Rome and the Greek East Flashcards
When did the Rs declare Delos a free port? What was motivation for this?
166/146 BCE
Challenge Rhodes’ trading dominance in southern Aegean
What appears to have been the main way in which R and Italy influenced Delos?
Italian merchants (negationes) travelling there and trading with ppl on the island
What was a key market on Delos? How did this come about?
The slave trade
Pirates captured the slaves and supplied the island with them to be bought by romans
What is a testament to Roman influence in Delos?
many honorific statues for roman indivs displayed in the ‘agora of the Italians’
What does Polybius record as an impact on Gs of Delos being made a free port?
‘The revenue we [the Rhodians] drew from our harbour has ceased owing to your having made Delos a free port and deprived our people of that liberty by which our rights as regards our harbour and all the other rights of our city were properly guarded’ (30.31.9)
What was the main instigator of Roman-G East cultural exchange?
Roman conquests in East Mediterranean
Who was a particularly important general in the roman activities in the east? His major success?
Titus Quinctius Flamininus ‘Flamininus’
Defeated Phillip V of Macedonia in 197 (end of 2nd maced war) upon which he declared ‘freedom for the greeks’
When did the Romans defeat the Antogonids/Macedonians for good? Under whose leadership?
168 BCE 3rd Macedonian war - Battle of Pydna
Aemilius Paullus
How did romans celebrate their final defeat of Antigonids/Macedonians?
victory monument at Delphi with frieze showing romans vs maceds
When was the Achaean League defeated by Rome? Under whose leadership?
146 BCE
Lucius Mummius
What are the potential functions of the agora of the Italians? (4)
agora in a commercial sense
more specific space for slave trade
gymnasion
recreational/social area
What is the evidence for Italians settling in Delos?
remains of houses dating to c100 BCE that have portraits w italian names
What is the character of Roman material evidence in Delos?
Hellenised, with Greek motifs and styles being used in the IDed Italian houses
What does the Madhia shipwreck evidence? What was part of the cargo?
v Hellenistic objects being taken to Rome c100 BCE
columns and capitals, candelabra, garden vases, marble statues, bronze statues statuettes and klinai fittings, votive relifs, G inscrips,
In what way was the Temple of Fortuna Primigenia at Praeneste Hellenised? When was it built?
construction involved local stone but the architecture was particularly Greek e.g. terracing, orders
c204 BCE
What are the two important mosaics found at Temple of Fortuna Primigenia at Praeneste?
nile and fish
late 2nd cents
Where was the Alexander Mosaic found? What is significant about this and other Hellenistic elements of the context?
House of the Faun, Pompeii
private display of philhellenism seen only by occupants (likely elites) and their select guests
around when was the initial time of trade between Rome and G east that resulted in cultural links?
4th-3rd centuries BCE, 3rd was when the interactions intensified
What were the dominant means by which Greek items got to rome in late 3rd cent BCE? Examples?
booty from military campaigns
art trade
Terme ruler and Terme boxer
What change meant Hellenistic art became securely part of Roman culture?
emigration of G artisans in Rome/Italy to produce there
How were Hellenistic items perceived by Romans?
as luxury
generally consumed by elites, even in private contexts
What was the conflict in the meeting of Hellenistic civic architecture with Roman?
hellenistic style generally grand and ornamental whereas R arch more focussed on practical and robust styling
What was given a lot of money and booty from Greek campaigns in Rome?
temple complexes - money invested in them and booty displayed there
What limited the public display of philhellenism by Roman elites?
Roman moral expectations of austerity and conservatism
What Hellenistic sculptural trend made its way to Roman sculpture? Example?
Individualisation and naturalism
Capitoline ‘Brutus’ - not acc him but displays individualistic features combined with Italic styling
What was an accepted and popular setting for the display of greek items and art in rome?
