How Did Roman Art Influence Society

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Art in ancient Rome was a substantial part of their culture and a successful means of political communication among its citizens. When looking at Roman art it is evident that they too focused on sculpture and how it could influence society. Rome was a republic governed by a series of wealthy families. The Romans got their idea of the democratic system and much or their artistic style from ancient Greece. Rome often looked to ancient Greece for cultural reference in an exchange of ideas that can be seen in several art pieces.
Along with sculpture Rome was also very interested in architecture as an art form and how it could directly benefit society. For example, the Rome Forum was a large architectural structure that was a hub for political activity. The Roman Forum contained many amenities such as, the curia where the senate met and established policies, the rostra a platform where the senate would make public announcements, places for citizens to voice complaints, and even …show more content…

For example, the Temple of Portunes follows the ionic order of architecture almost precisely. However, there are subtle differences in the Roman temple that contrast the Greek temple’s. The Temple of Portunes is on a higher platform and less accessible then common Greek Temples. This created a sacred space for worship by changing the atmosphere as one entered the temple. The stairs were a more centralized place to enter that made the viewer pay attention to what they were entering, the columns created a semi-enclosed space and changed the temperature and lighting, and the engaged columns borrowed from the Etruscans instead of the Greeks created an enclosed place for worship. These subtle architectural cues subconsciously let citizens know how sacred the space was which is important when examining the Roman religion and its many

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