Statues : The Prima Porta Augustus, Colossus Of Nero, And Commodus As Hercules

Under the rule of Diocletian, sculpture made a change for the better. An example of this change would be the sculpture, The Tetrarchs. The appearance of these four leaders is different from anything seen before, because of Diocletian’s new form of government. The eyes of the emperors are very wide and cutting to any person looking at the sculpture, with a similar likeness to classicism from the earlier Roman Empire. Each of the

Roman architecture has influenced our modern-day society in many ways. One of the ways is by the construction of the Roman Colosseum in 72 A.D. The Roman Colosseum was the first major stadium or amphitheater to ever be built. Without the planning, construction, and techniques used for Roman Colosseum, we would not have some of the famous stadiums and amphitheaters that exist today.

Emperor Augustus commissioned these sculptures around 20 B.C.E. to be distributed around the Empire as propaganda. This statue communicates his ideology and power. Before Augustus came to power, Roman political culture valued older, wiser men for positions of political power. He decided the Roman empire need to return to the classical idea of an emperor who was a strong, youthful military victor. According to Fischer, “...by modeling the Primaporta statue on such an iconic Greek sculpture created during the height of Athens’ influence and power, Augustus connects himself to the Golden Age of that previous civilization.” Both Augustus of Primaporta and Leviathan Zodiac are both trying to curate an idea of power and masculinity. While Augustus of Primaporta propagandistic in nature, Wiley’s work is trying to send out an innocent but powerful message about how we perceive marginalized groups of

Primary sources are typically original documents that offer an inside view of that particular event. This primary source is a picture of a statute which allows us to assume that it’s to represent a hero of some sort, so he was an important figure in his time. We can also assume the time period based on his clothing; the clothes he has on can be associated with a time way before any of us were born. Upon other research, I have concluded that this statue is of Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, who was a historical figure in Rome. In this essay, I will explain the importance of this primary source.

Emperor Hadrian was the 14th Emperor of Rome between 117-138 CE, Hadrian is also known as the 3rd of 5 good emperors. Born in Hispania like Trajan Hadrian came into power as an Emperor after being adopted by Trajan’s wife. Historians believe that one reason for the adoption was the ethnicity that Hadrian and Trajan shared. At an early age Hadrian like Trajan joined the army and became a tribune under the command of emperor Nerva. When Nerva died Trajan took the throne and when Trajan died Hadrian took the throne. Hadrian’s popularity in Rome was attested as Hadrian spent the better part of his reign absent from Rome. Professor D. Brendan Nagle writes, “ Hadrian spent most of his reign (twelve out of twenty-one years) traveling all over

The ancient city of Rome was filled with fantastic architecture and ever-changing rulers, which led to many differences in the city from year to year. Rome is responsible for many cultural and technological advances that are still used today, but it was not without problems. Many Roman writers from that time had their own views on Rome, however, which they would use in their writing. Two such writers are Juvenal and Augustus, both of which had their own perspectives of Rome. Their descriptions are both so different that it calls to question, which of their accounts is correct and which is not. Res Gestae by Augustus does not provide an accurate description of Rome, mainly due to the fact that Augustus was listing his own

14 As Stamper argues, this is a significant aspect of portraying authority when one an emperor uses precedent of Rome’s founding 15 and this is shown by Augustus in commemorating the temple to Julius Caesar as a sign of celebrating his own triumph. The Temple of Julius Caesar sat on an elevated podium with rostra in front of the colonnade where prows of the ships captured from the Battle at Actium were hung.16 Similarly, the public rostra erected at the opposite site of the Forum also consist of captures obtained from the Battle of Actium and these rostra that faced each other act as a reminder of the glories of the old Republic and the achievements of the restored Rome under its new leader, Augustus.17 To reflect more of the idea of power, Augustus uses different architectural elements to deliver them. Similar to the nearby Temple of Castor and Pollux erected during the Republic, the Temple of Julius Caesar had a pycnostyle composition that consisted of six closely arranged columns with

