Monday July 2, 2012

Our journey began today at 10:00 am at the Piazza St. Maria in Trastevere. This plaza is near our apartment and will be the meeting place for much of our time here in Rome. Roman history as seen through it's art is not easy to follow in a chronological order. Not only can centuries of history be found within one site, but each sites history is subject to redefinition through restorations and archaeological discoveries. You can not go from site A through to site Z and say; this is Roman history. But that is what we will attempt to do.

Our first two stops today were the Medieval churches of Santi Quattro Coronati and San Clemente. The San Clemente Basilica stands as a perfect example of the richness of complexities that can be found within one site. There is a 12^th century church built above a 4^th century church that is built upon a 1^st century republican period private home which includes a early 3^rd century Mithraic temple. Each of these levels had responses to the earlier periods in the artwork that was created, and in the reuse of materials from the earlier buildings. The upper Church is built in the traditional Basilica conventions with a flat ceiling, a nave with an apse on one end, and two isles separated by columns. The lower church is a series of catacombs that still have remnants of fluted columns and frescoes dating to the 5^th century. This church was founded in Rome at a time when religion was not personal but rather ritualistic in nature.

The artwork found within the Basilica is as varied as the history of the building itself. The upper church includes frescoes by Masolino and Masaccio from the 13^th century as well as 18^th century restorations to the ceiling, and frescoes by Chiari. The lower church has remnants of 11^th century frescoes as well as 5^th century Byzantine frescoes. In the earliest sections of the church there is an alter in the temple that depicts the symbols of the Persian cult Mithras from the 3^rd century. The imagery found in this church will lay the groundwork for understanding what we will see over the next few days. We will see repeating patterns and symbols that will allow us to better understand the reasons behind the art. (No photos were allowed within this Basilica.)

Our afternoon included a trip to the area of Rome that is home to the rich history of The Forum, The Coliseum, and The Arch of Constantine. The Forum began in the 1^st century as a marketplace in the time of King Servius Tullius. Located in the heart of the city, it became a mix of both sacred and secular buildings and iconography. Under Imperial rule the Forum grew as each new emperor had a new arch or column erected to show their victories and thus gain the favors of the Gods. These images began to make their way into the churches, and Imperial iconography was used to influence the people. As Christianity began to take over as the common religion, the temples were made into churches, or churches were built over the temple sites. Many of the original arches and columns can still be seem today, and excavation is still in progress at the site.

The Arch of Septimius Severus

The Coliseum

 The Coliseum, which is located just to the East of the Forum was the first amphitheater to be built in stone, and was the largest ever built by the Romans, holding more that 55,000 people. The Emperors used the Coliseum to hold spectacles and events to win the favor of the people. The most common of these events were fights to the death between gladiators, or between animals and men. This was also the location of many executions, and is now dedicated to Christian martyrs. The Coliseum highlights one of the basic principles of Roman architect, a repeating pattern of arches . Although the Coliseum did receive damage through earthquakes on several occasions, many of the stones that are missing from the exterior today were actually used for other buildings in Rome.

 The Arch of Constantine was dedicated in 315AD to honor Constantine's victory over his co-Emperor Maxentius, The arch includes elements of previous arches, seemingly attempting to link himself to the past in Romans eyes. These building represent the beginnings of Roman history, which is as complex as the buildings themselves. 

More tomorrow!