Art of Ancient Rome: Serving Politics

Today, we will talk about the art of ancient Rome. In 146 BC, ancient Greece was conquered by the Roman Empire, marking the official beginning of the historically significant period of ancient Rome.

Art of Ancient Rome: Serving Politics

1. Ancient Rome is a relatively broad concept, with its developmental history divided into three stages: the Roman Kingdom, the Roman Republic, and the Roman Empire. The earliest ancient Rome originated from small villages along the banks of the Tiber River, gradually developing into a small kingdom known as the Roman Kingdom. This centralized state was eventually overthrown by its people due to its cruelty, leading to the evolution of a republican system.
2. The highest authority in the Roman Republic was held by two consuls or a dictator. The famous Julius Caesar served as a dictator and was later assassinated by senators. His adopted son, Octavian (Gaius Octavius Augustus), established the Roman Empire.
3. Octavian, known as Augustus, defeated the Kingdom of Macedonia and unified much of southern Europe, establishing the Roman Empire with its capital in Rome. The city of Rome was the largest metropolis in the world at the time, boasting a population of over a million in the first century, thus having a rich cultural and artistic foundation.
4. The art form that best represents the Roman Empire is not painting or sculpture, but architecture. One of the most iconic architectural forms is the triumphal arch. This structure primarily commemorated military victories, where an arch was erected at the route taken by victorious armies, allowing them to pass through it in celebration of their achievements.
5. Napoleon modeled the Arc de Triomphe in Paris after the triumphal arches of the Roman Empire, making it an iconic symbol of France. The most famous triumphal arch built during the Roman Empire is the Arch of Constantine, which is a standard example of this architectural style. It features numerous relief sculptures supported by Corinthian columns.
6. However, the triumphal arch alone could not satisfy the political needs of the Roman authorities, so they invented another decorative structure called the column of victory. This column cleverly utilized the columnar structure, spiraling a curve from the base to the top, with the stories to be recorded depicted in reliefs.
7. The most representative column of victory is Trajan’s Column, located in Rome, carved to commemorate Emperor Trajan. Around the second century AD, Trajan defeated a nation called Dacia twice, earning a renowned military career.
8. The Pantheon symbolizes the pinnacle of ancient architectural technology, featuring a structure that ancient Europe greatly admired. From the cross-section view, the Pantheon has a perfect geometric shape, with the main hall shaped like a sphere within a cylindrical form, and a small rectangular portico supported by 16 columns. The Pantheon’s dome is magnificent, with a circular opening at its center that allows sunlight to beam in, creating a sacred experience that is a testament to genius design.
9. The reason the Pantheon is considered the peak of ancient architectural technology is its dome. The perfectly circular dome has a diameter of about 43 meters and an enormous span, and no architect has been able to replicate such a dome since. This is because the ancient Romans had invented concrete, allowing them to cast it rather than stacking bricks. Unfortunately, this technique was later lost, making it impossible for future generations to imitate.
10. The sculptural art of ancient Rome cannot be compared to that of ancient Greece. The Greeks had already created masterful sculptures like the “Laocoön,” setting a benchmark in realistic sculpture that later artists struggled to surpass. In contrast, the Roman pursuit of art was largely politically driven, focusing on glorifying accomplishments, which resulted in less richness in sculptural art compared to the Greek period.
11. Bust sculptures were a representative form of sculpture in ancient Rome, depicting figures from the chest up, catering to political needs while inheriting sculptural techniques from the Greek period. For instance, the bust of Emperor Caracalla showcases a rich expression, indicating the skillful portrayal of character during this time.
12. In addition to busts, relief sculptures were another major form of sculpture during this period. Compared to three-dimensional sculptures and two-dimensional paintings, reliefs are more like 2.5-dimensional; they have surface protrusions without relying on color, resembling a painter carving directly onto marble. This required less work than fully three-dimensional sculptures, better serving the political needs of ancient Rome.
13. Most of ancient Roman painting art has not survived, with the exception of the well-preserved ruins of Pompeii. In 79 AD, the eruption of Mount Vesuvius buried the entire city in volcanic ash, preserving numerous wall paintings.
14. The wall paintings of ancient Rome were vibrant and detailed. For example, the still life painting “Still Life with Peaches” meticulously depicts the light reflections on glassware and demonstrates sophisticated handling of shadows and highlights, rivaling works from nearly two thousand years later by Cézanne. This shows that the painting techniques of ancient Romans in the 1st century had reached a remarkably high level.