Download Ancient Etruscan and Roman History Through

Ancient Etruscan and Roman History Through Art
By the sixth century BCE, a group of people known as the
Etruscans controlled a large and powerful empire near the
coast of Italy, around what is now Rome. The Etruscans
successfully ruled until they were overthrown by the
Romans in 281 BCE. Strongly influenced by the Greeks,
The Etruscans provided an artistic link between the Greeks
and the Romans. The Romans will establish and rule one of the most extensive empires in all of world history.
Imposing their culture on all people under their domain, the Romans ruled an empire that stretched from the
Euphrates River in the Near East, to North Africa, and to Scotland in Northern Europe.
CHRONOLOGY
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Etruscan Supremacy: 700-509 BCE
Roman Republican Period: 509-27 BCE
Early Empire Period: 27 BCE-180 CE
The High Empire: 180-195 CE
The Late Empire: 195-400 CE
Etruscan Supremacy
The Etruscan civilization (centered in northern Italy) existed in greater and lesser states from around the 9th to
2nd centuries B.C.E., was greatly influenced by the dominant Greek civilization through these centuries until
finally being completely absorbed by the overpowering
dominance of he Roman culture.
Etruscan Tombs – c 700 B.C.E.
Roman Republican Period
Introduction
The period known as the Roman Republic began with the overthrow of the last Etruscan king and lasted until
the death of Julius Caesar. Historically, the Republic was a time of expansion that was accomplished through
war and alliances. The expansion of the empire brought about social,
political, and economic changes that defined the empire for centuries.
The Roman Republic was the period of the ancient Roman civilization
characterized by a republican (i.e., a form of government in which the
people or some portion thereof retain supreme control over the government,
and in which the head of government is not a monarch) form of
government. It began with the overthrow of the Roman monarchy, c. 509
BC, and lasted 482 years until its subversion, through a series of civil wars,
into the Principate form of government and the Imperial period.
The Roman Republic was governed by a complex constitution, which centered on the principles of a separation
of powers and checks and balances. The evolution of the constitution was heavily influenced by the struggle
between the aristocracy (the patricians), and other Romans who were not from famous families, the plebeians.
Early in its history, the republic was controlled by an aristocracy of individuals who could trace their ancestry
back to the early history of the kingdom. Over time, the laws that allowed these individuals to dominate the
government were repealed, and the result was the emergence of a new aristocracy that depended on the structure
of society, rather than the law, to maintain its dominance.
Architecture
The growth of Republican architecture corresponded to the expansion of the empire. The style of Republican
architecture were influenced by the Greeks, Egyptians, and the builders of the Near East.
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Sanctuary of Fortuna, Palestrina c100 BCE
Temple of "Fortuna Virilis (Temple of Portunus), Rome, late
second or early first century BCE
Temple of the "Sibyl (Vesta), Tivoli, early first century BCE
Sculpture
Republican sculpture was characterized by a rise in the number of
official and private images. Verism defined as the rendering of accurate and faithful portraits of the individual
became very popular. Verism was often used by the Romans in marble sculptures of heads. Verism, often
described as "warts and all", shows the imperfections of the subject, such as warts, wrinkles and furrows. It
zeroes in on the minuscule details of the human head. Although the marble heads themselves came from the
Greeks, this style is extremely different from Greek head sculptures because the Greek would idealize the
subject, and liken the subject to a god. The Veristic style was favored in the late republican period.
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Head of Roman Patrician, c75-50 BCE
Aulus Metellus, late second or early first century BCE
Ara Pacis, 13-9 BCE
Imperial Procession, 13-9 BCE
Allegory (relief from Ara Pacis), 13-9 BCE
Augusta of Primaporta, early first century CE
Livia, c20 BCE
The Early Empire Period
Introduction
Tiberius, the stepson of Augustus, began a line of Roman rulers known as the Julio-Claudians. This line of
emperors ended with the rule of Nero. A brief period of civil followed the death of Nero but eventually General
Vespasian seized control and founded the Flavian dynasty that ruled until 96 AD.
