What Ideas Did the Romans Borrow from the Greeks?

The Roman Empire was heavily influenced by the Greeks. In fact, it is a very good thing that the Romans borrowed so much, since many of the things the Romans borrowed from the Greek culture have become  important parts of history and have even influenced life today.

The ancient Roman empire used, imitated, and expanded upon the art, architecture, literature, customs, mythology, and many other aspects of the culture of ancient Greece. It’s interesting to note that, while Rome survived as an empire and Greece did not, it was Greece that seemed to have the more powerful intellectual and creative forces.

Understanding Roman and Greek Cultures

The ancient Roman and Greek cultures came into existence around the time of 1000 B.C. It was no surprise that the two cultures would interact with each other, but historians still marvel at the extent to which the Roman culture borrowed from the Greeks and used ideas from the Greek culture to expand itself.

This was, in some senses, quite fortunate; the Roman empire, with its greater size and impact (and eventual rule), had the capability to keep these cultures alive and expanding throughout Europe, resulting in much of the culture we know today.

Architecture Borrowed from the Greeks

Just one example of some ideas that Romans borrowed from the Greeks is the idea of architecture. Classic Greek architecture included a standard design for public buildings which consisted of huge limestone blocks forming square, impressive buildings.

An excellent example of this style is the Parthenon. The style is found all throughout Rome. Just a few other examples include the three types of columns (Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian) which originally represented three phases in Greek history, which were directly used by the Romans.

Mythology Borrowed from the Greeks

Most people are aware of the fact that there are two “types” of mythology, Greek and Roman; however, there are some areas in which the two cross over. This is because the Roman mythology was basically an offshoot of the Greek; many of the gods and goddesses were renamed, but the stories stayed the same. This is why, for example, you may know the goddess Aphrodite by her other name, Venus.

Why the Greek Influence on Rome Was a Good Thing

The heavy influence of Greek culture on the Roman ideas should not necessarily be considered a negative. While the fact remains that it was the Greeks who developed these original concepts, the power of the Roman Empire made it only natural for the cultures of the civilizations around it to be swallowed up within it.

The fact that Rome actually conquered and occupied Greece for a good period of time is another explanation for this blending of cultures. Whatever your thoughts on the original “borrowing” itself, the fact remains that without the strength of the Roman Empire behind them, most if not all of the Greek ideas probably would not have been able to survive to the modern day. That would have been a true Greek tragedy.