Octavian ensured that the rule of the Roman Empire remained within his family, ...
In terms of art and architecture, Greek culture and style had the greatest impact ...
Introduction and Overview
ROMAN ART & ARCHITECTURE
IMPORTANT TERMS
City of Rome
Started out as a small settlement on the banks of the Tiber River in southern Italy Gradually grew in both size and influence, eventually commanding large portions of Europe, the Middle East and North Africa Functioned as the centre of government during the Republican period, as well as during the period of the Empire until the 3rd century AD
IMPORTANT TERMS
Republican Rome
Covers the period between 509-49 BC, during which time Rome evolved from a small settlement into a the centre of a massive empire The Republican system was built on the participation of those who held Roman citizenship, and aimed to govern in their best interests Eventually, the size of the empire meant that the Republican system could no longer function effectively – led to the emergence of generals as the main power figures and the rise of the Roman Empire
IMPORTANT TERMS
Roman Empire
The likes of Crassus, Julius Caesar, Pompey, Cicero and Cato were among those responsible for the ending of the Republican system Octavian, the nephew of Julius Caesar, defeated his rivals after the death of his uncle and became the “Emperor” of Rome Octavian ensured that the rule of the Roman Empire remained within his family, despite his claims to have restored the Republic – effectively became the first ruler of a family dynasty
MAP OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE
MAP OF ROME
MAP OF ROME – CITY CENTRE
ART & ARCHITECTURE - OUTSIDE INFLUENCE
As Rome was a dominant global force for much of its existence, it was heavily influenced by a wide array of cultures In terms of art and architecture, Greek culture and style had the greatest impact on Rome
Greek craftsmen and artisans were lucratively employed by the Romans, and many Roman statues, building and monuments were either copies of or inspired by existing Greek works
THE SPEARBEARER
Roman copy of a sculpture by Polykleitos (440 BC) Statue is considered a classic example of Greek sculpture – focus on exact anatomy and body positioning Subject stepping forward with one foot, would have been holding a spear in his left hand
AUGUSTUS OF PRIMA PORTA
Sculptor has used the basic shape of the Spearbearer to create this statue Like the Spearbearer, Augustus is stepping forward and there is an emphasis on body shape and positioning Only small adjustments were made to turn the Spearbearer into this particular statue
IMPERIAL RELIEF SCULPTURE
Production of an image through carving away at a surface until an image appears, raised out of the original material
This image was then incised with great amounts of detail, including facial features, clothing, etc. Relief sculpture was used prominently on state monuments, such as columns, triumphal arches, temples and ceremonial altars, ie. the Ara Pacis Augustae
THE ARA PACIS AUGUSTAE
ROMAN ART AS SYMBOLISM
Roman art and architecture, beyond serving practical purposes, often had important symbolic meaning Emperors and generals used things such as temples, arches and columns as glorified propaganda pieces designed to display their own greatness When depicted in bust or statue form, many emperors chose to be portrayed in the form of gods or heroes from the past, ie. Commodus as Herakles
ARCH OF TITUS
This carving shows Emperor Titus returning from the freshly conquered Jerusalem, bearing a treasure from the Temple at Jerusalem and accompanied by a god
COMMODUS AS HERAKLES
The son of Marcus Aurelius, Commodus was Emperor 180-192 AD What message is Commodus sending by associating himself with Herakles - wearing the lion skin, carrying the club and carrying the “Apples of Immortality”?
ROMAN BUILDINGS - ARCHES
A common feature used in Roman architecture of both the Republic and Empire is the arch
The use of arches make for very sturdy structures, and enabled the Romans to construct a wide variety of buildings Arches enabled builders to enclose large spaces with a roof, without cluttering floor space with supporting columns In addition to increasing size and structural integrity, arches allowed light to enter building naturally (ie. the Pantheon)
ROMAN BUILDINGS – ARCHES
1. Keystone 2. Voussoir 3. Extrados 4. Impost 5. Intrados 6. Rise 7. Clear Span 8. Abutment
VAULT
A series of arches built one behind the other
Creates a tunnel that can be used either in the design of a building or act as the roof of the building itself
CROSS VAULT
Two vaults built perpendicular to one another
Like vaults, used for the roof buildings and things like hallways, passages, etc.
A ROTATED ARCH – THE DOME
By “rotating” an arch, builders were able to create domes, and thus could cover large areas with little or no internal support