In triumphal processions
What changed as a result of the Hellenistic influence over cult statues? What was a distinctive feature of many of the cult statues emerging around 2nd cent? Examples?
material, subject, execution
colossal size
T of Fortuna Primigenia - colossal, acrolithic
Aesculapius, Ostia - parian marble
Hercules, Alba Fucens - acrolithic but mostly marble
Why was Theatre construction controversial for romans in 2nd century?
Permanent and v public displays of G culture
Senate didn’t support idea of a large open space where populus romanus could meet
What was the precedent for R theatres prior to the one sponsored by Pompey?
wooden, temporary ones
Why was veristic style popular for Romans? Examples?
it enabled portraits to have accentuated features associated with virtue like maturity or musculature
Tivoli General
Osimo Head - aged, experienced, dynamic
What meanings did nudity have in roman sculpture?
often heroic, athletic connotations although togatus look was the conservative, respectable choice for citizen types
What is a good example of roman practicality in its architecture?
Navalia, 2nd cent BCE - ship house on the Tiber; concrete - efficient and economical (cheap in itself and required unskilled workforce)
After what was the T of Hercules Musarum built? Where does it name derive from?
Conquest of Ambracia by M Fulvius Nobilior in 189
Within temple, statues of Hercules and the 9 Muses were displayed after all having been taken from Ambracia as part of conquest
What was the Porticus Metelli begun after? What did the complex consist of?
Success over Archadian League by Q Metellus Macedonicus 140s-30s
Two temples, one prredating battle - T of Juno Regina w traditional Italian plan
The later one, contemporary to portico, is much more Hellenistic with ionic order, peripteral plan, pentelic marble material, and Cypriot interior architect
When was the round temple by the tiber built? Hellenistic features?
late 2nd cent BCE
tholos design, impressive corinthian capitals, stepped platform, pentelic marble, pseudo-isodomic (ashlar) masonry
Why is the T of Portunus of significance in hellenistic influence of roman architecture? Signif features?
rebuilding of temple in 2nd cent BCE saw the production of greek arch features done in Italian materials
ionic order, pseudo-peripteral, freize BUT using tufa and travertine, with addition of stucco to resemble marble
What was added to the Forum Romanum in 2nd cent that demonstrated hell influence? Distinctive R features?
three basilicas: Porcia, Aemilia, and Sempronia
generally reminiscent of stoas but have a central hall which changed configuration but also the way in which ppl engaged with it
What was displayed in Forum Romanum that is not preserved in arch evidence but Pliny attests to?
bronze portrait sculptures
What is a particularly significant tomb of 2nd-1st cents BCE? Why?
‘Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus’
Impressive and elaborate friezes
What does Wallace-Hadrill say on the nature of Hellenization?
“Hellenization is shorthand for the cultural process by which Italy became Roman”
What and when was first major conquest of the Romans in G world? Signif?
211 BC: conquest of Syracuse by Marcellus.
Got Rome access to control over whole of Sicily and brought hellenistic art works etc to Rome.
When was the sack of Corinth? What happened? Signif?
146 BCE
Romans met force of Acheans, soundly beat them, and destroyed Corinth - killed all men, enslaved women and children, plundered treaures and art works, and set the city on fire.
Marked the start of proper domination of Rome over G and brought great influx of Corinthian/Greek works into Rome and Italy
When was the seige of Carthage? Result? Signif?
146 BCE
Romans defeated the city at which point they killed or enslaved the citizens, burnt buildings, and plundered the city, especially of its religious items
In what war was the Seige of Carthage part of? Roman general?
3rd Punic War (149-6 BCE)
Scipio Africanus
What public constructions were sponsored by Appius Claudius? When? Signif?
Via Appia asnd Aqua Appia
312 BCE
acting like a hellenistic euergetist
When and where was the Magna Mater temple built in Rome? Signif?
