We awe it all to Greeks and Romans, as they have made notable contributions to the Western world, from philosophy, literature, theater, sculpture, to certain architectural features. Greek knowledge paved the way for philosophy, science, mathematics, and their robust political sense constructed a variation in governance systems from which their proposition of political science had laid the foundation of various constitutions today. The Greek philosophers set the foundations for Western scientific and philosophic inquiry, arguing for natural convictions by using observation and systematic analysis to reach a well-founded conclusion. Another vivid contribution that is widely used today, Aristotle's formulation of a deductive scheme that presents two premises from which a conclusion may be drawn, in simple terms, syllogism.

On the other hand, Romans had a massive contribution in terms of law, politics, and civil administration. In fact, the development of law system in Rome, was one of their most influential achievements. The Roman Law was advanced to practically rule and control the world, which is the general objective of today's implementation of several laws. They were also known for their invention of concrete and construction of bridges and roads that are widely used not only then but also in modern times. These general contexts of Greeks and Romans influenced the way the modern world lives; it has affected the approach of today's system socially, politically, and economically. To specifically view how it influences the western world, this paper will present the aspects of Greeks and Romans in various contexts and how they affected the production of art (Philosophy and literature, theater and drama, sculpture and architecture).

Philosophical Thoughts of the Greeks and Romans

Because of Rome's downfall (the Senate became too powerful because of its power to handle military matters, wealthy Roman entrepreneurs filled the jobs of provincial administration, increased agricultural productivity of large-scale plantations gave advantage to large landowners than lesser landowners, and farmers becoming unemployed) and the majority population of Roman Empire was poor it affected their philosophical thought. The differences between the Roman's themes of philosophical thought and Greek philosophical thought is that Romans produced no systems of philosophical thought, but they preserve the writings of Hellenic and Hellenistic thinkers. Also, Romans admired the Greek philosopher named Aristotle and incorporated the works of the Epicureans and the Stoics. Instead of Romans questioning about the world they had questions about daily struggles in life such as a Latin poet named Lucretius said in On the Nature of Things, there is no reason to fear death: "We shall not feel because we shall not be." Also, Romans learned the attitude of rational detachment of the Stoics. Rational detachment means to be able to control your behavior and to not take other people's behavior personally.  In the text, it said, "the Stoics found tranquility of mind in a doctrine of detachment that allowed them to accept even the worst of life's circumstances." The idea of Stoicism encouraged Romans to still find happiness and look for peace of mind.

The Influence of Greek and Roman Theater to the Theater of the Western World

If the theater’s standard reflects the merits of the culture out of which it evolves, thus, this will represent the fate of theatre during Roman times. Starting from Roman tragedies that were influenced by those of Greeks, loose translations of Greece's stories, and preference for broad obscene humor over tragedies, almost all of the Roman plays were imitations of Greek dramas.

The Greek Sculpture and The Roman Sculpture: Its influence to the Western Sculpture

The Greek sculpture was peculiarly concerned with proportion and cautious with the poise and measurement of the sculptures. In fact, the Greek artists and architects established a module (standard of measurement) that controlled the association between every part of the work of art and a whole. This module varied according to the subject matter and was flexible; for example, the artists established a module by which body measurements might be calculated. As is evident in the human body, the principle of proportion - uniformity of opposite parts in size, shape, or position - was actively used. Vitruvius' Principles of Symmetry states that, "Without symmetry and proportion there can be no principles in the design of any temple; that is, if there is no precise relation between its members, as in the case of those of a well-shaped man." Along with this principle were other features that are considered the hallmark of Greek art; humanism (human physique, actions of human being), realism (faithful to nature), and idealism (the effort to achieve a perfection that surpasses nature). In contrast, rather than focusing on idealism and precision, the Roman sculptures showcase the realistic quality of their sculpture. They transformed the idealistic style of Greeks to realistic style, thus, exhibiting imperfections. The Romans sculpted for more reality than Greeks, who would sculpt for perfection. Furthermore, rather than sculpting statues of Gods and athletes with perfect balance and proportion (Greek Style), the Romans, on the other hand, sculpted for political leaders and war heroes.

For centuries, the Greek classics provided a standard beauty and transcendence by which identifies creative value and has had a profound influence the way Western world views beauty. In fact, it has influenced not only the Roman Empire, but many other civilizations, and is continuously dominating modern cultures today. Both Greeks and Romans sculpted for notable subjects during their time, and today, the modern western world sculpts statues for political heroes, notable athletes, and even fictional characters.