Timeline: Art Movements

2600 BCE

Ancient Mesopotamian Art 2600 BCE

The art of Mesopotamia often depicted mythological scenes, religious rituals, and the power of the ruling elites.

1600 BCE

Mycenaean Influences

The Mycenaeans had a lasting influence on Greek art, architecture, and literature, creating a bronze age civilization.

776 BCE

Greek Archaic Period 776-480 BCE

Figurative sculpture was the greatest artistic innovation of the Archaic period. The Greeks believed that the male nude showed the perfection and beauty of the body.

509 BCE

Roman Republic 509 BCE - 26 CE

Architecture and engineering projects were transformed by the development of concrete in the 3rd century. Roman culture adopted many of the myths, gods, and heroic stories of the Greeks.

480 BCE

Classical Greece 480-323 BCE

The Classical era saw the teachings and writings of Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle.

323 BCE

Hellenistic Greek 323-31 BCE

During this time, the architectural style took on colossal proportions, employing the Corinthian order and the most decorative of Classical orders.

27 BCE

Imperial Rome 27 BCE - 393 CE

Augustus launched a new building program that included temples and notable public buildings, and he transformed the arts. The Imperial era was defined by the monumental grandeur of its architecture and its luxurious lifestyle.

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