Vocabulary - Module 5

Question 1

Arcade

Answer 1

A row of arches

Question 2

Atrium

Answer 2

An area in a Roman house around which its principal rooms are organized in a square fashion. The atrium is open to the sky and four pillars support the roof at the opening

Question 3

Basilica

Answer 3

A monumental structure which was entered on its long side, had an interior colonnade, and on its two short ends had rounded areas known as an apse

• a civic structure to conduct business and within the apse to conduct legal courts of justice
• later a church

Question 4

Coffer

Answer 4

A coffer is a hollowed-out area in a ceiling (flat or domed) which functions as both a visual decoration or way to “read” the curve of a dome

Question 5

Encaustic

Answer 5

A kind of medium. Color pigments are suspended in pots of hot wax (rather than water, tempera, or oil).

Question 6

Etruscan

Answer 6

An adjective describing the art of Etrurea, a region north of the Tiber river in Italy.
- They created beautiful tombs whose themes were of the eternal feast and celebrations of the afterlife, they employed the arch in their great city gates and handed this down to the Romans; they also created beautiful, large-scale pottery funerary urns.

Question 7

Forum

Answer 7

A complex of structures in the sacred heart of Rome (known as the Pomerium)
-A forum could consist of colonnaded courts, exedras, include a basilica, temple, and in the case of Trajan, two libraries and a market.

Question 8

Hadrian

Answer 8

The emperor who ruled in the second century AD and who had an abiding interest in the arts, especially architecture.

Question 9

Oculus

Answer 9

Means “eye” and is a round opening usually in a dome or apsidal

Question 10

Pax Romana

Answer 10

theme of Caesar Augustus’ regime

-He tried to restore military and civic pride to Rome after a period of weakness.

Question 11

Pilaster

Answer 11

A flat, engaged column or rectangular pier

Question 12

Polychrome

Answer 12

used to describe color applied to sculpture or the many colors of materials which can comprise a structure.

Question 13

Roman Republican era

Answer 13

(ca. 509 BCE – 27 BCE): Rome began to build an empire and the ruling elites became corrupt, ending with revolts and civil wars. The government was ruled by the Senate and, to a lesser extent, the Plebian Assembly.

Question 14

Roman Imperial era

Answer 14

era was characterized by the autocracy (absolute power) of the emperors, like Vespasian, who strengthened Rome by patronizing great building projects, such as the Colosseum.

Question 15

Romulus and Remus

Answer 15

The legendary founders of Rome