How Has Roman Culture Adapted From Greek Music

Question

Was Roman music and dance adapted from Greek music and dance?

Thesis

Roman music and dance was adapted from Greek music and dance.

Roman Music

The early Romans enjoyed music and had music at a lot of events such as entertainment events, military events, and religious events. However, not much is known about Roman music because the early Christians in Rome thought much of traditional Roman music was inappropriate and suppressed it. Roman music was single melodies, they did not have harmonies like we do today. The Romans recorded or wrote their music using enchiriadic notation, which consisted of four letters for notes and symbols for rhythm.

Roman Instruments

The Romans had three main types of instruments,

wind instruments, string instruments, and percussion instruments. Some of the Roman instruments were a lot like the ones we use today. For example, one of the Roman wind instruments included the tuba, which was similar to a trumpet and used at military events, public events, and spectacles. Another was the tibia. The tibia was similar to a flute and was played at funerals to repel evil spirits. A third wind instrument was a cornu, which was similar to a french horn. One common string instrument was the lute, which was like a small mandolin. Then there was the lyra and the cithara, which were very similar to each other and were like harps. Finally there were the percussion instruments. One was the tympana, which was like a tambourines. Another percussion instrument was the cymbala, two cymbals that were clashed together to make a sound. One unique Roman instrument was the hydraulis. The hydraulis was an organ that used water pressure to make sound.

Roman Dance
Before the Roman Empire, dance began as a religious practice because they believed that no part of the body should be free from the influence of religion. In the 3rd century, the Greeks conquered some of the Romans land. When the Greeks moved onto this land, the Romans started learning Greek dance and started acting out scenes through body movement. These dancers were called pantomimes. Pantomimes are dancers that wore masks and told stories through their body movement. They were kind of like present day mimes.

When the Greeks controlled Roman land, the Romans adopted other Greek dances, like the Pyrrhic, the Gymnopedie, and the Bibasis dance.

Roman dances had a tempo of quick-quick-slow, had four beat time signature, and were also performed in lines. Each dance had its own purpose, many times it was to please the gods. The Romans danced to music and usually wore everyday clothing. People who performed Roman dance included the sons of senators and noble matrons.

Comparison

Greek music and dance greatly influenced Roman music and dance.

Roman music and dance are very similar to Greek music and dance. In music, many of the Roman instruments came from Greece. One example is the lyra. Another is the tibia, which was influenced by the Greek alous. The Romans also used the enchiriadic notation, used by the Greeks, to write music. Roman music was so similar to Greek music that historians used what they know about Greek music to help them understand Roman music.

Greek dance and Roman dance are also a lot alike. This is because Roman dance is an adaptation of dances they learned from the Greeks. When some of the Greeks moved onto Roman land in the 3rd century, the Romans started doing Greek dances. Over time, the Romans changed the dances just a little. The tempo of quick-quick-slow, the four beat time signature, adapted from the Greeks.

Timeline
2,500 BCE: The lyre was made.
500 BCE: The tuba was made.
300-201 BCE: Greek dancing became popular in Rome.
241-218 BCE: Dancing with castanets becomes popular.
60 BCE: Romans import dancers from Syria.
20 BCE-100 AD: Romans write the Gaditae
100 AD: The askaules is produced.

Vocab bank
Adapted: To adjust to something.
Senators: A member of a senate.
Conquer: To win something such as a war.
Empire: A group of nations or people ruled by a emperor or empress.
Records: To set down in writing.
Melodies: A single tone in musical compositions.
Harmonies: A combination of tones.
Influenced: The act of producing effect.
Matrons: A married women who has a social position.

State Standards
I met state standard 2.1 because the Romans wanted music and dance, they didn’t need it.
I met state standard 3.2.2 because music and dance was a big part of the Roman culture.
I met state standard 3.2.3 because when some Greeks traveled to Rome, the Romans learned their music and dance.
I met state standard 4.1 because I have a timeline in my project.

Resources
Ancient Roman Dance. (nd). Retrieved from http://blogs.syracuseartsacademy.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/35/2015/02/Ancient-Roman-Dance.pdf
Ancient Roman Music. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://sites.google.com/site/musicofancientgreek1/ancient-rome-music
Dance History Timeline. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://gsa-dance.wikispaces.com/Dance History Timeline
Dictionary.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.dictionary.com/
MiriaMilani. (n.d.). Roman Music. Retrieved from http://mariamilani.com/ancient_rome/roman_music.htm
Romae Vitam. (n.d.). Ancient Rome: Origins and Music in Roman Life. Retrieved from http://www.romae-vitam.com/ancient-roman-music.html
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Music of ancient Rome. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_of_ancient_Rome