From Republic to Empire: Rhetoric, Religion, and Power in the Visual Culture of Ancient Rome (Volume 48) (Oklahoma Series in Classical Culture)

Political image-making especially from the Age of Augustus, when the Roman Republic evolved into a system capable of governing a vast, culturally diverse empire is the focus of this masterful study of Roman culture. Distinguished art historian and classical archaeologist John Pollini explores how various artistic and ideological symbols of religion and power, based on Roman Republican values and traditions, were taken over or refashioned to convey new ideological content in the constantly changing political world of imperial Rome. Religion, civic life, and politics went hand in hand and formed the very fabric of ancient Roman society. Visual rhetoric was a most effective way to communicate and commemorate the ideals, virtues, and political programs of the leaders of the Roman State in an empire where few people could read and many different languages were spoken. Public memorialization could keep Roman leaders and their achievements before the eyes of the populace, in Rome and in cities under Roman sway. A leader s success demonstrated that he had the favor of the gods a form of legitimation crucial for sustaining the Roman Principate, or government by a First Citizen. Pollini examines works and traditions ranging from coins to statues and reliefs. He considers the realistic tradition of sculptural portraiture and the ways Roman leaders from the late Republic through the Imperial period were represented in relation to the divine. In comparing visual and verbal expression, he likens sculptural imagery to the structure, syntax, and diction of the Latin language and to ancient rhetorical figures of speech. Throughout the book, Pollini s vast knowledge of ancient history, religion, literature, and politics extends his analysis far beyond visual culture to every aspect of ancient Roman civilization, including the empire s ultimate conversion to Christianity. Readers will gain a thorough understanding of the relationship between artistic developments and political change in ancient Rome. -- Amazon.com Cover 1 Title Page 4 Copyright Page 5 Table of Contents 7 List of Illustrations 9 Preface 18 Acknowledgments 22 List of Abbreviations 24 Introduction 28 Chapter I. Ritualizing Death in Republican Rome: Memory, Religion, Class Struggle, and the Wax Ancestral Mask: Tradition’s Origin and Influence on Veristic Portraiture 38 Chapter II. The Leader and the Divine: Official and Nonofficial Modes of Representation 94 Chapter III. The Cult Statue of Julius Caesar and Heroic and Divine Imagery of Deified Leaders in the Late Republic and Early Principate 158 Chapter IV. From Warrior to Statesman in Art and Ideology: Octavian/Augustus and the Image of Alexander the Great 187 Appendix: Triumphal Frieze of the Actian Victory Monument at Nikopolis 216 Chapter V. The Ideology of “Peace through Victory” and the Ara Pacis Augustae: Visual Rhetoric and the Creation of a Dynastic Narrative 229 Appendix A: The “Aeneas Panel” of the Ara Pacis 267 Appendix B: The Mausoleum of Augustus and Its Quadrigate Imagery 273 Appendix C: The Ustrinum Augusti 282 Chapter VI. The Acanthus of the Ara Pacis as an Apolline and Dionysiac Symbol of Anamorphosis, Anakyklosis, and Numen Mixtum 296 Chapter VII. The Smaller Cancelleria (“Vicomagistri”) Reliefs and Julio-Claudian Imperial Altars: Limitations of the Evidence and Problems in Interpretation 334 Appendix: The Ara Providentiae Augustae, Colossal Seated Statue of Augustus, and Julio-Claudian Ideology 379 Chapter VIII. The “Insanity” of Caligula or the“Insanity” of the Jews? Differences in Perception and Religious Beliefs 394 Appendix: The Portraiture of Caligula—Myth, Reality, and Contemporary Attempts at Polychromy 422 Chapter IX. “Star Power” in Imperial Rome: Astral Theology, Castorian Imagery, and the Dual Heirs in the Transmission of Leadership 437 Conclusion 480 Color Plates 490 Bibliography 514 General Index 550 Index of Museums and Collections 571 Ritualizing Death In Republican Rome : Memory, Religion, Class Struggle, And The Wax Ancestral Mask Tradition's Origin And Influence On Veristic Portraiture -- The Leader And The Divine : Official And Nonofficial Modes Of Representation -- Appendix: A Colossal Statue Of Titus Or Domitian And The Neokorate Temples Of Ephesos -- The Cult Statue Of Julius Caesar And Heroic And Divine Imagery Of Deified Leaders In The Late Republic And Early Principate -- From Warrior To Statesman In Art And Ideology : Octavian/augustus And The Image Of Alexander The Great -- Appendix: Triumphal Frieze Of The Actian Victory Monument At Nikopolis -- The Ideology Of Peace Through Victory And The Ara Pacis Augustae : Visual Rhetoric And The Creation Of A Dynastic Narrative -- Appendix A: The Aeneas Panel Of The Ara Pacis -- Appendix B: The Mausoleum Of Augustus And Its Quadrigate Imagery -- Appendix C: The Ustrinum Augusti -- The Acanthus Of The Ara Pacis As An Apolline And Dionysiac Symbol Of Anamorphosis, Anakyklosis, And Numen Mixtum -- The Smaller Cancelleria (vicomagistri) Reliefs And Julio-claudian Imperial Altars : Limitations Of The Evidence And Problems In Interpretation -- Appendix: The Ara Providentiae Augustae, Colossal Seated Statue Of Augustus, And Julio-claudian Ideology -- The Insanity Of Caligula Or The Insanity Of The Jews? : Differences In Perception And Religious Beliefs -- Appendix: The Portraiture Of Caligula : Myth, Reality, And Contemporary Attempts At Polychromy -- Star Power In Imperial Rome : Astral Theology, Castorian Imagery, And The Dual Heirs In The Transmission Of Leadership. John Pollini. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 489-524) And Indexes.