Myth and Religion 1.6 - Myth and Symbols of Power

What does the centauromachy depict?

The battle between the Lapiths and the Centaurs

Who were the Lapiths?

A tribe of men who lived in Thessaly

Who was the first king of the Lapiths?

Ixion

Who invited Ixion to dinner?

Zeus

Who did Ixion take a liking to?

Hera

How did Zeus trick Ixion?

He made a doll out of clouds that looked like Hera

What happened after Ixion coupled with the cloud?

The next rains that fell gave birth to the Centaurs

Who was the father of the Centaurs?

Ixion the Lapith king

How were the centaurs different to the Lapiths?

They lived in caves, hunted wild food and fought with rocks

What were the Centaurs not good at?

Crafts, hospitality and religion

Where is Thessaly?

A region in central Greece

At what event does the Centauromachy take place?

The wedding of the Lapith king Perithos son of Ixion

Who was Pirithous about to marry?

Hippodemia

Which other hero was invited to Pirithous' wedding?

Theseus

What made the wedding of Pirithous go wrong?

The Centaurs got drunk and started attacking the women

How did the wedding of Pirithous end?

Theseus and the Lapiths either killed or chased off the Centaurs

What does the centauromachy represent?

The fight of civilisation versus barbarism

What drinking habit shows the uncivilised nature of the Centaurs?

The drink their wine unmixed

What was the motivation in inviting the Centaurs to the wedding?

To make up for the behaviour of Ixion

Why did the story of the Lapiths and Centaurs have an affinity in Greece?

After defeating the Persians at Plataea they saw this as representing their overcoming the barbarians

What did the Persians do to Athens and when did they do it?

Sacked the city destroying the temples on the Acropolis in 480 BCE

Why would it be important for the Athenians to include a centauromachy on the Parthenon?

It shows their ultimate victory and shows their power over the Persians

Who rebuilt the Parthenon and when did he do it?

Pericles 449 BCE

Who's inclusion in the myth of the Lapiths and Centaurs would be particularly apt for Athens?

Theseus

How many of the metopes on the Parthenon depict the Centauromachy

34

What problem do we have with the metopes on the Parthenon depicting the Centauromachy?

They are heavily fragmented

Why are the metopes varied in their style?

They would have been carved by a variety of sculptors

What objectives did the sculptors have when carving metopes?

Recognisable scene, realism, no big blank areas

How is it easy to make the centauromachy recognisable?

Centaurs in the scene are easy to see

Who were the Amazons?

A mythical race of women

Where did the Amazons come from?

Asia Minor

When did the Amazons make use of men?

To repopulate

Which men did the Amazons use for population control?

A neighbouring tribe

What did Amazons do with male babies?

Kill them

Where is Asia Minor?

The western two thirds of modern Turkey

What is an Amazonomachy?

The mythical battle between the Greeks and Amazons

What was the first battle between the Amazons and Greeks?

Heracles fighting Hippolyta

What was the Attic War about between Greeks and Amazons?

After Heracles had brought back an Amazonian wife for Theseus the Amazons attacked Athens

Who led the Greek forces in the Attic War?

Heracles and Theseus

What does the Amazonomachy represent to the Greeks?

Overcoming a foreign power

Where else is a centauramachy depicted?

On the western pediment on the Temple of Zeus at Olympia

Where is Bassae?

A small town 36 miles south east of Olympia in the west of the Peloponnese

Why does it seem odd to build a temple at Bassae?

It is geographically isolated

When was the temple at Bassae started?

450 BCE

Who designed the temple at Bassae and what else had he worked on?

Iktinos; the Parthenon

What is unique about the frieze on the Temple at Bassae?

It ran around the naos and so you could take it all in standing in one place

Being able to take the frieze in standing in one place on the Temple at Bassae had what benefit?

You could follow the narrative a lot easier

Why does the choice of scene suit the space provided on the frieze on the Temple at Bassae?

Battles provide a busy and interesting scene for viewers

What scene is shown on the east and south east side of the frieze at the temple of Bassae?

The Heraclean Amazonomachy

What was Heracles trying to get in his battle with Hippolyta?

Her belt

Where can Heracles be found on the frieze of the Temple at Bassae?

On one of the south blocks

What can Heracles be found wearing on the frieze of the Temple at Bassae?

