Augustan Building Programme Flashcards
Who built the Pantheon?
- Marcus Agrippa
What date was the Pantheon built?
- Sometime between 29-19 BC
What was the Pantheon’s purpose?
- Potentially a temple
What happened to the Pantheon?
- Burnt to the ground in 80 AD and was rebuilt by Hadrian in approximately 126 AD
Who built the Ara Pacis Augustae?
- Commissioned by the Roman senate
What date was the Ara Pacis Augustae commissioned? What year was it built?
- Commissioned 17-18 BC
- Finished 13 BC
Where in Rome was the Ara Pacis Augustae built?
- Campus Martius
What was the purpose of the Ara Pacis Augustae? Why was it built?
- It was built to honour Augustus’ return from Spain and Gaul where he had been campaigning
What are the 5 notable features of the Ara Pacis Augustae?
- Depictions of the senate
- Depictions of priests
- Depictions of the Imperial Family
- Depictions of Romulus and Remus
- Depictions of the gods and heroes
What happened to the Ara Pacis Augustae? (2)
- Lost and rediscovered
- Put in a museum by Mussolini in the 1930s
Who built the Theatre of Marcellus?
- Commissioned by Caesar, but finished by Augustus
What date was the Theatre of Marcellus built?
- 13 BC
Where in Rome was the Theatre of Marcellus built?
- Circus Flaminius
Why was the Theatre of Marcellus built? What was its purpose?
- Dedicated by Augustus to his nephew Marcellus
What happened to the Theatre of Marcellus? (2)
- Turned into a fortress after the fall of Rome
- Top part built into a residence in the 1600s and remains a bed and breakfast
Who was Marcellus?
- Augustus’ nephew and first chosen successor (but he died)
Who built the Baths of Agrippa?
- Agrippa
What date were the Baths of Agrippa built?
- 25 BC
Where in Rome were the Baths of Agrippa built?
- Campus Martius
What happened to the Baths of Agrippa?
- Burnt down in 80 AD and rebuilt by Domitian
Who built the Forum of Augustus?
- Augustus
What date was the Forum of Augustus built?
- Begun in 42 BC and finished 2 BC
What was the purpose of the Forum of Augustus? (3)
- Basically a massive common area
- Used by the senate for military discussions
- Also place for rite of passage for boys coming of age
What were the Forum of Augustus’ notable features?
- The “Temple to Mars Ultor” that was built in the middle of the forum
Who built the Arch of Augustus?
- The senate
What date was the Arch of Augustus built?
- 27 BC
What was the purpose of the Arch of Augustus?
- Marked the end of major road ways in the forum and honoured Augustus’ military achievements, especially Actium
What are the notable features of the Arch of Augustus? (2)
- Hoplite shields depicting Jupiter, Apollo, Neptune and Roma
- Depicts Augustus on a chariot with defeated foes underneath
What is a famous line by Suetonius (quoting Augustus) regarding the Augustan building programme? Is it true?
- “I found Rome made of brick, I leave her clothed in marble”
- Exaggeration - the majority of Rome was still wood and brick residential districts
Why would communicating with the people through literature be an issue?
- The majority of the Roman population was illiterate
What was the Augustan building programme intended to do?
- Beautify the city and renovate Rome after decades of civil war and neglect
What were the three issues that Augustus tackled with his building programme? How did he fix each problem?
- Many Roman buildings had fallen into disrepair
- Public amenities such as aqueducts, baths and entertainment had bee neglected
- Many people were unemployed and relied on the grain dole and handouts
- Major buildings and civic centres were completely renovated in expensive materials such as marble
- New baths, aqueducts and other amenities were being provided for once again
- Lots of new building projects meant thousands of new jobs
According to Suetonius, what did Augustus build? What were his motives?
- He built the forum as the population had increased (so for the good of Rome)
- He dedicated a shrine to Jupiter because of a “narrow escape” (he had almost been struck by lightning) - shows him to be pious
- “to make the approach to the city easier…he personally undertook to rebuild the Flaminian Road”
How does Suetonius view Augustus’ building projects? Does he say they were beneficial more for Rome or for Augustus?
- When the people complained of the high price of wine, Augustus retorted “Agrippa has taken good care by building several aqueducts, that men shall not go thirsty”
- Shows that his projects were for public welfare rather than popularity
According to the Res Gestae, what did Augustus restore? Quote?
- Restored many buildings that were damaged or had fallen into disrepair
- “Without inscribing my name upon them, I restored the Capitol and the Theatre of Pompey, both works at great expense”
How does the Res Gestae portray Augustus’ projects and motives? Quote?
- Implies that Augustus spent lots of time and money on improving Rome
- “Without inscribing my name” - implies credit isn’t important to him
According to Strabo, what was Augustus’ concern? What did he do to solve the issue?
- He was particularly concerned with the constant deterioration of the city from fire and collapse
- He created a fire brigade (the vigiles) and imposed height regulations on buildings
According to Ovid, what were Augustus’ motives for his building projects? Give two quotes
- His piety, as he restored temples
- “Our Saviour Juno…was honoured with new temples”
- “Beneath his care our temples do not feel the searing touch of age”
How do Strabo and Ovid portray Augustus’ building projects?
- Show them to be for the people of Rome and the good of the city, painting Augustus as a hero
