sydney

do not say a little in many words, but a great deal in a few. - pythagoras

[persephosydney]

The Arch of Septimius Severus

The Arch of Septimius Severus is a beautiful white marble structure adorned with carvings and columns, dedicated in 203 A.D. to Septimius Severus, an Emperor who was victorious in a series of Parthian battles. This Arch is also referred to as the Arch of triumph, because it celebrated such dramatic victories in Parthia. The Arch is near the bottom of the Capitoline Hill in the northwest corner of the Roman Forum, and originally had steps leading up to the largest archway. The structure consists of three archways, two lower ones with a taller one in the center, resting on four pillars. The Arch is covered in depictions of various gods, battles, and military campaigns in Parthia. The columns supporting the Arch are Corinthian in style, and are richly carved at the capital. The top of the Arch is rectangular area, inscribed with a dedication to Severus and his two sons, Caracalla and Geta. This Arch is interesting, because it has small relief carvings on the front and back of the structure but none on the inside of the arches, as seen in the Arch of Constantine. The carvings on the arch are narrative in style and are self-contained, not continuous as we see in much ancient sculpture. This Arch is considered one of the most complete of the Roman arches, and is also considered a great piece of political and military propaganda in favor of the Emperor. The Romans utilized arches as freestanding pieces, and the Greeks tended to incorporate them into larger structures.

Vermeule, Cornelius. American Journal of Archaeology 72, no. 3 (1968): 295-96. doi:10.2307/503569.

“Triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus, Dedicated in 203 AD (photo).”

Roman. “Triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus, Dedicated in 203 AD (photo).” 0300.

Toynbee, J. M. C. “Arch of Triumph.” The Classical Review 18, no. 2 (1968): 230-31. http://www.jstor.org/stable/709004.

[its--greek-to-me-deactivated201]

Wow, this was a very thoughtful analysis. There is just about nothing you did not cover. I especially appreciated all the detail of the arch’s appearance. I was able to paint a vivid picture of the arch in my mind even though the arch is pictured very far away.

My one question is about the relief carvings of the arch. You note that this arch is interesting because it does not have the reliefs inside the arch as compared to the Arch of Constantine. However, since the arch of Constantine was crafted after this arch, shouldn’t that arch be the exception to the rule? Or are there other examples of relief filled arches and this one truly is the exception? Other than this, thank you for a great analysis!

[persephosydney]

Thanks so much! There are many other arches carved around the same time, or before the Arch of Septimius Severus that had relief carvings on the inside of the arch, like the Arch of Constantine. An example is the Arch of Titus (1st C. A.D.) The Porte Noire, in Besançon, France, was constructed by Marcus Aurelius in 171 B.C. also features relief carvings on the inside of the arch itself. So, I would say that the Arch of Septimius Severus is the exception!

[stay-hydra-ted]

Temple of Venus and Roma, 2nd century AD

Keep reading

[persephosydney]

Great job analyzing this temple. I especially like that you compared it to the Forum of Augustus, to put it into perspective. I wish you had talked about and explained what exactly what a cella was. The mention of the palindrome between the two goddesses’ names was really interesting. Where in Rome is this temple located? Is it near the Capitoline Hill, etc..? Also, do you think that the temple was originally raised up on this double platform type of setting? I think you also should have discussed the additional structures surrounding the temple a little bit more, but overall I found your analysis very interesting.

