“The aim of art is to represent not the outward appearance of things, but their inward significance.”
— Aristotle
Discobolus (Discus Thrower)
Tribute to the Gods
Greek and Roman art also reveals their religious values. Gods and goddesses were often portrayed in human form, suggesting that the divine shared traits with mortals. Temples were decorated with elaborate sculptures that told mythological stories, reinforcing cultural identity and shared belief systems. Public art was not only religious but also civic: city-states like Athens commissioned statues and buildings to express pride, power, and democratic ideals. The paintings on the left are depictions of some of the statues of Ancient Greece: one of Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and strength, and Zeus, the Greek god of thunder. Unfortunately, both statues were lost to time.
The End of an Empire
The art of Ancient Greece and Rome reflects civilizations deeply concerned with beauty, balance, and human achievement. Greek artists especially emphasized the human form, striving to depict the body in idealized proportions. Statues such as the Discobolus (Discus Thrower) or the sculptures of the Parthenon embody the Greek belief in harmony between body and mind. To the Greeks, physical perfection represented moral and intellectual excellence.
Statue of Athena
Statue of Zeus
