CHAPTER 2 - The Hellenic Sty l e unique characteristics to capture the general, permanent

a nd essential qualities of humanity . Likewise, Greek

drama created a n ideal type in tha· epic hero, and Greek
OVJ::RVIEW archi tecture was designad as idealized dwell ing places
Greece in the Sth Century B.C. for qods. Plato recognized that the ideal exista only
in the abatract . llis Rcpublic is an intl!llec:tual exer-
Modern civilizat1on io built upon a foundation of eise in projecting an ideal state, rather than a reflec-
cla&&ical culture. The very words "demoeraeyti and tion o f ~c t uality . lt was not the existence of the
"philosophy"' are synonymous >1itl\ anc1ent Greek civili- ideal that preoccupied thoughtful Greeks, but the
zahon. l\l Lhough Athens endured ! ts share of conf lict stnving toward 1t.
dnd destruction - from Pers1.a acr;oss th~ sea, from its
11il1taristic neighbor Sparta, and from ambitious tyrants Ra tionaliaa
- the m,d 5th century B.C. was a time whPn peace and Greek phi l osophy recogni2ed the existence of both
beauty reigned, if only br1efly. positive and negative forces in the world. "Ethos,• the
Uuman1sm process of intel l ectual resttaint, from wh1ch the word
•ethicª comes, and '"pathos, •• mean.1n9 •uncontrol led emo-
Greek art and culture, unlike those of Egypt, were
tion• from which the word •pathetic" derives, were
centered around human beings and the process of living. united by a system of rational checks and balances based
largely upon mathemat1cs . Gre@k musical theory, based
In contrast to the distant, abstract Eastern deities, upon the mathematical overtones produced by stoppin9
Cree~ goda and goddesses w~re vulnerable to every human vibrating strings , echoed the •music of the spheres ."
paasion and wcakness. Tho g~p between god And human was
n.Jrro"wed .:ts the pantheon of deities mi.xed freely with
The sev en known planets were represented by the seven
numAnkind in love, war and rivalry. Th1s concern for
strings of the Creek lyre, surmounted by an eighth which
human values is apparent 1n the Greek syatem of
syn,bolized the sphere or the fixed stars while
coneurrently sounding a p~rfeet octave. The symmetrical
democracy, wh1ch gave Cit.izens the op¡>ortunity for
direc:t participation in their gov,irnaient. The arts o r gani za t ion of Pythagorean music linked the earth with
rcflccted the same humenistic coneerns. Sophoc l es the heavens a nd the practica! with the theoretical . The
explorcd the modn1ng of life through the tragic fate of same system of harmon1c proportions i~ reflec:ted 1n_the
King Oedipus, and Aristophdnes drew upon the uniquely numerical ratios of the Parthenon and in the proport1on&
hu~an faculty of laughcer in uproa~ious comedies. Like - o! Polyclitus' ~ Oearer. Likewise, Creek drama was
wise, ~usic 0e9an to be wr1tcen down for performance by organized symmetrically in a series of alternating
ind1viduals, who learned to play the lyre aa part of Lhe sce nes and chor uses brackét@d by a prologue and
broad humanistic cducaei.on cxpccted of all Greek cit1- epilogue. By bringing together a r t and life by me_ans of
zons. In art, sUbject matter became cxclusive l y hu~an, numbers, the Greeks hoped to balance the conflict of
even when repr~senting abstract concepts such as ethos and pathos.
"liberty.• Greek artlsts, freed frona the strict rules
that constrained their E9yptian and Hesopotamian ll'l WORDS POR STUD'.i: SIIEltT
counterparts, began to Shed their anonymity to work Na.m es DraJll4
toward individual styles.
I dl!alis11 Aphrodite Phidias antagonist
Apol lo Plato auditorium
Ar i stotle Polyclítus Bacchae
Just as Greek gods becarne r:iore human, so did the
Greeks become more godlike. Artistic ide&lism produced llthena Pr axitelea chorus
images of godlike physical perfection 1~possible to Dionys us Pythagorus deus e x machina
achieve in real life. The resu l tlng aristocratic images Euripides Socrates epilogÜe
furnished a model which could be approacbed by means of Ictinus sophocles Oed1.pus ~
phys1cal and lntelle.ctual exercise, since the exter i or Myron zeus orchestra
Pcricl l!s prologue
body was thought to echo the state of the mind and soul. protagonist
Thus, a r tistic r epresentation rose above transitory skene
20
21
 Teras TOPlCS POR OISCOSSION
abacua demos kouros t. ldentify the Ooric and Ionic architectural orders
acropolis Doric metope in the local arch1tecture of your tovn or campus
agor.i echinus Parthenon
archaic buildings either through a walking tour or by showing
entablature pediment slides in class. How else is Hellenic civilizatlon
architrave entasia peristyle
capital alive today?
Erechthaum post and lintel
caryatid facade propylaea 2. Have members of your class form an imaginary
cella flutes stele sculpted pediment by posing according to thc constric-
classical fr1.eze stylobate tiona of the triangular &pace. Oiscuss the possible
column lonic triglyph
contraposto solutions artista could employ to fil! the awkward space
kore volute with forms.
cornice
GREEX MOSIC THEORY 3. Relaté Greek rnusi.cal theory to modern music.
Oiscuss the overtones produced by stopping the strings
The explanation of Greek music theory in Arts t of a violín or guitar, and explain the concept of modern
~ can be rAore easily understood when diagramea:-- inlervals and major and ~inor acales and modes in rela-
Unison
l/l ratio
--.... _-- .. --- --- ---- ---- .. ... _ ...... _ tion to Pythagorean theory.
4. Play the examples of Greek music i n ~ History 2!
--....... - - 't
Octave
----------------
. ------ ............ ------ .. - Mus1c in Sound (HMSI, in the Historical Anthology of
Munic (HAMI, and in The Theory of Class1cal_~ Music .
Discuss tche conflict oí theory and pract1ce 1n Greek
2/1 ratio ~-.-:------ -':',,:~'------~
---- - - ., e ......... ,, ... musical theory .
-,
... _ --·--
S. Discuss the de1ty Athena, her legend and attri-
Perfect 5th ....... ---- ........ .. ----... _ -- butes, in terms of the city of Athens. Why was she
3/2 ratio r.......
L. •

.
>(
... ____ ... - .-n,..
- ...... ..-- -

_--.... .... :>'\' ..... _____ .,,. ... -

, ,,
.....