205 BCE, Palatine Hill
Clear demo of Hellenism: Anatolian goddess (renamed from Cybele), temple served by G priests, G rites practiced
Why did the Romans believe they needed to begin worshipping Magna Mater?
oracle recommended her as an ally in the 2nd war against Carthage (218-201 BCE)
What is the Malacena Group? Signif?
pottery produced c400-200 BCE in central italy
G shapes (e.g. kantharoid calyx-krater) but Etruscan in use of blue-black glaze and moulded decor
What is the Francois Tomb? When built? Signif?
etruscan tomb from vulci famous for its frescoes
c325-300
Iconography is combination of Etruscan (battle of Vulci ppl vs nearby towns) and Greek (Theban myth and scene from Iliad) AND execution is high quality showing link/familiarity between painting skills of greeks and those repsponsible for these tomb paintings
Signif of T of Apollo at Pompeii?
late 2nd cent BCE
dedicated to greek styling and worship, but BY romans
Mummius made a dedication of Corinth spoils to the city and recorded his benefaction with an Oscan (local language) inscription easily seen when entering the sanctuary (c146 BCE)
What does Strabo say on teh attraction of Roman traders to Delos?
absence of tariffs
convenient location
Who was the owner of the House of the Faun? Signif?
poss Roman general Satrius
He was campaigning in the East and thus this symbol of eastern power and links represents a sense of eastern conquest
When was Pompeii particularly porsperous?
2nd cent BCE
What was the social use of Hellenistic style and art for Roman elites?
means of displaying wealth and status
What was a key trade in which the Pompeii elites sought wealth?
wine
In what space was Hellenization seen most in Pompeii?
Private environments - interiors of the villas had architectural decor, wall paintings, and mosaics of hellenistic nature
Key Features of the House of the Faun?
v large (2 insulae)
two courtyards (occupying 2/3 of house space)
stucco fauces to look like marble
bronze sculpture (faun)
alexander mosaic
fish mosaic
doves and jewellery box mosaic
Why were hellenistic interiors valuable for wealthy Pompeiians?
important in reception events and indicative of the personal values of the elites
What were the civic buildings in Pompeii? Charcteristic of their arrangment?
theatre, gymnasion, palaetra, stadium, 2 temples
close together in SW area of city in ‘theatre district’
What was in the political area of Pompeii?
market (c130 BCE), comitum, Temple (poss Jupiter), offices, T of Apollo, basilica (c130 BCE)
When was Altar ‘of Domitius Ahenobarbus’/Paris-Munich Reliefs constructed? Signif?
c100 BCE
consists of 2 reliefs, one being of G charcter the other of Roman attesting to a coexistence of tastes and and artistic styles
Features of Greek relief part of Paris-Munich reliefs?
E greek marble
shows marriage of Neptune and Amphrite
strong musculature of men, light drapery, well-proportioned bodies
comparanda = Great Alt of Perg
What are possibilities as to greek relief being in Rome?
import
booty
expropriation of style
Features of Roman relief part of Paris-Munich reliefs?
combo of diff sources of marble
subject is census taking and sacrificial ritual to Mars who appears by the altar
What are Hellenistic themes in roman portraiture?
functioning of ruler cult, use of divine attributes, nakedness, public disaplay of honourific portraits
What are key types of public building works in late republic?
roads
statues
basilicas
porticoes
aqueducts
Who was an early opponent of Rome? Actions?
Pyrrhus (of Epirus)
Pyrric War - 280-75 BCE, republic fighting against Pyrrus who was losing, went to fight Carthaginians for a few years then returned to Italy and lost decisively.
What was key victory for Rome that opened access to Mediterranean dominance?
Hannibalic War, 218–201 BC
What reduces the role of consuls in the development of R domination in Mediterranean?
all decisions made w foreign parties, e.g. treaties, had to be ratified by the Senate and the ppl
In what ways could a R commander (consul or praetor) appear like a king to mediterraneans?
had control of armies
sent and received embassies
communicated w hell kings
religious roles: dedications at sanctuaries, presiding over games
