Module 3

• Galba

  • Governor of Spain before emperor
  • Had the support of Praetorians and Senate, then lost it after removing their bonus
  • Prescribed people
  • Murdered by his Praetorian guard
  • Appointed a hier which upset the guard and Senate

  
• Prescribing people

  • Done by Galba
  • Name an individual the enemy of the state
  • Kill them off
  • Take their property
  • Gets rid of bad / powerful people while profiting
• Otho

  • Friend of Nero, has his waterfall hair
  • Nero’s mistress becomes Otho’s wife
  • Proclaimed by the Praetorian guard
  • Was not very popular
  • Armies loyal to their generals, would chose them to be the next emperor

  
• Vitellius

  • Marched into Rome with army, defeated those of Otho
  • Became emperor after Otho killed himself
  • Those who did not want to die became loyal to him
  • Devoted Roman treasury to himself (similar to Nero)
  • Forced wealthy people to adopt him as their heir

  
• Vespasian

  • Left Titus in charge of Judea
  • Came to Rome, captured Vitellius and his troops, assassinated Vitellius
  • Brings Rome peace and stability
  • Sees himself as the anti Nero and next Augustus
  • Not in the senatorial class, Senate looked down on him
  • First emperor to have sons who follow him
  • Followed Cursus Honorum
  • Placed a tax on buying urine

  
• Forum of Peace

  • Built by Vespasian
  • Right next to Forum of Augustus
  • Museum, library, art gallery, temple, artifacts from Temple of Jerusalem, books, garden
  • Shows that he is giving Rome back the land that Nero took

  
• The Flavian Amphitheatre

  • Vespasian died before it was completed
  • Built by Jewish slaves
  • Called the Colosseum during the Middle Ages
  • Built on top of a drained lake by Nero’s Golden Palace > represents giving Rome back land
  • Made from concrete, brick, travertine
  • Has orders: Tuscan, ionic, Corinthian, Corinthian pilasters
  • Cheap entertainment for all
  • Held 50 k

  
• Entertainment at the Colosseum

  • Animal shows
  • Gladiatorial combats
  • Executions
  • Animals fighting other animals
  • Customizable arena creates more opportunities
  • Naval battles
• Valarium

  • Curtain to form a semi roof for shade
  • Would be advertised
  • Operated by sailers using ropes
  • Made from linen

  
• The Hypogeum

  • Hidden under the floor
  • Full of cages and corridors
  • Smelt awful, dark
  • Slaves work here

  
• Colosseum Naval Battles

  • Could be flooded to have naval battles
  • Occurred in early days
  • Realized this could be done at the Tiber
  • Cleared out pipes, built the Hypogeum underneath
• Groin Vault

  • Two barrel vaults cross each other
  • Could stand on its own
  • Appears often after this
  • Made with concrete

  
• Gladiator Fights

  • Each had different armor and weapons
  • Would say “morituri te salutant” before fighting
  • Removed corpses between acts with rakes
• Entertainment: Animal Hunts in the Circus Maximus

  • Differently armed men fighting beasts
  • Done for a long time
  • Animals came from exotic places

  
• Entertainment: Animals fighting other animals

  • Starved fierce animals
  • Had fierce animals eat non fierce animals
  • People would bet
• Entertainment: Executions

  • Made a show out of getting rid of criminals
  • Methods: devoured by animal, set on fire, reenacting mythology
• Police verso

  • Gladiator fight endings may be decided by the emperor
  • Thumb up = spare his life
  • Thumb down = kill him
  • Often listened to what the crowd wanted

  
• Circus Maximus

  • Where games happened before the Colosseum
  • Next to the Forum Boarium
  • Flat land, seats added for rich people
  • Seats expanded by Julius, seats for everyone by Flavians
  • Chariot racing
  • Held 150 - 200 k
• Circus Maximus components

  • Spins > center of racetrack with turning points at each end
  • Meti > turning points
  • Eggs and dolphins > used as counters, placed beat metis
  • Pulvinar > where the emperor sat
  • Statues, shrines to gods
• Circus Maximus Chariot Racing

