Etruscan &
Roman Art
Chapter 6
- In the 8th Century BCE, a group of people
known as the Etruscans gained control of
central and northern Italy.
!
- The Etruscans gained artistic inspiration
from Greece and the Near East creating
their own style.
!
- They incorporated Greek gods and heroes
into their pantheon.
!
Pantheon = (the group of gods as a whole).
The Etruscans
Temple of Minerva (c. 510 - 500 BCE) Wood, mud brick, and tufa (volcanic
rock). Veii (near Rome), Italy.
- Architecture was simple, but their temples and buildings had very ornate sculptures and paintings.
!
- Created terra cotta sculptures for the roofs of their temples.
!
- Etruscan temples have basically vanished…why?
!
- We only know the details about Etruscan architecture because the Roman architect, Vitruvius, wrote a
book called De Architectura in the late 1st century BCE.
The Etruscans
- These large terra cotta figures took lots of skill to create so that the clay
would not collapse while they were molded.
!
- Apollo (god of music, poetry, etc.) is shown with the archaic smile.
!
- Figure has been modeled after the Greek kouroi statues.
!
- Apollo was most likely one of the central sculptures on the roof of the
Temple of Minerva.
Master Sculptor Vulca. Apollo (c. 510 - 500 BCE) Terra
cotta and paint. Height 5’ 10”. Portonaccio, Veii, Italy.
Anavysos Kouros (c. 530 BCE) Marble with
remnants of paint. Height 6’4”. Found near
Athens, Greece.
What are the Differences?
Master Sculptor Vulca. Apollo
(c. 510 - 500 BCE) Terra cotta
and paint. Height 5’ 10”.
Portonaccio, Veii, Italy.
The Etruscans
- The Etruscans commonly
built tombs for their dead and
the dead’s possessions.
!
- These tombs were entirely
underground.
!
- These scenes could be what
the after-life was thought to
look like.
!
- The wall painting, Dancing
and Diners (c. 480 - 470
BCE), shows young men and
women dancing to music.
!
- The dancers line the walls
and at the end of the room
couples recline on couches.
!
!
!
Dancers and Diners, Tomb of the Triclinium (c. 480 - 470 BCE). Fresco painting. Tarquinia,
Italy.
- Males are painted with darker skin…females
are lighter.
!
- Ancient Mediterranean funerals often were
accompanied by games, music, and dancing.
!
- The actual wall paintings were removed in
1949 and placed in the Museo Nazionale in
Tarquinia.
!
Barbiton Player, Tomb of the Triclinium (c. 480 - 470 BCE).
Fresco painting. Museo Nazionale, Tarquinia, Italy.
Two Dancers, Tomb of the Triclinium (c. 480 - 470 BCE). Fresco painting. Museo Nazionale, Tarquinia, Italy.
The Etruscans
- The ashes of the dead were buried in
sarcophagi or urns.
!
- A husband an wife are shown relaxing
on a dining couch.
!
- The man once held a drinking glass in
his right hand.
!
- Is this piece somber and sad?
!
Unknown. Reclining Couple on a Sarcophagus (c. 520 BCE) Terra
cotta and paint. Length 6’ 7”. Cerveteri, Italy. Museo Nazionale di
Villa Giulia, Rome, Italy.
- A similar sarcophagus is in the Louvre, and may
have been made in the same workshop as the Rome
version.
Unknown. Sarcophagus of the Spouses (c. 520-510 BCE) Terra cotta and paint. Length 6’ 4”. Cerveteri, Italy. Musée
du Louvre, Paris, France.
Unknown. Sarcophagus of the Spouses (c. 520-510 BCE) Terra cotta and paint. Length 6’ 4”. Cerveteri, Italy. Musée du Louvre,
Paris, France.
The Etruscans
- The Romans were at one time controlled by
the Etruscans, but formed their own republic in
509 BCE.
!
- Romans finally disbanded Etruria by the 3rd
Century BCE.
