2. Art

The Romans adopted aspects of other cultures by modifying and blending them with their own. This was true of Roman art. The Romans were especially influenced by the art of the Greeks, which inspired historians to coin the term "Greco-Roman" art.

The Romans were skilled in creating realistic statues. They imitated Greek sculpture but were particularly good at making their sculptures true to life.

The homes of wealthy Romans were decorated with colorful murals and mosaics. Again, the Romans took existing art forms and made them their own. They painted beautiful frescoes, a type of mural, created on moist plaster with water-based paints.

Roman frescoes often illustrated three-dimensional landscapes and other scenes. Looking at one of these frescoes was almost like looking through the wall at a scene outside. You have probably seen similar murals in modern restaurants, banks, on the sides of buildings, and in other public places.

Romans were also great patrons, or sponsors, of art. They paid thousands of painters, sculptors, and craftspeople to create their works. As a result, the Romans left behind many examples to inspire future generations.

A thousand years after the fall of the empire, Roman art was rediscovered during the period called the Renaissance. Renowned artists, such as Michelangelo, revived the Greco-Roman style in their paintings and sculptures.

A famous Roman example is the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, which shows scenes from the Bible painted by Michelangelo in the 1500s. A Roman would feel right at home viewing this amazing creation.

Roman art has continued to influence painters and sculptors.Roman styles were especially popular during the early days of the United States when Americans imitated these styles to give their art dignity and nobility. For example, many statues in the capital, Washington, D.C., reflect a strong Roman influence.

The Romans also brought a sense of style and luxury to everyday objects like the highly decorative bottles of blown glass they made. For example, a bottle might be shaped like a cluster of grapes. Romans also developed the arts of gem cutting and metalworking. One popular art form was the cameo, a raised and carved portrait of a person's head or a carved scene. The Romans wore cameos as jewelry and used them to decorate vases and other objects. Examples of all these art forms still exist today.