Rome Early Empire The Early Empire 27 BCE

Rome: Early Empire

The Early Empire (27 BCE. – 98 CE. ) n Antony and Cleopatra vanquished. n In 31 BCE, Octavian (Augustus) defeated Mark Antony in the Battle of Actium and became the undisputed master of the Roman world as the emperor Augustus. n The battle signaled the end of the absorption of the Hellenistic kingdoms into the Roman empire. n The old Roman Republic ended in 27 BCE. when the Senate conferred on Octavian the title of Augustus. n The Pax Romana: n The peace and prosperity Augustus brought to the Mediterranean world and which prevailed for two centuries is known as the Pax Romana – “Roman Peace”. n During this time a number of public works were commissioned throughout the empire. Augustus and the Julio-Claudians (27 BCE. – 98 CE. )

43. Portrait of Augustus as General, from Primaporta, Italy, copy of a bronze original, ca. 20 BCE. Marble, 6' 8" high n The youthful portrait of Augustus is idealized in the Greek manner. n The central group depicted on the cuirass (breastplate) shows a Parthian giving back the lost eagle from Carthage to a Roman general. n Taken as a whole, the scene conveys the godgiven peace, order and fertility accomplished by the new ruler of the world. Note the similarity to the Greek Polykleitos’ Doryphoros (Canon), 450 BCE. **Khan Academy Video

Detail of Portrait of Augustus as General Primaporta, Italy, copy of a bronze original, ca. 20 BCE. Marble, 6' 8" high Augustus’ “ancester” cupid riding a dolphin: The presence of Cupid hints at the emperor’s claim of divine ancestry – tracing back to Venus (Cupid is Venus’ son). The dolphin itself refers to Augustus’ naval victory at Actium. Augustus of Primaporta – Sm. ART History video

Ara Pacis Augustae ca. 13 -9 BCE. Augustus boasted that when he found Rome it was a city of brick, but he transformed it into a city of marble. Narrative relief commemorated the emperor’s achievements. • Augustus preferred to be depicted as a defender of peace rather than as a military hero. • Beautifully carved in high relief, this monumental frieze depicts allegorical and legendary scenes, and is ornamented with elegant plant motifs.

Ara Pacis Augustae, (panel from the east facade) 13– 9 BCE. Marble, approx. 5' 3" high The relief depicts a seated matron with two animated babies on her lap. Her identity has been much disputed, however the depiction of peace & prosperity is key.

Ara Pacis, (detail of the south frieze), Procession of the Imperial Family. Notice how the children look like children. Portrayal of men with families was politically motivated to increase the birthrate among the nobility. • The frieze has a Hellenistic, classical style. • The procession is a depiction of a real event – probably it represents the ceremony for the inauguration of the construction of the altar in 13 BCE. • The people depicted are portraits of individuals who participated in the event. • There is a great concern for, and successful depiction of spatial depth.

Procession of the Imperial Family Ara Pacis, Rome, Italy ca. 13 -9 BCE. compare to: Panathenic Festival Procession, Parthenon, Acropolis, Athens, Greece, ca. 447 -438 BCE. Ara Pacis – Sm. ART History video

Maison Carrée • “Square House” Nîmes, France, ca. 1– 10 CE. • It was much admired by Thomas Jefferson (US president & architect), who used it as the model for the State Capitol in Richmond, Virginia. • Similar to Fortuna Virilis - elevated entrance, pseudoperipteral columns • Maison Caree is larger though, and has 6 columns in front, instead of 4.

Pont du Gard • The great aqueduct-bridge at Nîmes, France: • A three-story aqueduct-bridge known today as the Pont-du-Gard demonstrates the skill of Rome's engineers. • It provided 100 gallons of water a day to the city dwellers from 30 miles away. • Each arch spans 82’ & is constructed of blocks weighing 2 tons each. • The upper portion carried the water itself.

Porta Maggiore (A Roman City Gate) Constructed at a point where two of Rome's water lines and two major roads converged, the Porta Maggiore is an outstanding example of the Roman rusticated masonry style. The attic (upper portion) concealed the aqueducts one above the other.

The Flavians (69– 96 CE): n n The suicide of Nero in 68 CE. brought an end to the Julio-Claudian dynasty. Following a period of civil strife, Vespasian emerged as the new emperor. Vespasian, whose family name was Flavius, was succeeded by his son Titus. After Titus's death in 81 CE. , Vespasian's second son, Domitian, became emperor. The huge amphitheater in Rome known as the Colosseum was begun by Vespasian and completed by Titus in 80 CE.

The Colosseum

A Triumph of Roman Engineering: n The Colosseum was built using concrete. n The Colosseum still represents Rome more than any other building n The exterior, made of travertine, is divided into four bands. n The large arched openings that pierce the lower three are framed by engaged columns with Tuscan Doric capitals at the bottom, then Ionic capitals, and Corinthian capitals on the third level.

The Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater) The oval seating area is supported by a complex system of concrete barrel vaults.

Portrait Bust of a Flavian Woman Rome, Italy, ca. 90 CE. Marble, approx. 2' 1" high This bust is notable for its elegance and delicacy and for the virtuoso ways the sculptor rendered the differing textures of hair and flesh.

Arch of Titus – Sm. ART History video Arch of Titus Rome, Italy, after 81 CE. • Erected by Dominitian in honor of his brother Titus. • It is typical of earlier triumphal arches and consists of only one passageway. • It is framed by engaged columns with composite capitals. • The spandrels* contain reliefs of winged female Victory figures. *Spandrel: The ‘triangular’ space between the outer curve of an arch and the rectangle it is framed by.

Triumph of Titus Arch of Titus, relief panel ca. 81 CE. Marble, approx. 7' 10" high. Divine Gods interact with the Human emperor.