1
chosen to rule Athens? Would she be an appropriate
deity for your community?
6. Oiscuss the bistorical circumstances which produced
Perfect 4th the extraordinary flowering of culture in Sth-century
.... ___ ......e•, _____ ''.... ... ___ ,..... ,,c.. .................. ... l Athens. What caused its downfall? Are there parallels
4/3 ratio -- - in ~oday•s world situation?
7. Oiscuss the Creek Olympic Gamea and the philosophy
On a vibrating string (a monochord), the pitches would behind them. What type of athlete won Lhese games?
be aarked: Cotopare the ideal of the He 1 len le Olympics wi th the
most recent modern games. Are the philosophies and
ideals still intact? How so? Ho~ not?
<' • e

EXERCISES
These pitches would be notated on a modern musical staff
thua,
Essay Questions

tf! --1
Pi ,J
1••
., 1. Why did the 19th•cen~ury poet Shelley claim that
•we are all Greeks"?

22
-- 23
 2. Discuss the role of mus1c in Greek socicty. How Architectural Orders (after Grinnell)
was 1t used? wnat functions did it fulfill? What
powers werc attril>uted to music and what role did
Plato ascribe to itas d result? The following diagram can serve as a quiz on the
Greek architectural ordera,
J. How does Sophocles' play Oed1eus Rex fulfill
Ar1stotle's six criteria fo~ the ideal drama?
4. What do the Spear Bea~ by Polyclitus [Fig. 531
and the Parthenon !F.i.g. 34) have in common? E:xphln in
terms of Greek culture and philosophy.
~- Compare and contrast the Archa.ic Kouros fcora
Sounion (fig. 52) with Praxiteles' Rermes and the Infant
Dionysus (Fig. 54). How are they similar? How are they
differcnt? What 1ntervening histor1cal, social antl cul- J
tural events helped produce the simil•rities and A
ditferences?

6. 01scuss <he relationship of sculpture and orchi-

tecture on the Parthonon. How doea the subject matter
of pediments, metopes and !rieze reflect Greek politi-
cal, ph1losophical and histor1c~l concerns.
7. Oíscuss the differences betwee~ the Ooric and
ronic orders in terms of their possible origins. 8
Name a building on the Athenian acropol1s constructed in
the Doric order; the tonic; a combination o! both.
8. Discuss some of lh" legend~ from Greei'. ,nythology,
using sculpted peaiments, reliefs, and vase ?aintin9s ~o
illustrate the stories. Discus$ the variou& ways in
which the legends of He~acies, tne AmazonD, th~ Trojans.
and the Lapiths and Centaurs illuatrated Uell<>nic
idoals.

Matcbing l. Dorlc 2. Ionic

A. entablature J. tri@:ze
e koce a. from Asia Hinor B. coluinn 1(. volute
-d- metopi! and triglyph b. telllple chamber c. ¡¡tylobate t. base
-r Panathenaic frieze c. maiden figure D.
E.
cornice
triglyph
h Dor:tehorus d. Doric:
__
e_ volute cap ita 1 e. Ionic r. iaetope
a Ion,an f. Parthenon G. architrave
-r--
y-
canon g. Erechtheum
H.
1.
capital
shaft
cella h. Polyclitus
:::r:::
..!l._
111ode
caryat1ds
i. proportions
:1 - musical scalc

24 25
 Bvents
Number these events in order of their occurrence in the
life of the tragic hero Oedipus.
_ L Oedipus kills his father.
__4_ Oedípus is raised by Kin9 Polybus .
~2..- A shepherd saves Oedlpus' life.
5 Oedipus leaves Corinth when told that he will kill
- - - his father and marry his_ mothttr.
7 Oedlpus solves the riddle of the sphinx.
__
8_ Oedipus marries his mother.
__2_ oedipus is left by his parents to die.
l Tbe oracle tells Laius and Jocasta about their
family's horrible fate.
Mu ltiple Choi.ce Ouestiona tro11 Slide,;
l. Slide, Fig. 58, Kore troM Samos.
Thia figure represeñt,,(a) an early attempt to depict
movem~nt, (bl the classical ideal of the female figure,
(e) an Archaic !2!'.!, (d) llefertitl
2. Slide, Fig, 41, Temple of Athena Nike.
This building is an exampl e of (a) the Dor ic order, (b)
the Corinthinn order. (e) the Ionic order, (d) lack of
order
3. Slide, Pi9. 53, §pear Bear'll:.
This work sets forth Polyclitua' system of (at emotional
expreasion, (b) decorative principies (e) ideal propor-
tions, (d) Ionic order
4. Slide, Fig. 56, ~ -
This figure is (a) carved from marble, (b) caat in
bronze, (et a Roman copy oí a Greek bronze, Id/ 1Dade
from terracotta
5. Slidi,, Pi9. 63, Actors Holding ~ f ~ -
Thi,se actors worked under the patronage of the deity (a)
Athena, (b) Apollo, (e) Dionysus, (d) Heracle&
26
6. Slide, F19. 32, the Propylaea.
This building lacks (a) tri9lyph.s and metopes, (b) a
continuous frieze and volute columna, (e) stylobate and
pedi ments, (d) an abacus and a Zeus
7. Slide, Fig. 54, Praxiteles, Hermes '.!!,.il,h the Infant
Dionysu..;!. .
This work 1s representative of the (a) archaic &tyle,
(b) clas,;ical style, (el geometric style (d) Minoan
style
8. Slide, fig. 57, Myron, Discobolus.
Being transitional in style, this work (a> adheres to a
canon of proportions, (b) is conceived frontally, (e)
is an example of pediment sculpture, (d) is closely
related to Egyptian sculpture
9. Slide , Fi9. 64, Instruction in Music and Grammar in
an Attic School.
This vase painting su99ests that education for youn9
people in Greece consisted of (a) music for the soul and
gymnastics for the body, (b) mathematics for the mind
and lessons in mytbology. (e) readin9, writing and
arithmetic, (d) tht! <1rts to the e><clusion of physic,il
exercise
EXl'ANSlON OF TEXT
l. Discuss and illustrate the evolution of pedi•ental
sculpture beginning with the Archaic west pi,diment of
the temple of Artemis, Corfu (c. 560 B.C.) and
continuing wlth the transitional pediments of the temple
of llphaia, Ae9ina (c. 465 B,C.) and thc pediments of the
temple of zeus, Olympia (c. 460 B.C.) as preludes to the
s~yle oí Phidias as seen on the Parthenon. (Sources,
Ashr.iole; Robertson)
2. Read, anaJyze and discuss a Greek comedy by
llristophanes and compare it to Sophocles' tragedy
Oedipus.
3. Oiscuss the status of women in G.reek society,
their positíon in the family and the community, their
ri9hts and obligations within the ~a1e-centered
deaocracy. How was the situation of womi,n reflected in
Hellenic art7 (Sources: ourant; Havclock)
S. Discuss and illustrate Creek v.>ses, from th<>
9eor.ietric , through the black and red figure styles,
culminating in white 9round vases. Vases could be
27
examined according to firing technigue, uses, baSlC BIBLIOGRAPHY
shapes and forms, and the examples of Greek painting
which decorate thero. (Sources: cooJ<; Richter; Bi&torical Background
Groenewegen-Frankfurt, Ashroole}
Bullfinch, T., Mythology, New York, 1970.
CollllllOn Shapes of Greek vases (after Richter} Clagett, M., Greek Science in Antiquity, New ~ork, 1963.
Durant, w., The Life of Gree<:e, New York, 1966.
l. amphora 4. oinochoe 7. lekythos Grant, H., Myths of tlie Greeks and Romans, New York,
2. hydria s. kylix 8. aryballos 1964. - - -- --
3. krater 6. akyphoa 9. alabastron Ramilton, E., Mythology, New York, 1971.
Jones, A.R., Athenian oemocracy, Scranton, Pa., 1964.
Littman, R., ~ exp.,rlment: Imperialism and Social
Conflict, New York, l97C.
Robinsoñ;· -c.A., Jr., Athens !.!l 1!!! Age of Pericles,
Norman, Okla., 1971.

