Sunday, March 1, 2009

The Classical Greeks and Romans

Who are they?

37 comments:

  1. Seems like their calculations were quite advanced for that era, some of which are equivalent to what we use today, I wonder how did they figure out those calculations?

    Leon

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  2. The Greeks were perfectionists. this is visible from the structures they made as they were all correctly proportionate and detailed according to their own ideals.
    The Romans however believed in a different kind of proportion as they believed that being unproportionate was 'proportionate' in their ideals. This was due to the way they constructed their statues. They believed in another style of proportion.
    In short, the classical greek and romans were the first people to define the perfection of the people in the world.

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  3. The Greeks were perfectionists. this is visible from the structures they made as they were all correctly proportionate and detailed according to their own ideals.
    The Romans however believed in a different kind of proportion as they believed that being unproportionate was 'proportionate' in their ideals. This was due to the way they constructed their statues. They believed in another style of proportion.
    In short, the classical greek and romans were the first people to define the perfection of the people in the world.

    alvin yam ( i forgot to put my name )

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  4. I understand that Athenians came up with the system of Democracy, but Sparta did not adopt the said system and continued on with Diarchy. However there are no reasons given as to why they did not use the system. Anyone knows why?

    -Dick

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  5. Which Greek person came up with the concept of flight

    -Benedict

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  6. Why did the architect express in exaggerated heights in the design of the Doric temple of the classic period?

    -weiming-

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  7. The Greeks were one of the greatest ancient civilization in the mediterranean. They were known for their wide territory, economics, politics, educational systems, language, architecture, military prowess, and their art. The ancient greek people were inspired by mythical heroes (eg.Achillies) and gods. They were always determined to achieve vitory at any cost,for glory. Many other civilizations that came after them were influenced by their vast culture and traditions.

    The Romans were an ancient civilization that ruled one of the largest empire(with an autocratic government) in the western world. Their empire extended from all around the mideteranian to Europe. Because of the Empire's vast extent and long endurance, Roman influence upon the language, religion, architecture, philosophy, law, and government of nations around the world lasts to this day.

    M.ISHAQ

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  8. There were many similarities between the two groups of people, seeing how the Greeks were almost the original of everything, and Roman being the follow up and improved version of them after their invasion.
    Especially in their terms of their dressing, it was quite difficult to tell them apart, except until close scrunity and comparision, the details in the way they wear their clothes. In fact, for one who doesn't know them any better, would most likely categorize them under the same group.

    -Shalyn

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  9. In many of the architecture in Greeks, the forms are inspired by the human figure. Even in arts of Greeks, they featured human figure. They thought that human figure is a beauty. Other than that, in their opinion, they said that gods are similar to human. This make them think that it is sacred and meaningful to feature human figure in architecture and arts.

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  10. Not only maths calculation were found during that era. Tools that are used in hospital nowadays also were invented then.

    Dick mentioned the word democracy is also actually formed by the words demos and kratos(greek language) as in people and power.

    These few can prove how much we are depending on greek and roman technology and language.

    -Leo

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  11. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  12. The father of zeus, cronus, was the youngest amongst the twelve titans. Cronus was instigated by his mother, Gaia(earth) to castrate his own father Uranus(sky). Given a adamantine sickle, Cronus severed the genitals from Uranus' body. And the blood fell onto Gaia(earth) and gave birth to the Erinyes(Furies), Giants and Meliae nymph). The foam of the sex organ, after thrown in to the ocean, created Aphrodite.

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  13. I would say that the Greeks are the 'Leaders' and the Romans, the 'Followers'. The reason being the many influences the Greeks had on the Romans way of life such as their music, paintings and literature. In my opinion, the Romans look up to the Greeks, one example is the fact that the wealthy Romans usually have slaves or tutors of Greek origins to educate their children. Also, Greek was a language spoken by the well-educated elites. However, the Romans are also creators in many ways, being the masterminds behind many inventions such as concrete, tools such as the magnifying glass and surgical instruments still used today. They are also the very reason we have a twelve months calendar and seven days/week system around today.

    Amanda

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  14. okie, i forgotten to put my name too. my post is up there, above aamnada!

    -Kwan Zheng

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  15. Clothes in Greek were easily differentiated in their wealth as in rich or poor. The rich tends to wear silk material and dye up with colours like violet however the poor only wear wool clothes with its raw neutral colour.

