Transcript the roman empire

THE
ROMAN
EMPIRE
GARDNER 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

(2-44/1) COLOSSEUM (FLAVIAN AMPHITHEATER)
Aerial View
Rome, Italy
Imperial Rome
70-80 C.E.
Stone and concrete
FLASHCARD

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

(2-44/2) COLOSSEUM (FLAVIAN AMPHITHEATER)
Rome, Italy
Imperial Rome
70-80 C.E.
FLASHCARD
Stone and concrete
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
FLASHCARD

(2-additional) ARCH OF TITUS
Early Roman Empire
Rome, Italy
After 81 C.E.

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
 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
 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
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

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 nonItalian to rule Rome

Trajan was voted the title OPTIMUS
(the best) -> he and Augustus will be
the models for successful rule
TRAJAN

FLASHCARD
(2-45/1) FORUM OF TRAJAN
Forum reconstruction drawing
Apollodorus of Damascus
Rome, Italy
Forum and markets: 106-112 C.E.
Brick and concrete
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

(2-45/2) FORUM OF
TRAJAN
Basilica Ulpia
reconstruction drawing
Apollodorus of Damascus
Rome, Italy
Forum and markets: 106112 C.E.
Brick and concrete
FLASHCARD

(2-45/4) FORUM OF TRAJAN
Column of Trajan
Apollodorus of Damascus
Rome, Italy
Column completed: 113 C.E.
Marble

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
FLASHCARD

FLASHCARD
(2-45/3) FORUM OF TRAJAN
Trajan markets
Apollodorus of Damascus
Rome, Italy
Forum and markets: 106-112
C.E.
Brick and concrete

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