!
- Rome then defeated Carthage (North Africa)
allowing them to control the entire
Mediterranean region.
!
- By the 2nd Century BCE the Roman Empire
controlled almost all of Europe, the Near East,
and North Africa.
Unknown. Capitoline She-Wolf (5th Century BCE? or 7th/8th Century
CE?, Romulus & Remus added in 15th Century CE). Bronze. Height
25 1/2”.
Myth of Rome...
1. The god Mars and a mortal woman had two sons, Romulus and Remus.
2. These boys were abandoned and a she-wolf nursed the boys and raised them as
her own.
3. When the boys grew up, they founded a town near where they were found...aka
Rome, Italy.
Unknown. Capitoline She-Wolf (5th Century BCE? or 7th/8th Century CE?,
Romulus & Remus added in 15th Century CE) Bronze. Height 25 1/2”.
Periods in Ancient
ROME
The Republic (509 -27 BCE)
Early Empire (27 BCE - 96 CE)
High Imperial Art of Trajan and Hadrian (96 - 200 CE)
The Late Empire (200 - 300 CE)
The Romans: The Republic (509 -27 BCE)
Religion
- The Romans used the Greek gods and
goddesses as well as their myths.
!
- The emperors of Rome were also made into
gods.
!
- Making an oath to the emperor was seen as
the official religion.
!
- Other religions, such as Judaism, Christianity,
and polytheistic religions from Egypt and the
Near East challenged the Roman ideas of
religion.
The Republic
- Early Rome was led by the Senate
!
- There were two social classes: the patricians
(wealthy class) and the plebeians (lower class)
!
- The Roman Republic was established in 509 BCE
after they defeated the Etruscans.
!
!
Roman Timeline:
509 BCE: Roman Republic is started.
275 BCE: They control the entire area of Italy.
150 BCE: Rome defeats Macedonia and Greece.
146 BCE: Rome defeats Carthage.
44 BCE: Rome conquers Gaul (France)
31 BCE: Rome defeats Egypt.
The Romans: The Republic
(509 -27 BCE)
- Roman artists placed a lot of emphasis on portraiture. !
!
- Artists wanted to create lifelike portrait statues and
sculptures.
!
- Sculptors sought to make art look like the people they
were sculpting.
!
- This bust is meant to display the seriousness of mind
(gravitas) and the virtue (virtus) of public service.
!
Verism = extreme naturalism in art and literature…to the
point where features are exaggerated.
Unknown. Head of a Roman Patrician (c. 75 - 50 BCE) Marble. Height
14”. Palazzo Torlonia, Rome, Italy.
The Romans The Republic:
(509 -27 BCE)
!- The arch was not a Roman or Etruscan invention...but
they were the first to use it frequently.
!
- Round arches place most of the weight on the curved
stones on the side.
!
- The keystone locks all the bricks in place.
!
- The Pont du Gard was used to bring water from a
spring 30 miles north using gravity to allow the water to
flow south.
Pont du Gard (1st Century BCE) Height
160’. Nîmes, France.
Pont du Gard (1st Century BCE) Height 160’. Nîmes, France.
The Romans: The Republic (509 -27 BCE)
!
- Architecture in Rome showed both
Greek and Etruscan influences.
!
- Portunus = god of harbors and ports
(originally the god of keys, doors, and
livestock)
!
Engaged Columns = columns and
half-columns engaged into the walls.
Unknown. Temple of Portunus (2nd Century BCE) Rome, Italy.
The Romans: The
Republic (509 -27 BCE)
- Alexander the Great is shown in
dramatic fashion (below)
!
- Mosaics are made from small cubes
of stone or marble.
!
Alexander the Great Confronts Darius III at the Battles Issos (310 BCE) Floor
Mosaic. 8’ 10” x 17’. Roman copy. from the House of the Faun, Pomeii, Italy.
National Museum of Archaeology, Naples, Italy.
