Rome Exam Part A

Rome Exam Part A

Three Age Dating System for History, Anthropology

Stone Age

• paleolithic

• Mesolithic

• Neolithic

Bronze Age

Iron Age

Villanova Culture (Iron Age): Forerunners of the Etruscans

Proto-Villanovan 1100-900 BCE

Villanovan 900-700 BCE

Etruscan Culture

• 700 BCE - 4th century BCE

Villanovans

 

Etruscans

Villanova & Etruscan Hut Urns

Cinerary urns shaped like huts

Gives idea of housing from the time periods of the Villanovans and Etruscans

Etruscan City of Cerveteri

Necropolis (city of the dead)

Etruscan Tomb of the Reliefs

Contains sculptural reliefs which depict implements of daily life and also mythology, such as Cerberus (3 headed dog of the underworld)

Cerberus

3 headed dog of the underworld

Etruscan Sarcophagus

made of terracotta

late 6th century

archaic style

• almond shaped eyes

• archaic smile

• segmented hair

Shows affection between the couple

Capitoline She-Wolf

Bronze

Dating is controversial (estruscan or medieval?)

Babies added in 15th century

depicts she-wolf who nurtured Romulus & Remus

Scene called the “Lupercal”

Symbolizes the foundation of Rome

Time Periods of ROMAN history

Monarchy: 753 BCE -509 BCE

• April 21, 753 BCE

• Traditional Date for founding of Rome

Republic: 509 BCE - 31 BCE

• 31 BCE Battle of Actium

• Octavian defeats Marc Antony and Cleopatra

Empire: 31 BCE - 4th Century CE

Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus

Located on the Capitoline hill

Also called “Jupiter Capitolinus”

Etruscan style, made of tufa (local stone)

Three cells, one for each deity in the so-called Capitoline Triad (Jupiter, Juno, Minerva)

Most Romans would have a similar temple, referred to as the “Capitolium”

Capitoline Triad: Minerva, Jupiter, Juno

Minerva with owl, Jupiter with eagle, Juno with peacock

Julius Caesar

Assassinated in 44 BCE

Promoted his divine status which he claimed by linking his name to lulus, son of Aeneas (whose mother was Venus)

A comet appeared in the sky after his death, which Octavian/Augustus (his adopted son) claimed was a sign of Julius’s divinity

Roman Forum

Forum of Julius Ceasar

Next to main Roman forum

Dedicated in 46 BCE

Featured temple to Venus Genetrix (Venus the Mother - which emphasized Caesar’s claim to divinity")

Housed statues of Venus, Caesar, Cleopatra

Temple of Divus Julius (the divine Julius)

Caesar’s body may have been cremated here

Dedicated by Augustus in 29 BCE to the divine Julius

Coin depicts temple with comet (symbolizing Caesar’s divinity) shown in pediment

Rostra (ships prows from battle of Actium) decorated front podium

Theater and Porticus of Pompey

Pompey earned the title Magnus (the Great) which was inspired by Alexander the Great

Once allied with Caesar, but then a rival and defeated by Caesar

Theater and Porticus located in Campus Martius

Contained Temple of Venus Victrix (Venus the Victor)

55 BCE

First stone built theater

Julius Caesar was assassinated nearby, supposedly at foot of statue of Pompey

Theater and Porticus of Pompey

Theater and Porticus of Pompey

Temple of Vesta and Atrium Vestae

Temple of Vesta and Atrium Vestae

Temple of Vesta and Atrium Vestae

Basilica Aemlia and Basilica Julia (Law Courts)

Basilica Aemilia

179 BCE Basilica Fulvia

Rebuilding 55-34 BCE by L. Aemilius Pallus and grandson L. Aemilius Lepidus Paullus

2 BCE rebuilt with porticus of Gaius and Lucius (Augustus’ grandsons) in front

Basilica Julia

169 BCE Basilica Sempronia

Rebuilding as Basilica Julia after Julius Caesar in 46 BCE (not yet finished)

