Week 8 flahs cards

Amenities to serve Roman army veterans and new Roman citizens

• Architecture as vehicle of stability, homogenization, and strengthening of state power

Theatre at Orange, Southern France, early 1st Cent. CE, scenae frons

• Near Nime (Southern France)

• Cavea: rows of seats

• Scene frons: where action will take place

• Made of concrete and brick with masonry blocks

• Several stories of colannades

• Statues in niches, includes Augustus

• A well-preserved Roman theatre featuring a distinct facade with ornate columns and multiple levels, demonstrating Roman architectural prowess.

cavea

row of seats

Theater at Merida (Augusta Emerita), Spain, 16 BCE

• Preserved colonnades

• Amphitheater and theater adjacent to each other

• Amphitheater built from ground on concrete cells

• Strong scenae frons

• Niches with statues and decorative reliefs, showcasing Roman engineering and artistic sophistication.

Funerary architecture: 

Tomb of the Julii, Saint-Rémy-de-Provence (Glanum), Southern France, ca. 30-20 BCE

• Beginning of reign of Augustus

• Family that acquired Roman citizenship

• Combines different forms of architecture– tholos/ peripteral colonnade on top with statue of deceased

  • Cenotaph: monument of deceased, but doesn’t hold their remains

  • Quadifrons: contains 4 arches

  • Sarcophagus on bottom carved with reliefs of battles between Romans and barbarians 

    • Garlands and masks carved, indicates how expensive the monument is A monumental structure designed to commemorate the deceased, it features a combination of architectural styles, including a tholos topped with a peripteral colonnade and adorned with sculptures, serving both as a tomb and a cenotaph.

Art and Architecture of the Julio-Claudians

• Dichotomy seen in arts and intentions between different artists

• Conventions and stylistic preferences of Augustus are kept, allows for being associated with Augustus 

Tiberius 14-37 CE

Portrait from Arsinoe, Egypt, marble, early 1st Cent. CE

• Already 56 when he became king

• Youthfulness in portraiture

• Similar cowlick to Alexander the Great’s

• Same facial structures to Augustinian portrait 

Suovetaurilia reliefs, now in Louvre, marble, ca. 14 CE-double sacrifice with Augustus

• From very beginning of reign of Tiberius

• Refers to three sacrificial animals

• Altar representing a sacrifice on Palatine hill in front of house of Augustus

• Augustus and Tiberius shown with hands covered as Pontius Maximus 

• Similar to relief at Augsutian house, very classical style of Greek frieze 

• Different depths of relief, people closest to foreground is higher in relief 

• Poses are convincing and organically coherent 

Gemma Augustea, sardonyx cameo, ca. 15 CE

• Carved by August's gem cutter

• In Vienna

• Shows Tiberius being crowned with laurel wreath

• Present: roman eagle, capricorn, Augustus arriving from a chariot to greet him, female figure with two children

• Below: Roman soldiers raising trophy, shield with scorpion, captured barbarians held by their hair

• Emphasized youthfulness and heroic nudity 

• Variety of poses, overlapping figures, bodies can be noticed under drapery 

Grand camée de France, sardonyx cameo, va. 26-29 CE or ca. 45 CE

• After death of Tiberius

• Made use of three layers of color

• Complicated allegory of Tiberius on the throne, Augustus coming and another unidentified figure 

• Conquered non-Romans below, can be noticed due to beard

Caligula 37-41 CE

• Ended up being assassinated by the guard

• Was expected to do great stuff 

• Was disliked, given sexually immoral rumors 

Portrait head from Marino, marble, 37-41 BCE, now in Worcester museum

• Same haircut as Augustus, he actually didn’t have any hair

• Youthful appearance

• Inverted triangle jawline and other “appealing” facial features

Portrait of Agrippina the Elder, marble, ca. 40-45 CE

• Caligula’s mother

• Shown youthful and given later hairstyle of curls and cascading 

Luxury arts

Gemma Augustea, sardonyx cameo, ca. 15 CE
Grand camée de France, sardonyx cameo, va. 26-29 CE or ca. 45 CE
Boscoreale silver cups-scyphus (drinking cup), silver, ca. 15-20 CE

Claudius 41-54 CE

• Considered a loser, non-emperor material

• One of the last people to read and write Etruscan

• Defied everyone’s expectations, very intelligent and more capable of being an emperor than expected

• Became emperor after Caligula got assassinated 

Portrait in the guise of Jupiter from Lanuvium, marble, 42-43 CE

• 7 ft tall

• Appeals of Roman portraiture 

  • Youthful with heroic nudity

  • Athletic body with elderly face 

  • Inverted triangle face

  • Augstian treatment of hair

• Wearing of corona civica 

Porta Maggiore, Rome, rustication, ca. 50 CE

• Monumental portal/ gate where two aqueducts converge

• Trapezoidal monument with forms imitating bread-making

• Rusticated architecture– Deliberate unfinished look, architectural origins 

• Pediments are highly finished

• Capitals are more finished than shafts, still kind of rusticated 

• Triple attic for channels of water 

• Esoteric, evocative, aquatarian form

Nero 54-68 CE

• Son of Agrippina the younger (Claudius’s fourth wife)

• Stepson of Claudius

• Young when he came into rule

• Ambitious and powerful mother

  • She poisoned Claudius so Nero could gain power (perchance)

