Classic Civ

Lots of Greek and Roman Stuff

[stevenmathens-blog]

ASCSA/Parthenon Reflection

(Praying Athena comes in clutch to help me remember all the artists in this book.)

One cannot dismiss Dr. Tsakirgis as an expert on the subject that she is presenting. The first almost ten minutes of the video was someone listing off her impressive and varied accomplishments in both academia and in field work in the ancient world. Even an appointment to the Tennessee Architectural Society by the governor! Her credentials just didn’t stop!

The thing that stood out the most to me was how the art of the mosaics evolved from their earliest forms. Many of the designs and images initially were used only for decoration and to be aesthetically pleasing. Eventually, these beautiful images evolved to take on more important symbolic meanings to the Ancients, such as the rosettes becoming a ward for evil or malignant forces, or the many, many interpretations of the wheel, or the bird from Aphrodite.

Another fascinating piece of the presentation was just how widespread and almost standardized these mosaics came to be. They have been found all around the Mediterranean, in Greek and Roman cities as the Greeks came to be dominated by Rome during the Hellenistic period (a period that was cited as Dr. Tsakirgis’s expertise). 

I see this as just another piece of evidence showing how truly connected the Ancient world was. These peoples from all around the Mediterranean were using all the same images, possibly not for the same purposes or same interpretations, but they were still using the same images. And even within the same culture, there were different interpretations and uses, such as between men and women, young and old.

[erinnicole0612-blog]

Temple of Antoninus and Faustina

This temple was built around 141 CE and Antoninus dedicated it to his wife, Faustina. It is located in the Roman Forum in Rome, Italy. The first thing that I noticed about the temple was the large, green door. If you look closely, this door has no steps leading to it. It is inaccessible by that door due to the lack of steps. Perhaps when Christians started taking over and trying to eliminate Paganism, they took the steps away so that no one could access it. This would take away the place of worship for the Paganists. If you look closely, underneath the green door, there is a window. There would normally be steps blocking this window, so I speculate that this window was either not functional during the time that the temple was being used or it was added after the steps were removed. Looking at the side of the temple, it isn’t very pretty. Perhaps it was originally built next to something and you wouldn’t have been able to see the side. I also notice that the temple isn’t very proportional. It seems as if it should be slightly longer because the front seems very wide in comparison. I also notice that it is built up on a high platform, which was typical in Roman architecture. The top of this temple has a different design from other temples I’ve seen. The two curves at the top draw in your attention. I noticed that they seem to be pointing to the cross that is placed on top. The cross seems a little out of place, and perhaps the Christians placed it there when/if they took the steps off of the temple to send a message to the Pagans. The pictures shown here truly do not do this beautiful temple justice.

The picture of the front of the temple I took when I was in Italy this past summer.

Bibliography: “Temple of Antoninus and Faustina.” Art History Survey Collection. ArtStor. http://library.artstor.org/library/iv2.html?parent=true Accessed December 1, 2016.

[stevenmathens-blog]

This is an excellent analysis! Not only do you focus on the concrete evidence and imagery of the structure, but you also make some very well educated guesses that seem very plausible. For example, acknowledging the politics of the Christian takeover of the time, and their desire to root out traditional pagan worship which would explain the missing staircase was an excellent added touch to the analysis that added a great deal to it.

[stevenmathens-blog]

Temple of Saturn, Roman Forum, 498 BCE

Located in the Roman Forum, Saturn quickly became one of the most important gods to the Romans, given his connection to agriculture, and Rome’s dependence on agriculture for income. Because of its importance, it was also used as the repository for the State Treasury.

The temple was restored in 42 BCE, and rebuilt between 360 - 380 CE after it was burned down. The rebuilding during this time explains the very Greek aspects of the temple’s architecture. The eight remaining columns are unmistakably Ionic in style.

The temple sat on a monumental podium, something that can be seen even today. This makes sense, given the god the temple was dedicated to and its location in the Roman Forum. The below image shows a reconstruction of what the temple might have looked like following its reconstruction. The engaged columns circling the temple can be seen, an adaptation of the Greek peristyle.

Additionally, the large staircase leading up to the temple porch is another very Roman aspect. Roman temples were meant to be approached from the front, with the staircase inviting people into the temple. This is better illustrated in the below image. 

While these images are only reconstructions, they can be backed up by other Roman temples around the ancient world, such as the Maison Carrée (below). The Maison shares those Greek adaptations characteristic of later imperial Rome, including the engaged columns, as well as the Roman aspects of the forward-facing staircase and attraction to the temple from a frontal view.