Thirdly, the Arch of Titus presents Rome as well governed and powerfully led. In honor of Titus, who had died when it was built, this arch presents the ruler well. It shows him as powerful, equal with gods and fully supported by the senate. To support and reaffirm the people’s sense of security in their roman leaders, the sculptor uses techniques to create a god-like aura around Rome’s leaders. Titus is shown celebrating victory, leading a victory procession. He stands on a chariot with a winged victory, symbolically being led by a ‘valor’. He stands taller than these deities, symbolizing his equality to them. Additionally the ‘genius senatus’ stands behind the chariot. He is bearded which shows his age and wisdom. The presence of the senate member in the procession of Titus shows he has their support in his endeavors. This is propaganda, showing the romans that they are in a republic governmental system, not a

Claudius, the fourth Roman emperor 41-54 CE married for the fourth time to Nero's mother Agrippina, even though he was her uncle. To aid Claudius politically, Nero was adopted in 50. Nero was older than his stepbrother Britannicus and thus became heir to the throne. Agrippa did everything in her power to ensure Nero’s reign and control the government, eventually many people were killed including Claudius. Nero was only seventeen when he became emperor in 54.

In 27 BC Augustus began his political career with a “new policy which embodied a national and Roman spirit” (Galinksy, 1996, 225) and “represented new heights in creativity and sophistication” (Galinksy, 1996, 225). Augustus created a new political propaganda campaign that used art and architecture to promote and enhance his regime. The most fundamental message can be regarded as to establish the legitimacy of his rule and to portray him as the natural successor of Rome, as this is consistently presented throughout the visual programme. Yet factors such as the restoration of the Republic, reviving the old religion, nationalism and militaristic triumph can also be seen to be communicated prominently through art and architecture.

In Chapter 2 , the thing that stood out to me were the "Votive Statues" , it was amazing how much they put in worshipping their god and how they wanted to be attentive to their gods all the time. The statues were made so that the worshippers were always showing respect to their god even when they weren't there. It was also creative how involved in the statues that mostly all of the statues were looking up which symbolized that they were always attentive and paying attention to the gods. The statues have a very significant meaning espically in that 2500 and later BCE era just due to the fact how valuables such as the statues meant so much to the people and it was something that they could cherish forever. I don't think that when the worshippers

Abstract: In this paper I attempt to admire the spectator’s experience while viewing the Arch of Titus, and bring to the forefront why I find the Arch of Trajan to be underappreciated. I will compare the two by first analyzing the meaning of the Arch of Titus, and then analyzing and summarizing the Arch of Trajan. The source I used for the Arch of Trajan may be among the outliers of most scholars, but I find that I agree with their analysis of the arch in that it was not simply a list of Trajan’s accomplishments, but rather outcomes of his famed policy, unrightfully credited to Nerva, of alimenta.

Historians have always used great structures from the ancient world to find out information about the kind of lives they used to live. The Colosseum in Ancient Rome, Italy was one of the most famous structures. The Colosseum in Rome gives historians a number of insights to the type of civilization that existed during the time of the ancient empire, through the gory battles and violent games that took place. This can be proven by the purpose of the Colosseum and the context surrounding its construction, the political and economic benefit of the Colosseum to the empire, the types of games which were held in the arena and the values which the structure suggests were important to the civilization at the

The Arch of Titus is an architectural monument and sculpture constructed around c. 79-81 CE. by Domitian in the Forum Romanum, Rome, notable on the plaza for its huge scale and central position. The arch includes three outstandingly elaborated reliefs, two on both passages, which depict the martial victory of Rome under the leading of the Roman emperor Titus, and one on the vault, which displays Titus carried by an eagle to the heaven. The monumental, geometric arch and the detailed, naturalistic reliefs guide the viewers not only to approach the arch from a distance, but also to pass through it, and immerse them in the scene of Rome’s military triumph and the glory of the arch and its subject Titus.

The Roman Colosseum, a colossal amphitheater, was built in the first century under Flavian's rule. Many events such as gladiator games, beast fights, naval battles, and much more took place inside the huge elliptical arena. People of all ages and classes attended these well-known spectacles. The Colosseum is a huge Roman architectural achievement and the fact that it is still standing today only amplifies the importance of this structure. Hundred of thousands of people attended the ancient games, and even more continue to visit the arena today.