Humanities in Ancient Rome
Humanities in Ancient Rome
2-14-2013
T-TR 12:30-1:45
Mathis
Ancient Rome was a turning point in history. It is considered by many to be one of the most important and influential societies to ever dominate Earth. At Rome’s peak in the history of civilization, one could not go anywhere from Spain to Saudi Arabia without being influenced in some way or another by the empire. Over the twelve centuries of Rome’s existence, it produced hundreds upon thousands of architects, musicians, playwrights, actors, sculptures and many other artists of all kinds. Arguably though, Rome is most known for its stunning architecture, classic sculptures and beautiful paintings. The architecture of ancient Rome was born out of necessity rather than for beauty. Rome was the most populated city of its time and was more populated than any city ever up until that point. At its height, it was the home to approximately one million people, with some researchers reporting populations up to 18 million. Comparatively, it was about the size of London during the beginning of the 19th century. This large population created the need of efficient buildings that could be made fast and made to house many at a time. The necessity for these types of houses became the birth of the modern day apartments, known then as “Insulate.” These structures were built exclusively for large scale housing and, much like the apartments we know of in this day and age could reach stunning heights. However, these buildings were not known for their stability and would often collapse in on themselves, catch on fire and were just generally unhealthy. However, Roman architects met the needs of their residents on many other occasions. A great example of architects meeting the requirements of a massive population was Rome’s stunning sanitation system. They created massive, beautiful public baths, known as “thermae” as well as indoor plumbing and complex sewer systems. One of the most particularly famous bath houses is
2-14-2013
T-TR 12:30-1:45
Mathis
Ancient Rome was a turning point in history. It is considered by many to be one of the most important and influential societies to ever dominate Earth. At Rome’s peak in the history of civilization, one could not go anywhere from Spain to Saudi Arabia without being influenced in some way or another by the empire. Over the twelve centuries of Rome’s existence, it produced hundreds upon thousands of architects, musicians, playwrights, actors, sculptures and many other artists of all kinds. Arguably though, Rome is most known for its stunning architecture, classic sculptures and beautiful paintings. The architecture of ancient Rome was born out of necessity rather than for beauty. Rome was the most populated city of its time and was more populated than any city ever up until that point. At its height, it was the home to approximately one million people, with some researchers reporting populations up to 18 million. Comparatively, it was about the size of London during the beginning of the 19th century. This large population created the need of efficient buildings that could be made fast and made to house many at a time. The necessity for these types of houses became the birth of the modern day apartments, known then as “Insulate.” These structures were built exclusively for large scale housing and, much like the apartments we know of in this day and age could reach stunning heights. However, these buildings were not known for their stability and would often collapse in on themselves, catch on fire and were just generally unhealthy. However, Roman architects met the needs of their residents on many other occasions. A great example of architects meeting the requirements of a massive population was Rome’s stunning sanitation system. They created massive, beautiful public baths, known as “thermae” as well as indoor plumbing and complex sewer systems. One of the most particularly famous bath houses is
Cited: 1. Witcombe, Christopher L.C.E. "ART HISTORY RESOURCES ON THE WEB: Ancient Roman Art." ART HISTORY RESOURCES ON THE WEB: Ancient Roman Art. N.p., May 2012. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. 2. "Ancient Rome - ELibrary.SD71 - School District #71 (Comox Valley)." Ancient Rome - ELibrary.SD71 - School District #71 (Comox Valley). N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. 3. "Roman Empire." Roman Empire. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013. <http://www.livius.org/rome.html>. 4. "WATER AND WASTEWATER SYSTEMS IN IMPERIAL ROME." WaterHistory.org. N.p., n.d. Web. 13 Feb. 2013