The Pantheon Flashcards
When and who commissioned the Pantheon originally ?
Augustus and built by his general Marcus Agrippa between 27 and 26 BC
What happened to the original pantheon?
It burnt down in AD 80
When and who built the new Pantheon ?
Emperor Hadrian in 125 AD
What does pantheon mean and why is this significant ?
Pan ‘all’ and theos ‘gods’ leads us to believe the temple was dedicated to all gods however even in the second century AD the name was debated as seen in the writings of Dio
Where is the Pantheon located ?
Ancient Roman Campus Martius
What was the area it was located in ? ( not the place as in what was the area used for and what was it)
Campus Martius
- large open space where the army met before campaigns and where elections took place
- Romans also engaged in general exercise here
What is the Pantheon a really good price of evidence for ?
Roman temples did not always have to conform to a standard plan
How does the temple follow a usual plan?
- From the front it stands on a small plinth with columns at the front that are free standing
- Followed by semi engaged columns at the rear of the porch
Where can we see evidence of the unique parts of the temple ?
The rotundas at the rear of the temple, it’s this large circular space and is capped with a dome which was the largest of its time up until 1436
What is at the top of the rotunda ?
An oculus
Was it impressive?
Yes it was a feat of engineering for it’s time
What is an oculus ?
A circular opening at the top of a dome
What is a rotunda ?
A round Roman building especially one with a dome
What did Hadrian want to do with the decorations ?
Link it back to his own family with Augustus
What do we know about the structure ?
It had a circular plan which would allow for several status to be placed in the cells but many are lost
