Ara Pacis Flashcards
When was it made?
13BC
What is it made of?
White marble
Where is it located?
- The fields of Mars (an area used by the military)
- Rome, between the Mausoleum of Augustus and the River Tiber
What is it’s purpose?
An altar to Pax
What are the five main relief scenes?
Aeneas sacrifices pigs to the household gods of Troy
Romulus and Remus suckling on the she-wolf
Religious procession with the imperial family
Tellus scene
Roma sitting on spoils of war
How was the Ara Pacis designed to be viewed?
- From the outside
- This is where the most intricate decoration is found
How is the interior of the Ara Pacis decorated?
- With relief sculpture like the outside
- However, there is more blank space and the sculptures are merely a regular pattern of garlands
How is the lower half of the Ara Pacis’ exterior decorated?
- Decorated with a continuous band of panels covered with plant life
- The central plant on the lower half is an acanthus, which is interwoven with vines whose tendrils morph into other plants
What is the importance of the vines on the lower half of the Ara Pacis?
- Vines were frequently used as a symbol of Augustus’ golden age, as they alluded to fertility and natural bounty
What is the significance of the unusual symmetry of the vines on the lower half?
- Could have simply been an aesthetic choice
- However, the vines could also represent the fact that Augustus’ ‘blessed state’ was the result of strict social order. The vines are regular and formal- perhaps a comment on the rigidity of his regime.
Give a quote from the Res Gestae about where the Ara Pacis is located:
‘When I returned to Rome from Gaul and from Spain… the Senate decreed there should be consecrated in the field of mars an altar to Augustan peace’
What is the significance of the Ara Pacis being located on the field of Mars?
- Symbolic as its a peace altar, and the field was used by the military
- It faced away from the fields- shows Augustus was turning his back on war
Describe Aeneas on his panel:
- He’s depicted with his head covered, indicating that he’s taking part in a religious ritual
Describe the other male figure on the Aeneas panel:
- Male character in Trojan style
- Wearing a long tunic and short mantle buckled at the shoulder
- Possibly Aeneas’ son
Why does it make sense for Aeneas to be pictured on the panel?
- Romulus, another founder of Rome, is opposite this panel,
- Having Augustus also feature on the Ara Pacis shows him as a third ‘founder’ of Rome if he’s alongside these other two figures
Who are the other two figures on the Tellus panel?
- Representation of the sky
- Representation of the sea
Why would it make sense for the central figure to be Tellus?
- It would make sense for the central character to be representative of the earth, as on either side of her is the sea and the sky
- Domesticated animals at her feet and flowers in the background also support it being her
If not Tellus, who else could the central figure potentially be?
Ceres (Goddess of fertility, especially corn)
- There’s potentially a depiction of corn in the background
Venus Geretrix
Pax
Livia
Julia, with Gaius and Lucius
What could the sea serpent on the Tellus panel show?
- It’s tame, so could be representative of Augustus taming the sea of pirates
What symbols of abundance are there on the Tellus panel?
Grapes and pomegranates
Who are the two identifiable characters on the Romulus and Remus panel?
Mars
- Father of the twins
- Watching over them and handing his children to the shepherd
Faustulus
- He will adopt and raise the wins
What symbol of Mars is there on the Romulus and Remus panel?
A wood-pecker
- Its often portrayed as an eagle, but its more likely to not be, as the wood-pecker is a bird sacred to Mars
Who is shown on the religious procession panel?
- Shows nearly 50 figures in total
- Generally agreed that the procession includes Augustus, alongside Agrippa and Livia
How is Augustus portrayed on the Ara Pacis and why is this significant?
- He’s depicted wearing a toga rather than military dress
- This presents him as a civic leader
Describe the depiction of children on the Ara Pacis:
- They’re almost certainly members of the imperial family
- They represent the future of Rome and seem to promise a continuation of the Augustan Golden Age into future generations
Describe the Roma panel, and any issues with it:
- Very little remains of the actual panel, but its generally accepted to be of Roma- a female deity who personified Rome
- Shows Roma in the middle, sitting on spoils of war
What could potentially have been on the Roma panel alongside the deity?
- No evidence of anyone either side of her
- ‘Honos’ and ‘Virtus’ could have been present, as was common in triumphal scenes
Name a significant feature on the Roma panel:
- Her hand is still on her sword
- This shows Rome is always ready
