Pericles and Julius Caesar Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Pericles and Julius Caesar - Essay ExampleAs two of the preeminent civilizations of antiquity, the inclination to compare the cultures of Greece and Rome is inevitable. duration both civilizations exhibited tremendous advancements in politics and culture, they also exhibit distinct differences that attest to the varying nature of their worlds. An interesting feature of investigation concerning quaint Greece and ancient Rome concerns the degrees to which their geography is similar, as this feature affects later political and economic development. While both countries are Mediterranean, the relative features of their terrain vary greatly. The Greek cities had the advantage of creation separated by large hills, which protected them against invading tribes. They also bordered a relied heavily on their contiguity to the ocean. While Rome was mountainous it resplendently was found by settlers who naturally habituated on the citys largest hills the hills werent as strategically positi oned to prevent invading barbarian tribes as their Greek counterparts. This turn up considers the lives of two of these two men Pericles and Julius Caesar -- that greatly shaped Greek and Roman culture by their military conquests and subsequent political rule it argues that the subtle differences in their lives are a testament to the divergent nature of ancient Greek and Roman cultures.... When considering the development and early lives of both individuals its clear they shared a number of similar elements. Both men were descendants of nobility, and while Pericles father had been outcast for a period, it is clear they had significant advantages in youth. In terms of trance Caesar and Pericles demonstrated a number of divergent opinions. While Caesar was a progressive thinker who embraced education and intellectual virtues, historians recognize that Pericles contribution to this field of thought was groovy as he greatly embraced Greek art and culture. This distinction is highly relevant as it underlines what many believe to be one of the crucial dissentious elements in terms of these two countries of antiquity. When considering the differing art of the two cultures, history has been more favorable to the Greek work of antiquity than the Roman. While Roman art tended towards sour and decoration, Greek art influenced by the philosophical writings of Plato attempted to capture ideal artistic forms. Art historians have documented distinct phases of Greek artistry, including the Mycenaean and Hellenistic periods conversely Roman art of antiquity is generally characterized through generic conventions, notably the fresco and mosaic formats (Canfora 1996). Within this art one whitethorn further contend that there are deeper elements or conventions of these rulers and the way these perspectives took hold in the societies they so profoundly impacted. In these regards, it appears that while Greek culture through Pericles embraced the concept of intellectual know ledge and the examined life, the Caesarian vision was one of instinctual and emotional