His lion skin cloak

What were the objectives for the scultpor on the frieze at Bassae

Easily recognisable, realism, no big blank spaces

When was Octavian born and what was his name at birth?

63 BCE Gaius Octavius Thurinus

What happened to Octavian at the age of 19?

Julius Caesar was assasinated and Octavian was named as his adopted heir and son

Who did Octavian defeat when he was first consul?

Brutus and Cassius

What is a consul?

The most important public official in Rome after the emporer

How many consuls were elected annually?

2

What does Res Gestae Divi Augusti mean?

The Achievements of the Divine Augustus

what was the res gestae divi Augusti?

A book written by Augustus about what he thought were his greatest achievements

Who did Octavian form an alliance with?

Marcus Lepidus and Marc Antony

What was the alliance called that Octavian formed?

The Second Triumvirate

How long did the Triumvirate rule Rome for?

10 years

What led to the collapse of the Triumvirate?

Greed and jealousy

What happened to Lepidus in 36 BCE?

He was accused of inciting a revolt and was exiled

What provoked the people of Rome to lose thir love for Marc Antony?

His will was found and he had left the eastern provinces of Rome to Cleopatra and her children

Once Octavian had taken control what lesson did he learn from his predecessors?

Not to be called king or dictator

What tool did Octavian use in order to increase his power and superiority?

Propaganda

What did Octavian say was the reason that he changed his naem to Augustus?

After he had won the civil war he had handed over his power to the senate and the people and for that they called him Augustus

When did the senate give him the name Augustus?

27 BCE

What does Augustus mean?

Venerable, esteemed and respected

What were the goals of the architecture of Augustan Rome?

Recreate the golden age of architecture, Pax Romana, Pax Deorum, self and family promotion

What was the Pax Romana?

The Peace of Rome

What was the Pax Deorum?

The Peace of the Gods

What period did Augustus see as the high point in architectural and sculptural design?

5th century Athens

What buildings inspired Augustus' vision for Rome?

The Parthenon

What was so important about the concept of the Pax Deorum for the Romans?

If the gods were appeased Rome would flourish, if they were angered Rome would suffer

In what way did Augustus market himself as the bringer of peace?

By winning the Battle of Actium he had ended the civil war

Why did Augustus need to promote himself and his family?

Although he gave the impression that Rome was a Republic he was the first citizen and so needed to promote himself and his family

What version of the Prima Porta do we have now?

A marble copy

When was the version of the Prima Porta that we have now made?

Between 20 BCE and 14 BCE

Who was the Prima Porta made for?

Augustus' wife Livia

Where was the original location of the Prima Porta?

Livia's villa in Prima Porta, nine miles north of Rome

Where is the current Prima Porta?

Vatican Museum

What is the significance of the Prima Porta?

It is an excellent example of how Augustus wanted to be seen by the Roman people

What scultpure is the Prima Porta based on? Who sculpted this?

The Doryphorus (spear bearer) by Polykleitos

Why would the Prima Porta have used the Doryphorus as its inspiration?

it was considered a depiction of the ideal man

What are the four ways that the sculptor of the Prima Porter has Romanised the statue?

The right arm, the clothing,the standards, the statue of Cupid

What is different about the right arm of The Prima Porta

His arm is raised in the pose of a general addressing his army

What id different about the clothing on The Prima Porta?

The breastplate worn by Augustus portrays him as a soldier and contains religious images.

What does Augustus wear around his waist in The Prima Porta?

A senatorial toga

What gods are depicted on the breastplate of The Prima Porta?

Apollo, Artemis, Tellus

What is the significance of Apollo on The Prima Porta?

He was Augustus' patron god

Who is Tellus and what is she holding on The Prima Porta?

Mother earth, cornucopia

What is the point of the standards on The Prima Porta?

They represent the return of the standards lost by Crassus and Marc Antony

Who negotiated with the Parthians to get the standards back and when was this done?

Tiberius 20 BCE

What was the importance of the standards and why have them on the breastplate?

The symbolised the legion and the army Augustus getting them back brought back pride after 2 humiliating defeats

Why is there a statue of Cupid at the feet of Augustus on The Prima Porta?

He is a descendant of Venus through Aeneas and so he is showing his link to the goddess

What is the significance of Augustus being barefooted?

This was a pose reserved for heroes and gods

Who are the two people that could be the Roman on the breastplate?

Tiberius of Mars Ultor