A golden age is a time where citizens of a country feel united and motivated to progress and succeed. Not only do citizens just feel united, but they work together to accomplish new things in technology and society. A golden age is a time of progression and advancement; the society must be more advanced and accomplished after the golden age than before.
Under Augustus, the Roman empire expanded and grew. Not only did they advance the borders of their land, they progressed with technology, learning and art. They created new sewer systems, advanced society, and completely overhauled the concept of art. They changed art to reflect how they felt about their society: superior. Every depiction of a Roman was perfect. No physical flaws. The Romans really did think of themselves as a superior society.
When I think of a golden age in American history, I immediately think of the 40's and 50's, right after WWII had ended. The economy was doing very well and the citizens felt very highly of themselves. Why shouldn't they? We had just defeated Hitler and the Nazi regime! This was a time with a lot of technological progression as well. Vehicles became much more advanced; movies and TV were starting to become a reality. These advancements along with the attitude that the United States was invincible constituted a golden age in America.
I like how you mentioned that the Romans used their art to reflect themselves. It is definitely true that they thought themselves to be superior. What they constructed with art and buildings was a reflection on who they were. Well done! :)
ReplyDelete