Monday 26 March 2012

Ancient Greece & Ancient Rome


Ancient Greece

 Is a civilization belonging to a period of Greek history that lasted from the Archaic period of the 8th to 6th centuries BC to the end of antiquity (ca. 600 AD). Immediately following this period was the beginning of the Early Middle Ages and the Byzantine era.[1] Included in Ancient Greece is the period of Classical Greece, which flourished during the 5th to 4th centuries BC. Classical Greece began with the repelling of a Persian invasion by Athenian leadership. Because of conquests by Alexander the GreatHellenistic civilization flourished from Central Asia to the western end of the Mediterranean Sea.
Classical Greek culture, especially philosophy, had a powerful influence on the Roman Empire, which carried a version of it to many parts of the Mediterranean region and Europe, for which reason Classical Greece is generally considered to be the seminal culture which provided the foundation of Western culture.[2][3][4][5]
Classical Greece

Athens and Sparta would soon have to become allies in the face of the largest external threat ancient Greece would see until the Roman conquest. After suppressing the Ionian Revolt, a rebellion of the Greek cities of IoniaDarius I of PersiaKing of Kings of the Achaemenid Empire, decided to subjugate Greece. His invasion in 490 BC was ended by the Athenian victory at the Battle of Marathon under Miltiades the Younger.
Xerxes I of Persia, son and successor of Darius I, attempted his own invasion 10 years later, but despite his larger army he suffered heavy casualties after the famous rearguard action at Thermopylae and victories for the allied Greeks at the Battles of Salamis and Plataea. TheGreco-Persian Wars continued until 449 BC, led by the Athenians and their Delian League, during which time the MacedonThrace, the Aegean Islands and Ionia were all liberated from Persian influence.
The dominant position of the maritime Athenian 'Empire' threatened Sparta and the Peloponnesian League of mainland Greek cities. Inevitably, this led to conflict, resulting in the Peloponnesian War (431-404 BC). Though effectively a stalemate for much of the war, Athens suffered a number of setbacks. The Plague of Athens in 430 BC followed by a disastrous military campaign known as the Sicilian Expedition severely weakened Athens. An estimated one-third of Athenians died, including Pericles, their leader.[15]
Sparta was able to foment rebellion amongst Athens's allies, further reducing the Athenian ability to wage war. The decisive moment came in 405 BC when Sparta cut off the grain supply to Athens from the Hellespont. Forced to attack, the crippled Athenian fleet was decisively defeated by the Spartans under the command of Lysander at Aegospotami. In 404 BC Athens sued for peace, and Sparta dictated a predictably stern settlement: Athens lost her city walls (including the Long Walls), her fleet, and all of her overseas possessions. Also in 4TH CENTURY.

Ancient Rome 



Was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to become one of the largest empires in the ancient world.[1]
In its centuries of existence, Roman civilization shifted from a monarchy to an aristocratic republic to an increasingly autocratic empire. It came to dominate Southern EuropeWestern EuropeBalkansAsia MinorNorth Africa and parts of Eastern Europe through conquest andassimilation. Rome was preponderant throughout the Mediterranean region, and was the sole superpower of Antiquity.
Rome was the central power of Antiquity. The Romans are still remembered today, including such names as Julius CaesarCicero, andHorace. Roman culture and history has been praised by great thinkers and philosophers such as MachiavelliRousseau and Nietzsche.
A society highly developed in military and political skills, Rome professionalized its military class and created a system of government called res publica, the inspiration for some modern republics[2][3][4] such as the United States and France.
By the end of the Republic, Rome had conquered the lands around the Mediterranean and beyond: its domain extended from the Atlantic toJudaea and from the mouth of the Rhine to North Africa.
In the Empire, Rome entered in its golden times at the hands of Augustus Caesar. Under Trajan, the Empire reached its territorial peak. The republican values started to decline in the imperial times, and civil wars became the common ritual for a new emperor's rise.[5][6][7]
Plagued by internal instability and attacked by various migrating peoples, the western part of the empire broke up into independent kingdoms in the 5th century. This splintering is a landmark historians use to divide the ancient period of universal history from the medieval era ("Dark Ages" of Europe).
The Eastern Roman Empire survived this crisis and was governed from Constantinople after the division of the Empire. It comprised Greece, the BalkansAsia MinorSyria and Egypt. Despite the later loss of Syria and Egypt to the Arab-Islamic Empire, the Eastern Roman Empire continued for another millennium, until its remnants were finally annexed by the emerging Turkish Ottoman Empire. This eastern, Christian,medieval stage of the Empire is usually called the Byzantine Empire by historians.
Roman civilization is often grouped into "classical antiquity" together with ancient Greece. Ancient Rome contributed greatly to government,lawwarartliteraturearchitecturetechnologyreligion, and language in the Western world.
Art, music and literature