- Mosaic was possibly modeled after a
Hellenistic Greek painting.
- This is a Roman mosaic
based on a Greek painting.
Alexander the Great Confronts Darius III at the Battles Issos (310 BCE) Floor Mosaic. 8’ 10” x 17’. Roman copy. from
the House of the Faun, Pomeii, Italy. National Museum of Archaeology, Naples, Italy.
Periods in Ancient
ROME
The Republic (509 -27 BCE)
Early Empire (27 BCE - 96 CE)
High Imperial Art of Trajan and Hadrian (96 - 200 CE)
The Late Empire (200 - 300 CE)
The Romans: Early Empire
(27 BCE - 96 CE)
- Art in the age of Augustus created a new form of
idealism...revival of classical Greek art.
!
- Roman art in the early empire recorded historical events
AND pushed the ideas of Roman political propaganda.
!
- Shows Octavian (63 BCE - 14 CE) the first Roman
emperor…was given the title “Augustus” meaning “sacred.”
!
Raised hand = Orator’s pose
!
Unknown. Augustus of Primaporta (1st Century CE) Marble. Height 6’ 8”.
Primaporta (near Rome), Italy. Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy.
The Romans:
Early Empire
(27 BCE - 96 CE)
Unknown. Augustus of Primaporta (1st
Century CE) Marble. Height 6’ 8”.
Primaporta (near Rome), Italy. Vatican
Museums, Rome, Italy. (left)
Unknown. Augustus of Primaporta
Reproduction (21st Century CE) Marble
with color. Height 6’ 8”. Vatican, Italy.
Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy. (right)
- Octavian’s great uncle was Julius Caesar, who adopted him at 18 and realized he could be a leader.
!
- Uses the standard pose of a Roman orator (pointing) with classical Greek contraposto.
!
- Captures Augustus as young and powerful.
The Romans: Early Empire (27 BCE - 96 CE)
- The dolphin is a symbol of Augustus’ naval victory over Mark
Antony and Cleopatra at the Battle of Actium in 31 BCE, a
conquest that made Augustus the sole ruler of the Empire.
!
- He also claimed to be of divine lineage and related to Venus.
!
- Shows Cupid (god of love) riding a dolphin next to Augustus’ leg.
- Cupid = son of Venus
- Dolphin = Symbolic of Venus
emerging from the sea during birth.
Unknown. Augustus of Primaporta (1st Century
CE) Marble. Height 6’ 8”. Primaporta (near
Rome), Italy. Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy.
The Romans:
Early Empire
!
!(27 BCE - 96 CE)
!
- Armor (cuirass) shows his 20
BCE victory over the Parthians
(ancient kingdom in Iran).
!
- Was given title of “Pontifex
Maximus” at age 68 making him
the highest ranking political and
religious leader of Rome.
Unknown. Augustus of Primaporta
(1st Century CE) Marble. Height 6’
8”. Primaporta (near Rome), Italy.
Vatican Museums, Rome, Italy.
The Romans: Early Empire
(27 BCE - 96 CE)
!
- Gardens and nature were very popular with the
Romans.
!
- Roman cities were based on a layout similar to
army camps.
!
- Cities were laid out in a grid pattern.
!
- Housing was made up of brick apartment blocks
(clusters of housing units) called, insulae.
!
- Each block had courtyards, multiple floors, and
balconies.
!
- Pompeii was one of these cities and was very
wealthy.
Pompeii (Destroyed 79 CE) Pompeii, Italy.
- 10,000 - 20,000 people
lived in Pompeii before the
city was destroyed in 79 CE.
The Romans: Early Empire (27 BCE - 96 CE)
- An earthquake in 62 CE destroyed homes.
!
- Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 CE burying the city under 20 - 30 ft.
of volcanic ash.
!
- Archeologists discovered voids in the volcanic ash that were left
by the decomposed bodies.
Pompeii (Destroyed 79 CE) Pompeii, Italy.