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  16. The great man in army-Marius
    Marius organized the army into the most effective fighting machine in earth.It was him who change the way
    the army organized and men from the provinces could now sign up to serve roman.He won some famous
    battle with his new army and his victories saved italy and rome from an invasion of barbarians.
    Marius decreed that engle would be the symbol of the senate & people

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  17. i beg to differ, the calendar was derived way before the romans, my group will elaborate tomoro =)

    Leon

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  18. Clothes in Greek were easily differentiated in their wealth as in rich or poor. The rich tends to wear silk material and dye up with colours like violet however the poor only wear wool clothes with its raw neutral colour.

    -Leo (4got put name)

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  19. The great man in army-Marius
    Marius organized the army into the most effective fighting machine in earth.It was him who change the way
    the army organized and men from the provinces could now sign up to serve roman.He won some famous
    battle with his new army and his victories saved italy and rome from an invasion of barbarians.
    Marius decreed that engle would be the symbol of the senate & people

    -yinghui (using leo's account)

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  20. in my opinion, although Zeus is suspose to be a fair god, he gives me the impression of a bad god. he either seduces or rapes maidens, including his sister and in some version, his mother too. he fathered many children, some of which were demi-gods like our well known Hercules! Hercules's mother was a mortal while his father is a god, Zeus. This explains his humongous strenth, however Hera, a wife of Zeus is always constantly trying to kill Hercules because he was the offspring of another woman of Zeus.

    Zeus together with his brothers, also tricked Demeter (sister) and offered her daughter as a bride to Hades. Making Demeter frustrated and leaving the Olympians

    To me, Hades, wasn't an evil god. He was only given this impression because he was the ruler of the underworld. He was a brother of Zeus and Poseiden. After they killed their father, Cronus. the 3 drew lots to see who gets to choose first as a ruler. zeus won first, and chose heaven. Poseidon won 2nd and chose sea, leaving Hades with only underworld left to govern. unlike Zeus, Hades did not succumb to lust and wrongdoings.

    Maybe, as a ruler of the Olympians, Zeus is entitled to such acts. but, to me, he appears only as a figure head.

    -kwan zheng

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  21. To Weiming: According to Vitruvius(a roman architect) the height of Doric columns is six or seven times the diameter at the base. This gives the Doric columns a shorter, thicker look. It also gives the Doric columns a masculine appearance and this will determine which kind of columns will be used for a particular structure.

    To Benedict: Could the person be Icarus from a Greek mythology? He attempted to escape from his exile in Crete by flight, an island where he was imprisoned in, using wings made from wax and feathers.

    -Zong Jie

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  22. I meant the twelve month calendar we use today, names and all.

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  23. Romans Bath (Thermae)

    The romans loved washing and bathing and rather it being done in private, the Romans built magnificnt public bath houses in towns across their empire. Rich villa owners would had their own baths in their homes.

    -Jeslyn

    These baths were not only used for washing but also for entertainment, healing or just to get clean. Sometimes, Large bath houses had restaurants games rooms snack bars and even libraries.

    The baths were very luxurious!
    An average bath house would have mirrors covering the walls, ceilings were buried in glass and the pools were lined with rich marble and complicated mosaics covered the floors.
    Some of the baths were supplied by natural spring water like the bath in Somerset. Otherwise, the water will be brought in by pipes or aqueduct.

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  24. Romans are inspired by the design of the Greeks as most of their arts and architectural form are craved by the Greeks artist that they capture during their war. As Romans are particular to the person and feature that they are sculpting, therefore, the sculptures we see done by Greeks for Greeks and those done by Greeks for Romans are by enlarge different. As Greeks focus on the feeling the sculpture exudes.
    I would say, Greeks are the originator in the architecture world as well as the arts, but Romans are the ones that bring it to a more profound level.

    -Mayguss

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  25. According to their greek's belief, Prometheus, a titan stole fire from zues and gave it to mortal, and thus was being punished by being tied to a rock and have his liver eaten by an eagle, which his liver will grow back everyday and being eaten everyday. After years, when hercules came and to kill the eagle and save prometheus. so what do you think about Zues? is he really a god that they should worship? Does he really have what it takes to be the king of Olympians? (not taking the fact that he help to defeat the titans, but only taking into consideration of how he treat the greeks)

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  26. sorry Ken Yih here, forgot to include my name!

