Which elements of Greek and Roman culture were revived in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries?
The fourteenth and fifteenth centuries witnessed the revival of several elements of Greek and Roman culture. A key element was the new belief that man, as an individual, was capable of making his own decisions and developing his skills. This was described as 'modern' in contrast to 'medieval' man whose thinking had been controlled by the church.
In architecture, there was a revival of the imperial Roman style, now called 'classical'. The ruins in Rome were carefully excavated by archaeologists, inspiring this new style. Artists and sculptors decorated buildings with paintings, sculptures and reliefs in this classical tradition.
The period also saw the emergence of realism in Italian art, influenced by anatomy, geometry, and physics from Greek and Roman traditions. Scholars and artists substituted the pre-Christian worldview for the Christian one, though religion continued to be an important part of people's lives.
Explanation
The textbook context highlights several key elements of Greek and Roman culture that were revived during the Renaissance period. The answer covers: (1) the humanist belief in individual capability, (2) the revival of classical/imperial Roman architecture, and (3) the emergence of realism in art based on Greek and Roman principles of anatomy, geometry and physics. The context also notes that while there was a shift toward pre-Christian worldviews, the earlier claim of a complete break with the past was exaggerated by historians like Burckhardt.