OF OLYMPIA
The first Olympic Games were held in 776 BC in Olympia, where the most important sanctuary
dedicated to Zeus was located.
From then on, the games were held every four years, between June and August.
They were so important that an Olympic peace was decreed
A truce in all wars was proclaimed.
Official activities were suspended and al lof public life came to a standstill.
Every city in Greece sent a group of judges and athletes to Olympia. All male citizens who could
speak Greek could participate.
Women could not participate in or attend the events as the athletes were naked when they
competed.
Special women-only games were in Argos in honour of the goddess Hera. They consisted of
athletics events, without chariot races, wrestling or boxing.
THE GAMES
Diodorus has trained hard to compete in varius evento. Before competing, he made the
Olympic oath not to cheat and to compete fairly.
The programme for the games is as follows:
DAY 1. Processions, sacrifices and prayers in honour of Zeus
- Opening ceremony
- Olympic oath
- Procession and sacrificios to the gods.
DAY 2. Athletic races in the stadium.
DAY 3. Fights: boxing and wrestling.
DAY 4. Pentathlon: combination of 5 events by the same athlete
- Running - Jumping
- Javelin - Wrestling
- Discus
DAY 5. Horse races in the hippodrome.
DAY 6. Presentation of prizes to the winners. Sacrificios to the godos. Closing banquet.
The prizes were awarded at the Temple os Zeus, within the sacred enclousure. The winners
were crowned with olive or laurel wreaths, but the best rewards were honour and glory.
The winner´s name and city of birth were entered in a register of Olympic Champions. If an
athlete won all events in the pentathlon, a statue of him was erected in the Temple of Zeus.
When they returned to their opleis, winners were welcomed as héroes, with parades in the
streets.
THE SANCTUARY OF OLYMPIA
1. At the Olympic Council, the athletes swore the Olympoc oath.
2. At the gymnasium, evento like discus and javelin throwing were held.
3. At the palestra, the high jump and wrestling took place.
4. At the stadium, athletics races were held.
5. The prytaneum held the Olumpic flame that had to remain lit during the games. The
cities made offerings to Zeus here.
Temple os Zeus
Sacred olive tree
Temple of Hera
 Treasures of the cities.
3. GREEK AND ROMAN RELIGION
The Greeks and Romans believed in many gods (polytheism).
THE GODS OF OLYMPUS
The Greek and roman gods were depicted as human beings, but thet were inmortal and had
extraordinary Powers. They lived on Mount Olympus, from where they governed natural
phenomena and wathed over the people.
Each one had a name, an identifying attribute (e.g. lightning or helmet), Will, emotions and
passions (e.g. jealousy or anger). Unlike mortals, they did not suffer from hunger, tiredness or
pain.
Zeus was the father os the Olumpic family and the most powerful god. He exercised his power
over his wife (Hera), brothers (Poseidon and Hades) and many children, who included Apollo,
Aphrodite and Dionysus.
DEMIGODS OR HEROES
Demingods, who were mortals, were born from the unión between a god and a human being,
Heroes, sucha as Heracles, Hercules or Archilles, were different from humand and gods and
performed extraordinary feats.
Classical mythology included fantastic characters with special qualities, for example, centaurs
(half man, half horse), and cyclopses (gigants with one eye).

