Portrait Bust of Vespasian

c. 69-79 CE (when he ruled)

Roman

Imperial Period

Marble

--Julio-Claudian = generally refers to the first 5 emperors of Ancient Rome: Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula, Claudius and Nero

--Brings veristic ("true to life") style back to Rome

--Called the "Savior of Rome"

Colosseum (Flavian Ampitheater)

72-80 CE

Roman, Imperial Period

Concrete faced with travertine (beige-colored Roman marble)

Roman Forum, Rome; Commissioned by Vespasian

--Location is key! In Forum because it is the civic/religious center of the city; begun by Caesar and upheld by Augustus

--Location = previously a lake made by Nero after the fires of Rome; VESPASIAN drains lake and builds PUBLIC SPORTING ARENA

--Free to all Roman citizens

--Roman interpretation of Greek theater (basically stuck two together to form arena)

--Columns compared to Parthenon; Colosseum's columns are just for decoration with no fluting while the Parthenon would topple without them

--Could fit 50,000 and evacuate in 10 minutes

Gladitorial Games

--Sport

--Romans have 3 values: win by any means, death before dishonor, and self-sacrifice

--Those values are embodied in the games

--NAUMACHIA = mock naval battles

--Amazing because Colosseum could be flooded and drained in less than a day

--Battles are usually reenactments; shows importance Romans place on their history 

Colossus of Nero

--Colosseum is built next Colossus of Nero to remind everyone who entered what Nero did and how much better off they were under Vespasian

--Juxtaposition of two monuments shown on COIN OF ANTONIUS GORDIANUS III PIUS (238-244 CE)

Velarium

--Retractable roof; could provide shade--

Arches & Columns of Colosseum

--Arches = distinctly Roman feature

--No fluting on columns unless referencing the Greeks

--Columns have kind of Hierarchical Scale as you move up the structure (Doric --> Corinthian)

Engaged Column

--1/2 a column embedded into wall--

Pilaster

--Engaged column with square shaft and Corinthian capitol

--THIS IS KNOWN AS THE TUSCAN ORDER

Arch of Titus

81 CE

Roman, Imperial Period

Pentelic and Cararra Marble (Imperial Marble) over Concrete

Forum, Rome. Commissioned by Domition (sone of Vespasian, brother of Titus)

--Titus sent troops to Pompeii and Herculaneum to set up shelters after Mt. Vesuvius erupted

--Arch = TRIUMPHAL ARCH = marks a great Roman victory; granted by senate (even though commissioned by Domitian); also a monument to commemorate the TRIUMPHAL PROCESSION

--Top (ATTIC) is Carrara, bottom = Greek marble (signifies Rome is stronger/better, but recognizes their Greek predecessors)

--SPQR = initials of Republic; shows Domition's "humility" in honoring his brother

Triumph of Titus

70 CE

Victory over Judea

--Nike (goddess of victory) crowns Titus w/ laurel wreath

--Riding in QUADRIGA (4-horse chariot of the emperor) led by personification of Roma

--Everyone on same level (ISOCEPHALIC) except for emperor; designates his importance

--ATMOSPHERIC PERSPECTIVE = as you get farther away the relief fades creating illusion of depth

--FASCES = spear-looking things; series of reeds bound together w/ axe tied to it; shows strength in numbers; CENTRAL ICONOGRAPHY FOR REPUBLIC

Spoils of Jerusalem

81 CE

Roman, Imperial Period

Marble

From Arch of Titus, opposite of Triumph of Titus

--Shows 7-branch Menorah; specific to Temple of Jerusalem

--Shows Triumphal Procession passing under arch

--Images walk with you, making victories eternal; every time someone passes under, history repeats itself

Apotheosis of Titus

81 CE

Roman, Imperial Period

Marble

From Arch of Titus, up in coffers, at APEX of arch

--APOTHEOSIS = deification of Titus

--Riding on wings of Jupiter to Heaven

--Makes monument both political and religious

Pantheon

125-128 CE

Roman, Imperial Period

Commissioned by Emperor Hadrian (dedicated to Marcus Agrippa, the first to build a temple on the Campus Martius)

Brick and concrete

--Pantheon = temple where ALL GODS, not just Roman

--Located on Campus Martius, "Field of Mars"

--Campus Martius = where soldiers live and train

--Empire was so expansive that soldiers had many different gods, so the Pantheon gave them a place to worship and honor their respective deities

Architecture of Pantheon

--Facade - columns = monolithic of Egyptian Granite (35 Ft)

--Smooth column with Corinthian capitol

--There is no evidence of any lost or broken columns; impressive because they were all transported whole, not in pieces like the Parthenon

--Further demonstration of power and wealth of Ancient Rome

Atrium

--Would be in front of Pantheon

--Transitional element between secular and religious/spiritual world

--Helps buffer sound

Dome

--Arch in 360 degrees (uniquely Roman)

--Dome in Pantheon demonstrates universality of Roman Empire; "umbrella"

--Dome of Heaven = notion of representation of divine

--Pantheon = largest concrete dome in the world after 2,000 years

Centralized Plan

--Pattern radiating from single point--

Oculus

--Hole in center of dome (where keystone would be in an arch)--