Influence of Greek and Egyptian Cultures

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INFLUENCE OF GREEK AND EGYPIAN CULTURES: ART, ARCHITECTURE, RELIGION * Pompeii and Herculaneum were both Greek settlements * Herculaneum – the name itself is influenced by Greek’s Hercules * Greek influences can therefore be seen in their art, architecture and especially religion * Influences from Egypt came through trade * One of the greatest influences was through religion Art * Themes found in wall paintings include Greek mythology and gods * Paintings were often Greek originals * Statues copied Greek designs * Floor mosaics showed Egyptian influences e.g. the House of Faun has a mosaic of flora and fauna along the Nile River Architecture * Early buildings in Pompeii and Herculaneum were designed with Greek constructions * Features e.g. Greek peristyle garden were taken from a Greek design * Greek columns – Doric, Ionic, Corinthian were used in temples & other buildings * The Triangular Forum with its Doric Temple was of pure Greek origin * The theatres owe their designs to Greek originals * Remains of furniture appear to be based on Greek prototypes * Herculaeum has good examples of cupboards with a Greek design * The palaestra of Pompeii and Herculaneum are in the Hellenistic architectural tradition * A style of Greek architecture popular after the time of Alexander the Great Religion * The Greek gods and goddesses – Apollo, Hercules, Minerva, Dionysus, Hermes, Demeter were all worshiped at Pompeii and Herculaneum * Temples were built for this purpose * Dionysian themes were popular artistic decoration * The Egyptian goddess, Isis, was worshipped at Pompeii and Herculaneum by merchants, women, children, slaves, freedmen and soldiers along with officials * Some houses had garden shrines to Isis and statuettes of pharaohs and other Egyptian deities

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