Key Learning Items

After successful completion of this module you will be able to:

Identify the major visual characteristics of Ancient Roman art (formal, technical and expressive)
Interpret the possible meaning(s) of works of Ancient Roman art based on examination and analysis of themes, subject matter and use of symbols.
Relate early Ancient Roman art to cultural, economic, religious and political contexts.
Refine art historical methods of investigation such as observation and comparison.
Identify suitable visual and textual evidence drawn from various media to support an argument or an interpretation of Ancient Roman art.
Apply specialized art historical vocabulary and concepts to describe and analyze specific examples of Ancient Roman art.

While you are reviewing the contents of this module, consider the following questions:

How does the lifestyle of the artist and community affect the subject matter of the work of art?
How does the form of the work reflect attitudes prevalent in the culture?
How does the planning and construction of structures reveal significant cultural activities and priorities?
What does the chosen medium used for the work of art tell us about the world that these artists inhabited?

Vocabulary Terms

Key Terms: round arch, barrel (tunnel) vault, groin vault, fenestrated sequence of groin vault, dome, apse, concrete, basilica, oculus, coffering, Colosseum, Pantheon, Hadrian’s Villa, Basilica of Maxentius and Constantine

Key Place Names: Roman Empire, Hadrian’s Wall, Timgad, Pompeii, Herculaneum

Key Figures: Augustus, Vespasian, Hadrian, Marcus Aurelius, Constantine

Here are links to art history glossaries that will help you better understand the above key vocabulary terms.