Ancient Mediterranean

The Etruscans
(900 BCE – 89 BCE)
General Outline
2018-2019 Revised June 28, 2018

Enduring Understanding
2-4 Etruscan artists and architects adapted Greek (especially archaic) objects
and forms
Essential Knowledge
• Etruscan art is considered as a single cultural unit though the region
was made up of several city states

Guiding themes
Adaption of Greek objects and forms
Storytelling that glorified gods, goddesses, heroes
architecture

Geographic/Cultural Context
Key art form influenced by Greek art-especially vases
but also impacted Greek colonies in southern Italy

Region called Etruria

Located between Arno and Tiber rivers in Central Italy-modern day
Tuscany
Hilly, no great ports but good river system; mineral rich especially iron
and copper
Culture’s origins still not known – maybe Asia Minor (Western
Turkey), maybe Italians, Greeks
maybe from the north

A mixing of peoples occurred between end of Bronze Age (1300 BCE)

and Geometric period in Greece

During 8th and 7th centuries, seafarers, traders

 By 6th cent. controlled most of northern and central Italy yet not a
“state” or “nation”
Any unity based on language, religion
Lack of political cohesion led to invasion by Romans

Art Context
Cemeteries, sanctuaries
Sculpture – funerary, religious
Architecture
Vases and vase paintings
Greek influenced yet had own style – from 500 BCE onward, Archaic style
Landscape painting/murals
Provided models for early Roman Art and architecture which slowly
enveloped it
Metalsmithing; skilled craftsmen

Etruscan influenced by Greek art and architecture

• focus on the figure
• narrative wall painting
• terracotta figures
Only foundations remain of temples

➔ Temples resembled Greek gable (the part of a wall that encloses the
end of a pitched roof)-roofed temples (has bearing wall function vs
pediment only at ends) but had wooden columns and roof; walls were
of sun dried brick
Entrance via a narrow staircase
Columns only at front of building vs Greeks visible and built on all
sides
Columns more widely separated than Greek

Roman Art
General Outline
753 BCE – 37 CE
2018-2019
 Enduring Understanding
2-4. Roman art grounded in civic ideals and polytheism; eclecticism,
historicism; strongly influenced by Greek objects and forms
2-5. The art and culture of Rome remains studied today due to contemporary
records and ongoing archeological excavations
Essential Knowledge
• 2-4a. Roman art was produced in Europe and western Asia from 753
BCE (founding of Rome) to 337 CE (death of Constantine)
• 2-4a. Roman art is studied chronologically and artworks are assigned
to periods according to styles
▪ Republican
▪ Early Imperial
▪ Late Imperial
▪ Late Antiquity
• Roman art styles are determined by governmental structures and
dynasties
• 2-4c. Roman architecture often reflects interest in the (social) value of
public structures, portraits, conspicuous display, public structures,
technical innovation
• Roman art and architecture had a strong impact on the art of later
Europe, Mediterranean region, America
• 2-4c. Greek art/culture had strong impact on Etruscan and Roman art
and architecture
• Some of the earliest written statements about artists and art making
comes from the Roman world
• 2-5b. Roman cultures shared a rich tradition of epic storytelling that
glorified gods, goddesses and heroes

Guiding themes
Civic ideals-honor, duty, loyalty, power
Polytheism
Greek influence -architecture
dynasty

Geographic/Cultural Context
Empire, Political system, Greek influence
 Key! -Vastness of empire

• Rome came to dominate with a single government, from the Thames in

England to Tigris to the Nile to the Rhine.
• The empire contained vast differences in race, culture, religion, tradition
• Roman monuments and art are spread far and wide and remain a
reminder of the empire’s size and influence
• Due to being masters of organization/efficiency: roads, bridges, harbors
• Influenced by the lands/peoples they conquered: Egypt, Persia, etc.

Key! – political system

• With rise of Romans though, political system changed from a monarchy
to a constitutional government; establishment of senate (elders), two
consuls (two elected bodies), judges who came from the Senate. Initially
only wealthy landowners (patricians) but then it changed to include
plebian class of small farmers, merchants and freed slaves. Thus, society
divided yet most people had at least some form of representation
• Powerful military – loyal, skilled, efficient
• Timeline and Leadership

▪ Key time periods

o Monarchy –(753 – 509 BCE)
o Republic - (509 – 27 BCE)
o Early Empire – (27 BCE – 96 CE)
o High Empire - (96 – 192 CE)
o Late Empire- (192 – 337 CE)

• Key emperors and their artistic legacies

o Marcellus-
o Augustus-Ara Pacis
o Vespasian-Colosseum
o Trajan-Column of Trajan
o Hadrain-Pantheon
o Constantine-Arch, Christianity

Key! – admiration for Etruscans & Greeks

• Incorporated Greek gods and beliefs into state religion; saw their
emperors as gods
• Influenced by their thinking, literature, art, decoration, trade
• Influenced by Etruscans-taught Romans plumbing, architecture and
vaulting, art of warfare

Debate: either Rome founded by Romulus in 753 BCE or evolved as a

commercial hub; at the time just a small village
Early history and building was Etruscan.

211 BCE turning point for Greek and Roman art – Marcellus conquered
Syracuse and brought back the city’s artistic culture – Greek statues etc.
But Roman art maintained unique from Greeks and kept its Etruscan
traditions.

After 509 BCE Rome became a republic

• Became a world class city-largest of the world
Greatest power 44 BCE
Roman empire began 27 BCE-lasted until 395 CE (?)
• Most of land conquered under the Republic
50 million people

Art Context

Keys to Roman art:

• architecture = arch, vault, dome, concrete
• landscape painting
• portrait sculpture, historical relief
1. goal was accuracy of the person; reverence for
• use of Greek architectural design, orders
• strong, lasting admiration of the Greeks
• political propaganda via portraiture, coins, statuary

Architecture

➔ Romans developed use for concrete construction – allowed for

ceilings and domed rooms without internal support.
Was a new view of architecture that emphasized space not just size
Was preferred over Etruscan post and lintel design
 Arch was used later in Christian architecture at front of church at alter
thus showing dominance of the church over the secular

➔ Three kinds of design:

• Barrel vault
• Groin vault
• Hemispherical

Terms

Sarcophagi- stone coffin often rectangular and decorated with relief

Barrel vault- or tunnel vault, is an extension of a simple arch creating a
semicylindrical ceiling over parallel walls. Allows for windows (pushed
through walls which remain strong)
Groin vault- or cross vault, is formed by the intersection at right angles of
two barrel vaults of equal size. Need buttressing at groins only
Hemispherical vault- a round arch rotated around the full circumference of
a circle; a dome with an oculus
Forum- the public square of an ancient Roman city
Pseudoperipteral Temple- solid walls on sides with engaged Ionic half
columns and free standing columns at front end portico
Coffers- sunken decorative panels as in the Pantheon’s domed ceiling
Roman baths- bathing and recreational complex
• Palaestras-exercise court
• Natatio-swimming pool
Basilica- in Roman architecture a large civic building for legal and other
civic proceedings, rectangular in plan with an entrance usually on a long side

Etruscan Temple vs. Roman Parthenon

Etruscan
• Single entrance and part of a large city plan
• Has steps at front gives a raised up look
• Has a portico thus porch like look
• Has three separate rooms

Parthenon
• Has stairs all around thus dominates its own space
• Peripteral temple, peristyle
• Has one central room