Transcript Don*t lose it reuse it

“Don’t lose it, reuse it”
Re-interpreting the “Pagan”heritage
from Constantine to Mussolini
Content
• 1. The Arch of Constantine
• 2. The Riace Bronzes
• 3. Mussolini’s Triumphal Way
and Forum
1. The Arch of Constantine
• Erected in c. 315 CE.
• Stands in Rome and commemorates Roman
Emperor Constantine’s victory over the Roman
tyrant Maxentius on 28th October 312 CE at
the battle of Milvian Bridge in Rome.
• The TRIUMPHAL ARCH was a type of Roman
architectural monument built all over the
Empire to commemorate military triumphs
and other significant events such as the
accession of a new emperor.
CONSTANTINE vs. MAXENTIUS
Son of Constantius Clorus
Son of Maximian
Son-in-Law of Galerius
• 313 C.E. Constantine legalized Christianity but
he was NOT a Christian emperor.
• Only in 380 Emperor Theodosius DECLARED
CHRISTIANITY THE OFFICIAL RELIGION OF THE
EMPIRE.
• ONE EMPIRE=ONE GOD= ONE RELIGION
• The arch is first and foremost piece of political
propaganda, presenting Constantine as a
living continuation of the most successful
Roman emperors, renowned for their military
victories and good government.
• In particular Trajan, Hadrian, and Marcus
Aurelius.
• The Arch is a huge conglomerate of imperial
Roman sculpture as many parts of it were
recycled from earlier 1st and 2nd century CE
monuments.
• In the recycled panels the original faces of
the different emperors was cut to resemble
Constantine’s.
• Constantine’s is therefore portrayed ether at
war, or hunting (lions, boars and bears), or
conducting sacrificial ceremonies in honor
of Hercules, Apollo and Diana.
• One of the panels shows Constantine being
crowned by Victory and flanked by two
females possibly representing Honour
(dressed as an Amazon) and Virtue (in
RIACE BRONZES
• The RIACE BRONZES (Italian: Bronzi di Riace),
also called the Riace Warriors, are two famous
full-size Greek bronzes of naked bearded
warriors, cast about 460–450 BCE. (more or
less when most of the temples in Agrigento
were built).
RIACE
• Found in the sea near Riace in 1972.
The “Dioskouri”
• CASTOR and POLLUX: twin brothers.
• Their mother was Leda, but Castor was the
mortal son of Tyndareus, the king of Sparta,
and Pollux the divine son of Zeus, who
seduced Leda in the guise of a swan.
• They were excellent horsemen.
• Mentioned in the Iliad and Odissey.
• According to the myth they joined the
Argonauts in their pursue for the Golden
Fleece.
• They are widely depicted as helmeted
horsemen carrying spears.
• Castor and Pollux allegedly took part in a battle in
the area of Riace (Locride) between the Locri and
Kroton.
• According to Strabo the Dioskouri appeared and
fought side by side the Locri’s army which
defeated the enemies.
• Out of gratitude the inhabitants of Locri erected
two altars dedicated to the twins in the area of te
battle.
• They were therefore venerated by the local
population.
SAINTS COSMAS AND DAMIAN
• When recovered from the bottom of the sea the
Bronzes were immediately identified by the local
population as two saints : Cosmas and Damian.
• Twin brothers and physicians. They practiced their
profession in the Roman province of Syria.
• Accepting no payment for their services led to them
being named Anarguroi (Ανάργυροι,
"Unmercenaries"); it has been said that, by this, they
attracted many to the Christian faith.
• Martyrized during Diocletian’s persecutions in 287 CE.
“THE CULT OF THE TWO SAINTS
REPLACED THAT OF THE
DIOSKOURI WHEN CHRISTIANITY
BECAME THE ONLY RELIGION OF
THE EMPIRE” [G. Roma]
Can we be sure of this?
Traditional narrative: the statues were
thrown off board during a storm.
• 1. No wreckage/ other goods in the area where
the Bronzes were recovered.
Traditional narrative: the statues were
thrown off board during a storm.
• 1. No wreckage/ other goods in the area where
the Bronzes were recovered.
• 2. The original drawing portraying the two
statues immediately after their discovery (still
under water) showed them lying one next to the
other (40 cm.)
Traditional narrative: the statues were
thrown off board during a storm.
• 1. No wreckage/ other goods in the area where
the Bronzes were recovered.
• 2. The original drawing portraying the two
statues immediately after their discovery (still
under water) showed them lying one next to the
other (40 cm.).
• 3. Every year in Riace a traditional religious
procession takes place in the area where the
Bronzes were found.
Traditional narrative: the statues were
thrown off board during a storm.
• 1. No wreckage/ other goods in the area where the
Bronzes were recovered.
• 2. The original drawing portraying the two statues
immediately after their discovery (still under water)
showed them lying one next to the other (40 cm.).
• 3. Every year in Riace a traditional religious
procession takes place in the area where the
Bronzes were found.
• 4. We have evidence of pagan idols thrown into the
sea or buried by Christians both to destroy them or
to neutralized their evil influxes.
Traditional narrative: the statues were
thrown off board during a storm.
• 1. No wreckage/ other goods in the area where the
Bronzes were recovered.
• 2. The original drawing portraying the two statues
immediately after their discovery (still under water)
showed them lying one next to the other (40 cm.).
• 3. Every year in Riace a traditional religious
procession takes place in the area where the
Bronzes were found.
• 4. We have evidence of pagan idols thrown into the
sea or buried by Christians both to destroy them or
to neutralized their evil influxes.
• 5. Due to the erosion the actual coastline has moved
back since the Greek and Roman period.
3. ROMAN IMPERIALISM AND
MUSSOLINI
• Once he got to power Mussolini implemented the idea
of Fascism emphasizing not the individual but the glory
and strength of the Italian state.
• In order to justify this philosophical foundation of
Fascism the Fascists instituted huge reconstructions of
Rome and several major building programs ALL
INSPIRED BY AND HARKENED BACK TO THE ROMAN
EMPIRE.
• One of the key remnants of this is the via dei Fori
Imperiali.
VIA DEI FORI IMPERIALI
• Begins at the Piazza Venezia and leads to the
Colosseum.
• The “via dei fori Imperiali” cuts a large swath
through the center of ancient Rome, dividing the
Forums of Trajan and Augustus from the Roman
Forum and Caesar’s Forum and covering the Forums
of Nerva and Vespavian.
• This provides for an incredible view of the most
important sights in ancient Rome.
• Became the way of the Fascist regime’s triumphal
ceremonies and the location of the Vittoriale
(unknown soldier’s altar).
• Five maps were put there by Il Duce in order
to illustrate the growth of the Roman empire,
all fastened onto the Basilica of Maxentius and
looking out onto the Via dei Fori Imperiali.
FORUM
Oval Forum, Jerash (Jordan)
• FORUM (pl. FORA)= open public square often
surrounded by several important ancient
government buildings at the center of the
Roma cities.
• It could also be used as marketplace.
FORO ITALICO
• Foro Italico, is a sports complex in Rome.
• It was built between 1928 and 1938 as the
Foro Mussolini (Mussolini’s Forum).
• Thought as the place where the new Fascist
ruling class could strengthen their body
according to the Latin motto “mens sana in
corpore sano”.
• In the same way the Romans used palestrae
and gymnasia.