The Hellenized Rome

The Hellenized Rome
The Roman Empire began as a small colony, in the city of Rome, and eventually, became one of the largest empires that the world has ever known before its ultimate demise. Because of the vast size of their territory, and the number of cultures they consumed throughout their existence, the Romans were heavily influenced by the Greeks and other Hellenistic civilizations. Two different groups of professors argue this point. Professors Matthews, Platt, and Noble argue this influence is reflected by Roman music, philosophy, literature, architecture, art, culture/government, and technology and science; and Professor Weber argues this is reflected in the areas of government/law, the influence and effects of conquests, culture, religion, architecture and art, and philosophy. Both parties make compelling arguments as to why the Romans were heirs to Greek and Hellenistic civilization however, it will be demonstrated that Matthews et al. provide a more thorough argument than Weber.

According to Matthews, Platt, and Noble, Roman music was heavily influenced by Hellenistic cultures, most specifically, the Greeks. They begin by stating that for a long period of time, Roman music perpetuated Greek forms and ideas. Some poets, like Horace, were encouraged to set their verses to music, thus continuing the Greek tradition of lyric poetry. They mention that the Romans borrowed a number of instruments from Hellenistic cultures including the Greek string instruments, the lyre and Kithara, and woodwinds, the single aulos (oboe), and the double aulos (tibia as named by the Romans).i From the Etruscan people, they state that the Romans adopted brass instruments that they similarly used in the military. From Hellenistic Alexa...

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... NY: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2010.

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