[persephosydney]

The Arch of Septimius Severus

The Arch of Septimius Severus is a beautiful white marble structure adorned with carvings and columns, dedicated in 203 A.D. to Septimius Severus, an Emperor who was victorious in a series of Parthian battles. This Arch is also referred to as the Arch of triumph, because it celebrated such dramatic victories in Parthia. The Arch is near the bottom of the Capitoline Hill in the northwest corner of the Roman Forum, and originally had steps leading up to the largest archway. The structure consists of three archways, two lower ones with a taller one in the center, resting on four pillars. The Arch is covered in depictions of various gods, battles, and military campaigns in Parthia. The columns supporting the Arch are Corinthian in style, and are richly carved at the capital. The top of the Arch is rectangular area, inscribed with a dedication to Severus and his two sons, Caracalla and Geta. This Arch is interesting, because it has small relief carvings on the front and back of the structure but none on the inside of the arches, as seen in the Arch of Constantine. The carvings on the arch are narrative in style and are self-contained, not continuous as we see in much ancient sculpture. This Arch is considered one of the most complete of the Roman arches, and is also considered a great piece of political and military propaganda in favor of the Emperor. The Romans utilized arches as freestanding pieces, and the Greeks tended to incorporate them into larger structures.

Vermeule, Cornelius. American Journal of Archaeology 72, no. 3 (1968): 295-96. doi:10.2307/503569.

"Triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus, Dedicated in 203 AD (photo)."

Roman. "Triumphal Arch of Septimius Severus, Dedicated in 203 AD (photo)." 0300.

Toynbee, J. M. C. "Arch of Triumph." The Classical Review 18, no. 2 (1968): 230-31. http://www.jstor.org/stable/709004.

[persephosydney]

Greek and Roman Art: The Roman World

Question: Why were the Romans so much less artistic than the Greeks? If they were capable of such mastery in other areas, why not original and beautiful art and sculpture?

Comment: The story of Achilles among the daughters of Lycomedes is funny, especially because it’s totally outrageous to think that these women wouldn’t notice a man who just hid within them...

[persephosydney]

St. Augustine’s Confessions Book 3

Question: Why does Augustine think that tragedies don’t allow people to recognize their own sins? Doesn’t literature and art make us reflect on ourselves subconsciously and consciously?

Comment: I like the description that Augustine gives of God as, “the life of souls, the life of lives”. It’s really beautiful and tangible.

[persephosydney]

Still Life with Peaches

This Roman wall painting is a sample from a fourth style painting located within a mural on a wall found in Herculaneum. This piece is a fresco, which means that it was painted rapidly with watercolor on wet plaster so that the painting would become fixed and penetrate the wall. Still life paintings were popular in Rome, and often depicted everyday objects arranged beautifully. To stay true to the subject matter, Roman artists would delineate shadows and proportions with extreme care. It is visible where each peach rests that there’s a strong shadow beneath and slightly to the right, indicating that the light source was coming from the left and overhead. The shadow being cast from the glass vase is interesting, it is equally as dark as the shadow cast from the opaque fruits, yet water often casts a very light shadow. The fruit is accurate in shape and size, and the glass jar is surprisingly three-dimensional. One thing that does not seem totally accurate is the color palette used. The rich red of the background contrasts nicely with the green peaches, but green peaches are unripe. The unripe peach to the right of the image is cut open, as if it is being prepared to be eaten. This painting has a beautiful flowing leading line created by the branch that the peaches hang from, it leads the viewer’s eye from the top of the image around to the glass vase.

Kleiner, Fred S. A History of Roman Art. Enhanced ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2010. Pappalardo, Umberto, and Donatella Mazzoleni. The Splendor of Roman Wall Painting. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum, 2009.

[greekin-out-blog]

Great analysis Sydney! I really appreciated how you connected the style of the fresco to the wall painting and how you used very descriptive language when doing so!  Your analysis on the color palette was also very intriguing because of the focus on how the colors might be off.  Do you have any idea why it is so? Also, a little unrelated but, on this wall were there other paintings or objects that might help put this exact piece in context? Overall, your analysis was very well thought out and I truly enjoyed the connections between the style and the painting itself.

[persephosydney]

Thanks! I think that the color palette might be slightly off because these peaches could be unripe, or because the painter wanted the fruit to stand out more from the red background and an orangey-peach hue would blend right in. I’m not sure what the rest of the wall looked like, but it’s possible that there are either people or more still life paintings near and around the peaches.