Bibliography:

Woodford, Susan. The Art of Greece and Rome. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004

All images found on Artstor

“Temple of Saturn,” University of Chicago, accessed December 1, 2016 http://penelope.uchicago.edu/~grout/encyclopaedia_romana/romanforum/saturn.html.

[stevenmathens-blog]

Art 3.10

Is the amount of time between the height of Classical art and art during the fall of the Roman Empire an aspect in the decline of artistic ability?

I love how open the Romans were to other cultures and peoples within their empire. Although they wanted to show a united and community front, both to foreigners and Roman citizens alike, they accept and welcome new cultures. The only evidence of suppression is when a group posed a threat to the efficient running of the empire.

[stevenmathens-blog]

Confessions, Bk. 3

“And I did fall in love, simply from wanting to.” Is Augustine alluding to falling in love with someone? Or is this just a reiteration of his point that he was in love with the idea of love?

Perhaps the most interesting thing about the Confessions is how Augustine approaches his own life story. He is looking at his past misdeeds and sinful ways as a man converted and matured. There is also not a disconnect between him and his sinful ways, as he completely is owning up to them.

[kayleigh0301-blog]

This is part of the Room with Garden Paintings from Pompeii. It is said to be in the Third Style because the painting is framed, as seen in the top right image. There is gold around the garden scene, and outside of the gold is red. This is most likely the base wall color. However, it does have influences of Second Style because of the landscape scene. The top right image shows a garden with what appears to be a lake in the background. The absence of painted thin columns supports this as well. This reflects either the transition between Second Style and Third Style or their coexistence, as discussed in class. All four walls had garden scenes on them, but they only covered part of the wall. The sketch of the room at the bottom shows that the tops of the walls have a different pattern. The commissioner of this room must have been wealthy enough to have these large, intricate paintings done, but not so wealthy as to be able to afford an unlimited amount of paint. Blue was an expensive color, so the fact that there is a decent amount of it shows that the commissioner had money, but the few red and purple flowers suggest that his wealth had limits, specifically in the top left image. The bird bath in the foreground gives that wall a sense of depth as the eye is drawn first to the bath, then to the blues. I would assume the colors were more vibrant when they were freshly painted, so the bright blues and the rich greens would beautifully contrast the white bird bath. In the image of the bird on the reed, it is interesting that the eye settles on the bird, then follows the reed to the ground, where it can choose any which way. 

This is not a clear representation of any one style, which makes this room a little unorthodox, but it represents the reality that the classifications of the four styles were not clear cut and definitive. There are many paintings that do not fit into one style, but are a blend.

Bibliography

Ramage, Andrew and Ramage, Nancy H. Roman Art. New Jersey:          

    Pearson Prentice Hall, 2005.

   “Scheme of the Room with Garden Paintings”

No name. Album, Art Resource, NY. (http:///C.aspxVP3=ViewBox_VPage&VBID

 =2UN365UUCL8QS&IT=ZoomImageTemplate01_VForm&IID=2UN39YFLS0NM

  &PN=54&CT=Search&SF=0)

House of the Golden Bracelet, Room 32 detail of the garden scene on the left 

   wall. Florence, Art Resource. 

[stevenmathens-blog]

This was an amazing analysis of the paintings and entire room in general! Talking about the different Styles of painting, and the interplay and blurring of the lines was an excellent touch. Being able to analyze the owner of the house’s probable wealth based on the different paint colors and type of paintings was excellent, and added a humanistic element to the paintings. It’s no longer just a painting. I know that Zach wanted us to focus on style, but my personal preference is for, again, the more humanistic, emotional analyses, but that’s just me.

[stevenmathens-blog]

Confessions, Bk 2

What was the motivation for Augustine to write an entire work of only confessions of his various transgressions? Is sin not something internal and personal? Or was the public nature of his sins his motivation for publicizing them in his Confessions?

I find it interesting how much piety and self-deprecation/self-denial seem to go in hand. Augustine is considered one of the most pious and important saints and figures in the Christian Church. When he speaks of God, he lowers himself to almost unhealthily subterranean levels of mental stature. Today, there is more of an emphasis on God raising up his people, not putting them down or even asking them to put themselves down (unless I’m greatly misinterpreting an entire religion). 

[stevenmathens-blog]

Rome: Empire Without Limits Ep. 4 + Confessions, Bk 1

Was there ever a time when the Roman empire hesitated in their decision to delegate authority to smaller “emperors” throughout the empire? Or was the true emperor over-confident in thinking that these new rulers would not let the power get to their heads?