Plaster Casts of Bodies from Pompeii, Italy.
The Romans: Early Empire
(27 BCE - 96 CE)
!
- The House of the Vettii was built by two brothers
(Vettius Corniva & Vettius Restitutus) who were
freed slaves that became wealthy.
!
- Roman houses had plain smooth plaster
walls...perfect surfaces for wall paintings.
!
- Throughout the home is artwork made to look like
framed paintings.
!
!
!
Wall Painting in the Ixion
Room, House of the Vettii
Pompeii, Italy.
The Romans: Early Empire
(27 BCE - 96 CE)
!- Roman homes had several small rooms laid out
around a small open courts; the atrium and the
peristyle.
!
Peristyle = courtyard with plants
!
Atrium = a space with a pool for catching rain water.
Peristyle Garden, House of the Vettii (rebuilt 60 - 79 CE).
Pompeii, Italy.
Pool Inside the Atrium, House of the Vettii
(rebuilt 60 - 79 CE). Pompeii, Italy.
Dining Room
Garden
“Ixion Room”
Peristyle
Atrium
Entrance
!
- “Ixion” is the story of a man, Ixion,
who tries to seduce Hera...Zeus finds
out so he binds him to a spinning
wheel on fire.
!
- Ixion continues to spin on the
flaming wheel for eternity.
!
Wall Painting in the Ixion Room, House of the
Vettii. Pompeii, Italy.
The Romans: Early Empire
(27 BCE - 96 CE)
!
- A new dynasty of Romans known as the
Flavians began in 69 CE with the emperor
Vespasian.
!
- The Flavians ruled from 69 - 96 CE.
!
- On top of the arch was once a giant bronze
statue of the emperor Titus and a 4-horse
chariot.
!
- The arch was built in honor of Titus
capturing Jerusalem and ending a Jewish
revolt in Palestine.
Arch of Titus (81 CE) Concrete and white marble. Height 50’. Rome, Italy.
Arch of Titus (81 CE) Concrete and white marble. Height 50’. Rome, Italy.
- In this relief on the passageway, we see Titus’ soldiers with all of the stolen valuables from Jerusalem,
and carrying them through Rome.
!
- At the top right you can see the Arch of Titus that they are about to pass through.
- The Arch of Titus is
part sculpture, part
architecture, and part
celebration.
Arch of Titus (81 CE)
Concrete and white marble.
Height 50’. Rome, Italy.
Arch of Titus (81 CE)
Concrete and white
marble. Height 50’.
Rome, Italy.
The Romans: Early Empire
(27 BCE - 96 CE)
- The emperor Vespasian began the construction of the
Flavian Amphitheater in 70 CE and emperor Titus
completed it in 80 CE.
!
- Become known as the “Colosseum” because a giant
statue of the emperor Nero (54 - 68 CE) called the
Colossus stood next to the amphitheater.
!
- The floor was laid over a series of rooms and tunnels for
the athletes, performers, animals, and equipment.
!
- Sand was used to cover the floor.
!
Arena (Latin) = Sand (English)
Flavian Amphitheater (Colosseum) (c. 70 - 80 CE).
Height 159’. Rome, Italy.
The Romans: Early Empire
(27 BCE - 96 CE)
- When the Flavian Amphitheater was opened
in 80 CE, the performances lasted 100 days,
which included gladiator battles, battles with
wild animals, and mock sea battles.
!
- During the 100 days after opening 9,000 wild
animals were killed and 2,000 gladiators died.
!
- 50,000 people could fit into the arena, which
provided perfect sight lines and crowd control.
!
- Most of the structure was dismantled in the
Middle Ages (1100 - 1453 CE) for the use of
marble and metal to use for churches.
Flavian Amphitheater (Colosseum) (c. 70 - 80 CE).
Height 159’. Rome, Italy.
Flavian Amphitheater
(Colosseum) (c. 70 - 80 CE).
