The Inventions of Ancient Rome - Art Explora Academy

1

Historical reliefs

The Romans were not just content to copy the Greeks. They had their own myths, their own history, and they also invented new art forms.

Moreover, they got into the habit of narrating major historical events in sculpture form. This could be leaving for a war, religious festivals or the triumphs of emperors, which were represented as friezes and exhibited in the city.

These are what are known as “historical reliefs”. They served both to commemorate these events and to glorify those who participated.

The Republican Era

Altar known as the Altar of Domitius Ahenobarbus, 155 – 122 BC, marble, 47 x 58 inches, Louvre Museum, Paris. At the top: Historical side of the relief : The Census of Roman citizens At the bottom: Mythological side of the relief: Marine thiasus. Photo: Cassius Ahenobarbus, CC BY-SA 3.0

Early Empire

Ara Pacis, 13 – 9 BC, marble, 38’3” x 4’2” x 35 x 23 feet, Rome. Photo: Manfred Heyde, CC BY-SA 3.0

Empire

Constantine’s Arch 315, marble, 69’3” x 84’4” x 24’4”, Rome. Photo: Livioandronico2013, CC BY-SA 4.0

In a nutshell

Through the “historical reliefs”, the Romans narrated major events in the form of sculpted friezes.

2

Trajan’s column

Trajan’s Column

113, marble, 130 feet (height), Trajan’s Forum, Rome

Amongst the most famous reliefs, one of them is a vertiginous 40 metres high.

In this work, the sculpted frieze twists round a column built during the reign of Trajan, depicting war scenes and the Emperor’s victories. In all, it has 155 scenes and more than 2660 characters!
Who designed this? A certain Apollodorus of Damascus, a Syrian architect and engineer, and a specialist in the construction of bridges who also knew how to create oversize works.

The Danube watches the Roman army leaving the city

The Roman army marching

Speech

In a nutshell

Trajan’s Column, said to be the work of Apollodorus of Damascus, is a historical relief work of outstanding dimensions.

3

Concrete and the Pantheon of Rome

The Romans also developed a material that would be hugely successful: concrete.

This plaster has several advantages:

It is extremely quick drying. This enables rapid construction work, ideal in an expanding Empire!
It’s high level of robustness, in spite of its relative lightness.
It’s low cost. To avoid a “bargain basement” feel, it could be covered with a decorative layer of bricks, or with stones, a more prestigious solution.

Concrete, which was light and practical, made architectural innovations possible. The dome, for example, is a purely Roman invention.

Pantheon,

27 BC – 127 AD, Rome. Photo: ASaber91, CC BY-SA 4.0

Interior of the Pantheon, view of the Dome.

Photo: Maros M r a z, CC BY-SA 3.0

In a nutshell

When they developed concrete, which was inexpensive, solid and easy to use, the Romans innovated and created the dome.

4

The Roman portrait

A man in a toga is holding the busts of his ancestors

Togatus Barberini, First century, marble; 65 inches (height), Capitol Museums, Rome. Photo: Mary Harrsch, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

One of the rare portraits in bronze that have come down to us

Brutus Capitolin, 300 – 275 BC, bronze, 27 inches (height), Capital Museums, Rome. Photo: Frank M. Rafik, CC BY-NC-SA 2.0

Portrait of Vibia Sabina, around 135, marble, Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome

Let’s leave architecture aside. One of the great Roman innovations was indeed the portrait sculpture. The Romans were just crazy about them.

Yes, this genre already existed in Greece, but in Rome the faces became realistic, with an individual identity.

Every emperor even had his own official portrait. A model was created in the capital, then sent out throughout the empire.

It was the task of local workshops to copy and disseminate it, so that the emperor’s portrait was everywhere in public areas – impossible to miss!

Augustus at Prima Porta,

20 BC – 37 AD, marble, 82 x 4.7 x 51 inches, Vatican Museums

Portrait of Commodus as Hercules,

187, marble, 46.5 inches (height), Museums of the Capitol, Rome

In a nutshell

In Rome, the development of realistic portrait sculptures enabled the emperors to spread their image throughout the empire through copies.

5

Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix

Under the Empire, Rome dominated an immense territory.

Sometimes, however, some conquests were complicated. This was why two men fought each other in Gaul (today’s France and Belgium): Julius Caesar and Vercingetorix. The war between them ended at the battle of Alesia in 52 BC. Caesar won a crushing victory and Gaul fell into the hands of the Empire!

A strater in electrum in the name of Vercingetorix around 60 BC, French National Library, Paris

Vercingetorix

The leader of the Gauls
He made an alliance with the celtic peoples to resist the Romans

Denier, portrait of Caesar as perpetual dictactor around 44 BC, French National Library, Paris

Caïus Julius Caesar known as Julius Caesar

The Roman leader (please note that, contrary to popular belief, he was not emperor)
He wanted to conquer Gaul for his own personal glory.

In a nutshell

When Julius Caesar defeated Vercingetorix, leader of the Gauls, in 52 BC at the battle of Alesia, Gaul became part of the Roman Empire.

6

Local adaptations

5 million sq. kms…

This was the size of the Empire at its height! At the time, although its artistic models were exported from Rome, there must have been local adaptations. This “mixed” art, which was a blend of different traditions, created totally original works.Are you ready for a Mediterranean trip ?

On the left: The “Maison Carrée” Roman Temple in Nimesearly first century. On the right: The Arenas of Lutetia, first century, Paris. Photo: Mbzt, CC BY 3.0

The people of Gaul adopted the large stone monuments. But they did not copy every last detail. That is how buildings with a mix of amphitheatre and theatre characteristics were built.

On the left: Bust of Aqmat, 2nd century, stone, British Museum, London. Photo: PHGCOM, CC BY-SA 3.0. On the right: Stele of Atenatan Gurai, 2nd century, stone, Ny Carlsberg Glyptothek, Copenhagen. Photo: Wolfgang Sauber, CC BY-SA 3.0

In Palmyre (today’s Syria), were createdportraits of local dignitaries, but in a regional style.

On the left: Portrait of a young boy named Eutyches, second century, encaustic painting on wood, 15 x 7.5 inches, Metropolitan Museum, New York. On the right: Portrait of a young woman wearing a crown, 90 – 120, encaustic painting on wood and gold leaf, 15 x 7.24 inches, Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

In Egypt, artists painted funeral portraits according to the local tradition, but realistically, with the face facing frontwards, following Roman codes.

In a nutshell

The different regions of the Empire adopted and adapted Roman art, creating new artistic forms.

7

Circus games

Jean-Léon Gérôme, Pollice Verso,

1872, oil on canvas, 39.5 x 58.6 inches, Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix

Amongst the Roman traditions exported everywhere were circus games. Gladiators were the stars of these games! They also inspired numerous artists and film producers.

Was “thumbs down” the sign that the loser should be killed? In reality, this was a legend invented by these same artists and these professional fighters did not often die in the arena.

These fights were just one small part of the show. Clashes between wild animals, chariot races, dramatic performances and reconstructions of naval battles meant that there was something to suit (almost) everyone’s taste!