Читать The development of the culture of Ancient Rome - Андрей Тихомиров

The cultural traditions of the Etruscans (the Etruscans are a tribe of Indo—European origin that inhabited the territory of modern Tuscany), as well as the achievements of ancient Greek civilization, had the greatest influence on the formation of ancient Roman culture. Read in detail about the Etruscans: Tikhomirov A.E., Science confirms – 13. "Ridero", Yekaterinburg, 2022; and about the ancient Greek civilization: Tikhomirov A. E., From the history of Ancient Greece. LitRes, Moscow, 2025.

The Romans borrowed many religious beliefs and customs from the Etruscans, as well as the basics of construction techniques and the mastery of artistic metalworking. The Romans inherited from the Greeks a polis system of government, more advanced farming methods, and Greek art was revered as a model and sought to follow its canons. At the same time, the ancient Roman culture proved to be sufficiently distinctive and original.

The population of Ancient Rome during the Archaic period lived in clans in territorial communities – pagas. The inhabitants of pag had a common cult, treasury, and carried out joint labor activities. Archaic Rome was headed by the tsar, he had a senate, and the most important issues were decided by the national assembly. In 510 BC, the Roman Republic was formed, which lasted until the 30s BC. Then came the empire period, which ended with the fall of the "eternal city" in 476 AD.

A characteristic feature of the Roman Empire was universalism. Ancient Rome claimed to become an ecumenical state, coinciding in its scale with the entire civilized world. The Romans believed that it was the gods who ordered them to gain power over this world. The praise of Rome was framed in Titus Livy's monumental historical work "The History of Rome from the Foundation of the City", written in 142 books. The unique Roman value system was fully represented here.

In the 1st century BC, rhetoric, or the art of political and judicial eloquence, developed powerfully in Rome, which was a consequence of reflecting the turbulent social life of the transitional era from the Republic to the Empire. Achieving authority in society and a successful political career were impossible without a masterly command of the living word. Rhetoric becomes a stepping stone on the way to joining the Roman elite. Rome's most prominent speaker was Marcus Tullius Cicero (1st century BC). Being also a fine connoisseur of philosophy, he did a lot to introduce the Romans to the classical Greek philosophy of Plato and the Stoics.