Height 159’. Rome, Italy.
Flavian Amphitheater (Colosseum) (c. 70 - 80 CE). Height 159’. Rome, Italy.
Yankee Stadium (1923 - 2008). Seats 56,936 .
Wembley Stadium (1923 - 2003). Seats 82,000.
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum (1923 - present). Seats 93,607.
Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang, North Korea (1989 - present). Seats 150,000.
Rungrado 1st of May Stadium, Pyongyang, North Korea (1989 - present). Seats 150,000.
Periods in Ancient
ROME
The Republic (509 -27 BCE)
Early Empire (27 BCE - 96 CE)
High Imperial Art of Trajan and Hadrian (96 - 200 CE)
The Late Empire (200 - 300 CE)
The Romans: High Imperial Art of Trajan and Hadrian
!
- Prior to 96 CE the next emperor
was always a relative.
!
- Instead of using genetics to
choose the next emperor, Nerva
(96 - 98 CE) chose his next
emperor based on intelligence
(political and military):
!
Nerva (96 - 98 CE)
Trajan (98 - 117 CE)
Hadrian (117 - 138 CE)
Antoninus Pius (138 - 161 CE)
Marcus Aurelius (161 - 180 CE)
!
- Under Trajan, Rome reached its
greatest territorial expanse.
Roman Empire under Trajan in 117 CE.
Pantheon
Column of Trajan
Basilica Ulpia
Trajan’s Market
Forum of Trajan
Statue of Nero
Arch of Titus
Circus Maximus
Colosseum
Aqueduct
The Romans: High Imperial Art of Trajan and Hadrian
!- The Forum of Trajan was Rome’s largest market.
!
- Begun by Trajan in 110 CE and completed by Hadrian in
117 CE.
!
- A basilica is a large rectangular building with lots of open
space.
Basilica Ulpia, Column of Trajan, and the Forum of Trajan
(110 - 117 CE). Rome, Italy.
Basilica Ulpia and Column of Trajan (110 - 117 CE). Rome, Italy.
Basilica Ulpia and Column of Trajan (110 - 117 CE). Rome, Italy.
Basilica Ulpia (Completed 113 CE). Rome, Italy.
- The Basilica Ulpia was 385 ft. long and 182 ft. wide.
!
“Ulpia” = Trajan’s family name.
Column of Trajan
Trajan’s Market
Basilica Ulpia
Forum of Trajan
Basilica Ulpia, Column of Trajan, and the Forum of Trajan (110 - 117 CE) Rome, Italy.
- In order to build his Forum, Trajan had to destroy a commercial district.
!
- He made up for the loss by creating Trajan’s Market, comparable to modern shopping malls.
The Romans: High Imperial Art of
Trajan and Hadrian
!
- Column dedicated to Trajan’s victory over the Dacians.
!
Dacia = modern day Romania
!
- Originally had a bronze statue of Trajan at the top, but
was replaced with the statue of Saint Peter in 1588 that still
stands today.
!
- Built by Hadrian to hold the urn containing Trajan’s ashes.
Column of Trajan (113 - 117 CE). Marble. Height 125’. Rome, Italy.
The Romans: High Imperial
Art of Trajan and Hadrian
-! The relief sculptures show the Romans
crossing the Danube River, then constructing
a fort as they conquer the Dacians.
!
- Includes over 2,500 figures sculpted into
the column, and 22 different “rows” that
spiral.
Column of Trajan (113 - 117 CE). Marble.
Height 125’. Rome, Italy.
The Romans: High Imperial Art of
Trajan and Hadrian
!
- The Pantheon is a temple dedicated to the
Olympian gods.
!
Pantheon = “all the gods”
!
- Designed and built during the reign of Hadrian.
!
- Originally was built on a stylobate with stairs,
but dirt and the construction of streets have
hidden the platform and stairs.
!
- The building is an architectural feat considering
the use of a domed ceiling on top of a rotunda.