GREEK NAME / ROMAN NAME

1. ZEUS / JUPITER (the father of the gods)
2. HERA / JUNO (marriage and family)
3. APOLLO / APOLLO (music and medicine)
4. APHRODITE / VENUS (love and beauty)
5. ARTEMIS / DIANA (hunting)
6. HERMES / MERCURY (the Messenger)
7. ATHENA / MINERVA (wisdom)
8. DEMETER / CERES (agriculture)
9. HESTIA / VESTA (the hearth)
10. POSEIDON / NEPTUNE (the sea)
11. DIONYSUS / BACCHUS (wine)
12. HADES / PLUTO (hell)
13. ARES / MARS (war)
HOW DID THEY WORSHIP THEIR GODS?
Public worship
Greeks and Romans prayed for the favor of the gods and publicy worshipped them in temples.
However, citizens had no Access to the inner parto f the temple where there are a statue of
the Good to whom the temple was dedicated.
Ceremonies included processions, offerings, sacrifices and libations (the pouring of a liquid
such as milk or honey), which took place on an altar in front of the temple.
Private worship
The father of eacg family led private worship within the home. This formo f worship was
widespread in Rome. Each house had a small altar (lararium) to worship the family gods (Lares
and Penates).
A ROMAN SACRIFICE
Animals were sacrificed at the door of a temple. Their internal organs were offered publicly at
the altal to the gods, and the meat was consumed by those who made the sacrifice
Temple, Altar, Priestess.
4. CLASSICAL GREEK ARCHITECTURE
The Greeks rejertec the colosal style of architecture employed by ;Mesopotamian and Egyptian
civilisations. They created buildings on a more human scale, base don harmony and
proportion.
Many Greek buildings that hace been preserved had a religious function. Notable examples are
temples and theatres.
THE GREEK THEATRE
- Its seminircular shape had three parts: cavea, orchesta and stage.
- The cavea was where the spectator sat. It was built into a hillside to maximise
acoustics and visibility.
- The orchestra was circular held the choir.
- The performances were held on the stage.
THE TEMPLE: THE PARTHENON IN ATHENS
- Built with large blocks of marble and usually rectangular in shape, although they could
also be circular.
- Built on a platform with steps and sorrounded by a group of columns called a peristyle.
- Inside was the cella, wich held the statue of the deity.
- The pediment and friexe on the exterior were decoratd with reliefs.
- The reliefs and sulptures were adpted to the available space and were painted with
bright colours (red and blue).
WERE ALL THE TEMPLES THE SAME?
The Greeks based their architecture on the union of verticual cloums and horizontal beams
with lintel sor architraves. The facades were crowed with a triangular pediment.
There were three architectural orders:
- DORIC: Sober and thick colums with grooves and without a platform. Friese with
triglyphs and metopes, decorated with reliefs.
- IONIC: Slimmer colums supported on a platform and with scrolls on their capitals.
Friese decorated with reliefs.
- CORINTHIAN: Ionic inspiration. Characterised by acanthus leaves on their capitals. The
columna did not usually have grooves.

5. FUNCTIONAL ROMAN ARCHITECTURE

CLASSICAL ARCHITECTURE
In some buildings, like temples, they used Greek architectural elements, such as support
columns, with pediments and architraves.
They used the three Greek orders and created a new one, the composite order.
The new order combined characteristics of both the Ionic order and the Corinthian order.
They also introduced arches, vaults and domes.
NEW CONSTRUCTION METHODS
The Roman created measuring instruments and machines to lift heavy weighys and help
construction. They were the great engineers of the classical period.
They invented a type of cements called Roman concrete, containing small stones and
fragments of brick. This was used to build solid, hig walls without using large blocks of Stone.
The cement was similar tothe reinforced concrete used in buildings today.
The roman Temple was built on a Stone plinth (pódium). An entrance portico marked out the
main facade, which was accessed by a staircase. Part of the colonnade of the peristyle was
attached to the wall of the cella.
The theatre was free standing, as it was not built into a hillside. The tiers of seating were built
on solid vaults to support the weight, as in amphiteatres and circuses. The stage was raised
and the orchestra was semicircular.
WHY WAS IT FUNCTIONAL?
The Romans filled their cities with large public leisure buildings, roads and commemorative
monuments.
Architecture was functional and every building was constructed for a purpose.
Transport Routes
The whole Empire was connected by Roman roads. Some were cut throught hills or had large
birdges in order to cross rivers.
Aqueducts were part of the channels that transported wáter to the cities.
Commemorative Monuments
Columns and triumphal arches commemorated the victories of the emperors.
Mausoleums were large tombs uset to house the remains of importante people or wealthy
citizens.
Leisure Buildings
Performances were held at the circus and amphitheatres. Termal baths were built.

6. IDEALISM AND REALISM IN SCULPTURE

The Greeks decorated their building with reliefs and sculptures carved in stine, marble or
bronce and painted in bright colours.
Greek artista wanted to represent ideal beauty and movement. To do this, the studied the
ideal proportions of the human body and developed the canon.
The Romans followed the Greek models. Many supposed Greek sulptures are actually Roman
copies.
The realistic portrait of the body represented in sculpture was a Roman innovation.
RELIEF AND SCULPTURE
A relief is cut from a flat Surface and gives the impresión that the images are raised above it.
A sculpture is free standing.
GREEK SCULPTURE
There were three main peiods in Greek sculpture:
 In the Archaic period, Young nudes (kouroi) and maidens in dresses (korai) were
depicted. The body was rigid and forward facing. Faces were stylised, showing a half
smile.
 In the Classical period (5th and 4th centuries BC), the human body was depicted with
proportion and harmony. Faces had a serene expresión.
 In the Hellenistic period, drama and realism were represented by human emotions
(pain, strengght,..). Sculptors perfected clothing and facial expressions.
ROMAN SCULPTURE
The romans inmortalised emperors and celebrated individuals by making portraits of them.
Subjects appeared in horseback (equestrian), sitting (seated) or full lenght. The bust, showing
only the head and shoulders, was very popular.
They also created reliefs depicting aspects of everyday life or the actions of emperors.
Cinematic reliefs
Many reliefs reproduced events, forming a type or narrarive
Other reliefs were more cinematic, narratins stories through the succession of scenes in an
uniterrupted space.
Roman portrait
Represented a true depiction of the sitter, with his or her imperfections, personality and
feelings.
The aim is to preserve the memory of the sitter forever. It can show the public or private side
of their character.

