Roman Imperial Flashcards
Romans reverse the trend of ______.
Increasing naturalism.
They revert back to idealism and abstraction.
Julius Caesar
100 BCE - 44 BCE
Augustus
Started a line of emperial authority - Emporors who wanted to assert their authority through art and public commissions. Art became propoganda.
His family claimed to be decendants of Venus.
Augustus as Pontifex Maximus
-Pax Romana
Pax Romana
The Golden Age ushered in by Augustus.
200 years of peace.
- Reversion to high classical Greece, towards idealism.
- Augustus had many public works commissioned, which made for a strong city system. Bridges, roads, temples, theaters, baths, aqueducts.
Augustus of Primaporta
- Scepter and armor to reference military power
- Marble
- Presence of Cupid
References High Classical Greek style Doryphoros
- Contropossto
- Support on weight bearing leg
- Proportions as with Polykleitos 1:7
- Lack of emotion
- Understandable from one direction
- Height of physical shape
(Portrait of Augustus as general)
Breastplate of Augustus of Primaporta
- Shows victory over Parthians
- Romans Gods and Godesses celebrating victory
- Propaganda
- Communicates to viewer that Rome is secure, expanding, and victorious due to Augustus
Livia
- Augustus’ wife
- Greek high classical style
- Youthful, idealized
- Consistent throughout life
Augustus wearing the Civic Crown
Augustus and Livia want to appear _____.
Youthful
Similarities between Augustus and current politicians
- Family men
- Youthful, active
- invested in military
- Education
Ara Pacis Augustae
Augustus’ Monument dedicated to Peace
Marble
Referenced buildings from acropolys
Lower zone ornamentation of acanthus vines
Figural reliefs on upper zone
Tellus Panel
Arapacis Altar
Allegorical - stands for other concepts
Woman represents mother earth, or some sort of caretaker
Babies represent Roman people
Allegory of sea/wind, allegory of land
References Greek
- Solid, classic Greek bodies
- Phidian style drapery
Procession of the imperial family
from frieze of the Ara Pacis Augustae
- Meant to be endearing
- Realistic portrayal
- Individualized portraits
- Some in flattened relief
- Feet pop out - an attempt to bridge gap between relief and viewer
- Propaganda - marriage, family, children are good
Pont du Gard
Sponsored by Augustus
- True arch construction
- Could supply 100 gallons of water per citizen per day
- Brought water from 30 miles away, in mountains
Nimes, France
True Arch Construction
No mortar
Roman arch diagram
Restored view of the Sanctuary of Fortuna Primigenia (Palestrina, Italy)
- Built using concrete
- Veneer of stucco and limestone
- Tholos / Round temple (fortune telling, priest and priestess space)
Romans no longer have to adhere to limitations of landscape. They can dominate and manipulate landscape.
Roman Concrete Construction
- Inexpensive
- Easy to manipulate
- Sand, water, mortar
- Often covered with veneer of more expensive stone
Advantages:
- New freedom in manipulating space
- Can now abandon post and lintel structures
- Leads to development of vaults
Voussoirs
Keystone
(Blue section)
Pier
Spandrel
(E)
Springing
(H)
Span
Vaulting
- Can span greater distances than post and lintel
- Architects now think of space manipulation more than just mass
Barrel Vault
Arches in a row
Arcade
Groin arch vault
- Two barrel vaults intersecting at right angles.
- Groin is points of intersection along top.
- Four bays provides more space manipulation opportunities, more light
Discovery of Nero’s Dining room
Colosseum
(Flavian Amphitheater)
Rome, Italy
Commissioned by Vespasian
Nero’s pool was reclaimed as a public facility for entertainment and every once in a while for Christian persecution.
- Barrel vaults
- Three levels of arcades topped by attic level.
- Facade of engaged greek columns for decorative/ornament purpose.
- Doric, ionic, and corintian columns.
- Awning structure.
- Seats 50,000 spectators comfortably
- Hallways below stage
- Sometimes flooded for sea battle reenactments
Engaged column
Non-load bearing
Decorative/ornament
Verism
- Brutal realism
- Realistic representation
Imagines
- Death masks
Romans kept likenesses (imagines) of their ancestors in wooden cupboards in their homes and paraded them at the funerals of prominent relatives.
Portrait of Vespasian
Marble
- Demostrates Verism
- Flavian dynasty
Portrait bust of a Flavian woman
Rome, Italy
Marble
- hair executed using a drill which demostrates sculptural innovation
- verism
- Patricion / aristrocratic class
Springer
fenestrated sequence of groin vaults
Portrait bust of Hadrian
- came to throne when he was middle aged
- first emperor to publicly wear a beard
Pantheon
Rome
- Post and lintel
- Inscription means commissioned by Magrippa
- Perfect sphere. Plan and section based on circle
- Thick walls
- Massive piers attached to wall, in order to support dome
- Utilized varying strengths of mortar for dome so is it stronger at the base and lighter at the top
- Used pumice stone for its lightweight qualities
- Coffers along interior of dome in order to lighten weight of dome and for decoration
- Coffers were blue with cast bronze rosettes
- Oculus
- sloped floor for drainage purposes
Oculus
Portraits of the four tetrarchs
from Constantinople
- In an attempt to restore order to the Roman Empire, Diocletian, whose troops proclaimed him emperor, decided to share power with his potential rivals. In 293 he established the tetrarchy (rule by four)
This piece is propaganda to show a close knit group.
Constantine
LATE EMPIRE
LATE EMPIRE
LATE EMPIRE (193–337 CE) The Late Empire began with the Severan dynasty and included the so-called soldier emperors of the third century, the tetrarchs, and Constantine, the first Christian emperor.
Battle at the Milivian Bridge
Battle at the Milivian Bridge: Constantine defeats Maxentius
Chi Rho emblem
- Came to Constantine in a dream the night before the battle at the milivian bridge
- Christ’s initials
- Constantine became Christian
Edict of Milan
Turning point where Christians are no longer persecuted, by Constantine
Colossus of Constantine
Basilica Nova
- Wooden Torso with broze veneer
- Marble areas
- 8’ tall head
- To assert his power
Basilica Nova
- Groin vaults and barrel vaults
- Nave
- Clerestory level
- Viewers do not see Constantine statue right away
Constantine
LATE EMPIRE
- Restored one-man rule
- Legalizes Christianity
- Moves seat of empire to Constantinople. This moved power east.
- Baptised before he dies
Old Saint Peter’s
Rome, Italy
- Influenced by Paegan buildings of old Rome
- Utilized Basilican plan with naves, apses
- Latin cross plan
Remains of St. Peter kept there.
3000-4000 occupants
Supports traffic flow
Wide central nave flanked by aisles, arches supported by columns, nave arcade.
Wooden timber roof
