Ancient Rome is known for its many accomplishments and developments in various fields. It revolutionized the ancient world and shaped the world we now know today. The empire thrived due to its many achievements, improvements, and inventions. Advances in art, literature, medicine, education, government, science, technology, and architecture all contributed to the prosperity of Rome. Roman inventions led to the success of the Roman Empire by drastically improving the daily lives of citizens.
A Roman invention that led to the success of the Roman Empire was architecture. Architecture was another key component in the rise of the Roman Empire. It contained bridges and roads, along with various structures and it helped connect vast regions of land and people to one another. Most of Ancient Roman culture was heavily influenced from Greece, but the Romans adapted it to fit their lifestyle better, since they lived on very different types of land. Rome had fertile soil which they utilized for agriculture. But the Greeks on the other hand had stony land that was not suitable for farming.
Therefore the Romans came up with their own system of farming and agriculture unlike any other civilization. Architecture was beneficial because it was the start of man made structures. Such as bridges and roads that helped unify people. Many ancient civilizations had already invented bridges. However, Rome further improved them when they created arches. Roman architects learned the importance of shapes and sizing to get the result and functionality they strived for. For example, a website states, “With the arrival of Roman Empire, bridge building techniques were revolutionized with the introduction of arches.
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Rather than crudely covering the entire surface below the deck of the bridge with the stone or wood, architects of that time built their bridges with the arching shapes, enabling downward force from the top of the bridge arch to meet the equal force that was pushed from the ground in the bridge foundations. Result of this design was an incredibly squeezed material and bridge structure that was very rigid and strong” (http://www.historyofbridges.com/bridges-history/ancient-bridges/). This quote shows just how the Romans modernized an invention. These bridges were useful because they were able to transport people from one place to another easily which means that cultural diffusion took place.
They also helped merchants, scholars, and tutors travel and spread their knowledge. Roads were another way to help simplify travel. These inventions made trade more common and easier, and made Rome a place for people from all ethnicities to come and trade. Another important type of architecture was border walls. This was so important since Rome did not have any buffer countries and lacked proper safety and protection. The walls were made out of concrete and were successful at keeping invader out of the Roman Empire. Roman Architecture richened ancient art by adding its own twist to everyday structures.
Another advance of Ancient Rome was art. People learned how to express themselves and document what is now, history, through art. The Romans also had art similar to yet different than any civilization, because it was derived and influenced from all of them. Rome is known to be “the heart of the ancient world” due to its melting pot of, Greeks, Etruscans, Egyptians, and many more. Rome also was very focused on education and formed its teaching very similar to that of the Greeks. Humans today still create to express themselves, illustrate a message, or document the times, just as they did in Ancient Rome.
Ancient Rome had a plethora of art including, sculptures, marble, painting, mosaic, gems, silver and bronze work, and terracottas. A variety of art forms meant a variety of artists and styles. Also, many famous had sculptures made of them, and this helps historians learn more about the leader of Ancient Rome and their external and internal qualities. A news article on the history of Ancient Roman art states, “Roman artists copied, imitated, and innovated to produce art on a grand scale, sometimes compromising quality but on other occasions far exceeding the craftsmanship of their predecessors. Any material was fair game to be turned into objects of art. Recording historical events without the clutter of symbolism and mythological metaphor became an obsession. Immortalising an individual private patron in art was a common artist’s commission.
Painting aimed at faithfully capturing landscapes, townscapes, and the more trivial subjects of daily life. Realism became the ideal and the cultivation of a knowledge and appreciation of art itself became a worthy goal” (/www.ancient.eu/amp/1-10804/). This quotes exemplifies how art in Ancient Rome was used to idolize someone, document an important event, draw landscapes of the area, and express someone’s feelings/creativity. Another form of art in Ancient Rome was the performing arts. Drama in Ancient Rome was heavily influenced by Greece. It follows the same comedy and tragedy. They also follow the same archetypes as the other Ancient Greek plays.
Additionally, an advance made to society and human beings in general was science. Science was often replaced with religious beliefs such as polytheism. The Romans believed in the same Gods and myths as the Greeks. But they just changed the name of the Gods to make it their own. The Romans used this belief in the Gods to explain how the world is the way it is. But with advances in science, humans had a logical explanation for the basics and fundamental concepts of life. Scientific Roman advances include medicine which was no longer just derived off of mythology and false beliefs.
The Romans also created the science of politics. Government and law was highly important to the Romans and they developed a code of laws comparable to the Mesopotamians. More of the sciences that began to be more common and widespread was anatomy and surgery. A book on ancient medicine states,“In ancient Rome, all surgeons knew how to use tourniquets or clamps to stop blood flow. They practiced amputation to prevent deadly gangrene or as a consequence of war. All surgical tasks were performed by appropriate specialists. An Ancient Roman doctor’s tool kit included forceps, scalpels, catheters, and even arrow-extractors.
Ancient Roman surgeons had a wide range of painkillers and sedatives to help in surgery, including extracts of opium poppies (morphine) and of henbane seeds (scopolamine). The Romans did not understand the infection process but they did use many of the techniques that diminished or kill germ cells, like boiling their tools before use and would not reuse the same tool on a patient before reboiling it” (http://see-articles.ceon.rs/data/pdf/0354-7310/2012/0354-73101202028D.pdf). This demonstrates the advancements that took place during a period of time in Ancient Rome despite it being such a cruel and barbaric empire. These innovations saved many peoples lives as well as changing the way we look at medicine. They developed the basic concepts of surgery and sterilization which is now used today.
Roman inventions contributed to the prosperity of the Roman empire by changing the way humans survived and thrived. Advancements from Ancient Rome include art, literature, medicine, education, government, science, technology, and architecture. Ancient Rome is known for these inventions and accomplishments.
