Classics 51B: exam 1

Etruscan Culture: Fibula

• Regolini-Galassi tomb in ancient Caere (modern Cerveteri)

• 7th

• Gold fibula with granulation

• zig-zags could relate to a river that needs to be crossed to get to the afterlife (Etruscans connection with nature and ideas about death)

• ducks as seen as messengers by the Etruscans (could also relate to the afterlife as they swim and walk)

• Nature elements could point to the belief that life is cyclical

Etruscan Culture: The Sarcophagus of the Spouses

• ancient Caere (modern Cerveteri)

• Late 6th

• Terra-cotta sculpture

• women potentially holding egg (represents mortality)

• man potentially holding goblet

• stylized upper body (movement, in discussion)

• Etruscan style facial features

• Uniquely Etruscan:

  • Elite Etruscans (pointed shoes and cap)

  • Man and Women equal

  • Banquet couch (banqueting at funeral)

Etruscan Culture: Tomb of the Leopards

• Tarquinia

• Late 6th/early 5th

• Fresco painting

• Funeral Banqueting

  • Dining, drinking

  • Servers/servants 

  • Music and dancing is celebratory 

• Apotropaic

• Etruscan body positioning and colors

• Emphasis on natural world (happening outside)

  • life is cyclical

Etruscan Culture: Tomb of Hunting and Fishing

• Tarquinia

• Late 6th

• Fresco painting

• Tapestry decoration on roof

• People dining in the top section with musicians (shows importance)

• Bottom portion shows natural world

  • Fish and birds

  • Person hunting the birds

  • Boat with people fishing

• Male diving into the water (symbolizing rebirth?)

Etruscan Culture: Portrait of Velia Seithi

• Tomb of Larth Velcha and Velia Seithi, Tarquinia

• Late 4th

• Fresco painting

• Still on funerary couch, surrounded by musicians but sad (could be in relation to Roman conquest)
  

Etruscan Culture: The Orator, Aulus Metullus

• Florence

• 1st c. BCE

• Bronze

• Outstretched arms (talking to community)

• Toga draped over tunic 

• Look Roman but we know hes Etruscan 

  • Etruscan writing on tunic 

  • Etruscan name Vel and Vesi

• Calceus patricius (closed-toed show boots worn by roman upper class)

Archaic Rome: Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus

• Rome (Capitoline Hill)

• Late 6th

• Only stone foundations survive (ashlar masonry in tufa)

• N.B. Superstructure in wood, plaster, paint, and terra-cotta

• Began in the monarchy, finished in the republic 

• Built under Etruscan King III Tarquinius Superbus “the Arrogant”

  • By forced labor of lower class roman citizens 

• Etrucan temple

  • Frontal, axial orientation (Single entrance at the front of the structure)

  • Podium (Elevated far above the ground) 

  • Porch (Columns (usually made of wood) are concentrated at the front of the temple)

  • Tripartite (dedicated to multiple gods)

Archaic Rome: Archaic Temple by the Tiber

• Rome (Forum Boarium)

• Later 6th

• Only stone foundations survive

• Arcoterion of Minerva and Hercules (terra-cotta)

• Destroyed at the end of the 6th c BCE (probably to reminiscent of the monarchy and too closely tied to the Etruscan Kings)

• Compare to Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus

Republican Rome: Site of Cosa

• Cosa

• 3rd

• Roman colony

• Roman colonial expansion in 3rd c. BCE Italy

• Orthogonal planning (gridded city plan – streets run at right angles to each other)

• Houses of elites, basilica, senate house & assembly, temple
  

Republican Rome: Temple of Portunus

• Rome (Forum Boarium) (triumph route)

• Late 2nd/early 1st

• Tufa and travertine

  Roman Features 

• Frontal axial orientation → one way in and a porch 

• High podium → lifted up (etruscan) 

  Greek Features 

• Travertine → how Greeks mimic stone 

• Pseudoperipteral → engaged surrounding colonnade (engaged just reminds you of greek temples, no architectural purpose) 

• Ionic capital, fluted columns → decoration at top of columns 

Republican Rome: Temple of Hercules Victor

• Rome (Forum Boarium)

• Late 2nd/early 1st

• Marble columns, travertine, and tufa

• Tholos: a round building (associated with eastern mediterranean) 

• Greek style (use of stone, column tops)

• First temple made with marble brought from the greek world

Republican Rome: [Veristic] Portrait of mid-1st c. BCE male (head covered)

• Rome

• Mid 1st

• Marble

• Deep wrinkles show age and wisdom

Republican Rome: Portrait of the Tivoli General

• Tivoli (north of Rome)

• Early/mid 1st

• Marble

• Paludamentum (Roman general cloak) and trophy shows success as general 

  Veristic face (Roman)

• Older mans face, lots of wrinkles, sunken eyes 

  Hellenized body (Greek)

• Pseudo-athlete (much younger athletic body)

Republican Rome: Monument of Aemilius Paullus

(Frieze fragment with the riderless horse)