Confessions so far seems to be an extremely contradictory, winding, weaving, confusing and maddening read. Questions are posed to other questions. Questions that are easy to answer with a simple answer are given a complicated answer. Augustine humbles himself to the level of “dirt and ash,” to later sound almost cocky in speaking of his relationship with God and how God provided for him. Simple tasks and human processes like infancy, the simplest time in a person’s life, are twisted and presented in such a way to make them seem like the most profound thing. Perhaps this is an attempt to emulate the immensity and profoundness of God’s. Augustine’s original audience from the early centuries of the Christian church perhaps understood this better, or perhaps it is a product of the translation to English.

[stevenmathens-blog]

Art 3.9, Architecture

Why were the Romans so only enthralled with Greek art and architecture? Yes, the Greeks contributed amazing artistic values and pieces to history, but the Roman empire conquered the entirety of the Mediterranean world. Was there no other art form so inspiring as that of Greece in their vast territory?

The thing that surprised me the most about the architecture of Rome is the sheer size of some of these structures. Structures that out-size many buildings even today were accomplished with much more simple, primitive technology and planning, and those buildings still stand!

[stevenmathens-blog]

Wall Painting in Bedroom B, Villa Farnesina, Rome, 21 BCE

This wall painting was found in a Villa believed to have been built by Agrippa to celebrate his marriage to Emperor Augustus’s daughter Julia. It is dated to the transitional period the Roman Republic and the Imperial Era, circa 21 BCE, and was excavated in the capital.

This wall painting was found in one of the bedrooms in the southern wing of the villa. The painting is in the Second Style. Second style consisted of using illusionary techniques to suggest the confines of the room were larger or even non-existent. To achieve this, painters had to master the idea of depth, something that can be easily seen in the first photo. The room is only a rectangle in shape, but the use of depth and perception in the paintings add an openness to the actually small room. This use of depth is very visible in this smaller painting below:

This painting is in the center of the far wall of the bedroom. It is a scene of Young Dionysus with the Nymphs of Nisa. The painting is extremely detailed when looked at up close. The infant god is distinguished by the laurel around his head. The nymph holding Dionysus’s expression is one of compassion and caring, while the two onlookers seem cautious and perhaps afraid of the baby, recognizing him as a god. These realistic details were imperative to Roman art and painting, regardless of the Style the work was in.

First image - Romano, Luciano. Bedroom B. View of the left wall of the antechamber and the rear wall of the sleeping alcove. Mazzoleni and Pappalardo, Domus, 211. 

Second image - Rome: Villa of the Farnesina (beneath): Cubiculum B - wall painting. ARTStor Slide Gallery. http://library.artstor.org/library/#3|search|1|roman20painting20villa20farnesina|Multiple20Collection20Search|||type3D3126kw3Droman20painting20villa20farnesina26id3Dall26name3DAll20Collections26origKW3D||4|, (accessed November 16, 2016).

Third image - Romano, Luciano. The Villa Farnesina: Detail of the painted decoration in Bedroom B. View of the rear wall of the sleeping alcove. Mazzoleni and Pappalardo, Domus, 229.

Woodford, Susan. The Art of Greece and Rome. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 2004.

Mazzoleni, Donatella and Pappalardo, Umberto. Domus: Wall Painting in the Roman House. Translated by J. Paul Getty Trust. Los Angeles, CA: Getty Publications, 2007.

[stevenmathens-blog]

Pliny, Letters + Meet The Romans Eps. 1 & 2

I have to wonder what the empire’s response to Vesuvius’s eruption was. Today, when an inevitable, catastrophic event happens, say in the United States, the government immediately sends aid to the affected area and people. Would this kind of humanitarian aid have been expected or at least given by Imperial Rome?

All that we have read and seen about Rome has focused on the Empire of Rome and the glamorous and powerful figures of its history. Meet The Romans, however, focused on the everyday Roman, overshadowed by that grand Empire that is usually studied. This added a more familiar aspect to the Romans. Hearing about the city of Rome and its imports to sustain its citizens and the ethnic neighborhoods and the absorption of those ethnic Romans into Roman society reminded me of New York City, and this helped add another facet to our study.

[stevenmathens-blog]

Aeneid, Bk 9 - 12

Is there any way that the gods justify so much intervention in the war between the Trojans and Latinum? There is always a seeming conflict between Fate and the gods actions, and it seems like the gods have the power to change, or at least to prolong faith. Is the line set in stone? Or is it just an arbitrary measure?