íl Tozer, R., Geography of Ancient Greece, Chicago, 1975.

Art and Arcb.itecture

Ashmole, B., Architect and Sculptor in Classical Greece,

New York, 1972.
Biera, W.R., !!l! Archaeology 21 Greece, I t haca, N.Y.,
1980.
2 Boardman, J., Greek Art, New York, 1973.
1 Brornrner, F., ScuTpt'üres of the Pa rthenon: Metope~
Prie%~ Pediments, cürt Ttatues, Lónc!on, fffl. .
Cook, R.if. ,- Gre8k -P-á1nt:edP0ttery, New York: 1972.
Oins,noor, R.B., The Archi tecture of Anc1ent Greece,
New York, 1 ~ -
Frankfort, H.-A. Groenewegen and B. Ashmol@, !!!!e !l! lli
Ancient World, New York, 1982.

4
u 6
Grinnell, I.H., Gre~~ Temple~, New York, 1943.
Ravelock, C.M., "Hourners on Greek Vases:
the Social Ristory of Women,• Broude and Garrard
(eds.), Feminiam and Art History, New York,
1982, 45-62.
Pollitt, J.J., Art and Experience in Classical Greece,
Cambridge;T9'12-:- - - --
Remarks on

Richter, G.H.A., A Handbook of Greek Art, Cambrid9e,

1974. - - -
Robertaon, H.,~ Hiatory of Greek Art, Cambridge, 1975.
Woodford, s., Greece and Rome, New York, 1982.
----------T_h~ ~~rthenoñ:" Cambridge, 1981.

7
L)
8
o 9
Nusic
Georgiades, T., Greek Husic, Verse!.!!!! Dance (1955), New
York, 197r.---
York, 1964.
-
tippman, E., Musical Thought i.J2 Ancient Greece, New

