THE ROMAN EMPIRE GARDNER CHAPTER 10-4 PP. 260-267.

THE ROMAN EMPIREGARDNER CHAPTER 10-4

PP. 260-267

THE FLAVIANS Nero is forced to commit suicide

in 68 CE -> Vespasian becomes emperor -> the Flavians -> his 2 sons Titus and Domitian will become emperors

COLOSSEUM The Colosseum (Flavian Amphitheater), Rome,

ca. 70-80 CE

Vespasian builds on the drained lake that was part of Nero’s Domus Aurea -> reclaims the land for the public -> smart politics

Complex system of concrete barrel vaulted corridors hold up an enormous oval seating area -> could seat 50,000

Substructures held waiting rooms for gladiators, animal cages, and machines for raising stage sets

76 gateways to the tiered seats

Façade has 4 bands w/ large arched openings -> Tuscan, Ionic, then Corinthian orders frame the arches -> engaged columns and lintels -> combines Greek architecture and the Roman arch

FLAVIAN PORTRAITURE

Portrait of Vespasian, ca. 75-79 CE, marble, 1’4”

Vespasian was a career army officer -> distances himself from Nero’s extravagance and the Augustan tradition of emperor’s portrayed as eternal youthful gods on earth

Return to the veristic tradition of the Republic

PORTAIT BUST OF A FLAVIAN WOMAN

Portrait bust of a Flavian woman, from Rome, Italy, ca. 90 CE, marble, 2’1”

Portraits of people of all ages survive from Flavian period -> not just elders

Purpose of this bust is to project idealized beauty -> contemporary fashion -> elegance and delicacy

Elaborate coiffure w/corkscrew curls -> sculptor used a drill to produce this effect -> creates dense mass of light and shadow

ARCH OF TITUS

Arch of Titus, Rome, after 81 CE

Erected by the Emperor Domitian in honor of his brother Titus

TRIUMPHAL ARCH = long history of these in Roman art and architecture = free standing arches commemorated a variety of events

Engaged columns frame the arcuated opening -> composited columns Ionic and Corinthian

Reliefs depict victories on the spandrels of the passageway

ARCH OF TITUS – RELIEF

PANELS

Spoils of Jerusalem, relief panel from the Arch of Titus

Triumphal parade of Titus following his conquest of Judea

Convincing illusion of movement -> high relief in contrast ot the Classical low relief style of the Ara Pacis

Reconstruction of the Triumph of Titus, relief panel from the Arch of Titus

Figure of victory crowns Titus in his triumphal chariot -> bare chested youth personifies honor -> female leading horses personifies valor

First example of the intermingling of human and divine figures in a Roman historical relief

HIGH EMPIRE

2nd century CE -> Roman Empire reaches its greatest geographical extent

The height of Roman power

Secure boundaries of the Pax Romana prosperity for all who came under Roman rule

TRAJAN

Domitian’s extravagant lifestyle and huge ego anger the senators and he is assassinated in 96 CE

The senate picks the elderly senator NERVA to be emperor -> he had adopted a popular and successful general to be his son and successor = TRAJAN

Trajan was born in Spain -> first non-Italian to rule Rome

Trajan was voted the title OPTIMUS (the best) -> he and Augustus will be the models for successful rule

FORUM OF TRAJAN Forum of Trajan, Rome, dedicated 112 CE,

designed by Apollodorus of Damascus

Huge new forum built by Trajan -> twice the size of the forum of Augustus -> celebrated Trajan’s victories over the Dacians

4 – Basilica -> apses, or semicircular recesses at each short end -> two aisles flank the central nave -> clerestory windows

1 - temple

2 – Column of Trajan

3 – libraries

5 – forum

6 – equestrian statue of Trajan

COLUMN OF TRAJAN

Column of Trajan, Forum of Trajan, Rome, 112 CE

Colossal free standing column covered with a continuous spiral narrative frieze 625 long

Tall pedestal served as Trajan’s tomb

Spiral frieze relief depicts Trajan’s campaigns against the Dacians -> 150 episides -> 2500 figures -> band increases in width as it rises

Low reliefs show all aspects of the Dacian Wars from battles to transport to road and fort building

MARKETS OF TRAJAN Aerial view of the Markets of

Trajan, Rome, 100-112 CE -> designed by Apollodorus of Damascus

On the Quirinal Hill overlooking the forum -> housed shops and offices

Concrete construction on a sloping site allowed for a multilevel complex -> contained a two story great hall with the upper level set back and lit by skylights -> groin vaults over the central space

ARCH OF TRAJAN, BENEVENTO

Arch of Trajan , Benevento, Italy, 114-118 CE

Architecturally almost identical for the Arch of Titus -> but relief panels cover both sides and every inch celebrates the Emperor’s achievements on and off the battlefield

Kind of like a billboard advertising the emperor

Emperor in the company of the gods in some scenes