Читать книгу A History of Roman Art онлайн

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It is hard to overestimate the importance of Rome and Roman art to the modern western world. More than you may be aware, you are living in a world largely created by people who deliberately emulated the Romans. Forms of government, law, architecture, the arts, and infrastructure have all been modeled on the Roman versions. And, like our world, the Romans shared a visually based, international, multicultural culture. This is why Roman art carries such significance. In fact, the visual arts served the Romans, as they serve us, as the primary means of communicating (think of how many corporate logos you can instantly recognize and you’ll get an idea of the role of the visual in defining our world). You should be aware of the critical role art played in the Roman world, a world that is largely non‐literate, spread over three continents, and composed of a myriad of local cultures with unique and exclusive customs, traditions, laws, and beliefs. Taking a look at the map you can see the Roman Empire at its height covering an area from Scotland to Saudi Arabia and from Morocco to Armenia.