28 29
Reese, G., Music in the Middle Age~, New York, 1940. Strunk, O. G. (ed.J, Source Readings l!! Husic History,
Sachs , C., Thé Rise of Husic in t é Ancient World, New New York, 1940.
York ,1§'4-r;-- - - ·- -
Wellesz, E., Ancie~i !!!2._ Oriental ~usic, New York, 1960.
PILKS
Recordc
The Acropolis of Athens. A discussion and analysis of
Hiator.l:'._ o! Music in Sound , Volun,e l, RCA. the Parthenon, Erechtheum and Temple of Athena
Muslqué <le la Gnfoe 3i\tTque, Atrium Musicae de Madrid, Nike acco11panied by an original score of 11ncient
Harmoniá Mundi Prance, HM 1015. Greek melodies. 30 minutes, color, 1960.
~ Theory of Classical Greek Music by F. A. Kuttner and
!h.! Ancient Games. Hodern athletes compete in the
M. J.Barbour. Huaurgla Records , Jackson Heights, Original Greek qarnes at the ancient stadium in
New York, 1955. Delphi. written by Erich Segal. 28 minutes,
color, 1972.
Litera tu.re Bronze caating: Vincent !Qfi. A step-by-step
- - - demonstration o! the lost-wax method of bron2e
Beye, C.R., Ancient Greek Literatura and Society, Gardén casting . 18 minutes, b/w, 1972.
City, N.Y., 19-rs:-" -- The Cave: A Parable Told ~ QrsQn ~~l'!. Anu:iated
Cook, A., Oedipus Rex: A Hirror for Greek Dram~,
-- - ctramatízation of 5ook' Vil of Platos Republic. 10
Béln,oñt, Calff :-;-TI64:- --- ruinutes, color~ 1973.
Perguson, J . , ~ ~~ean}on ~ Greek !ragedy, Austin, e laas ica I Co,nedy - Ar istophanes: women in PO!!<>r.
1972. Showswñat happens when women, fed up with lhe
Harvey, P. (ed, I, The Oxford Companion to Classica l stupidity and incompetence of men, lake over the
Literature, Oxtord, 1974. governm@nt. SS minutes , color-1 J.984.
Huby, P., Plato and Kodern Horality, Atlantic Highlands, Golden Section. The proportional relation of the
N.J., 1972. ----h~&torrcal ratio in art ano a,chicecture. 15
Kitto, H.O . F. , E!_~~k Tragedy, London, 1961. minutes, color, 1968.
O'Brien, M. J. (ed.), Twentieth-Century Interpretations Gre<>ce: The Golden !!!~· The lingering tradition of
of Oedip s Rex, A Collection of Critical Essays, ancient Greece . 29 minutes, color, 1963.
3
En9Tewoo Cllffs;- N'."j,. 1968, - -- The Greek Myths, ~ !.:. ~Y!h !! Fice ion, His~ory !!!,2
-- R1tuaí. 27 minutes, color, 1971.
Taylor, A.E., Plato: The Han and !!l.! ~ork, New York,
1966. The Greek Myths, Part 2: Hyth as Science, Reli9ion and
Thomas, S., 1ma9es of !!!!!, New York, 1984, selections - - ~ma. 25 1Binutea, color, 1971.
from Euripides, The Bacchae, Thucydides, History Greek Sculpture. Proa, the earliest to the Parthenon
2J !,):l~ Pelopo_
,:ine-Slan wa~i, Plato, A.pology and f r 1e2e. Award-w inning fi 1 m. 25 minuti,s, color,
Phaedo, 5-67. 1961.
Vellacott, P., sophocles and Oedipue1 ! fil,_u~ of Oédipus !h!. Creek Temple. Evolution of the arehiteetura1 orders
Tyrannus ~ ! New Tran~lation, London, 1971. -rrTmed on site. 54 minutes, color, 1969.
The Greei<a: In search of Meani.ng. oramatized ex'7er.Pts
Docu111.ents fro• Añrig_one aña .!!Y!!~!.!!:!ll emphae1z1n9
contemporary- relt>vance. 26 minutes, color, 1971.
Pausanias, Guide to Greece, London, 1971. The Greeks. A major four-part series which demonstrates
Pliny, Th~ Elder Pliny's Chapters ~ the History of ~ the direct and tangible debt of our civili2at1on
(ed. Jex-Blake and SellersJ, London, 1968. to the Greeks. Each ti J¡¡¡ 52 minutes, color, 1984.
Pollitt, J.J., Thé Ancient View of Greek Art:
Criticism, History, and Terminol2.S,Y, New Haven, l. The Greek Be9inn1!!.9, l\ broad introduction
1974. --- - - ------ covering the period from 1300 B.C. to 323
----- ---- - The Art of Greece 1400-31 e.e. (Sources a.c. f
and ooi;u.,ent& in ~History oc l\rtT;'" Englewood 2. The Classical Ag_~. The achievernento o
Cliffs, N,J., 1965, Pericles, Plato, Athen1an democracy, art and
philosophy presented.
30
31
 3. Heroes and Men. Visits to the cites of the
liome,:ic 11iythá':"
4. The Hinda of Mén. A look at the philosophies
o"rsocratea á"ña Plato and the histories of
Herodotus and Thueydides.
!!,usi~ of .t!l!_ Spheres. An explanation of Pythagorean
tlieory in terms of the seven-stringed lyre of
Apollo. 10 minutes, eolor, 197í.
Oedipus Rex. Performed by the Stratford, Ontario Shake-
sprnean Players, direeted by Tyrone Guthrie. 89
minutes, color, 1960.
Tbe Rise of Greek Art. Geometrie to classical .u-t ln
relatlo-ñ--to Greek eul tura 1 history. 18 minutes,
color, 1962.
The Rise of ~ Tragedy - Sophoeles: Oedipu& !!l.! iinf.
An fñtroduction Lo Greek tragedy via the examp e
of Sophocles' play. James Hason plays Oedipus.
~S minutes, color, 1984.
~ Tria! of Socrates. Dramatizes the trial and death of
s""OCra""tes according to ancient accounts. 30
minutes, color, 1971.
Sound Piastrips
Prom Scholarly l\udio-Visuals:
Archaic and Clasaic_il Sculpturtti. Part !, P47
Sculpture 2f the Parthenon, P121
From Films for the Humanities:
~ Rise of ~ Tragedy seriea. IFFH 301)
The Origina of Western oram!_ - Oionysus,
Aesehylus, SophocTes, Euripides.
The Langua~e of Theatre - scene, actor,
character, chorus, action, tragedy, comedy.
From Guidance As&ociates:
Hythology is Alive and Well (6216-2040) - Ancient
legends related 'tocontempoTary music,
scienee, etc.
Our Heritage tro~ l\ncient Greece 16268-2040) -
From Minoan to clas•ical eras.
32
CHAPTER 3 - The Rellenistic Style
OVERVIEW
Perga11100, 2nd Century e.e.
"Hellenic~ is an ad}ective that the Sth-century
Greeks used to describe themselves, while the word
"Hel lenistic" is II modern word which deseribes the
period between the death o! Alexander the Creat and the
final eouquest of the Greek-speakin;¡ world by Rome. It
me.ana "11ke the Hellenic Greeks,• but i t also embodies
the great d1fferences which d1stin9uish the two
culturés. After the Hacedonian takeover of Greece by
P~í!ip II. the elite intimate quality of the l\thenian
?Olis was r~plaecd by the rich variety o! dn empire
which spanned the entire c1vili2ed world. lnevitably,
this society tried to ass1rr.ilate JfC'llenic culture, but
succeeded in broadening, distorting and popularizing
Atilenian ideal s.
lndlvidua lism
ln a world which was p~rce.1.ved by many as out of
control, more emphasis was plac~d on individual and
personal considerations than on the welfare of the state
as a colleetive governmental unit. A rising apirit of
competition and professional.ism élppeared, a.a writ.ers,
mus1cians ~nd artists sought individu~1 fame by
developing unigue styles. The rapid expansion of . the
Greek wor ld resul ted in increase<! persona 1 weal th.
Pr1vate houses assurned a size and opulence heretofore
reserved for pu·blic buildin9a, and the need for art to
decora te them resu 1 ted ;in n hugc ilrt rnarket to satisfy
thc ncw domand. In philosophy, the argumentative dis-
course of th@ dialect~eal proc@ss was replaeed by the
mor~ µersonal re!lective philosophies of Epicureanism
and Stoicis~. Although opposite ir. approach, both phi-
Josophi~s resulted ,n self-sufficiency, one by rising
above Lhe toil3 of life, the other by eseaping them.
Hellen1stic ürtists exploited the individual response to
ir.iage5, cvoking the entire range of hur.ian emoLion
throuqh their rnagnificent virtuos1ty of execution. The
emphasis had switched from ethos to pathos.
Rcaus ..
Hellenistie soe1ety Lncluded people ol ali races
and creeds. No longer could a single ideal standard
serve the increased vari~ty of public tasLe. As a
result, the aubject ~atter ot art was w1dened to include
33
 female nudes as well as male, foreigners as wall as 'l'OPICS FOR OISCOSSION
Greeks, extremes of youth and old age as well as
youthful beauty. Hellenistic architecture moved a~ay l. Discuss the llellenistic concept of antiquarlanism
from the isolated building as a self-contaíned unit and compare it with our idea o! the past. oo we emulate
toward the concept of urban planníng. Architecture a bygone era? What evidence of modero antiquarlanism
emphasized integration with surround1ng buildings rather exists in modern media, clothlng and literature7
than structures exemplifying 1sol .. ted ai;t.istic
perfoction. 2. Discuss the emotionaJ quallties of fflUSic and the
use of music therapy in rnodern paychiatrie treatment.
What kinds of music atfect us emotionally today? Play a
Empiricism familiar tune in its modern key, then in the Oorian and
Phryglan modes. Discuss the different sounds of each.
Just as Hellenistsc llfe addressed realistic and
individual concerns, so did Hellenistic science focus on OrigiMl Major Mode
the solutions to practica! problems. Rather than
construct.ing an abstract system of Jogic to explain the
~i •! IJ. Jr , ;. • •
j J
-
1
mysteries of the universe, thinkers like Eucl id and 11 1 1; J ;¡
1'rchimedes stressed fact-gathcring, cataloguing of •·
materialn, rcsearch and collecting and developing of Oorian Mode
eritical criteria for judging the arts. A result of
this new direction was the rise of antiquarianism.
Obsession with the "good old days• of Hellenic Greece J. p)
e ~ 1J .J 1 J. J ..J ..
caused artists to consciously emulate styles of the • í 1
past. This rasulted in Hellenistic copies of old works, Phrygian Mode
worka in the sty Je of the past, as wel I as a large
numb~r of "fakes• done by artists seeking to satisfy
the Hellenistic fasc1nation with the ant1que. Por many,
the works oE the ancients were valued above new works. •
; IJ J • 1 .,

