Wait a second!
More handpicked essays just for you.
More handpicked essays just for you.
Ap art history greece
ANCIENT GREECE aP art history
Greek art and its influence
Don’t take our word for it - see why 10 million students trust us with their essay needs.
At the beginning of the first millennium CE, the Roman Empire began to conquer the territory around the Mediterranean Sea. Smaller countries feared the Roman Empire because of their great strength. The Roman Empire acquired great wealth, territories, and a reputation as a strong and feared empire. But, as time passed the problems within the Empire accumulated and the state of Roman Empire began to deteriorate before collapsing in 476 CE.
In 27 BCE (Before Common Era) the Roman Empire was entering its golden age, “The Pax Romana.” During the Pax Romana, the citizens of all Roman cities enjoyed free food and entertainment along with access to all of the Roman amenities such as bathhouses, roads, and mail service. However in 180 CE (Common Era) the Roman empire took a turn for the worse and eventually the last empire fell in 476 CE. The once powerful Roman Empire was in shambles. So what happened to the empire?
1600 years ago the mediterranean people were doing the same thing that us modern day people are doing now, conquering, claiming, and fighting, but why were they doing this, and who were they doing it too? The Roman empire was one of the strongest empires in history, the “superpower of the Mediterranean world”. In 750 BCE Rome was founded and over time Rome’s wealth, territory, and popularity grew and grew as time went on. They conquered the land of Scotland and Spain, began to control the whole Mediterranean sea, established some colonies around North Africa, the middle east, Asia Minor, and Egypt. They were beginning to expand their empire into almost the entire continents of Asia, Europe, and Africa.
The Roman Empire lasted about 500 years from about 47 BC to AD 476. It started in Italy and eventually extended throughout Europe, western Asia, and northern Africa. Julius Caesar became dictator for life and was assassinated by the senate, however this began the transfer from a republic to an empire. The Roman Empire grew over time, getting bigger. Although it thrived, it fell around 476 C.E because of major issues.
Political figures in art has always been an important part of our history, culture and artistic representation, Roman and Byzantine art is a classic case of these representations. The Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius and Justinian as World Conqueror are two examples that demonstrate the power and prestige of these political authorities. First, Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius from the Roman, Italy (173-176 CE) measures 11’6” high, cast in bronze. Secondly, Justinian as World conqueror from Byzantium period measures 13” x 11” entire panel, center panel 7” x 5” and 1” deep. The creator of the equestrian statue is unknown, however, the creator of Justinian’s ivory relief was probably made by the imperial work of Constantinople.
“Caesar Augustus rose from near obscurity to become the most powerful man Rome has ever seen, and he became perhaps the single most important figure in Rome’s long history.” (Sizgorich 1) Octavius Caesar, later referred to as Augustus, was arguably one of the more influential and successful emperors of Rome. There is little on record of Octavius Caesar’s early life. (Sizgorich 1) Octavius was born on September 23, 64 BCE in Rome.
The Life of Marius, written by Plutarch, is a fascinating ancient source detailing the career of the Roman Gaius Marius, 127-86BC. While there are interpretive and reliability issues, the Life of Marius is a particularly useful and significant source. It is our only extensive primary source on Marius, who was a key political figure of late Republican Rome. Additionally, Plutarch’s work indicates not only many crucial military and political development in Rome in the time period, but also gives a reflection of Plutarch’s own Rome and its values and political climate.
“I found Rome of clay; I leave it to you of marble.” Octavius Gaius or rather better known as Roman Emperor Augustus Caesar left his deathbed with these words. Surely enough, Octavius left a footprint in history as a successful leader who controlled one of the largest empires in history—a man worshipped as a god. His Empire stood for surmountable amount of time until its fall of the Byzantine Empire.
The expansion of the Roman Empire led to a greater divide between the rich and poor, a heavy reliance on agriculture, and more war. Those are just a few of the social, economic, and political changes that occurred in the Roman Empire during its expansion. In documents 5, 6, 7, and 9, the social changes of the Roman Empire are brought to light. Document 5 illustrates how the divide between the rich and poor classes widened.
The concept of exemplarity was used extensively throughout Roman literature as a tool to give guidance and enforce authority. By providing an ethical framework of societal precedents, exempla served to govern all facets of Roman public life. The system of exemplarity had an inherent power in Roman society, allowing it to be exploited for personal gain by rulers such as Augustus. Through his monumental literary biography, Res Gestae Divi Augusti, Augustus manipulated exemplarity in order to translate his coercive power into benevolent authority over the people of Rome.
It is the sculpture of a handsome and young ruler, namely, Augustus, sporting an ornamented cuirass and a tunic, with the figure of Cupid riding a dolphin on his side. The face reflects a youthful emperor, even though Augustus was about forty years of age when the statue was built. The Prima Porta style of facial composition comprises of, an expansive skull and slim chin, sharp-ridged eyebrows, hooked nose and a plump mouth and his hair is crowned with what is termed the Primaporta hairstyle. The breastplate is adorned with characters and is a composite of the narration of the Augustan and Tiberian propaganda, while he is barefoot. His right hand is
In Roman comedy, like in Greek comedy that came before it, Roman writers enjoyed to poke fun at social norms. Augustus sought to protect the Roman Empire’s longevity and in doing so elevated the power held by the paterfamilias. In a Roman family absolute authority is held by the father or the head of the household. The power of the paterfamilias was unrestricted and enabled him as the head of the house to control every aspect in the lives of his family. Most dramatically the form of this power was exercised in vitae necisque potestas or his ability to sentence his family members to death.
The Roman Republic was an ancient Roman civilization that was created after the overthrow of the Roman Kingdom in 509 BC, and ending in 27 BC with the creation of the Roman Republic. The Roman Republic was created in order for the rich men named aristocrats to gain even more power by removing kings from the Roman government. Soon after, the Roman upper class turned politics into a violent competition in their strive for power. Gaius Marius’ creation of “client armies” led soldiers to become more loyal towards their commander than the republic. This resulted in a commander named Lucius Cornelius Sulla overtaking Rome with his client army and establishing himself as a dictator.
The bust of Commodus is one of the most famous masterpieces of Roman portraiture and depicts the emperor as the reincarnation of the hero Hercules. Commodus is seen wearing the lion 's skin over his head, holding the club in his right hand, and the golden apple of Hesperides in his left hand as a reminder of how he is seen to be as the Greek hero Hercules. Two Amazon women are kneeling on the base beside a globe with the sign of the zodiac. These zodiac signs show important moments in Commodus’s life. On top of the globe is a cornucopia with the Amazon’s shield, one long enough to almost cover his torso.
In a Roman Osteria Carl Bloch, In a Roman Osteria, 1866, Oil on Canvas, 177.5 (w) x 148.5 (h)cm (without frame), Rome. Introduction Carl Bloch’s In a Roman Osteria was completed in 1866 with Oil on Canvas. It is currently found in Rome. I decided to write about this artwork considering it is a little comical to me and very interesting considering there are a couple things that can be going on.