  • 4 teams > green, yellow, blue, red
  • Owned by a rich person
  • Driven by a slave
  • 7 laps
• Triple arch for Titus

  • Built by Senate in 81 CE
  • At Circus Maximus
  • Served as a monumental gateway

  
• The Stadium of Domitian 86 CE

  • Built his own stadium to watch games
  • Built from stone
  • Events: gladiator events, racing
  • Foundations can be seen on Google Earth
• Domus Augustus

  • Located on Palatine Hill
  • Has two separate parts > one for people, one for private
  • built up to the Circus Maximus > could watch the games without being seen by public
  • made out of polished marble > can see reflection behind him
• Forum Transitorium

  • A small space where Domitian built a forum
  • similar model to Forum of Augustus or Julius Caesar, but smaller
  • Renamed to Nervus Forum after Nerva
  • Image of Minerva on attic
  • Corinthian columns, ionic scrolls
• The Flavians and Coins

  • Minting coins to spread portraits and messages quickly
  • Galba coinage message: Solved the problem, have some money
  • Otho coinage message: Peace on earth, world peace
  • Vitellius coinage message: Loyal to his army
  • Vespasian coinage message: Peace of Augustus
• Vespasian Portraiture

  • Shows his character and physical attributes
  • Expressions of being humble, sincere, confident
  • Shows verism in portraits
  • Embodiment of dignitas and virtus
• Vespasian Soldier Portraits

  • Used to Project emperor’s image to those who can’t see him
  • shown in soldier armour
  • standard portrait of an emperor but Vespasian was a soldier

  
• Vespasian Hero Portrait

  • Classical heroic nude body
  • stands next to a military cuirass with a cloak over his shoulder
  • verism seen in the face
  • represented as a soldier taking a few minutes off of exercising
  • not his body

  
• Titus

  • Reigned from 79 - 81 CE
  • Followed the Cursus Honorum
  • Sacked Jerusalem, destroyed the temple
  • became emperor as Vespasian’s dying wish, Titus deified him
  • People did not want him to rule because of his personality and class
  • educated, good politician
• Titus - Main events

  • Short reign
  • 79 CE > Mt. Vesuvius erupted, Pompeii and Herculaneum gone
  • 80 CE > Huge fire
  • Plague > common after fires due to lack of places to take refuge when sick
  • Died suddenly > Some say Domitian poisoned him
• Titus - Togatus Portrait

  • Shows himself as a participant in the senatorial rank
  • body made separately from hands and head
  • Toga is carved deep, play of light and shadow

  
• Titus - Emperor and Soldier Portrait

  • Was most likely holding onto a spear
  • Was actually a soldier

  
• Titus - Hero Portriat

  • Similar to his fathers
  • Verism

  
• Domitian

  • Reigned from 81 - 96 CE, longest reign since Tiberius
  • Became emperor after Titus’ sudden death, was very unprepared
  • Strengthened border defences, revalued currency, created a building program, created jobs
  • Portrayed himself and his family with the gods
  • Senate hated him, wrote about how he forced to call him lord and god
  • Assassinated by group of people plotted by his wife
  • Got erased after death (Damnatio memoriae), smear campaign for history
• Domitian - Emperor and Soldier Portrait

  • Had the titles, not the responsibilities

  
• Domitian - Hero Portrait

  • Wears a cloak and a sword belt
  • May have been standing beside a cuirass

  
• Women portraits during Flavian period - Hair

  • complicated hairstyles > corkscrew curls, false buns, hair extentions
  • Chiaroscuro > deep drilling in hairstyle that creates intense shadows

  
• Women Portraits during the Flavian period

  • Portrayed as Venus
  • Face belongs to the women, body belongs to Venus
  • Wearing nudity as a costume
  • Message: I am fruitful and can give my husband children

  
• Women portraits during the Flavian period - Funerary girls

  • a funerary statue of a young girl
  • guised as Diana
  • Diana = the Virgin Goddess

  
• Hatshepsut

  • 1478 - 1458 BCE, Egypt
  • Female pharaoh
  • Erased by her son upon her death
  • Erasure is not a new or Roman idea
  • Example of a poorly done erasure
  • Example of Damnatio memoriae