Virgil injects himself into the story at times during these Books. It has a disjointed feeling in the story, as it takes the reader outside of the moment in the story. Also, many of his interjections are comments about his humility and his inability to accurately tell the story or relay the details to his audience. But his interjections have the affect of sounding quite overconfident, even cocky. He is confident enough, while being “humble” to inject his own ego into the story.

[stevenmathens-blog]

Aeneid, Book 6

From the way the story speaks of the gods of Rome, it seems that they were originally the gods of Troy. Aeneas’s mother Venus, Juno, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury. All of these gods are more well known as the gods of Rome. But the timing of the story generations before Romulus and Remus found Rome makes it seem that the gods were actually Trojan in origin. Is there any truth to this?

I am curious if there has ever been any proof found connecting Aeneas and the Trojans to Rome. We talked about how much the Romans appreciated Greek culture, and how they claimed to be descendants of Aeneas and Troy to seem connected to Greece as more than just conquerors and clients for their art. But from what we’ve learned it seems like this connection was fabricated for the Romans purposes and exploits.

[stevenmathens-blog]

Aeneid, Bk 4

The story was very vague about what, if any, political or social consequences there were for Dido’s kingdom if and when Aeneas left her alone. Would there have been any dire consequences surrounding Aeneas’s departure for Carthage?

Dido’s suicide seems to be an instance of Fate getting out of hand for the gods. Never in the book does it mention the gods’ desire for Dido to die, just for her to be influenced to fall in love. It seems that the plan got out of hand for the gods.

[stevenmathens-blog]

Aeneid, Bks 1 - 2

The Greek poetry and literature was meant to be read aloud. Was this tradition and style also adopted by the Romans for their literature? 

I find it so intriguing the similarities, but also differences, so far seen between, not only Greek and Roman literature, but also in the way that the characters interact. Even in the appearance of Homeric similes, centuries after Homer himself was writing! Yet also the similarities and differences in Greek and Roman mythology. For example, the relationship between Jupiter, Juno, and Neptune that is spoken about is that of siblings, and a marriage between Jupiter and Juno. This is in line with Zeus, Hera, and Poseidon in Greek mythology. Yet they also preserve their separate identities. Juno, it says, takes a different role and interest in the Trojan War, but then again the same. Juno hates the Trojans, similar to Hera’s position on the side of the Greeks. It’s all very convoluted but seemingly straightforward, which is interesting, given the Roman love for specifics and detail.

[greekin-out-blog]

Marble Bust of a Woman

“Marble Bust of a Woman.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed November 4, 2016. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/18.145.39/.

As portrayed in this marble bust of a woman, where the Greek tended to care for more idealistic portrayals of humans, the Romans focused more on a hyper realistic form.  In the context of this bust, this hyper realism can be seen in the the woman’s cheeks, which are indented, as opposed to being idealistic and rounded as they might be, had they been Greek and in the wrinkles on her forehead and neck.  Another area of much detail is the face.  The woman’’s eyes in particular are very detailed, even showing a pupil, and her knit eyebrows appear to show every single hair in them.  Her eyes appear to have bags underneath them, more evidence of the hyper realism of Roman sculpture.

This woman appears to be a young adult, as evidenced by the few wrinkles on her face and neck.  Her head is tilted and turn, so that she is not facing directly forward, which adds some intrigue and motion to her action.  While her hair is very textured and implies this motion, her clothing is stiff.  The drapery of her clothing is cut in sharp edges and does not seem to provide much evidence of movement within the bust. The drapes give the woman a lot of detail and define her shape, but they do not appear to fall naturally.  This bust is lively and detailed, but still appears to be early in the era.

“Marble Bust of a Woman.” The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Accessed November 4, 2016. http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/18.145.39/.

[stevenmathens-blog]

This was excellent! You did an excellent job focusing on and discussing the style of the piece. Describing the hyper realism of the piece in such detailed terms was a great way to portray the Roman style of sculpture. I noticed when looking at the piece how the woman’s clothing and draperies seems very disjoint from the shape of her body. Her face and features, although realistic are still fairly round, while the draperies are sharp and flat. Is there any reason this could’ve been done on purpose or any kind of symbolism?

[stevenmathens-blog]

Art 3.8 Roman Painting

What was happening between the painting of the Pompeiian riot, a fairly crude painting by today’s standards, and the amazingly detailed and perspective driven Pompeiian styles? 

I find it astonishing the level of painting that the Romans were able to achieve during their time. Figure 107 on page 104 is a gorgeous piece of perspective art. Not only that, but extremely realistic, to the extent that I thought it was a photograph or reconstruction of a Roman room found in a house or villa. Even today, a piece like that would be praised!