Ara Pacis

Question 1

Location

Answer 1

Stood on the Campus Martius (the field of Mars), Rome

Question 2

Date and who built it

Answer 2

Built by the Emperor Augustus in 13-9 BC

Question 3

Reason built

Answer 3

To commemorate the return of Augustus from the western provinces of Spain and Gaul, where he had been settling the provinces since 16 BC

Question 4

Materials

Answer 4

Tufa for the core of the altar

Travertine for the foundations, platform and pavement

Question 5

Significance

Answer 5

Clear message - new age of peace and fertility has been instituted in Rome by Augustus

Question 6

The Tellus Relief

Answer 6

Central figure is a voluptuous woman (mother earth/Tellus) who sits on a rocky outcrop clad in clinging drapery, partially covered with a veil. Chubby infants on her lap. Surrounded by grains and poppies, stock grazing and fruit. Winged sea dragon - seawater. Swan - fresh water

Question 7

Symbolism of Tellus Relief

Answer 7

Children, vegetation and animals symbolise fertility and prosperity.
Two women (wind/water) symbolise the elements in harmony.

Question 8

Romulus and Remus

Answer 8

Represents the Shepherd Faustulus discovering Romulus and Remus being suckled by the she-wolf. The boys father Mars looks on.

Question 9

Romulus and Remus significance

Answer 9

Relates to founding city of Rome
Connects Augustus to his famous ancestor
Connects Romans to Gods (Mars)

Question 10

Tellus sculptural techniques

Answer 10

Depth:
Low - poppies and grains
high - figures have near 3 dimensional carving
Drapery:
Irregular folds show weight of fabric and represent movement
Mood:
Holding chubby babies represents fertility
Movement:
Drapery shows this
Tellus head positioned towards children
Water
Pose: 
Variety
Nymph sits on a flying goose

Question 11

Procession sculptural techniques

Answer 11

Drapery:
Moving with the body - billowing
Variation in folds shows weight of fabric
Different hemlines
Depth:
High - foreground to stand out compared to background
Movement:
Bodies mainly facing the same direction, faces aren’t
Pose:
different variety of poses
3/4 and frontal

Question 12

Propoganda

Answer 12

Peace, Prosperity, Fertility, Piety

Question 13

Fertility

Answer 13

Tellus sits with two children in lap
Poppies, grains, lillies
Children symbolise hope for increase in birth rate among upper class
Floral designs with acanthus plants winding like scrolls and bursting into flowers, birds, insects and snakes representing fertility

Question 14

Piety

Answer 14

Priests have distinctive spiked headresses
Poses, treatments of drapery and procession recalls part of the religious procession
Front of procession includes mainly priests such as flamens and augurs
Aeneas - small temple shrine of Gods