Etruscan and Roman Art and Architecture

These flashcards cover key terms and concepts related to Etruscan and Roman art, architecture, and funerary practices.

Banditccaia Necropolis at Cerveteri (7th-2nd Century BCE)

• Located outside the city of Cerveteri.

• Evidence of rapid wealth accumulation through trade.

• Highlights of cross-cultural interactions among civilizations.

• Family tombs, which were reused across generations.

• Highly visible structure within the landscape, featuring a well-planned layout.

Plan Elements:

• Cube tombs: smaller, carved into a hillside, representing a lower investment.

• Tumuli: burial mounds indicating advancements in social and economic standards; more affordable tombs suggest population growth and expansion.

Regolini-Galassi Tomb, Cerveteri (c. 650 BCE)

• In use for approximately 200 years by families.

• Tomb Composition:

  • Male cremation remains located at the bottom.

  • Female inhumation (akin to mummification) on the right side.

• Structural features include vault ceilings.

Artifacts found:

• Bronze beds and mourners figures.

• A chariot, bronze stand, and cauldron.

• Silver bowl inscribed with 'Larthia'.

Regolini-Galassi Tomb Fibula

• Featured a gold fibula, a pin used to hold garnet.

• Craftsmanship Techniques:

  • Repousse: technique involving pounding metal to create a design.

  • Filigree: use of delicate threads of gold for decorative purposes.

  • Granulation: creation of small bead-like pieces of gold.

Tomba of the Shield and the Chairs, Cerveteri (c. 600 BCE)

• Designed to mimic a house, representing afterlife living.

Features architectural elements like:

• Roof beams, serving no functional purpose but enhancing household appearance.

• False doorways creating an illusion of a complete domestic space.

• Emphasizes rituals connecting the living and the dead.

Tomb of Leopards, Tarquinia (c. 480 BCE)

• Depicts a symposium scene, representing social and cultural values.

• Roof structure resembles household textiles, further illuminating social practices.

Elements symbolizing elite status include:

• Animals of prey and motifs suggesting rebirth.

• Variations in skin color on figures indicate gender representations.

• Artifacts such as double flutes and kylix drinking cups; figure of a servant or enslaved person pouring beverages.

Tomb of Augurs, Tarquinia (c. 520 BCE)

• Scenes depicting augury, the practice of interpreting bird behavior to predict the future.

Features elements of funerary games in honor of the deceased:

• Wrestling competitions presided over by a gamesmaster with a staff known as a lituus, a symbol of command.

• Phersu, a masked character, possibly indicating a bloodsport involving gladiatorial competition; often involved prisoner-of-war participants.

Late Archaic Rome (6th Century BCE)

• Key architectural developments include:

  • The Forum: central public space for civic activities.

  • Temples of Jupiter Optimus Maximus: significant religious site.

  • Circus Maximus: arena hosting chariot racing and public spectacles.

Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus (c. 550-500 BCE)

• Located on the Capitoline Hill.

Significant features include:

• Triple cella dedicated to Juno, Jupiter, and Minerva.

• Etruscan style: stairs exclusively in the front, in contrast to earlier architectural forms.

• Decorated ridgepole with figures.

• Aegean-style terracotta roofing.

Etruscan Temple (c. 500 BCE)

• Influenced by Vitruvius's architectural principles.

Distinctive design features:

• Statues placed atop the temple to draw the viewer's gaze upward.

• A departure from traditional Greek temple structures.

• Use of Tuscan columns, showcasing a blend of cultural influences.

• Votive offerings typically placed in the temple.

Lapis Niger (6th Century BCE)

• Comprising a rectangular stele with inscriptions on all sides.

• Served as a monument with ties to royal authority and legitimacy.

• Historical significance linked to the kingship transition in Rome:

  • Covered and preserved, likely due to changing political sentiments.

  • Brutus and others lead the movement away from monarchy.

Forum Romanum, Republican Period

• Key components:

  • Curia/Curia: Senate meeting hall.

  • Comitium: Open space for popular assemblies.

  • Temple of Saturn (497 BCE): Public treasury location; father of Jupiter.

  • Temple of Castor: Dedicated to the twin sons of Jupiter, connected to military tradition.

  • Temple of Vesta: House for the vestal virgins, maintaining sacred fire.

  • Regia: Meeting place for high-ranking priests and custodians of religious archives.

City Plan of Cosa (2nd Century BCE)

• Defensive city wall constructed around the perimeter made from cement.

• Innovations in building materials leading to stronger, waterproof structures.

• Architectural solutions presumably emulating Roman urban design.

Sanctuary of Fortuna, Praeneste (Late 2nd Century BCE)

• Comprises an open courtyard enclosed by structures.

• Features innovative use of concrete, enhancing dramatic effect of the space.

Typical Roman House (3rd Century BCE)

• Architectural layout promotes visibility through the atrium, showcasing parts of the house.

• Contains:

  • Cubiculum: Small private room.

  • Atrium: Central space where family gathered, adding a sense of passage and proportion.

House of the Faun (Early 2nd Century BCE)

• Integrated neighboring properties into a large residence.

• Divided into:

  • Public display areas.

  • Private family quarters, including areas for individual prayer.

• Features Corinthian columns and landscaped garden

Alexander Mosaic, Pompeii (1st Century BCE)

• Illustration of Alexander the Great battling King Darius of Persia.

• Epic narrative: Alexander refuses the king's offer for peace through marriage.

• Mosaic construction involved meticulous color-matching and placement of individual pieces.

• Reflects Roman values: pride, heroism, and strength.

Second Pompeian Style Wall Painting (c. 50-40 BCE)

• Exemplifies luxury influenced by Greek culture.

• Use of illusionistic techniques to enhance depth and spatial perception.

Temple of Vesta, Rome (Mid-2nd Century BCE)

• Symbolized success and communal remembrance of victories.

• Implemented Corinthian column architecture and imported Greek marbles, indicative of cultural appropriation and conquest.

• Such architectural grandeur emphasized Rome's ambitious imperial identity and