Ancient Greece and Rome
Ancient Greece and Rome are countries in the Mediterranean region. During the colonial period, the interactions between the two countries were through trade in the black sea. Ancient Greece and Rome can be contrasted and compared through social, political, and economic lenses.
Economic Similarities and Differences
Both countries have similarities and differences in their economy. Greeks practiced trading and fishing where they took their products from one place to another through the sea. Rome developed by conquest. Both nations engaged in farming, mainly wheat and olive oil production in large scale. In particular, grapes and olive oil were the main products that Greece and Rome exported in exchange for bronze and pottery (Gill). Moreover, both countries used cheap labor from slaves. Romans were the first ones to adopt slavery after they acquired stewards from the war.
Social and Political Development
Ancient Greece and Rome were ruled by kings initially, and people were divided into different social classes depending on wealth. Afterward, Greeks adopted oligarchy and then democracy. The city-states combined and formed leagues that weakened the country leading to conquest by Macedonian kings. After Rome had observed what was happening in other parts of the world, it established a government that combined elements of a monarchy, oligarchy, and democracy (Gill). The primary social classes of ancient Greece were slaves, Athens, freedmen, and women while those of Rome were slaves, freedmen, patricians, and plebeians.
Summary
To sum up, Ancient Greece and Rome had various similarities and differences. Both countries practiced agriculture and traded their products with other nations to get what they did not have. Their political systems were well-organized, and they had different social classes depending on individuals’ wealth.
Work Cited
Gill. “Comparing and contrasting Ancient Greece and Ancient Rome.” ThroughtCo, 2018, https://www.thoughtco.com/comparisons-ancient-greece-and-ancient-rome-118635. Accessed 17 Dec. 2018.