7. PAINTING AND MOSAIC

The Greeks and romans decorated the walls of their homes with painted murals.
The mahority of Greek painting no longer exists. The most important examples still found are
on pottery.
The eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD buried the cities of Pompeli and Herculaneuam. They
remained covered until the 20th century. For this reason, the paintings in many houses can still
be seen today.
Mosaics were also a Greco Roman constribution. They were used to decorate the floors and
walls of homes.
PAINTING ON GREEK POTTERY
Greek pottery, made by potters and painters, was very varied. Each piece was designed for a
specific purpose.
Types of vessels:
- A krater for mixing wine, wáter and spices.
- An amphora to hold liquids.
- A kylix or drinking cupo
- An oenochoe for serving drinks.
MOSAIC
The Roman created mosaics depicting complex, colourful scenes in great detail.
FRESCOES TO DECORATE WALLS
The romans decorated the walls of their homes with painted mirals using the fresco technique.
Aprotective layer of was brightened the colour.

GREEK POTTERY
- The paintings depict mythological and everyday scenes
- Most of the pottery comes from Attica región. There are two types: black figures on a light
background and red figures on a dark background.
ROMAN MOSAIC
-Mosaics were made with small pieces of pottery in different colours and forms (tesserae).
-The artista Drew on the floor, distribuited the tesserae like a jigsaw puzzle, and then fixed
them with cement.
-Decoration could be geometric or figurative. Figurative decoration usually depicted the same
themes seen in the paintings.
ROMAN PAINTING
-The most common subjects were mythological, everyday scenes, portraits, landscapes adn
fantastic architecture.
-They were characterised by the realism, detail, coliur and movement of the figures. Although
the artista did not know perspective, they gace Depth to the painting.
-White, red, black and yellow were the most common colours. Thet sometimes used green,
blue or violet.
8. WHAT SYMBOLS IDENTIFIED THE CHRISTIANS?
Christanity has greatly influenced the development of western culture.
The symbols and artistic heritage left by the first Christian communites are still used around
the worlds today.
The first examples of Christian iconography were found in the catacombs and basílicas
(churches that would last for venturies).
Do you know why Christians used the cross and the fish as symbols of union?
SYMBOLS OF EARLY CHRISTIANITY
The Romans persecuted early Christian communities, who were forced to practise their
religión in secret.
To identify each other and go unnotced, they creatd symbols that were reminiscent of the
figure of Jesus Christ, with a secret code thay only they understood.
- The cross, the most important Christian symbol, reminds us of the detah of Jesus
Christ.
- Teh fish, chosen because the letters of the worf fish in Greek (ICTHYS) stand for “Jesus
Christ, son of God, Saviour”.
CATACOMBS
Christians buried their dead in undergroung cementeries or in catacombs, made up of long
corridors.
The early Christians held ceremonies and honoured their dead in the catacombs.
The Christian community also used the catacombs for prtection and as hiding places in times of
persecution. Under Roman law, burial places were sacred and invioable.
ART AND THE CATACOMBS
The walls of the catacombs were decorated with paintings showing rituals, ceremonies,
prayers and Christian symbols.
They are the first example of Christian arte (early Christain).
EARLY CHISTIAN BASILICAS
At the end of the 4tg centurt, Christianity was made the oficial religión of the Roman Empire.
Christians cameo ut of hiding and built their temples using Romans techniques and decorative
forms.
They worshipped inside temples, which needed to be very large to hold al lof the worshippers.
They chose the Roman basílica, with a large central nave, as the design for thir place of
worship. They decorated the walls with colourful mosaics depicting the life of Christ and
episodes from the Gospels.