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Rome’s Investment in its Empire
• Watch the following video clip involving a
Jewish group plotting rebellion against
Roman rule.
• Note down what the Romans did for the
provinces.
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MAISON
CARREE
MAISON
CARREE
Date: 18-16BC
Means: ‘Square House’ in French
Location: Nimes, South of France
Length: 31.8m
Width: 15m
Materials: Limestone
Who was it built by? Marcus Agrippa
(Augustus’ son-in-law)
Inscription:
Where? On the entablature
Dedication?: To Augustus’ grandsons Gaius and Lucius (adopted sons of
Augustus)
Interesting fact:
The temple owes its preservation to the
fact that it was rededicated as a
Christian church in the fourth century,
saving it from the widespread
destruction of temples that followed the
adoption of Christianity as Rome's
official state religion.
Where is Nimes?
Roman Nemausus
Nemausus
Forum
Nimes Today
PLAN VIEW
Cella
Pseudoperipteral
colonnade
Deep
porch
Hexastyle
colonnade
EXTERIOR FEATURES
Pediment
Entablature
Frieze
Engaged
Columns
Corinthian
Capitals
Podium /
Stylobate
Fluted
Columns
Exterior Rear
Greek and Roman Influences
Large flight of stairs
to high podium Roman feature.
Corinthian Columns Greek feature
Hexastyle porch –
Greek Feature
Deep porch in front
of the cella - Roman
feature.
Engaged Corinthian
columns surrounding
the cella - ‘PseudoPeripteral’ - Greek
feature.
Frontal orientation to
temple - Roman feature.
(Compare Greek
Parthenon left and
Roman Pantheon right)
Exterior Decoration – The Entablature
Cornice - top section of
entablature.
Frieze - with foliage and acanthus
leaves
Architrave - directly above
columns
Corinthian Capitals (acanthus
leaves)
Fluted (grooved) columns
Ancient vs Modern in Nimes’ Architecture
Maison Carree
Carree d’Art
L'église de la Madeleine,
Paris
State Capitol Building,
Virginia, USA
Comparison – Maison Carree and Baalshamin Temple, Palmyra
Scholarship question 2003:
Discuss and account for the
similarities and differences in
style and execution.