• Self-luxury and self-comfort

• Accused of being monstrous– had mom, wife, and brother executed 

• Interested in arts, music, and architecture

• Forced to commit suicide by Praetorian guard 

• Bro built a villa near a lake all for himself, disguised it as public amenity 

• Murdered in 68 CE, followed by Galba and Vitellius as emperors

• Known for his extravagant lifestyle and artistic pursuits

• His rule saw the Great Fire of Rome in 64 CE

• Accused of blaming Christians for the fire

• Last emperor of the Julio-Claudian dynasty

  • Portrait head from Palatine Hill, Rome, marble, ca. 59-64 CE

    • Wore his hair longer

    • Had facial hair, rejection of Roman ideals

Roman architectural revolution: discovery of pozzolana near Bay of Naples

This innovation allowed for the development of concrete, enabling the construction of more durable and complex structures.

Roman concrete becomes more versatile and sturdy with pozzolana

• When water is added, strong aggregate is formed 

• Caligula innovates structural concrete by taking out larger pieces of rubble, making it lighter

  • Adds pumice stone or toufa

Severus and Celer, architects, Domus Aurea (Golden House), Esquiline Hill, Rome, 64-68 CE, mimics villa maritima in heart of city

• Around Bay of Naples

• Controversial due to him remaking building codes to capitalize on concrete productions, rebuilding areas with brick-faced concrete 

  • Actually effective and safer tho

• He also appropriated land and built a maritime villa in the middle of the city

• Artificial lake and large gardens added

  • Statues of rustics added to the gardens

• 20 ft tall bronze statue of Nero as god of the sun

Octagonal hall with dome and oculus; 4th style of wall decoration, Fabulus (painter)

• All made of concrete

  • Exploiting of architectural possibilities with concrete 

• Hemispherical dome with oculus (“little eye”)

• Creation of a novel interior space with complexity

• Use of sophisticated light effects 

• Each side opens to barrel vaults or groin vaults 

• Structure lacks decorative skin, would’ve been covered with marble, mosaics, fountains, and cascades 

• Vaults would’ve been covered with stucco reliefs and paintings 

• Combines elements of 2nd and 3rd styles

  • Return to illusionism, but uses slender and tiny architecture

• Use of fragmented views 

• High quality and refinement of paintings 

Art and Architecture of the Flavians

Vespasian 69-79, Titus 79-81and Domitian 81-96 CE; marked a period of monumental building projects including the Colosseum and significant innovations in concrete architecture.

Vespasian 69-79

• Elected after disappointments of Galba and Vitellius 

• Policies very different from Nero, return to classic Roman ideals

  • Frugality, thrift, public service, etc. 

Portrait head of Vespasian, ca.75-79 marble

• Made in middle of his reign

• Made for break in Judio-Claudian imagery

• Veristic

• Cleanshaven, classical Roman

• Anti Greek culture again

• Very popular among plebians

• It represents Vespasian's return to traditional Roman values and realistic portraiture, in contrast to the idealized forms of previous emperors. The style emphasizes age and experience, appealing to the common citizen.

Templum Pacis, Rome, 71-79

• Joined to imperial forum, added beforehand

• “Forum of peace”

• Didn’t end up surviving

• Filled with shrubbery and statuary

• Frieze with domestic imports– emphasis on public piety and military virtues 

• Constructed under Vespasian, symbolizing peace after civil war.

• Served as a large public space for gatherings and ceremonies.

Flavian amphitheater (Colosseum), Rome, 70-80

• Seated 50 thousand people and Made of concrete

• Designed to control flow of crowds without stampede or slowing down

• Complex has a series of corridors/ annular vaults

  • Barrel vaults that curve around

• Many levels underground

• Hydraulic system, innovation of elevators 

• Pit could be flooded for marine battles

• Name was eventually changed to "Colosseum" 

  • Called so due to statue of god of sun from Golden House

• Use of Greek order overlaid over arches

  • No structure purpose, just decorative and prestigious 

  • Doric, Ionic, Corinthian, and Corinthian pilasters (bottom to top)

• Fabric that would get spread over the top if it started raining or too hot 

Barrel vaults

Curved structures forming a ceiling or roof, constructed using a series of arches. They allow for greater spans and support the weight of ceilings or roofs.

Titus 79-81

• Continued expeditions in Judea and Jerusalem 

• Son of Flavius

• Continues convention of veristic portraiture 

• Favoring of public architecture

Togate statue of Titus, from Rome, 79-81, marble

• Veristic-A style of portraiture emphasizing hyper-realism, often showcasing age and experience, popular in Roman art.

Domitian 81-96

• Younger brother of Titus

• Similar to Nero

Bust of Flavian woman, Rome, ca. 90 Marble

• Flavian portraits of women had elaborate hairstyles

Arch of Titus, Via Sacra, Rome, ca. 81 (erected by Domitian shortly after death of Titus)

• Erected in memory of Titus

• Triumphal arch, commemorates victory in Jerusalem and pillaging 

• Built by Senate and people of Rome

• Believed theory Titus’s ashes are inside the monument

• Jams of arch are reliefs

• Barrel vault has coffers with rosettes inside

• Eagle carrying soul of Titus into the afterlife on top

• Victory in spandrels 

• Frieze with procession of sacrifice