!
!
Pantheon (118 - 128 CE). Brick, concrete, marble.
Height 143’. Rome, Italy.
- The dome is 143’ in diameter and 143’
in height at its top.
!
- “Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, who
was consul three times.”
!
- Agrippa was the son-in-law (and
advisor) of Augustus.
!
- Agrippa built on this site in 25-27 BCE,
but it was destroyed by fire in 80 CE.
Pantheon (118 - 128 CE) Brick, concrete, marble. Height 143’. Rome, Italy.
- Rotunda = large circular room
!
- Light enters through a 29’ diameter
oculus
!
Oculus = round central opening
!
- The light shines through the oculus
rotating throughout the rotunda like a
sun.
Pantheon (118 - 128 CE) Brick, concrete,
marble. Height 143’. Rome, Italy.
exedrae
exedrae
exedrae
exedrae
Rotunda
exedrae
exedrae
exedrae
Portico
Entry Steps
The Romans: High Imperial Art
of Trajan and Hadrian
!
- Portraits of emperors also served as
political propaganda.
!
- Marcus Aurelius, like Hadrian and Titus,
was proud of his military work.
!
- This statue when it was discovered was
first thought to be Constantine, the first
Christian emperor.
!
- The raised leg of the horse had once
trampled a barbarian.
!
- He wears no armor or weapons...conquers
by divine will.
!
- Shows the orator pose.
!
Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius (176 CE) Bronze.
Height 11’ 6”. Rome, Italy.
The Romans: High Imperial Art of
Trajan and Hadrian
!
- Marcus Aurelius chose his son, Commodus as the next
emperor.
!
- Commodus, unlike the prior emperors, had no political
skills and wasn’t extremely intelligent.
!
- He was only concerned with surrounding himself with
the luxuries of life.
!
- He claimed to be the incarnation (embodiment) of
Hercules and Jupiter.
!
!
Commodus as Hercules (191 - 192 CE)
Marble. Height 46 1/2”. Rome, Italy.
Commodus as Hercules (191 - 192 CE)
Marble. Height 46 1/2”. Rome, Italy.
Periods in Ancient
ROME
The Republic (509 -27 BCE)
Early Empire (27 BCE - 96 CE)
High Imperial Art of Trajan and Hadrian (96 - 200 CE)
The Late Empire (200 - 300 CE)
The Romans: The Late
Empire, 3rd & 4th Centuries.
- After Commodus is murdered, Septimus Severus
became emperor.
!
- Septimus Severus’ sons, Caracalla and Geta, coruled after their father died of natural causes.
!
- Caracalla murdered his brother (Geta) in 212 CE.
!
- He himself was murdered in 217 CE.
!
- Portrait shows him as a fierce and ruthless emperor.
!
!
Caracalla (3rd Century CE) Marble.
Height 14 1/2”. Rome, Italy.
Bartolomeo Cavaceppi. Bust of Caracalla (1750 - 1770
CE) Marble. Getty Museum of Art, Los Angeles.
Bartolomeo Cavaceppi. Bust of Caracalla (1750 - 1770 CE)
Marble. Getty Museum of Art, Los Angeles.
After Caracalla is murdered...
Anarchy
Murder. Assassinations. Incompetent emperors who
were really just soldiers...
Anarchy
Then, fast forward 50 years.
The Romans: The Late
Empire, 3rd & 4th Centuries.
- After 50 years of anarchy, Diocletian restored order
to Rome.
!
- Diocletian divided the Roman empire into 2 parts in
286 CE.
!
- Augustus Diocletian ruled the East
!
- Augustus Maximian ruled the West
!
- In 293 CE Diocletian created the “Tetrarchy.”
!
Tetrarchy = rule of four
!
- The Roman empire was now divided into 4 parts with
4 different rulers.
!
!
!
The Tetrarchs (c. 300 CE). Porphyry. Height 5’11”. Venice, Italy.
