Cultural Diffusion In The Ancient World

People have dealt with many struggles and enduring issues throughout history. From the start of civilizations all the way through modern society, enduring issues are a part of life and the evolution of societies. Even today, you can look at modern society and find many examples of the impact of different enduring issues. All of these issues influence other civilizations, cultures, and societies in different ways. One such enduring issue is the issue of cultural diffusion. Cultural diffusion is the spread of different things from one civilization or society to another. Examples of things that are spread include religious and political beliefs, art and architecture. In ancient times, these influences spread as a result of travel and trade.

To understand the impact of cultural diffusion on ancient society, one must take a look at the history of its development. You can clearly see this enduring issue grow in importance when you take a closer look at the Roman, Persian and Asian cultures and how trade between these cultures were affected by cultural diffusion. The Roman Empire is a great place to start looking at its impact. After the Fall of the Roman Republic, changes took place across the empire as it began its transformation into what we know as the Roman Empire. (working on this paragraph ***) In addition, the Silk Roads led to a complex exchange between societies. Alexander the Great expanded east and helped to lay the foundations of trans-Asian trade. In addition, during the fifth century B.C., the vast area known as the Persian Empire improved travel through western Asia. Zhang Qian, the Chinese leader, saw the positive effects of westward trade. One specific example of this is the trade of the Ferghana horse, which he believed would be a great asset to his military when traded for highly coveted silk fabrics. (Source: Perez). This tangle of trade routes and connections between these empires and people is what began the evolution of cultural diffusion into something that we still experience today. It is an ongoing exchange across countries, lands and

Some of the similarities that can be found in their temples include “the use of marble columns, a wide front porch, and an enclosed sanctuary”. (C. Muscato, https://study.com/academy/lesson/greek-etruscan-influences-on-roman-art.html). Some of the similarities that can be found in their temples include “the use of marble columns, a wide front porch, and an enclosed sanctuary”. (C. Muscato) Even writings of Greek Philosophers were translated into Latin for the
Roman people. Cicero, a Roman philosopher, felt the need and importance to make these Greek texts available to the Romans in their native language.In addition, it is interesting how if wealthy Romans wanted to further their education, they often took classes at Greek schools. (Agyris). Sometimes people say that imitation is the greatest form of flattery. The Romans definitely were paying compliments to the Greeks if you think about those areas of their lives that were impacted by cultural