[persephosydney]

Confessions Book 2

Question: Why is Augustine so convinced that sexual desires are misdirections of pure love? If humans were created to procreate further what is wrong with doing just that?

Comment: The line, “friendship can be a dangerous enemy, a seduction of the mind,” makes a lot of sense to me and is still relevant to so many relationships that I would call friendships today.

[persephosydney]

Confessions 1 + Empire Without Limit 4

Question: I’m really interested to learn more about Constantine and his switch over to Christianity, I feel like Mary Beard should have tried to elaborate more about the sudden polarization there. Was he just switching over to the winning side or was there some other more intricate political reasoning?

Comment: I really like the quote from the Confessions that says, “For if I go down into hell, Thou art there also,” because it really represents the strength in Augustine’s belief in God.

[centaur--of--attention-blog]

Sacred Landscape, from Pompeii

This Roman wall painting dates back to 63-79 AD. It was found in either Herculaneum or Pompeii, but most likely Pompeii. It is a perfect example of the third Pompeian style by adding amazing dimensions on a flat surface instead of it seeming like the person is looking into a distant space. This painting would have been on a flat wall in a house or other building. Despite the painting being on a flat wall, the painting itself is extremely realistic and the proportions of distance are very believable.

It depicts a tower, trees, statues, and human figures, which when combined forms something called a sacred landscape. Shepherds are shown around their sheep as they wander through the serene landscape, most likely of Pompeii (before Vesuvius erupted). The light brush strokes allow for it to seem airy and fresh. Overall, this painting is a perfect example of Roman paintings and also the third Pompeian style.

[persephosydney]

I wish that you had gone more in depth about what a sacred landscape is. I like that you talked about the heaviness of the brushstrokes. Also, what about the color palette? The painting is quite faded but it’s a classic Roman color palette of reds and ochres. I wish you had talked more about the layout of the piece, and the way that the tiny bridge on the left is probably not accurately represented. I also noticed that your review was very short and you had no sources, what happened there?

[persephosydney]

Roman Art 3.9

Question: Why would the Romans wan to “scale down” the building? Wouldn’t they want it to be loud, proud, and authentically Roman?

Comment: This plan of the Baths of Caracalla was so beautiful to me because of the beautiful spiraling symmetry and proportionality of the squares within the main building.

[persephosydney]

Still Life with Peaches

This Roman wall painting is a sample from a fourth style painting located within a mural on a wall found in Herculaneum. This piece is a fresco, which means that it was painted rapidly with watercolor on wet plaster so that the painting would become fixed and penetrate the wall. Still life paintings were popular in Rome, and often depicted everyday objects arranged beautifully. To stay true to the subject matter, Roman artists would delineate shadows and proportions with extreme care. It is visible where each peach rests that there’s a strong shadow beneath and slightly to the right, indicating that the light source was coming from the left and overhead. The shadow being cast from the glass vase is interesting, it is equally as dark as the shadow cast from the opaque fruits, yet water often casts a very light shadow. The fruit is accurate in shape and size, and the glass jar is surprisingly three-dimensional. One thing that does not seem totally accurate is the color palette used. The rich red of the background contrasts nicely with the green peaches, but green peaches are unripe. The unripe peach to the right of the image is cut open, as if it is being prepared to be eaten. This painting has a beautiful flowing leading line created by the branch that the peaches hang from, it leads the viewer’s eye from the top of the image around to the glass vase.

Kleiner, Fred S. A History of Roman Art. Enhanced ed. Boston, MA: Wadsworth, Cengage Learning, 2010. Pappalardo, Umberto, and Donatella Mazzoleni. The Splendor of Roman Wall Painting. Los Angeles: J. Paul Getty Museum, 2009.

[persephosydney]

Pliny and Meet the Romans 1&2

Question: When Pliny described his Uncle’s throat as narrow and constricted could that have meant that he had asthma? Also he describes the ash and lava piling up outside of the room his Uncle stayed in but then he also says that he left the house and made no mention of a struggle avoiding stepping in lava? This confused me.

