Similarities:

Greece and Rome

Relationships:

Government, Religion, and Military

Two of the greatest civilizations of the ancient world were the civilizations of Greece and Rome. These two civilizations were especially significant from the time periods prior to the Roman Republic. These two civilizations both affected Europe and the Mediterranean regions including the rest of the world around them. Though the two civilizations differed in location, they also had many aspects that were very similar. One of these includes the government, with both showing the beginnings of the representative government. Another aspect between these civilizations was the military with similar strategies, tactics, and organizational similarities.
The Romans and Greeks were ultimately very similar with their ways of running their government. They both incorporated their people within their societies as important roles for running their governments. The Romans and Greeks were also very similar in the field of religion. The Romans were a polytheistic society, which means the belief in more than one God. The Romans used the Gods to explain occurrences and nature because they didn’t have science to explain the events in nature or astrological occurrences in the sky (the moon, the sun, etc.). The Romans believed they should perform rituals to honor the Gods of their society. One example of these rituals is called, “The Planting Ritual”, detailed by Cato the Elder. Elder states, “offer to Jupiter Dapalis a cup of wine of whatever size you wish. Observe the day as a holiday for the oxen, their drivers, and those who make the offering (Cato, “Accounts of Roman State Religion”, pp. 1). Here, Elder is instructing the people to prepare a feast in honor of Jupiter, consisting of roasted meat and wine. This feast hopes to present the farmers with bountiful crops to supply their families with food. This shows the Roman peoples belief that the Gods are responsible for natural occurrences in their every day lives. The Romans also constructed grand temples to honor these Gods to show their dedication to these Gods (Religion, “Voyage