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Greek And Roman Gravestone Analysis

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The Meaning of the Greek and Roman Gravestones Relief is a common decision for the gravestone’s decoration in different cultures. Both Greeks and Romans used them for decades. Their works had several similarities, like the choice of the material (it often was marble). However, Greek and Roman gravestones showed many differences in the design. It could be authors’ preferences or the way people wanted descendants to remember and commemorate them. Two gravestones from the J. Paul Getty Museum show this different points of view; they are the grave stele of Theognis and the tomb altar of Caltilius & Caltilia. The first work was created around 360 B. C. The relief shows a group of three people. According to the sign, they are Nikomache (the sitting …show more content…

The roman gravestone was made in the Trajanic period, from 100 to 125. It depicts portrait sculptures of a couple Lucius Caltilius Stephanus and Caltilia Moschis. Their eyes and faces are turned to each other, but they do not look directly to the partner. The relief looks more like a common gravestone with a photograph and an inscription. The couple is in a frame with a decorative element that depicts flowers, faces and feathered wings above their heads. The lover part of the man’s face was destroyed. The Greek gravestone demonstrates a family union. Depicted figures are representatives of two generations; Nikomache is a mother of Theognis and Nikodemos, according to the name that was given to the work by the Getty Museum. Experts suggested the tomb, where the gravestone was, belonged to Theognis. In this case the relief meaning was the connection between deceased and alive family members. “The handshake gesture symbolized the continuing connection between the deceased and the living family members left behind” (“Grave Naiskos of Theogenis”). However, the union of dead and alive relatives could have more …show more content…

The stele of Theognis suggests people should recover their family connections and maintain good connections with relatives even if they are deceased. The gravestone also shows women had stronger connections with each other than with men. This principle remained in “mother-son” and “brother-sister” relations. Roman gravestone does not provide such insights in the family’s daily routine. It suggests people were more focused on their appearance, as they wanted to show they are not slaves already. The Roman gravestone also shows partners could be distanced from each

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