QUIZ 3 Roman Art History

Aureus

The standard Roman gold coin, which under Augustus weighed 1/40 of a pound

bay

the arcuated passage way of a triumphal arch or city gate

broken pediment

Triangular space at the end of a building, formed by the ends of the sloping roof above the colonade. A broken pediment is a half pediment.

buttress

An exterior masonry structure that opposes the lateral thrust of an arch or a vault. Also a verb. 

Classicizing

Imitating the Greek Classical Style

Clementia

Clemency- an act of mercy or leniency by an executive—either a president or a governor—for a person convicted of a crime.

clerestory

The fenestrated part of a building that rises above the roofs of the other parts. In a basilica or Egyptian oecus, the clerestory is teh second-story set of windows in the nave below the roof. 

coffer

a sunken panel in a cieling (pantheon)

Concordia

Concord or harmony, as between husband and wife or between co-rulers

cuirass

Leather breast plate, body armor

Dacicus

an honarary title, meaning victor over teh Dacians

Damnatio memoriae

The senatorial decree damning a person’s memory. those who suffered this had their portraits destroyed or defaces and their names erased from public monuments

decumanus

The main eat-west street ina. Roman City

Decursio

The ritual circling of a funerary pyre

Denarius

The standard Roman silver coin, worth 1/25 of an aureus

Deus

a god

divus

a deified mortal/god

dome

a hemispherical vault; theoretically an arch rotated on its vertical axis

encaustic

a Painting technique in which pigment is mixed with wax and applied to the surface while hot

exempla virtusis

Models of virtue and valor

Fecunditas

Fertility

genius

the alter ego or guardian spirit of a person

gladiator

a professional fighter, usually a slave who had been purchased to train as a hand to hand combtatant for public entertainment in an aphitheater.

lenos sarcophagus

a bathtub-shaped sarcophagus with rounded corners

libertus

freedman/woman

optimus princeps

the best princeps; teh title conferred on the emperor Trajan

paludamentum

a military clock

pater

father

pax

peace

patera

an offering plate for pouring a libation at a Roman sacrifice

quadrifons

a Freestanding arch with four sides of equal width and an arcuated opening on each side; a four sided triumphal arch

rostra

the speakers platform in the forum romanum

sarcophagus

a coffin, usually of stone.

searpeum

a temple dedicated to the Egyptian god serapis

tempera

a painting medium employing pigments in egg yolk

tholos

a temple with a circular plan

tondo

a relief or painting with a. circular frame. Also called a roundel.

trophy

a tree trunk adorned with the enemy’s captured arms and armor

venationes

Wild animal hunts staged in amphitheater.