Late Roman Empire Lecture

Late Roman Empire LectureROME DAY 3

ID and explain how these two images represent power?

How are these two buildings indicative of Roman culture? ID

IN WHAT WAYS ARE THESE TWO IMAGES DIFFERENT? WHY ARE THEY DIFFERENT?

ID. From which of these two images is borrowing occurring? What specific architectural elements appear in each these buildings and how and why do they differ.

Summary of Republican/Empire artistic ideals/trendsRepublican

Empire

• Trajan• 98 CE –117 CE

-Commemorates Trajan's victory over the Dacians-A continuous narrative spirals around the entire column up 125 feet.-The band of narrative gets wider at the top.-It was a law at that time that no one could be buried within the walls of Rome, so Trajan had his ashes placed under the column.-The figures in the narrative are not in proportion to the architecture around them, so you see a major break from Greek tradition.-The column is topped with a statue that was once a statue of Trajan, but has since been replaced with Saint Peter.

• Story told in 150 episodes• 2500 figures included• Low-relief used to not

distort the overall shape of the column• Originally painted.• Not an accurate

chronology of the war, but it tells the over all story

Column of TrajanRoman High Empire100 CE

Plaster Casts of the column so in the Museum of Roman Civilization

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Originally market had 150 shops Made of concreteMultilevel mall Semicircular building held several layers of shops Main space groin vaulted A way for the average Roman to participate in Empire Market of TrajanRoman High Empire100 CEKey piece

Name this type of vault

Hadrian

-Complex created for the Emperor Hadrian as a retreat -Hadrian helped design it himself.-Lavish mosaics mural and architectural settings -Colonnade with an arch connecting the tops of the columns alternating with rounded and flattened lines, all framing a reflecting pool-Tries to incorporate the landscape into the design -References Egyptian and Greek styles -Interesting as it notes the beginning of retreat of the wealthy from Rome Hadrian’s VillaRoman High Empire125 CE

Who is this guy? Why is he important?Marcus AureliusHe was the last Stoic EmperorHis portraits start to depict worry, weariness sorrow. Such portraits were a major turning point in the history of ancient art and marked the beginning of the end of classical art in the Roman world

Marcus Aurelius 161 CE –180 CE Commodus 177 CE-192 CE

End of the Pax Romana• Marcus Aurelius was the last great Roman emperor. • When he died, the Pax Romana died as well.• His son, Commodus was assassinated for his shenanigans.• Society began to reject the Classical way of thinking and

depicting the world.• Move towards abstraction away from naturalism AND

idealism

How would you describe him?

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Caracalla198 CE –217 CE

-There were almost 400 baths in Rome -The baths generally had three rooms, hot (caldarium), cold (frigidarium), and warm (tepidarium)-Aqueducts and gravity pressure, as well as piping fed the hot and cold water that was available to all Romans for a nominal fee

Baths of CaracallaRoman Late Empire200 CE

•These were the largest baths constructed in Rome. (They covered nearly 50 acres)•Made of brick faced concrete•Symmetrical along a central axis•The Caldarium is so large it sits several hundreds people.•The dome that covered it was almost as big as the Pantheon’s•Stuccoed vaults, mosaic floors, marble faced walls, colossal statues•1600 people could be there at one time.

Name this type of vault!

Al Khazneh or the TreasuryRoman High Empire200 CE

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•Classical architecture is used only as a decoration- classical rules are ignored.•Lower level resembles a temple, but columns are unevenly spaced- pediment not wide enough•Tholos like cylinder on top level•Deep projection and indentation•Greek elements used, but the design is wholly Roman

-Very crowded surface with figures piled upon one another --no illusion of space- rejection of classical perspective -Deep relief-Figures lack individuality -Confusion of battle is echoed by a congested composition -Roman army trounces the bearded barbarians-A major transition as the Romans used to be burners… now buriers -Deep, confused lacking in subtlety, teetering on the edge of stylized

Ludovisi Battle SarcophagusRoman Late Empire300 CE

Crisis of the 3rd Century!• This is where things really start to fall apart!• Emperors are being deposed, assassinated and tossed aside faster than

you can say, “Lemony Snickett”• In this hour of chaos, the emperor Diocletian (who was appointed

Emperor by his troops) decided to share power with his rivals and set up the Tetrarchy, or rule by four people.

• He split the Empire into the East and West (two would rule the east and two would rule the west)

• This was fine, until Diocletian retired. The new tetrarchs fought among themselves and this form of government collapsed.

• The split into East and West, though survived. •

-There is an Augustus (President) and a Caesar (Vice President). The senior president has a beard with his hand around the vice president to show he is a mentor.-The figures have huge arms and heads, leaving all traditional styles.-Leaving Classical Greek styles is showing they want their own way-The facial expressions give reference to early Archaic style.-Large cubical heads and squat bodies-lack of individuality-return to the Egyptian block and iconic status of the human form rather than natural (or even idealized) form

Four TetrarchsRoman Late Empire300 CE

Chaos!• Out of the fall of the Tetrarchs comes Civil war.• One man is able to beat back his opponents- Constantine.• Attributed his victory to the Christian god. He

subsequently ended the persecution of Christians.• Moved the Capitol of the Empire to Byzantium (modern-day

Istanbul) and declared Christianity the official religion of the Empire.• This begins the transition to the Medieval world

-Built after the battle of Milvan Bridge to commemorate his victory-Was built to please the emperor-Feeling of chaotic narrative-There is no unity or perspective.-Often only see heads in a mass without bodies below them - completely moved away from the Classical Greek tradition-Portrays the unification of the East and West-This more chaotic approach to art was accepted by the Christians because it was not the art of the pagan Greeks.-This arch is a bridge from the Classical to Medieval.-The roundels, columns and reliefs were taken from previous arches.-The heads on the sculptures were recut to show Constantine’s face

Arch of ConstantineRoman Late Empire300 CEKey Piece

Q:What does the reuse of old pieces do? A: It shows:1. Waning creativity and technical skill2. Waning $3. Desire to associate himself with the good-old-

days

• How is this different from the previous reliefs?

-Was depicted as Jupiter himself-The original statue had Constantine holding an orb, symbolizing his divine rule.-Arms and legs were made out of marble and the rest of the body was made out of brick and wood-The head is abstract, but the rest of the body is realistic.-The entire structure symbolizes Constantine's power.-lack of subtlety, as it is simply huge!Designed to fill you with aweSat in the Basilica Nova

Portrait of ConstantineRoman Late Empire300 CEKey Piece

Basilica NovaBasilicas were used as civic buildings, for banking, courts, and audience halls

-The seat of Constantine’s government In Germany -Plain brick once covered with marble on the interior -Triumphal arch in the apse -The Basilican plan inspired Christian churches of the medieval period -The Roman basilica is a political assembly and a hall of justice, not a church. This of course will change as Catholics embrace the design for their churches -Hall is heated by a space under the floor which transmitted heat from a furnace-Buttresses arch into a second story windowed clearstoryNote the use of GLASS- lead framed windows were quickly becoming popular

Aula PalatinaRoman Late Empire300 CEKey Piece

Next time…• Cumulative ID final: Computer Lab- B104?• Review for Essay final

• Thursday:– Essay Final

– In Two weeks:• Late Antiquity/Christian art, starring….You Guys!