Finished by Augustus

Shops in back

Steps carved with game boards

Temple of Saturn

Saturn is father of Jupiter

Ionic columns

Vowed and paid for by Lucius Munatius Plancus after his triumph in 43 BCE

Inscription tells of restoration in 360-80 CE

Temple of Castor and Pollux

Dioskouri (sons of Zeus) twin demigods

legend states they aided Romans at Battle of Lake Regilus (499 or 496 BCE) and later that day watered horses at Lacus Juturnae in Roman forum

Temple first dedicated in 484 BCE

Later rebuildings in Augustan period include Corinthian columns

High podium used for speakers platform; senate met inside; shops along sides of podium below

Curia (senate house)

Battle of Actium, 31 BCE

Octavian (adopted son of Julius Caesar defeats Antony and the Egyptian queen Cleopatra

Octavian gains power, calls himself Agustus and princeps (first citizen)

Marks the end of the Roman republic

Augustus - first Roman emperor

ruled 27 BCE to 14 CE

implemented constitutional, financial, and administrative reforms that stabilized the empire - Pax Romana (roman peace)

Published his “Res Gestae” (accomplished deeds) throughout the empire

Prime Porta Augustus

Augustus wearing civic crown

“I found Rome a city of bricks, I leave it to you a city of marble” - Augustus

According to historians: Cassius Dio

Forum of Augustus

Next to Forum of Julius Caesar

Temple to Mars, Ultor (Mars the Avenger) to avenge his adoptive father’s death (Julius Caesar)

Forum of Augustus

Ara Pacis (Altar of Peace)

reliefs show mix of legendary and historical figures

Tiberius (ruled 14-37 CE)

Augustus’ designated heir

known for military skill and administrative efficiency

Increasingly reclusive and authoritarian in later years

Tiberius’ Villa at Sperlonga

Located on western coast of Italy south of Rome

Had a grotto with sculptures depicting mythological scenes

Odysseus & men blinding cyclops Polyphemus (at Tiberius’ Villa at Sperlonga)

Scylla attacking Odysseus’s ship and men (at Tiberius’ Villa at Sperlonga)

Tiberius' Villa lovis at Capri

Located on a cliff on the island of Capri (near Naples)

Had large reservoirs to store water

Tiberius reportedly hired court astrologers and then threw them off the cliff when he didn’t like their predictions

Caligula (37-41)

“Caligula” was a childhood nickname meaning “little boot” given to him by soldiers

After early illness in his reign, behavior changed and became cruel and erratic

Demanded to be worshipped as a god

Assassinated by Praetorian Guard

Claudius (ruled 37 -41)

Born in Gaul (first emperor born outside Italy)

became emperor when Praetorian Guard declared him ruler after they assassinated Caligula (who had succeeded tiberius)

Expanded empire, including Britain

Effective administrator

Nero (ruled 54-68 BCE)

Was blamed for Great Fire of Rome in 64 BCE, and he blamed the Christians for it

Orchestrated murder of his mother, Agrippina, and implicated in murder of his wive, Octavia

Committed suicide in 68 BCE

Location of Nero’s Golden House

Nero’s Golden House: domed room

Temple of Vesta and Atrium Vestae

Vestal Virgins were priestesses of Vesta, Roman goddess of the hearth

Served for 30 years (first 10 learning, second 10 serving, third 10 teaching younger ones)

Took vow of chastity, if broken were buried alive

Had special privileges: could own property, had special places of honor at game

Curia

Located in the Roman forum, near the Capitoline hill

Served as meeting place for the Roman senate

Bronze doors of the Curia from late 1st century time period (probably Emperor Domitian) are now the doors of the archbasilica of St. John Lateria in Rome

Forum of Augustus

Ara Pacis: Tellus (Mother Earth) [or Pax Peace]

Ara Pacis: figures from Augustus’ time

Gemma Augustea symbolizes first imperial succession

Augustus enthroned as Jupiter next to Rome, Capricorn above.

Tiberius steps down from chariot to succeed him as emperor