Spoils of Jerusalem Two large, deeply carved relief panels on the inside of the passageway show the triumphal parade of Titus down the Sacred Way after his return from the conquest of Judea at the end of the Jewish Wars in 70 CE.

Spoils of Jerusalem The principle of movement is successfully employed. The diagonal angles of figures pressing forward, the obliquely placed arch, and the high relief, all contribute to the sense of movement. Only the Menorah is static.

High Empire (96 – 192 CE. ) n The Roman Empire at Its Peak: Under Trajan, Hadrian, and the Antonines in the second century CE, the Roman Empire reached its greatest geographic extent and the height of its power. n Trajan (98– 117 CE. ) n n The Spanish Emperor: Under Trajan, the first non-Italian to become emperor, Rome expanded its rule even further abroad. Trajan instituted a number of social programs to secure the welfare of the Roman people.

Plan of Timgad (Thamugadi), Algeria, founded 100 CE. A New Colony in Africa: A new colony for army veterans, founded by Trajan in 100 CE. follows a plan that resembles a Roman military encampment. All new cities & colonial settlements were laid out in the same manner © 2003 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license.

45. The Forum of Trajan. Rome, Italy. Apollodorus of Damascus. Forum and Markets: 106 – 112 CE; column completed 113 CE. Brick and concrete (architecture); marble (column) n n Rome's Greatest Forum: includes a triumphal arch, a colonnaded open square, a basilica, a temple, two libraries, and a giant commemorative column with a tomb at its base. Architecht: Apollodorus of Damascus, dedicated in 112 CE.

• Architect: Apollodorus of Damascus • Restored in the 1990’s, the column is one hundred twenty-eight feet high. • Coins indicate that it was once crowned by a heroically nude statue of the emperor. But now a statue of St. Peter sits atop it. Column of Trajan • The square base is the emperor’s mausoleum. Inside it, golden urns contain his & his wife’s ashes.

• Free standing columns were used as monuments since Hellenic times • Column was originally topped with a statue that was destroyed in the Middle Ages • The scenes rarely show actual combat. There is more attention paid to geography and politics. • The column of Trajan is similar to Near East reliefs, though it is unclear if there is a link between them. Column of Trajan – Sm. ART History video Column of Trajan, Rome, 106 -13 CE.

Column of Trajan n n An epic narrative: The colossal freestanding column is decorated with a continuous, spiraling, narrative frieze. The frieze depicts Trajan's two successful campaigns against the Dacians (ancient Romanians). The spiraling frieze is 625’ long. It has been likened to an illustrated scroll. It shows 150 episodes containing 2500 figures. It is sculpted in low relief at the bottom, so as not to disturb the shape of the column originally enhanced by paint. The frieze band increases in height as it moves upwards to help in the viewing of the story. The depth of the relief also increases with the height.

• Portrait has emotional intensity, a combination of Greek pathos and Roman nobility – strong brow, commanding gaze. • Trajan conformed to the Roman tradition of being clean-shaven. After Trajan, emperors wore beards to depict Hellenic tradition. Trajan, 100 CE.

Markets of Trajan Built as a multilevel complex on the slope of the Quirinal hill to house both shops and administrative offices. The basic unit was the taberna, a single-room shop covered by a barrel vault. Architect: Apollodorus of Damascus

Trajan’s Markets • This is an example of the indoor market hall that would house the tabernas. • the hall housed two floors of shops, with the upper shops set back on each side and lit by skylights. • Light also entered the ground floor shops via the groin vaults above

Arch of Trajan n n The Triumphal Arch as Billboard: Relief panels illustrating Trajan's achievements cover both façades. Every inch was used to advertise the emperor’s achievements as “all things to all people” Benevento, Italy, ca. 114– 118 CE.

Hadrian (117– 138 CE. ) n n This idealized portrait of Hadrian was modeled on statues of mature Greek men (his facial hair tells us that). Hadrian admired Greek culture and in Grecian fashion, he wore a beard. Hadrian started a fad! For more than a century after, all other Roman emperors wore beards. Hadrian had more portraits made than any other emperor except Augustus. Portrait bust of Hadrian as General, Tel Shalem, Israel, ca. 130– 138 CE. Bronze, approx. 2' 11" high

Hadrian’s Pantheon 118 -125 CE “The temple of all gods, ” the pantheon is one of the best preserved buildings of antiquity.

© 2003 Wadsworth, a division of Thomson Learning, Inc. Thomson Learning™ is a trademark used herein under license. Longitudinal and lateral sections of Pantheon Rome, Italy 118 -125 CE. • One of the most influential designs in architectural history. • Only the columned entryway is a tribute to antiquity (Greece and Etruria) all other aspects were revolutionary. • The top of the dome is 142’ from the floor & diameter of dome is also 142’

• The dome’s circular opening – the occulus – is thirty feet in diameter and is the only light source for the interior. • Coffers also lightened the load of the dome’s ceiling, as did the concrete. • Each coffer had a gilded bronze rosette in the center imitating the stars of the heavens. Pantheon 118 -125 CE • Roman architects were the 1 st to conceive architecture as units of space that could be shaped by enclosures.

Hadrian’s Villa, Tivoli – Sm. ART History video Hadrian's villa n n ca. 130– 138 CE. Hadrian was the architect. A Well-Traveled Emperor's Retreat: at Tivoli, it includes a pool and an artificial grotto, called the Canopus (oval pool) and Serapeum (artificial grotto). Commemorated the emperor's trip to Egypt. The Canopus, however, is lined with marble copies of Greek statues and its most unique features are the arcuated lintels atop the Corinthian colonnade.

Hadrian's villa – the artificial Grotto ca. 130– 138 CE