Hum 225: Art and Culture of Rome 8/17

The Roman Forum was one of the favorite things that I have seen since being here. The ancient places and ruins were quite incredible. The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina in the eastern part of the Roman Forum really caught my eye. It is made from peperino blocks and was originally faced with marble.

This is one of the best-preserved temples in the forum; the Senate built it in the memory of the Empress Faustina after she died in 141AD.

There are 10 Corinthian columns surrounding this temple. Usually pillars represent strength and this case proved true. There are grooves around the top of the columns that are said to be from a medieval attack where they tried to dismantle the temple.

The temple was converted into the church of San Lorenzo before the 12th century. There is a large cross on the top, which I see as representing the conversion to Roman Catholic and the victory of the pagan gods.

Wikipedia says, “The rich bas-reliefs of the frieze under the cornice, of garlanded griffons and candelabri, were often copied from the sixteenth through the nineteenth centuries.” We see how the designs have been taken from and used throughout the centuries and how the building has been virtually indestructible over the years, even under attack.

Another part that I really liked was the Arch of Titus. It is also in the eastern part of the Roman Forum at the highest point of Via Sacra. It is made from Pentalic marble and later repaired with travertine.

The 15m high arch was built to commemorate the victory of the Romans over the Jews. It is the oldest surviving Roman arch and has vivid sculptures inside it. The one panel depicts the triumphal procession as the Romans carry the spoils from Jerusalem. They are carrying the silver trumpets and the Table of the Shewbread and there is a menorah, I feel this shows that they really took the heart of the Jewish people. The other panel shows Titus in a chariot accompanied by the Goddess Victoria and the Goddess Roma.

The procession is marching in the same direction that the troops would have done so back then and is right before the road, sacra via, which they would have rode down to go and sacrifice the spoils to their gods.
The meaning that we take from the carvings and the detail that they have is incredible to me. Even as the oldest arch in Rome it still maintains the great detail for the most part.