• Delphi

• 2nd

• Monument and marble reliefs

• Romans (not Greeks!) depict historical accounts in art

• Battle of Pydna (first historical relief) —> riderless horse leads Romans to victory (Reflect & shape collective memory and societal values)
  

Republican Rome: So called “altar” of Domitius Ahenobarbus

• Rome (Campus Martius)

• Late 2nd

• Marble

• Census scene: Parian marble

• Mythological scenes of a marine procession: Marble from Asia Minor (spoliated)

• Suovetaurilia: Roman sacrifice of a bull, a ram, and a pig; performed as part of the opening purification ceremonies associated with the census

• Must excel in military and society 

• Census taken every 5 years (can move people in society ranks)

• mixing mythological and historical reliefs

Republican Rome: House of the Faun

• Pompeii

• Late 2nd

• Know locations: fauces(gates), atrium(central courtyard), tablinum (home office), triclinium (dining room)

• Know mosaics:

  *Theater masks ((opus vermiculatum, made in situ (in place)) (face the atrium, stress performance and ritual of the house, appreciation for theater)

  
  *Alexander Mosaic in triclinium(opus vermiculatum) (Alexander the great is strong, young wild hair, confident, Roman appreciation for roman conquering. More private for it to be in dining room, ppl knew about it but had to be invited in)

  
  * Opus sectile pavement in the tablinum (geometric mosaic speaks to the business)

Architecture: Ashlar masonry

Regular, cut, and quarried Stone

Example: Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus

Architecture: Axial Orientation

Single entrance at the front of the structure

Example: Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, Temple of Portunus

Architecture: Capital

Column cap

Example: Temple of Portunus

Architecture: Cella

In a temple, the location of the cult statue and expensive dedications, prize spoils of wars

Example: Temple of Hercules Victor, Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus

Architecture: Dromos

Greek world for a passageway leading to a tomb

Example: The Regolini-Galassi Tomb

Architecture: Manubial temple

A building vowed by a general before battle, and paid for from the share of his spoils of victory

Example: Temple of Portunus, Temple of Hercules Victor

Architecture: Necropolis

Literally, city of the dead

Example: Tumuli at the Banditaccia Necropolis, Regolini-Galassi Tomb

Architecture: Pediment

triangular section in above emblature

Example: Temple of Portunus

Architecture: Peripteral vs. Pseudoperipteral

Free-standing columns around the entire building

Pseudo: Surrounded by columns, some of which are engaged (not free-standing)

Example: Temple of Portunus (pseudo)

Architecture: Podium

Elevated far above the ground

Example: Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, Temple of Portunus

Architecture: Porch

Columns (usually made of wood) are concentrated at the front of the temple, on the porch

Example: Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, Temple of Portunus

Architecture: Travertine

Stone that mimics marble

Example: Temple of Portunus, Temple of Hercules Victor

Architecture: Tholos

Round building

Example: Temple of Hercules Victor

Architecture: Tripartite Architecture

Three part architecture

Example: Tomb of the Shields & Chairs

Architecture: Tumulus

Tomb

Example: Regolini-Galassi Tomb, Tomb of the Shields & Chairs, Tomb of the Leopards, Tomb of Hunting and Fishing

Sculpture, Painting, Images: Acroterion

Decorative object placed atop a temple

Example: Acroterion of Minerva and Hercules, Acroterion sculpture of the Apollo of Veii

Sculpture, Painting, Images: Apotropaic

Wards off evil

Example: Tomb of the Leopards, Tomb of hunting and fishing,

Sculpture, Painting, Images: Historical relief

Images of actual historical events (visual records/memorials of significant things that happened)

Pretty specific to Rome

Example: So called “altar” of Domitius Ahenobarbus —> Siphnian Treasury relief, Relief from the Monument of Aemilius Paullus

Sculpture, Painting, Images: Terra-cotta

literally, baked earth: ceramic

Example: sarcophagus of the spouses, Acroterion from the Archaic temple, Acroterion sculpture of the Apollo of Veii, Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus (upper part)

Sculpture, Painting, Images: Verism

‘realistic’ portraits that accentuate the age of the person represented

Example: Veristic portrait of a mid-1st c. BCE male, so-called Torlonia patrician, Tivoli General (head)

Things & Techniques: Fibula

a pin

Example: regolini galassi tomb fibula

Things & Techniques: Granulation

covering a surface with tiny granules of precious metals or gold

Example: regolini galassi tomb fibula

Things & Techniques: Imago

likeness; Latin word for portrait

Example: Veristic portrait of a mid-1st c. BCE male, so-called Torlonia patrician, Tivoli General

Things & Techniques: Paludamentum

military cloak, worn by a general

Example: Tivoli general, The Augustus Primaporta

Things & Techniques: Spolia

war booty

Example: Romulus with a trophy, in Augustas forum

Things & Techniques: Suovetaurilia

sacrifice of a bull, a ram, and a pig, performed for purification rituals

Example: Suovetaurilia from the Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus

Things & Techniques: Trophy

captured arms of the enemy, arranged on a wooden post as a sign of victory

Example:

Methods: Iconography

interpretation of visual symbols or images

Example:

Methods: Comparandum (plural, comparanda)

a thing to which another thing is compared

Example:

