One of the most striking uses of architecture for glorification of a Roman emperor is the Arch of Titus. Built specifically upon the highest point of the Via Sacra, or Sacred Road, this arch is a lasting monument to the glorification of Titus. The Arch of Titus was built by Emperor Domitian to honor the capture and siege of Jerusalem by Titus and his apotheosis, or deification. This arch is an outstanding example of one of the most celebrated ways used by the Romans to express the honor and glory of their emperors.
The Arch of Titus is known for its depictions of the spoils brought back to Rome after the destruction of Jerusalem. As a result of the Jewish attacks on Roman installations and the start of a revolt against Roman rule in 66
…show more content…
Titus, backed by four legions, began his assault on the beleaguered city in the spring of 70 CE. In less than four weeks, he had breached the walls of Jerusalem, and by that August, the outer Temple court had been reached, the Temple burned to the ground and its captives killed. With the fall of Jerusalem and the end of the revolt, Titus was hailed as imperator, or commander, by his troops. This was a necessary step in order for a general to apply to the Senate for a triumph, which Titus shared with his father Vespasian when he returned to Rome.
A triumph was both a civil and religious ceremony in Imperial Rome; it was used to pay tribute to a military commander, or an imperator, for a successful foreign war campaign and to display the booty captured in the war. The ceremony was a parade showcasing the captured gold and silver and slaves from the war. The triumph followed a precise route through the streets of Rome, culminating in the march up the Via Sacra into the Roman Forum. To better celebrate a triumph, a triumphal arch was often erected to march underneath during the procession or as a commemoration to the triumph itself.
The role and history of the triumphal arches in Rome is a little murky, as they are not mentioned by most Roman historians, and most notably they are left out by Vitruvius, the first century BCE writer on Roman architecture. However, Pliny the Elder does discuss the role of triumphal arches and points out that
The Arch of Titus has provided the general model for many of the triumphal arches erected since the 16th century—perhaps most famously it is the inspiration for the 1806 Arc de Triomphe in Paris, France, completed in 1836.
To begin, Titus was born in 39 A.D. His father, Vespasian, was a high-ranking military official at the time. Titus’ early life consisted of serving in his father’s legion. After the evil emperor Nero died, Vespasian was anointed emperor of Rome. Vespasian then gave Titus charge of the Jewish war and his legion. Titus successfully captured and destroyed Jerusalem in September of A.D. 70. To commemorate Titus’ glorious victory, an arch was built, which is now known as the Arch of Titus. After that victory, Titus was made Praetorian Guard by his father and they became close in ranks, but Vespasian avoided putting Titus on an equal rank as him. From then until the end of Vespasian’s reign, they worked closely and peacefully. The early life of Titus included serving and commanding under his father’s legions and serving as a Praetorian Guard.
The era dominated by Roman empire is one the most well-known and influential periods of history, home to famous names from Julius Caesar to Jesus Christ. At its height, Rome’s territory stretched from the Atlantic coastline to the Middle East, reigning over 60 million people, one-fifth of the population of the ancient world. However, the Roman empire’s treatment of their conquered people’s and their own citizens ultimately led to the permanent downfall of Rome.
It symbolizes the military victories, thriving culture and the gracious new rulers, and the new-found strength of the Roman Empire. And most of all, the good times that came along with it. It reflects the cultural and social ideas of the times; having a party and drinking wine after a military victory, or just because the people had the free time for leisure activities, or to celebrate the new great Emperor. I think it’s important to point out that the structural stability and level of engineering skill that went into making this piece is a good metaphor for how the citizens felt about the city itself at the time; strong and durable, and is great enough to last almost two thousand
The history of their architecture runs virtually in step with the history of their empire to an extent. As the Empire expanded so did the architecture, and as Romans became more magnificent their architecture followed. Roman architecture began as a form of worship. The first Roman architects were the ancient priests and dwellers who made areas of sacrifice and worship for their gods. At first, their homes were simple huts but as they grew smarter and more aware of their surroundings, making the building more complex than ever. So, like many arts, Roman architecture’s roots are embedded in the worshiping paid in religion. The Romans were, of course, not the first to practice many of their building philosophies. However, they built like no other society before them. Their methods showed and proved, efficiency and sophistication to construct a whole new look. With the rise of the Romans and the everlasting hail of Caesar after Caesar and Emperor after Emperor, Roman architecture expanded and influenced building over the world. Unlike the Empire, though, Roman design did not die at the hands of the Germanic’s, or rather at the hands of self-destruction; it continued to expand and play a part in every major style throughout history. Even through its empire’s own defeat, architecture has stood as an everlasting symbol of what Rome once was, and what the rest of the world is today. , Roman architecture cannot be looked at as a small period or cultural event, for it lives on today through the
41. | The Arch of Titus commemorated the emperor's victory of the Dacians. | | False |
Many centuries before the birth of Christ, the city of Rome grew, prospered, and developed into a thriving Republic. As in most cultures, Rome's buildings became more elaborate and impressive. They developed fantastic building technologies and ideas. The feats of Roman engineers were groundbreaking, and many structures built by this culture still stand today. With knowledge borrowed from the Greeks, Rome made impressive architectural achievements, these were namely major attributes of buildings, colossal structures, and a legacy that would influence later buildings (Cornell and Matthews 11).
