The Birth of Art: Basic Info

       The Roman Empire strechted from England to Egypt and from Spain to southern Russia.Because of the Romans’ exposure to foreign lands, they absorbed elements from older cultures, notably Greece. This mixed culture was transmitted to all of Western Europe and North Africa. Roman art became the building block for the art of succeeding periods. Romans later put there own spin on Greek art and philosophy. Roman art is less idealized and intellectual than Classical Greek, but more secular and functional. The Greeks shined at innovation, while the Romans’ forte was administration.

      With a huge amount of people in Rome, many of them were poor, distracted the them with public entertainment. The Colleseum seated 50,000 spectators. There was an opening act in A.D, 80, and the entire arena was flooded to stage a naval battle reenacted by a cast of 3000. Combat between gladiators was popular. Some were armed with a shield, sword, and a helmet. Others carried only a net and a trident. Boxers wore leather gloves. The reason why it was so popular and enthusiastic was because it was to the death. It was most likely the most popular form of entertainment in Rome.

      It was 1 p.m on a summer day when Mt. Vesuvius erupted, spewing molten lava and raining ash on the nearby towns of Pompeii and Herculaneum. A black mushroom cloud rose 12 miles over the peak until the villages were covered with 18 feet of ash and pumice. They remained covered and forgotten for 1700 years. Pompeii has a population of 25000 and was a luxurious resort community.