Comment: I think that the first episode of meet the Romans is extremely relevant to American politics right now. Immigration into Rome was the only thing keeping it populated and activated. It’s important to think about the positive effects of immigration in modern society, and this Roman example is very intriguing.

P.S. I actually couldn’t stop laughing when Mary Beard was on the Roman toilet like...... who is she????

[persephosydney]

Aeneid Books 9-12

Question: If Jupiter said that he would no longer interfere with the war below, why would he allow Juno to send that ghost spirit thing of Aeneas and save Turnus’ life?

Comment: It’s really amazing that one of the greatest warriors in these books is Camilla, a woman. I don’t know whether or not women were seen equally during this time, but for nobody to really question it on the battlefield is really progressive and intriguing.

[persephosydney]

Aeneid Book 6

Question: Is it a coincidence that Aeneas and Dido are married in a cave, and then portal to the underworld is through a cave? Could it symbolize the life and death of their love?

Comment: The imagery of the golden bough near the beginning of the book is so vivid and beautiful, I really liked that whole section.

[persephosydney]

Roman Sculpture: The Orator

This Roman bronze statue, known as The Orator is considered a Romano-Etruscan piece that was created in the late second century or early first century BC. The statue shows an Etruscan man, right arm raised, hips and shoulders displaying contrapposto, wearing a Roman toga and some type of sandal footwear. It has been determined from an inscription on the statue that his name was Aulus Metellus. His raised arm helps the viewer understand that he is addressing the public, and that is orating. This statue is another example of the Roman’s adoption of Greek styles of art. The Orator is extremely similar to the Greek Spear-Bearer, or Doryphoros. The Spear-Bearer has a slightly raised left hand that grasps a spear, but the shape of the hand of this statue is extremely similar to the cupped shape of The Orator. This statue also follows the Greek tradition set forth by the simplistic kouros, one foot forward with a slightly bent knee. Even though this statue is clearly one modeled after the Greek art style, it falls short in two important areas. The draping of the toga over The Orator loses his body beneath the cloth, he seems shapeless. Secondly, the raised arm seems out of proportion with the rest of his body, it seems very long, and the palm of his hand is very wide. This may be strategic, to convey the power in the motion, but it loses the realness of the statue in the process.

Roman. “Statue of a Roman Orator (bronze).”

Etruscan. “Orator (bronze).”

Janson, H. W., Anthony F. Janson, and H. W. Janson. History of Art: The Western Tradition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson/Prentice-Hall, 2004.

[laurelofolympia-blog]

You mentioned that the cloth makes his body shapeless, but I am not sure if I agree. You are able to see how his chest curves down into his hip, and you can see his knee through the cloth. Also, what about the asymmetry of the left side of his body and the right side? What affect does that have on the viewer? Do you care to elaborate about what you meant by “shapelessness,” and go a little more in depth on the affect his body position has? Overall, though, you did an excellent job focusing on the analyzing the design!

[persephosydney]

I think that a lot of the detail on his chest and torso is lost because of the fabric, and his waist is hardly defined. I like that you brought up the asymmetry of the arms. I think that the fact that the cloth is draped on the downward arm helps to balance the statue out more. By shapeless I meant that his body wasn’t as toned as the statues we have seen previously.

[persephosydney]

Aeneid Book 4

Question: I’ve noticed several times that things happen in threes (some ghost flashed three times, Dido tries to prop herself up three times, etc.) What is the significance of the number three?

Comment: I think Dido is really dramatic and unnecessarily showy... If she was going to kill herself and didn’t want anyone to know why wouldn’t she just eat some poison or something? Killing herself on a pile of her husband’s stuff is a little bit excessive in my opinion.

[its-ella-arndt-blog]

Storyboard: Book two lines 591-652 Priam’s death @whats–kraken @its–greek-to-me @persephosydney