3. Compare the Hellenic concept ot democracy with

the Hellenistíc emphasis on individual glory an~
KEY WORDS POR STUOY SHEET competition. Are there advanta9es to both systems? Are
there disadvantages? What elements of both social
Terms Names • Places attitudes exist in the Onited States today?
agora Alexander 4. How do increased public need, expanding population
au1os llttalus I and individual wealth affect the demand for art? What
Dorian mode Epicurus effect would this have on a community of artists? What
Epicureanisra Euclid would the effect be on the quality of art? Ita &ubject
ethos Eumenes 11
":J&nre
matter7 The position of the artist in society? Discuss
Gauls contemporary parallels to Uellenistic aociety.
rnosaic Halicarna&sus
pathos Mausolus
Phrygian modo EXBRCISES
Mesopouunia
podium Pergamon
skolion Seneca
Essay Queations
Stoicism
temenos l. Wh.> t common Greek concerns do the rnetopes of the
tesserae Parthenon and the frieze o! the 111 tar of Zeus
illustrate?
2. Compare and contrast the relationship of architec-
ture and sculpture of the Parthenon and of the 1'ltar of
35
Zeus. What are the differences and wby were they
instituted?
J. compare the sculptural style of the friezes of the
Parthenon and the Altar of zeus in terma of depUl of
relief, composition, emoLionalinm and subject malter .
What do they havc in common? What are the stylistic
innovat1ons demonstrated in the Altar of Zeus?
4. Conapare the acropolis at Athens with that at
Pergamon in terma of the functions of the buildings and
their relationships to each olher and the natural
environment. How is each characteristic of its ~rd?
S. Otscuss the impact of empiricism on the visual
arts of the Hellenistic era. Cite examples.
6. Discuss the concept ol antiquarianism and its
impact on Hellenistic culture and art. Cite examples.
7. How ~s the concept of individualism apparent in
Hellenistic art and music? Cite examples.
8. What characteristics of Hellenistic society caused
an emphasis upon realism as opposed to idealism? How is
realism demonstraLed 1n Hellenistic philosophy,
arch1tecture and art? Give üxamples .
Hultiple Choice Questions from Slides
l. Slide, F1g. 72, acropolis at Pergamon.
This group of but ld1ngs functioned as (al a religious
ceremonial center1 (b) a civic center, (C) a tourist
attract1on, (di a 11 of the above
2. Slide, Fig. 88, Oló Market woman.
This work is an exam¡,i"e of (aJ Jlellenic idealism, (bl
Hellenistic reallsm, Ce) antiquari.,nis.m, (d)
Epacureanism
l. Slide, Pig. 79, Hercules P1nding his r n ~ Son
Telephus.
This work is (al 4 Roman adaptation of a Pergamene
original, (bJ a Pergamenc, original. (CI an example of
Hellen1stic empirlcism, (d) the story of the b1rth of
Athena
4. Sllóe, Pig. 82, Battle of lssus.
This work shows COCJnizance o!(a) the empifical observ~-
tions of Euclid, (bJ the Greeks !lghting the Gauls , (el
He! lenistic all.,gory, (d) Roman l'listory
36
S. Slide, Piq. 81, Sosus, Unswept Dining Room ~loor.
This worl< is (a) a rnosaic, (bl a rresco, (el a painting,
(d) a relief sculpture
6. Slide, Pig. 87, Laocoon .
1ft itsdramatic, emolional ..-xpresslon, th1s work rnay be
compared to the sculptures of (a) Pergamon, (b) the
Parthenon, IC Praxiteles, (di Myron
7. Slide, Fig. 86, Mausol@um at Ualic,.rnassus.
Thls work exemplifies (a) Hellenistic individualis~.
lb) Roman antiquarian1s111, (e) Archa1c rea lism, (di none
of the abovE""
8. Slide, rig. 78, llthena Slaying Giant, Alt,.r of
zeus.
This scene re!ers in the abstract to la) the battle of
the Greeks and the Persians, (b) the battle of Athens
and Sparta, (el the Oattle of the G,:eeks and the Gauls,
(di the Battle of lssus
9. Slide, Fig. 73, pvinq Gaul.
The sLyle of this work is cai7Tellenic, Cb) First School
of Pergamon, (e) Second School of Pergamon, (di archaic
EXPIIHSION OP TEXT
l. Discuss the evolution of Gr@ek thea~er from
Ucllenic to Hellenistic times. Emphasize the Hellenistic
emphasJ.s on the actor rather than the chor\.s in terms
o.f th~ co:1cept. of individualisrn. Compare the 4th-
century B.C. th,.ater at Epidaurus with the 2nd-century
e.e. theater at Priene. {Source: Wood!ordl
2. Discuss He! lenistic do,nestic archi tectun, in
terms of its Hellenic origlns and Hellen1stic
innovations. Co~pare the plan$ of house& built in 4th-
century a.c. Priené with the Hellen1stic plans at Delos.
(Source: lloodford)
3. Choose from the many examples of Hellcnistic
art those which represent the new subjecls o!:
emotiona1.1.srn 1 erotic1sm, humor, genre, the grotesque,
the antique1 !oreigners, the very old, the very young,
and the femalc nude. Di9cuss 04Ch in relationship to
Hcllenistic social structure. (Source: Onian~I
4. Oiscuss the life of Alexander the Creat and
the eventual fracturing of his empire among his gener~ls
1n terAs of the effect upon Hellenistic culture.
(Source: Search f2.!: Alexanderf
37
 81BL10GR.APHY eHAPTER 4 - The Ro..an Style
See also Bibliography íor ehapter 2. OVERVIJ:;W
Historical Background
Rome , 2nd Century A.O.
aurn, A.R., Alexander the Great and the Hellentstic
World, New York, 19'i. -- -- The city of Rome, which dales fro,n the 8t;h century
Dury, J.B., Jlollenistlc Age, New York, 1970. B.C., had, by thé 4th century a.c., established a
Ferguaon, F., The Heritaqe of Hellenism, London, 1973. republican foro of government. Gradually, Roman
Hadas, M. , Hellenistlc cÜltüre, New York, 1972 . m11itary rnight ancl orqanization conquered the dispersed
Hansen, e . V., The Attalids of Per~amon, lthaca, 1971. Hellenist1c kln9doms. The last to fall was Ptolemaic
Renault, M., Thc?Nature of ATexan er, New York, 1975. E:gypt, conquered by Augustus in 31 o.e. naving
Long, A.A,, HiITeñTstic Philosophy, London, 1974. eliminated all r1vals to world power, Augustus became
Rostovtzeff, H., The Social and Econoaic History of the emperor, thereby ending the Republic . The huge emp1re
Hel1enistic World, 3 vols., Oxford, 1953 . - -- flourished until th~ Em¡:>eror Constanlinc moved hLS court
Sarton, G., A Histo'ri" of Science, Vol. 2, Cambr>dge, to Constant1nople, thereby endinq the 9ranc <lays of the
Hass., 1959. - Latin eop1re.
Sandbach, F.H., ~ Sto1cs, London, 1975 .
Although tne Ro111ans dor.iinated the Greeks
militarily, Lhey .ic:.no,,ledged the cultur..tl supériorlty
Art and Architecture of tbeir eaptlves. The Roman fJ.séination with all
things Greek was d qreat bQon to Greek íntellectuals and
Bieber, M., The Sculpture 2! ~ ~~nistic Age, New drt.ists, who found appreciat1ve e:-nployment among t!'leir
York, 19ri. captors. In many cases aJl tha~ rPmains of Camous
Charbonneaux, J., R. Martin and F. Vil lard, Hel lenistic Cree~ works oC art comes down to us by way of Roman
Art: 330-50 e.e., London, 1973. copies. ~s Horace put it, "Captive Greece led her rude
Haveloc7t;"'c.H., HelTeñistic Art, London, 1971. captor captive."
Kahler, u., Die Grosse Pries von Pergamon, Berlin, 1948 .
Onians, J., '"irt .. na Thoughtin the Hellenistic A~.
London, ---n,r.- - -- -- · Orqanization
Roux, G., L'arc.l!.i!ecture de l'Arqolide aux IVe et 1110
siecles avant J.-c., Paris, 1961. The samc capacity for order inherenL in Roman
Search for Ale'xañder,Exhibition Catalogue, eoston, mllitory organization also appears in Roman archilec-
1980. lure. The grid system of city planning, an outgrowth of
W.ord-Perkins, eili"s of Ancient Greece and ltaly: Rornan military camps, allowed for the greatest possible
llin'!il}S in elassi@ Antlquity, New 'lork, 1914. ease of movement. Public buildings .. nd facilities were
Webster, T.B.L., The Art of Greece, The AS.~ ~ situated apart fro~ prívate dwellings, and laws were
Hel lenism, Mew York, 1964. ------ instituted to keep the city running smoothly. The &ame
Wooóford, s., Greece and Ro<oe, Cambridge, 1982. organi2ational spiril is reflectcd in Lhe expansion of
Wycherley, R.E., How the Greeks Built Cities, London, interior ~pace Lo accommodat~ ever-larger numb~rs of
1962. - - ¡>eople. Privc1.te houses or-ganlzed 1 ivinq sp4ce around an
open .atriu~, thereby allowin-g pr1vacy and openness to
exist even in crowded c1ties. The Roman genius for
Literature order ,salso emboóied in the dcvelopmcnL of the multi-
family apartment house, the efficient assembling and
Thomas, s., Images of Han, Ncw York, 1984, aelections dispersi,ig of largc nuaibers of people in public
from Arlatotle'a PoI1tics and Poetics , 68-79. builtlings sueh as the Colosseum, and lh~ invention of
Webster, T.B.L., Mellenistic Poetry and Art, London, the shoppinq center, exemplified in the multi - storied
1964. - -- Forum of TraJan.