Portrait of Pompey

• Rome

• Mid 1st

• Marble

• Mixed roman veristic portraiture and greek hellenistic 

• Forehead wrinkles of wisdom and age 

• Young unkempt hair shows the same as alexander the great's hair 

Theater of Pompey

• Campus Martius (Rome)

• Mid 1st

• Concrete and brick core, marble facing

• Be able to talk about this as a complex

• Temple to Venus Victrix, Statues of captured provinces on display, Stadium seating for a theater

\

Forum of Caesar

• near the Forum Romanum (Rome)

• Third quarter of 1st

• Be able to talk about this as a complex

• Decorated with spoils of war and sculpture war highlights, looks wealthy (more put together than older Roman Forum)

• Temple to venus genetrix 

• Built right next to city center (expanding Rome under his name)

Mosaics: Opus vermiculatum

worm-like work

Mosaics: Opus sectile

cut work

Mosaics: Tessera, pl. tesserae

small, regular cut stones used in mosaics

Theme: Etruscan Funerary Culture

• Emphasis on the natural world

• Emphasis on women (not only men)

• Celebratory tone of imagery

• ex. Sarcophagus of the Spouses, Tomb of Hunting and Fishing, Tomb of the Leopards

The Augustan Age: Denarius of Octavian

• minted 42 BCE

• Silver

• Used as propaganda 

• Shows Julius with veristic features

• “caesar as life long dictator” with wreath (awarded to people who saved the Roman Empire) and important senatorial chairs 

The Augustan Age: The Augustus Primaporta

• villa of Livia outside Rome

• 20 CE

• marble copy of a earlier bronze original

• Military apparel, raised arm(talk to ppl or holding sword), draped paludamentum, shoeless (god doesn’t wear shoes, he's been deified)

• Marble supports

  • Cupid (son of venus) traces back to Venus linage 

  • Dolphin signifies naval strength in naval battle (ex battle of antony)

• Cuirass → bronze breastplate 

• Iconography on breastplate 

  • Top: sky gods 

  • Center: bad guy giving the standards back to romans (Augustus makes treaty with parthians to get back standards that were unlawfully lost, diplomatic victory) 

  • Bottom: diana and apollo and earthly prosperity (god's welcoming augustus) 

    • Representation of tiber river, and babies at peace represent rome 

The Forum of Augustus

• Rome

• Vowed in 42 BCE, dedicated in 2 BCE

• Long, rectangular, columns on sides, temple in back

• Directly connected to forum of julius caesar 

• Chariot of augustus is the only place that shows him (rest of the artwork is showing glory of the rest of the roman world)

• “Most beautiful” place in rome, very colorful, resources from many places 

• Beautiful representation of rome, built of the backs of roman men, use of marble and other pieces shows conquest

• Brings together all of roman history in the main people of time 

• Temple of Mars Ultor inside the forum 

  • Algiers relief → statuary decor trio cult statues 

  • Mars as father of rome 

  • Venus with son cupid by her side, presented as motherly figure 

  • Julius caesar also depicted 

• Summi Viri → Galleries of statues of the Republic’s heroes (great men and what they’re known for)

• Statue of Romulus and Aeneas → in the bays on either side, creators of Rome near Augustus’s relatives

• Caryatids → reference to classical athens democratic society and how rome is now in control of Athens and everything athens once controlled

• Shield portraits in attic → Jupiter Annon with rams horns is Alexander the Greats father (showing off the greatest greek conqueror)

Architecture of the Atrium House

Atrium —> center courtyard
Fauces —> main gates
Impluvium —> central basin for water
Tablinum —> room for doing buisness/meeting with clients
Triclinium —> private dining room

Obverse vs reverse

Obverse: heads of a coin
Reverse: tails of a coin

Corona Civica

A wreath of oak leaves, given to those who have saved the Roman state

Ex. minted onto Denarius of Octavian

Ara Pacis (Alter of Peace)

Campus Martius in Rome

13-9 BCE

Marble

• Voted to Augustus by senate

• Marble enclosure wall is a big deal because its meant to last (other sacrifice alter walls were made of wood)

• Celebrates Augustan peace and piety

• Celebrates the permanency of such statements

• Links new Rome to a glorious past and a fertile future

• Procession of senators and priests suggests public and divine support for Augustus’ leadership as princeps

Relief Panels

• Vegetation (vines and animals flourishing, natural cycle of life and death, peaceful, lower register to show Rome being built atop it)

• Myth panel: Tellus panel

  • ABUNDANCE, FERTILITY, PEACE

  • women with fat babies, animals at her feet, vegetation, personification of sky and sea

  • shows flourishing Rome with a promising, well set up future ahead

• Myth panel: Aeneas panel

  • as the founder of the city

• Historical relief: procession with priests, senators, imperial family

  • Augustus line/linage gives notions of a dynasty ruling as opposed to elected

  • But there is public support for this continued leadership

Titles: Princeps

First citizen (Augustus’ title from 27 BCE on)

Title: Pater patriae

Father of the fatherland (title given to Augustus in 2 BCE)