The Romans: The Late
Empire, 3rd & 4th Centuries.
- Tetrarch portraiture is radically different than previous
Roman portraiture.
!
Porphyry = a hard purplish stone from Egypt that was
reserved for imperial use only.
!
!
!
The Tetrarchs (c. 300 CE). Porphyry. Height 5’11”. Venice, Italy.
- The Tetrarchs ruled from 4 different
locations in Europe:
!
1. Milan (Italy)
2. Trier (Germany)
3. Thessaloniki (Greece)
4. Nicomedia (Turkey)
!
- Constantius Chlorus (Constantine’s
father) ruled in Trier from 293 - 306 CE.
!
- The Audience Hall was later
transformed into a church.
!
- Uses brick walls that were originally
stuccoed on the outside.
Audience Hall of Constantius Chlorus (early 4th century CE) Trier, Germany.
Audience Hall of Constantius Chlorus (early 4th century CE) Trier, Germany.
Audience Hall of Constantius Chlorus (early 4th century CE) Trier,
Germany. (View of the Nave, 100 ft. in height)
The Romans: The Late Empire,
3rd & 4th Centuries.
!
- Constantine in 312 CE battled another Roman,
Maxentius for rule of the Western empire in the Battle
of the Milvian Bridge (entryway to Rome).
!
- “In this sign you shall conquer.”
!
- Army shields monogramed with XP
(Chi and Rho = Christos)
!
- Showed gratitude by declaring Christianity a legal
religion.
!
- He was still seen as a god by his people and was
still devoted to Mithras (god of light and truth) and Sol
Invictus (sun god).
!
!
Constantine the Great (325 - 326 CE)
Marble. Height of head 8’ 6”. Rome, Italy.
- Edict of Milan (313 CE) = Emperors Licinius and
Constantine I grant religious tolerance to all
(specifically Christians).
!
- Became the sole ruler of Roman empire and moved
the capital to Byzantium in 330 CE...which he named
“Nova Roma.”
!
- The residents instead called the capital
“Constantinople” (now is Istanbul, Turkey).
!
- He commissioned a 30 ft. statue of himself to act as
a “stand in” for when he could not be in a meeting.
!
!
Constantine the Great (325 - 326 CE). Marble. Height of
head 8’ 6”. Rome, Italy.
The Romans: The Late Empire,
3rd & 4th Centuries.
-! Built next to the Flavian Amphitheater to
commemorate Constantine’s defeat of Maxentius.
!
- Arch of Constantine uses recycled relief
sculptures from monuments for Hadrian, Trajan
and Marcus Aurelius.
!
- Connects Constantine to the famous emperors
of the past.
Arch of Constantine (312 - 315 CE) Rome, Italy. (Dedicated on July 25, 315)
The Romans: The Late Empire,
3rd & 4th Centuries.
-! Depicts the Romans battling the Goths/barbarians.
!
- The hero of the battle is seen in the center-top.
!
- Romans typically cremated their dead, but more
and more sarcophagi and burying the dead
appeared in the 2nd century CE.
!
- Discovered in 1621 CE and named after the first
owner, Ludovici Ludovisi (1595 1632 CE) — not the
person who was buried in it.
Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus (c. 250 CE). Marble. Height 60”.
National Museum of Rome, Rome, Italy.
The Romans: The Late Empire, 3rd & 4th Centuries.
Ludovisi Battle Sarcophagus Lid (c. 250 CE). Marble. Height 60”. National Museum of Rome, Rome, Italy.
- The lid shows Goth/barbarian children being handed over to a Roman general…this was an act of
peace as the children were raised as Romans - not barbarians.
- The hero figure has an “X”
carved into his forehead…a sign of
the god Mithras.
!
- Roman Mithraism (followers of
Mithra) was a cult religion
practiced by Roman soldiers.
!
- Mithra in ancient Persian
religions and modern
Zoroastrianism is seen as “the
Protector of Truth.”
!