38
39
Utilitar i11nism
J. D1scusa how the Romans and Greeks dif(ered in
Organizatlon i& related to utilitarianism, another their conceptions of archllectural spdce, includ1ng the
word for practicality. Every surviving Roman work once Greek Parthenon, lhe Roman Panth~on and the Baths of
served a functional purpose, whether it was propagandis- Caraoalla in your discussion. How did the building
tic, such ~s the narrative relief sculptures on Trajan 's techn.ique-s useci by each cul t-ure determine the ~ype& of
Colu1Dn, or religious, sueh clti the ~xtra.ordi..nary spaees that were constructed'?
portraits of individuals m&de to serve the cult of Roman
ancestor worship. The greatest utilitarian contri.bu- 4. Discuss the Roman debt to the Greeks in t~rms of
tions of Rome were in the field of enginecring. The .:architecture and art.. \\lhal unique characteristics
Romana used concrete to build quickly their vast monu- dist1nqu1sh ~ornan art írom Greek?
n,ents, pioneered efCicient road building, and uti lized
hydraulic engineering in an efficient system ot aque- 5. Show eKamplea ot Greek art which we know only trom
ducts, sewers, central heatin~ and plumbinq. Likewise, Roman cor;,iea. Include Myron's Discus Throwcr (Pig.
music and art served the vast populace, resultin9 for 57), Prax1teles' ~phroditc of Cyrene (Fig. 891, Marsyas
the first time in the now-familiar gap between "high and the Knife Sharpen~r (Figs. 84 & 85), The Battle of 0