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  27. The Romans and the Greeks had some things in common like for example their economic system.
    Both started out with small independent agriculture trade but as foreign wars and conquests came about. Slavery was introduced which meant cheap labour. This made owners want to boost productivity. The rise in trade cause a domino effect on the Goverment System. Middle class men grew richer and saw the inequalies between them and the noble men. This caused an uproar and eventually led to the change of the goverment system.

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  28. The greeks have influence us heavily on their belief of mystical beast, i realise that most of the mystical beast which we all knew now are from the greek mythology. Some examples of them are, Griffin(hybrid of lion and eagle), Manticore(hybrid of lion, scorpion and man), Cerebus(The three head dog), etc...

    Not only the mystical beast but also legends about medusa and cyclopes has all been started by the greeks.

    The greeks has also influence us, regarding of heaven and hell. They have pass down the legends of there is a heaven in the sky while there is hell beneath the ground.

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  29. Greek art and sculpture has had a profound effect throughout the ages. Many of the styles have been reproduced and copied by some of what the modern day audiences would class as some of the finest artists to have ever lived e.g. Michelangelo. Western art and sculpture derived from Roman art, while in the East, Alexander the Great's conquest gave birth to Greco-Buddhist art, which has even had an influence as far as Japan all of which stem from ancient Greek art. The Greeks used many different types of materials in their sculptures including stone, marble and limestone as these were abundant in Greece. Other materials such as clay were also used but due to their brittle nature very few have survived. Greek sculptures are very important as the vast majority of them tell us a story about Gods, Heroes, Events, Mythical Creatures and Greek culture in general.

    Angie Wang Jinghui
    on Greek art

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  30. The ancient Greeks had no obsession with the afterlife, but were mostly concerned with the comfort of their earthly existence, and they often sought to immortalize their own actions and beliefs through art.
    I'm surprised that during that point of time, without advance technologies, they were able to build the biggest and most beautiful temples, using Earth's natural resources.

    -Mayguss

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  31. I do agree that Greek art had made several contributions to the visual and also performing art. I believe ancient Greek was influential in shaping the Roman and later the modern Western artistic heritage.
    So can I say that Greeks and Romans' Art has something in similar?

    -Jeslyn

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  32. No ancient civilization had such a lasting impact on our world as Ancient Greece. The style of greek buildings is still widely copied today. Greek thinkers laid the basis of mathematics and science and posed questions about life that still occupy us. The idea of democracy (government by the people) had its roots in Grecian Athens. So too did modern theatre. Even many of our words were originally Greek.

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  33. Two thousands years ago, the city of rome presided over one of the greatest empires the world has seen. At its height in the 2nd century AD, it extended over 4000km from england to the Red Sea. With ruthless efficieny, the Romans introduced their own blend of advance technology and civilized living to every corner of the empire. roman citizens could journey from Deva (chester) to Damascus and still feel at home.

    -Sufian

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  34. To Jesslyn:
    I supposed so.
    Seeing how they have a similarity with obsession in details from the looks of their sculptures.
    However as mentioned before, most aspects of Romans had been greatly influenced by the Greeks, thus its not surprising if they are similar.

    -Shalyn

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  35. I think that the Greeks are really great, to have derived to so many concepts in all factors, be it architecture or art. I find it seriously amazing that these works and ideas have inspired many all these centuaries and are used even till today, in many art works and creations.

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  36. Romans were great builders and also in constructing temples. they used quite a few interesting tools that is still used today.

    like the plumb bob which is a bronze weight for a string that gave a perfectly vertical line to make sure that the walls were straight.

    the tools that they invented were simple, straight forward and very useful.

    to be able to be such perfectionist at that point of era was really amazing.

    they were really particular with the details of proportion as well. be it in architectural buildings. but it was also reflected in the way they sculpted humans.
    studying the muscles in a human body, the way humans move and reacted to certain things.

    the level of perfection during that era was high.

    -bernita

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  37. just a side thought, we've been talkin about their creativity and stuff the whole time...but somehow they still died out, my question is, was their perfection of everything the factor which led to their downfall?? JUST FOOD FOR THOUGHT

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