Hellenization

• Particularly paintings and relief sculptures.
• In ancient periods, the acquisition of culture was reserved for the victors and giving up parts of their culture was a good thing.
• Hellenistic architecture spread through a desire to borrow, not political action.
• “For in earlier times, it could happen that, although a neighbouring people was looked down upon, its customs were adopted by others without scruple.”
• Greek laws did appear in titles.
• Rome hardly ever imitated Hellenic law and institutions.
• Rome had been under Greek influence for 3 centuries.
• Between Magna Graecia, Etruscan cities and Sicily/Southern Italy, the Etruscans had the greatest and most immediate influence due to their proximity.
• The Etruscans interacted with Greek culture from the 6th Cent BC.
• Trade and imports attributed this to the Etruscans.
• Greek influence on Rome was felt only after the eclipse of Etruscan power in the 5th Cent BC.
• “Imported vases, bronzes and other goods from Greece” went through the Etruscans into Rome.
• Rome's involvement in Greece extended amongst the Illyrian war as Rome wanted to defend shipping in the Adriatic.
• As a reward for banishing the pirates, Corinth admitted the Romans to the Isthmian games.
• The defeat of Macedon and the warning handed out to Antiochus of Syria to respect the freedom of the Greek cities of Asia Minor, contrasts notably with the treatment of the Greek states.
• Greek states were treated extremely favourably.
• Urbanisation meant further dependence on Greek trade and shipping.
• Adoption of silver coinage allowed for rapid adsorption of people into the Roman system.
• Roman funeral proceedings of the elites involved displaying the body and having a family member give a speech.
• Family members of the deceased have a mask formed in the likeness of the man, and these masks are worn by individuals in the family who resemble the ancestor the most during funeral proceedings.
• Cato had issues with Greek oration and rhetoric, describing what came from Greek lips as what came from Roman hearts.
• Cato criticised Greek Philosophy, especially Plutarch.
• Cato stressed Roman traditions.
• Cato urged for directness in public speech.
• Ancient authors like Lucan and Florus prioritise the economic state rather than morality when offering an explanation of decline.
• Lack of economic independence of plebs is a contributing factor to the decline of the Republic.
• The origins of the Principate can be traced back to Hellenistic influences.
• The alliance of Roman tradition and sobriety with Greek logic and clarity improved both the methods and form of Roman law.
• In 155BC, Cato criticised the trio of philosophers who wanted to enlist Roman support in a diplomatic situation, concerned about indoctrination of Roman youth.
• Cato claimed the Ars poetica lacked honour.
• The idea that the Roman expansion overseas and thus the growth of wealth brought about the failure of the Republic is generally accepted.
• Cato prioritised education of the young and criticised luxury and lax moralities.
• Greed of the wealthy and desperation of the poor are factors in the decline of the Republic.
• Cato hated on Socrates as a 'raging babbler' who undermined tradition.
• Cato is seen as the resistance against Hellenisation.
• Development of overseas commerce meant Rome changed its civil law to be more flexible and pragmatic to cater to a foreign audience.
• In a pre-Christian world, religion was a combination of all religions and religious practices/rituals.
• The oldest Latin text which has come down to us, the chant of the Arval priests, is a paean in the Greek style.
• Rome often times of crisis would provoke Rome to find a new divinity.
• After the defeat of Pyrrhus in 275 Rome assumed the role of protector of Magna Graecia, bringing her into closer contact with Greek culture.