art• and •popular culture.• l_SS!!_!'; (F1q., 82), H.it~c:u _l!'_s f~nd!c~Si. hi~ I nfa_nt - ~?.ñ
Tefepnus_ 1P 19. 79), andthe o:,:ing ~ lFig. Bf. Tné
KEY WORDS POR STUOY SHEET d1scuss10~ can be eKpanded to include many other
eKamples.
Terms 6. compare thc pictorial organizat~on of Trajan's
apse cross vault pilas ter ~?.lumn !FJ.g. 971 wl.th the P.:,rthenon frieze (Fig. 44).
arch dome podiura Show ex~mples of conte~p0rary coQiC str~ps which lllus-
barrel vault e,cedrae polychrome trate the sa~e type of cont1nuous narrativ~.
basil1ca forum sarcopha9us
clerestory hydraulus therll'lae 7. I 1 lustrate 1nodern borrowings from Roman architoc-
composite order lmperator tibia Lure apparent in such ~ell-known monuments as the Capi-
coHer oculus tuba tol in :•lashington, o.e., Jefferson's Monticel lo, Grand
concrete pater fa111i Jias voussoir Central Station in ~ew ~ork City, the capitol o( your
own stat~, your local sports arena, or so~e othcr public
building in your comrnuni ""·Y or on c:afl'lpus.
Naaes Places 8. Discuss drt as propaganda únder the administration
Augustus Nlrnes of the empero:rs Augustus, Trajan, Hadrian, M.l.rcus
Hadrian Pompeii Aurelius and Caracalla. How did their grand projects
Trajan Rome enhance their i~ages with the populace? How do
vergil contemporary leaders use art for propaganda purposes7
Vitruvius How did Hapoleon do the same?
9. Discuss the concepts of "décadence" and "decline
TOPICS FOR DISCOSSIO~ and fal 1 •• as her:alds of doo11 in the history of Rol!le.
Are there similar trends in the moeern world which miqht
l. Oiscuss the Roman <>ngineeung contributions that justity the current theory that history will repeat
are still in effect today. Include plumbing, sewers, itself in the demise of our own society?
cent~al heating, roads1aqueducts, furnaces, ~ity
plann1nq, laws, governmentaJ systems, etc.
exeRCISES
2. Oiscuss those aspects of Roman art and music that
aerved practica! applications. Compare with creek music Essay Question&
theory and idealism and discuss the changes these
d1fferences caused in the arts . l. What purposes did Roman portraiture fulfill in
public and private lile? Cite examples.
40
41
2. How oid the use of the vault affect Roman
architecture? In what waya were arches and vaults used 5. Slide, Fig. 104, Porcia and Cato.
in apecific Roman architectural rnonuments? This portrait setved (al religious purposes, (bl propa-
gandistic purposes, (c) antiquarian concerna, (d) human
3. Compare the Roman Maison Carie with the Greek vanity
Parthenon. How are they similar? How are they
different? 6. Slide, Pig. 102, Augustus of Prima Porta.
This &Cu I ptu.re depicts (a) Augustus as f!iipe'rator, (b)
4. What affect did Roman practicality have on music? Marcus l\urehus, (el llugustus as pater familias, (di the
How was this paralleled in the visual arts and Emperor Trajan
archi tecture?.
7. Slid~, Fig. 108, the Pont du Gard,N!mes.
S. Co~pare and contrast the Ara Pacis rel1efs with Thls structure is évidence of the Ro~an génius for ta)
the Parthenon frieze. What were Auguatus• reasons for qeometric proportion, (b) decorative invention, (e),
emulating the earlier work7 practica! engineering, (di antiquarianism

6. Discuss with examples how the Romans enhanced the 8. Slide, Pig. 91, detall of the l\rn Pacis.
interior spaces of their public and private buildings. Tbis Roman work shows a relationship to (a) classical
Greek art , lb) Archaic Greek art, (c) Pergamene art, ld)
7. What were the four contributiona to architecture Persian art
ascribed to thc Romana? Give examples of each.
8. If the Greeks embodied the ideas of idealism, Matcbing Questiona
humanism and rationalism , vhat ideas eharacterize Rom4n
culture? How are these differenc concerns reflected in _c_ agora a. Augustus
the survivtn9 monuments of each culture?
d t.hermae b. continuous
narra ti ve
Mult iple Choice Questions From Slides b Column of Trajan c. market place