Roman painting styles show Greek influences, and surviving examples are primarily frescoes used to adorn the walls and ceilings of countryvillas, though Roman literature includes mentions of paintings on woodivory, and other materials.[205][206] Several examples of Roman painting have been found at Pompeii, and from these art historians divide the history of Roman painting into four periods. The first style of Roman painting was practiced from the early 2nd century BC to the early- or mid-1st century BC. It was mainly composed of imitations of marble andmasonry, though sometimes including depictions of mythological characters.[205][206]
The second style of Roman painting began during the early 1st century BC, and attempted to depict realistically three-dimensional architectural features and landscapes. The third style occurred during the reign of Augustus (27 BC – 14 AD), and rejected the realism of the second style in favor of simple ornamentation. A small architectural scene, landscape, or abstract design was placed in the center with a monochromebackground. The fourth style, which began in the 1st century AD, depicted scenes from mythology, while retaining architectural details and abstract patterns.[205][206]
Portrait sculpture during the period utilized youthful and classical proportions, evolving later into a mixture of realism and idealism. During theAntonine and Severan periods, ornate hair and bearding, with deep cutting and drilling, became popular. Advancements were also made in relief sculptures, usually depicting Roman victories.
Latin literature was, from its start, influenced heavily by Greek authors. Some of the earliest extant works are of historical epics telling the early military history of Rome. As the Republic expanded, authors began to produce poetrycomedyhistory, and tragedy.
Roman music was largely based on Greek music, and played an important part in many aspects of Roman life.[207] In the Roman military, musical instruments such as the tuba (a longtrumpet) or the cornu (similar to a French horn) were used to give various commands, while the bucina (possibly a trumpet or horn) and the lituus (probably an elongated J-shaped instrument), were used in ceremonial capacities.[208] Music was used in the amphitheaters between fights and in the odea, and in these settings is known to have featured the cornu and the hydraulis (a type of water organ).[209]
Most religious rituals featured musical performances, with tibiae (double pipes) at sacrifices, cymbals and Tambourines at orgiastic cults, and rattles and hymns across the spectrum.[210]Some music historians believe that music was used at almost all public ceremonies.[211] Music historians are not certain if Roman musicians made a significant contribution to the theoryor practice of music.[207]
The graffitibrothelspaintings, and sculptures found in Pompeii and Herculaneum suggest that the Romans had a sex-saturated culture.[212

1 comment:

  1. Cuento.

    LOS ALDEANOS EN PELIGRO
    En un lejano bosque había unos aldeanos talando arboles para hacer sus casas cuando de pronto un Ogro llego y los atacó; entonces los aldeanos corrieron a avisarles a sus amigos los guerrero.
    Los guerreros fueron a atacar al ogro , pero el ogro se había escondido, entonces todos los guerreros empezaron a buscarlo cuando el ogro salto encima de ellos aplastándolos, después llegaron unos dragones y lo mataron.
    Mauricio Aguilar

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