The ancient Roman and Greek civilizations in Europe started to grow toward a refined order of society (Fant & Mary 14). Since there were no past foundations to base their standards on, it was acceptable that there were some hiccups in their development as a society (Fant & Mary 14). Even though both governments collapsed, they had similarities and differences when it came to their existence. This paper seeks to compare and contrast ancient Rome and Greece.
Democracy, Republicanism, and Political Thought
To begin with, the Romans and the Greeks employed the democratic system of governance in their rule. A democratic kind of governance advocates for a ruling system that is free for all. Every government that is presently in existence and employs the democratic system should be grateful to ancient Greece. Greece came up with novel ideas of democracy and everything that accompanies it, like constitutions, citizenship, and many more (Steiner, 156; Michell, 234; Gilje et al., 382). Since Rome endeavored to govern as a republic, its desires were different from those of the Greeks. The Romans employed common sense and practicality as opposed to the Greeks (Thorsteinsson, 140; Roberts, 84). In their empirical and pragmatic fashion, they slowly developed the systems of the legal state and public politics (Thorsteinsson, 140; Roberts, 84).
Parallel Declines Through Institutional Failure
Secondly, the decline of the Greeks resulted from the breakdown of social theories (Steiner, 126; Michell, 278; Gilje et al., 415). When the residents stopped viewing the law as a reflection of sacred practices bound by the gods, they instead saw it as another human creation, and respect for the law declined, weakening the institutions of society (Steiner, 182; Michell, 267; Gilje et al., 423). These actions led to moral uncertainty, party conflicts, and politicians who were after their own gain. The Romans were not any different in their fall. They suffered the same fate, which was rooted in an unfocused government (Roberts, 64). The Romans had the chance to create a professional civil service to govern their conquered lands. On the contrary, they chose to employ city-state institutions that had evolved for another purpose in administering the empire (Roberts, 67).
Shared Achievements in Art and Architecture
Lastly, the Romans and Greeks epitomized the skill of art. The two cultures played a significant role in revolutionizing the art of civilization. They introduced new standards when it came to people’s interactions in society. The Romans borrowed a lot of artwork from the Greeks and later customized it (Roberts, 70). In particular, they adopted architectural styles that are somehow similar to those of the Greeks.
Women’s Rights and Public Life
However, there were significant differences between the two empires. For instance, women’s rights in the two realms were different. Roman women had it easy compared to Greek women. The women in Greece had strict rules and conditions and could barely make it to some public places (Steiner, 197; Michell, 289; Gilje et al., 437). Inasmuch as Roman women had strictly delimited functions too, they could access most public places; they had the right to divorce and greater property rights (Thorsteinsson, 120; Roberts, 76). Moreover, many well-known Roman matrons were public figures in the public domain (Thorsteinsson, 140; Roberts, 84).
Cultural Assimilation and Citizenship
Secondly, the Romans and the Greeks were both ethnocentric when it came to modern standards. However, Romans were open to the assimilation of different individuals into their institutions. Most non-Greeks embraced the Greek language, lifestyles, and habits following the era of Alexander. However, the approach was cultural and not political (Steiner, 186; Michell, 278; Gilje et al., 530). Romans were very strict in assimilating the residents of their conquests. Non-Romans became citizens even in earlier times (Thorsteinsson, 82; Roberts, 73). Rome had everyone in its jurisdiction as a resident (Thorsteinsson, 82; Roberts, 73).
Greek Abstraction and Roman Practicality
Lastly, there is a stereotype that Romans were good at practical applications, whereas Greeks were the masters of academic and abstract pursuits. There could be some exceptions to this generalization; nonetheless, it is a helpful one in comparative use. Greek thinkers had skills in logic, philosophy, geometry, and mathematics (Steiner, 186; Michell, 243; Gilje et al., 498). Romans were brilliant in engineering, successful at sanitation, and excelled in logistics and organization (Thorsteinsson, 107; Roberts, 78). Most books in philosophy are full of Greek authors, and the Greek language coined many academic terms.
A Legacy of Similarities and Contrasts
In conclusion, both the Romans and the Greeks used the democratic system of governance. The two governments collapsed due to the breakdown of social theories. Moreover, the Romans and the Greeks capitalized on art, and they borrowed from each other. Also, there were significant differences between the two empires. For instance, Greek women had limited access to public places and had to take care of household duties. For the Romans, inasmuch as women had household duties, they enjoyed freedom of movement, were at liberty to divorce, and held positions in the social hierarchy. Also, Greece assimilated non-Greeks only after the era of Alexander and through culture, whereas Rome had this practice much earlier. Lastly, the Romans embraced the art of practical applications, whereas the Greeks were great at theoretical and abstract pursuits.
Work Cited
Fant, Maureen B., and Mary R. Lefkowitz. Women’s Life in Greece and Rome: A Source Book in Translation. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2016. Print.
Gilje, Nils, and Gunnar Skirbekk. A history of Western thought: from Ancient Greece to the twentieth century. Routledge, 2017.
Michell, Humfrey. The economics of ancient Greece. Cambridge University Press, 2014. Print.
Roberts, Charlotte. “Living with the ancient Romans: past and present in eighteenth-century encounters with Herculaneum and Pompeii.” huntington library quarterly 78.1 (2015): 61-85.
Steiner, Deborah Tarn. The tyrant’s writ: myths and images of writing in ancient Greece. Princeton University Press, 2015. Print.
Thorsteinsson, Runar. Paul’s interlocutor in Romans 2: function and identity in the context of ancient epistolography. Vol. 40. Wipf and Stock Publishers, 2015.
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