l . Slide, Fig. 107, Colos~eum at Rome. Ara Pacis d. baths

This building adapts the c;reek order,; (a) for -ª-
structural purposes, (b) for decorativa purposes, (e) _e_ Pantheon e. dor.,ed temple
for &ymbolic purposes, (di for both decorative and sym-
bolic purposes f basi 1 ica f. ha 11 of justice
2. Slide, Pig. 99, detail of Trajan's Column. _i_ pater familias g. water orqa.n
This scene is part of the lar9er story of (al Trajan's
conquest of the Persians, (bl Trajan's conquest of the _g_ hydraulus h. l\eneid
Oacians, (c) Claudius' conquest of the Britains, (d)
Augustus• conquest of the Egyptians ...i_ polycnrome i. head of the
!amily
3. Slide, Fig. 112, Interior of the Pantheon, Rome. _ll_ Vergil j_ palnted in
This building displays the architectural use of (a) severa! colors
cross va.ults, (b) a concrete dotDe, (C) tunnel va:ults
(di hydraulic engineering
EXPl\NSION OF TEXT
4. Slide, fig. 101, Maison Carée, N1mes .
This building can be seen at (al Rome , (b} N~ mes, (C) l. Discuss and illustrate the Roman way of life
Ostia, (di Benevento through slides of Pompeii. lnclude architecture and
paintin9 in your discussion. (Sources: Grant , 1979;
Kraus)
42
43
2. D!scuss Roman wall painting in terma of the four Mattingly , H. , Roman I mperial Civilizat1on, New York,
Pompeian styles. Emphasize the illusionism of the 1971.
second style embodied in the Garden wa 11 Crom the Vi 1 la Wil l s, G. Ced.), Roman Culture, New York, 1966.
of Livia at Prima Porta, the Villa oí Mysteries at Wolff, H.J . , Romañ'I:iiw: An Historical Introduction,
Pornpeii, and the room from Boscoreale at the M~tropoli- Nor111an;-ok,-¡,.-,-T§ó4-.-
tan Museum¡ for the third style, illustrate the floating
landscape on the wall from Boscotrecase; for the (ourth
slyle the House of the Vcttii from Pompcii 1s J good Art and Arc hi t ecture
example. Include Romao dependence upon Greek painterly
trad:ittons. (Source: Maiur1) Bandinelli, R.8 . , ~!..t.~ Centre of Power, London,
1970.
3. Discuss Etruscan society and culture as a prclude Boethi ue , A. and J .D. ward-Perkins, Etruscan and Ro!!.!!l
to Rome. lnclude temple arclútecture, terracotta tomb llrcbi tecture, London , 1970 .
sculpture and to~b paintings from Tarquinia and Brilliant., R., Roman Art fro111 .!:l!! J!epubl!.S 12
Cerv~ter! . (Sourc:e : Richardson) Constantine, LondoTI, 1974. -
Brown, F.E., ROrñan Architectu·r e, New, York, 1961.
4. Discuss and illustrate the devclopment o! Roman llanfmann, G. ,RoiDan Art: A Hodern survey of the Art of
Imperial portraiture by comparing and contrastin<¡ the Ancient Rome, New York, 1975.
hoadG of Augustus, Vespaslan, Hadrian, Caracalla, Philip Kampen, N . B . , "Social Status and Gender i n Roman Ar t :
the Arab, and Constantine. csource: Stro!\g, 1 9611 The Case of the Sc1 l eswoman , • Broude and Garrard
teds.), !:!.!O.i~!!~ ~'.!~ A ~~ !!.i~!2.E.X., Ne w Yor k ,
S. Assiqn read1nqs from Verqil and discuss the 1962, 63- 78.
history of the founding of Rome. Also read the passagcs Hacauley, D., City: ~ g.!1.EY of Ro10an Planning and
from Seutoniu& which describe the reigns of Augustus, Construction, Boston , 1974.
Tiberiua and Culigula. Show in class on<> of the ase _l_,_ Macoona le!, The Archi tecture of 'the Ro man Cm pire, New
Claudiu~ eplscx!es dealing with one of these efflperors to Haven,""IT6~: - --
c:1dd el rnarvelovs 1rn~ediacy to Rooan 1 i.fe and history . Maiuri, A., ~...2.!:!!!E Painting , New Yor~ , 1953 .
Richardson, E., The Etruscans; The1r Art and Ci viliza-
6. Discuss and 1llustrate Roman city planning. Relate tion , Chicago, 1§76. --- -- --
it to the orqanization of your own community streets and Ryberg-;-r.s., The Rites of ill Rom.!!! State Relig1on in
public facilities. Uaing the Roman ax4mple, how might ArL (Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome,
studc:,nts change the layout of the local co,omunity Cor XXll, 1955) .
better practlcal and utilitarian purposes~ CSource : Smith , E., Architectural Symbolism in lmperial ~ ~
xacauleyl the Middle Ages, Princeton, 1§°56 .
Strong-;--15., ~ Imperial Sculpture, LOndon, 1961.
BIBLIOGRAPHY ----------Ro~an Art, London, 1972.
Toynbee, J . M.C., The Art of the Romana, London, 1965.
Híatorica l Backg round Wheeler , H., ~oman Art andAi'ciiitecture , Ncw York, 1964.
Balsdon, J . P. V.D., Llfe ~<! Lelsure ir! Ancient R_2e!•
London, 1969. - - Litera t ure
C.isson. L., Oaily Life in Ancient Rome, New York, l97S .
ourant, w., Caesar and Chrfst, New York, 1972. oavenport, a., The Portable Roman Reader, New York,
Grant, M., The Art and ~ of Pompeii and Herculaneum, 1959 .
New York, 1979. Grant, M. , Rom.in Literature, Cambridge, 1954.
---------- Roman Myths , Ne~ York, 1971 . Hadas, M. , ! -Hl!~?.f:t of Latin Literature, New York,
Kraus. T. , Pome._eii .and Herculaneum, Milan, 1973 . 1952.
Hod9e, P., !!_º!11~-tamTiy .!;.il!, New York, 1974 . Otis, a . , Vergil , Oxford, 196 4 .
Léwis, N., and M. Re1nhold, Roman Civilization: Thomas, s., !_!_lla9e!_ o! !!an, New York, 1984'. Selections
sourcebook .!. - The Re~blic-,-S-ourcebooi< .! - The by Cicero, De Officlis; M:ircus Aurellus , Medaa-
Eme_i~, New York, n.d. tions; Pl inythe Younger, Two Letters to Tacitus;
andPJutarch, Marcus ~ . a ó-100.
45
Docu111enta
Pollitt, J.J., The Art of Rome c. 753 B.C.-A.D, 337,
Sources and Oocu111ents-;-1fng°"f@wood ciT(Ts;"" 11.J.,
ill6:·- --
Seutonius, The Livcs of the Twelve Caesars, (ed . J R.
GravesBaltlmore-, - 11cr:-;-19'5r.-
PILMS
.L. Claudius. 13 episodes based upon the novels of Robert
Graves and desi9ned for B.B.C. television.
Brilliant recreation of the lives of the Julio-
Claudian caesars told through the worda of the
last, Claudius. Each episode 60 minutes, color,
1980.
Life in Ancient Rome. At the time of Trajan, ca. A.O .
100. 16 o,inutes, color, 1964.
!!)_e Legacy of Rome. Examines the enduring achievements
of Rome in architecture, law and government.
53 11inutes, color, 1966.
Pompeii (A.O. 79). Scenes of the exeavation of the city
a s ~ e s to life in the 1st cenLury A.O. 23
minutes, color, 1978.
f2!!!1?!.!1: Qn!:e Th~$. !!~ ~ Citr, Everyday llfe in
ancient Pompe11 and the eruption of Vesuvius are
recreated via exploration of ruine. 25 •ínutes,
color, 1970.
Roman Britain: The Towns. Valuable illustration of
archaeological techn,ques of aerial photography
and excavations. 15 minutes, color, 1914.
~~~s. Presents origins, growth and evPntual collapse
of thc Roman Empire overa period OÍ 400 years.
24 minute&, color, 1974.
!h! l\9mana: Li~ Laughter, and ~ - The Roman spiril
of life e~bodied in theirliterature is guaranteed
to produce laughs. 22 minutes, color, 1971.
sound Pilastrip
From Guidance Associates:
Qur Her i tage ~ Anc_i!,!Lt R_<?._m~
46
CHAPTER 5 - The Early Roman Christian
and eyzantine Styles
OVERVIEW
Ravenna, Late Sth and ~arly 6th Centuries
The advent of Chriatianity sounded the death knell
for the claasical tradition OÍ íigurative art. For two
centuries Roman Christians, worshipping covertly in pri-
vat.e hot1es and secret 9ather1.nq places, could not
develop an artistic tradition. Not until Constantine
s1gned the Ed1ct of Hilan in 313, did Christians have
the right to worship openly, The covert nature of the
early Churcb, combined with the Christian emphasis upon
the spiritual above the material - tbe soul above the
body - caused the negation of the classical tradition.
Wh@reas .Jupiter boasted a set of physical characteris-
t1cs befitt1ng his exalted stature, Jehovah held no
form. The •ystical had uaurped the physical.
The once unified Ro11an Emp1re was fr.ictured into
two Christian kingdoms in the Sth century. The East
~oman tByzantine} Bmpire, which remained powerful until
the mid 15th century, was under the rule of Justinian.
The west Roman Empire, still reeling from the barbarian
aack of Rome, established its center in Ravenna under
Theodoric , the Ostrogoth. Grcat theological and social
differences sep8rated the EdStQrn and w~stern Roman
ernpl.res. In tinae, 'l'he-odoric was vanquished by the
Eastern faction, which after a bríef period of dol'llina -
tion, yielded to the renewed power of the pope in Rome.
From this point on, the Church would domínate the arts
for nearly a thouaand years.
Authoritarianism
Christianity as an off1cial state rel igion
reflected the authoritarian charactcr o( the imperial
govcrnment. No official word could be spoken unless
justitied by" quotaLion (rom an early authority. The
Eastern court of Justinian was so conservative and
static that the word "on.gina li ty" was considered an
insult. The complex melisiaas of plainchant were
performed by professional choirs schooled ln 8 timelese
tradition. The Byzantine concept of divine authority
took (orm in strict artistic conventions designed to
distance viewers rather than involve them.
47