Painting
Wall Painting of the Early Empire-Roman wall paintings were historically and artistically important. The
surviving examples are limited in number and are confined to settlements that were buried by the eruption of
Mount Vesuvius in 79 AD.
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Intiation Rites of the Cult of Bacchus, Villa of the Mysteries, (fig. 6-33), c50 BCE
Wall Decoration, Villa of the Mysteries, c50 BCE
Woman with a Veil, Villa of the Mysteries, c50 BCE
Cityscape, Boscoreale (near Pompeii) (fig.6-35), late first century CE
Wall Painting, detail from the house of Lucretius Fronto, (fig. 6-45), mid first century CE
Still Life, detail wall painting from the house of Julia Felix, (fig. 6-46), late first century CE
Still Life with Peaches, deatil of wall painting from Herculaneum, c70 CE
Portrait of Husband and Wife, Pompeii, c70 CE
Hercules and Telephus, Herculaneum, 70 CE
Ixiom Room, from House of Vetti, c70-79 CE
Architecture and Architectural Sculpture
Architects of the two periods continued to experiment with
concrete instead of traditional building materials.
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Colosseum, Rome, c72-80 CE
Arch of Titus, Rome, c81 CE
Spoils from the Temple of Solomon, detail from the
Arch of Titus, Rome, c81 CE
Triumph of Titus, detail from arch of Titus, Rome, c81 CE
Sculpture
In contrast with the Republican period, portraits of people from all ages were preserved during the Early
Empire.
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Young Flavian Woman, c90 CE
Middle-Aged Flavian Woman, late first century CE
The High Empire Period
The Five Good Emperors-Trajan, Hadrian, and the Antonines were known as the "Good Emperors." Their
reigns were times of peace and prosperity.
Architecture and Architectural Sculpture
Typical works from this time period were designed to celebrate and commemorate the regins of the emperors.
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Column of Trajan, Rome, 106-113 CE
Romans Crossing the Danube, detail from Column of Trajan, 106-113 CE
Pantheon, exterior view, Rome, 125-128 CE
Pantheon, reconstruction drawing, 125-128 CE
Giovani Panini, Interior of the Pantheon, c1734-35 CE
Canopus and Sarapeum, Hadrian's Villa, Tivoli, c135 CE
Sculpture
Equestrian statues, such as the one honoring Marcus Aurelius represented a break with the classical tradition.
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Marcus Aurelius, Rome, (fig. 6-67), 161-180 CE
Commodus as Hercules, (fig. 6-68, 190 CE
Painting
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Battle of Centaurs and Wild Beasts, from Hadrian's Villa 118-128 CE
Heracleitus, The Unswept Floor, mosaic, Rome, second century CE
The Late Empire Period
The Severans and the Tetrarchy
The death of Commodus, the son of Marcus Aurelius, marked the end of the Antonine dynasty. The erosion of
Roman power became increasingly more evident. Order on the frontier was difficult to maintain. Imperial
power was in question. The Severans ruled until the murder of Severan Alexander. Over the next several years,
times were chaotic. Finally, in 284 AD, order was restored when Diocletian was proclaimed Emperor by his
troops. Diolcletian divided the empire into four regions and created the Tetrarchy (rule by four). Diocletian
adopted the title "Augustus of the East".
Architecture
The restoration of stability was reflected in the construction of monuments dedicated to the accomplishments of
the emperors.
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Arch of Constantine
Architectural Sculpture
The colossal head of Emperor Constantine is all that remains of the thirty foot seated statue built in 330 AD. It
was placed in the western apse of the Basilica of Constantine. The simplified details of the facial features marks
a return to the earlier style of the Archaic period.
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The Tetrarchs, 305 AD
Constantine the Great, 330 AD.