Rome is known as a mighty and powerful country throughout the nations. They have massively influenced art and architecture for decades to come. From their weapons to their brave characteristics, they have left their legacy to be remembered..
Roman triumphs explain many things about the Ancient Romans like who they were as a people, what they valued, and what they deemed worthy of celebrating. Mary Beards book, The Roman Triumph, delves right into the midst of the triumphal celebrations of the Romans and what evidence historians have been able to use to change their idea about Ancient Roman culture. Triumphs were an important part of Roman culture; they demonstrated what this warrior state viewed as
Triumphs were a very distinguished ceremony in Ancient Roman culture. Receiving a triumph was considered a great honour for Roman generals. They generals would get drawn in a chariot. The plunder he had won would follow him, as well as people he had taken captive. The general’s troops would also follow him through the streets until he arrived at the Temple of Jupiter where he offered a sacrifice to the god. Throughout modern history, many rulers looked back at Rome at how they celebrated their victories. Other monarchs, dynasts, and autocrats wanted to celebrate as the Romans did. Even Napoleon imitated a Roman triumph when he carried what he had taken
Called the “Eternal City,” Rome emerged as the capital city of a powerful Republic at about 508 BC. Roman culture was greatly influenced by that of Greece, and Rome too emerged as a center of art and literature while also making vast contributions to the development of technology, war, law, and architecture in the Western world. With the Roman Empire’s dominance over most of Europe, the city of Rome became and remained the richest, largest, and most politically important city in the Western world for almost a thousand years, clearly defining it as world city that made its mark on the pages of history. This great wealth was demonstrated through the luxurious nature of the society, which included numerous intricate and architecturally stunning public baths. Another example of Rome’s extensive resources and capabilities is the Roman Coliseum, which represented a feat of architecture and engineering at the time and was used for all sorts of spectator events. Rome also became known for its close ties with the Catholic Church, being established as the center of the Church by the Pope and remaining a “holy city” for centuries. Eventually the illustrious Roman Empire declined due to a combination of economic problems, which gradually affected the empire, and invasions, which were its ultimate downfall. With the end of the Roman Empire came the end of Rome’s capital status, which was transferred instead to Milan. Despite eventually losing this
Roman arches are of great importance, not only to Rome but to the world as a whole. The arch was not invented by the Romans, as arches have been used in cultures far predating the Romans; however, the Romans did find a way to perfect the arch. Before the Romans, arches were used to support relatively small amounts of weight, such as in storerooms, these arches limited the scale of buildings they supported. The Romans however used arches to support immense amounts of weight. The reason for the arches newfound strength lies not with the shape of the arch, but within the material used to construct it. Through the invention of concrete, Romans were able to construct arches that would hold the weight of structures such as the aqueduct, which provided water to entire cities. Soon, several cultures adopted the Roman arch to support their own
The Arch of Titus was made in Rome. It was located on the highest point
One of Roman Engineering’s greatest accomplishments was the use of the arch. The arch shape is very strong, able to support great amounts of weight. This allowed Romans to build massive structures that would stand for many centuries. The Romans adapted the arch design to fit many purposes. The barrel vault is merely an elongated arch; this was used for buildings tombs and sewers. The dome is an adaptation of the arch. The dome is an arch revolved on its vertical axis. The best example of the dome in ancient Rome is the Pantheon. The basic arch was used in almost every large building in Rome. Romans also used
The Romans are famous for many things. One thing is their adaptation and development of architecture from other civilization. From the Etruscans and early tribes the Romans got most of their basic architectural skills. From the Greeks some components of Roman architecture were adapted from the Greeks. The heart of Roman architecture was the Roman forum, which was being constructed under the rule of Octavian Caesar. Eventually the Roman architecture went into a stage in which all the buildings looked like the Greek buildings.