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| Romulus & Remis, the fabled orphan founders of Rome. [Laszlo Ilyes, Flickr, CC BY 2.0] |
The Beginning
The first Roman Emperor was Caesar Augustus who ruled from 27 BCE to 14 CE, but Rome was founded around 510 BCE. In its founding story, there is the myth of Romulus and Remus, brothers who were casted out of society and then nurtured by a she wolf for a short time. When they were older they decided to found a city, but they argued over its placement and Romulus killed his brother Remus. He then founded a city and named it Rome.
Historic Actions
In 64 CE Neiro burnt down a village on Palatine Hill and then started construction on the Golden Palace. After Neiro’s reign the new Emperor Vespasian was the first to not come
from the Caesar of Claudius line. In order to gain favor among the common people Vespasian tore down the Golden Palace and built the Coliseum from 75-80 CE. Emperor Titus conducted the opening ceremony for the Coliseum.
Titus then had the Arch of Titus completed in 81 CE. At the Arch anyone entering the city had to lay down their weapons. Titus dedicated his arch to the Senate and the People (SPQR). Ceremonially, Romans built arches after conquering new territory.
Another important emperor was Trajan, 98-177 CE. He commissioned the Column of Trajan and the Arch of Trajan. The Column of Trajan was over 125ft tall and was built so that the relief sculpture looked the same size at every level. Both the arch and the column were used as propaganda to tell common folk of some of the achievements he had made over time. Trajan also had a city called Timgad built in north Africa for retired soldiers.
One of the last emperors before the Roman Empire’s switch from Paganism to Christianity was Hadrian, 117-138 CE. He built the Pantheon and revived Greek Art. While commissioning the Pantheon he had it built with lighter and lighter stones as it got taller, making it to have the largest oculus in history.
During the Christian times of the Roman Empire there were two major emperors Diocletion 284-305 CE and Constantine 306-377 CE. Diocletion is known for separating the Roman Empire into tetrarchs and established the chain of command. Constantine changed the capital of the empire to Constantinople and had the Basilica of Constantine built in 313 CE. He also commissioned a 30ft tall statue of himself that now stands in the Roman Forum. When the Arch of Constantine was built in 350 CE Constantine stole parts of other arches in order to complete it.
The Roman Empire fell to the Byzantine Empire around 320-325 CE. The Byzantine Empire held the Council of Nicea in 325 CE, which established the proper way to practice Christianity. The empire was not established until around the 6th century and they considered themselves Romans, but they spoke mostly Greek.
Sayre, H. M. (2012). Chapter 17 The Ancient World: Roman Art. A World of Art. Boston: Prentice Hall, 431-38. ISBN: 987-0-205-88757-6
Another important emperor was Trajan, 98-177 CE. He commissioned the Column of Trajan and the Arch of Trajan. The Column of Trajan was over 125ft tall and was built so that the relief sculpture looked the same size at every level. Both the arch and the column were used as propaganda to tell common folk of some of the achievements he had made over time. Trajan also had a city called Timgad built in north Africa for retired soldiers.
One of the last emperors before the Roman Empire’s switch from Paganism to Christianity was Hadrian, 117-138 CE. He built the Pantheon and revived Greek Art. While commissioning the Pantheon he had it built with lighter and lighter stones as it got taller, making it to have the largest oculus in history.
During the Christian times of the Roman Empire there were two major emperors Diocletion 284-305 CE and Constantine 306-377 CE. Diocletion is known for separating the Roman Empire into tetrarchs and established the chain of command. Constantine changed the capital of the empire to Constantinople and had the Basilica of Constantine built in 313 CE. He also commissioned a 30ft tall statue of himself that now stands in the Roman Forum. When the Arch of Constantine was built in 350 CE Constantine stole parts of other arches in order to complete it.
Fall of Rome
The Roman Empire fell to the Byzantine Empire around 320-325 CE. The Byzantine Empire held the Council of Nicea in 325 CE, which established the proper way to practice Christianity. The empire was not established until around the 6th century and they considered themselves Romans, but they spoke mostly Greek.
For Further Reading
Sayre, H. M. (2012). Chapter 17 The Ancient World: Roman Art. A World of Art. Boston: Prentice Hall, 431-38. ISBN: 987-0-205-88757-6
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