https://www.steventammen.com/blog/ Recent content in Blog on Home Hugo -- gohugo.io Mon, 17 Aug 2020 18:35:52 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-18-19/ Tue, 06 Aug 2019 21:45:46 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-18-19/ Today we visited Pompeii. I will say that there were far more tourists than I was expecting, and I found myself horrified at the behavior of many people. There were employees of the archaeological site whose full time job was to shout at people touching ancient monuments (or worse). The only food in the archaeological site was overpriced, and the lines to get it were really long. Other people aside, the archaeological site itself was pretty great. https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-17-19/ Tue, 06 Aug 2019 19:33:19 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-17-19/ Today we visited the ancient Roman city of Puteoli, which was an important port city for the Romans. Puteoli had a rather impressive amphitheater, and it was here that we talked about Roman gladiatorial games in-depth. We also visited Cumae, an ancient Greek colony that had one of the famed Greek sibyls in antiquity. There is also an air of mystery about the place given its use in Agrippa’s campaign against the rebellious Sextus Pompey (the son of Pompey the Great) during the time Octavian was centralizing power. https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-14-19/ Tue, 06 Aug 2019 16:33:36 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-14-19/ Today we visited the Esquiline wing of the Domus Aurea, a massive palace complex that Nero built after the fire of 64 AD. Access to the Domus Aurea is a bit more limited than other monuments in the city (you have to get a special form of permission to see it, to my understanding). It’s all underground, so while it was ~95 degrees outside when we went in, it was quite a bit colder in the Domus Aurea, to the point where some people in our group were shivering! https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-13-19/ Sun, 16 Jun 2019 05:02:52 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-13-19/ Today we visited the forum! In addition to seeing most of the important monuments in the forum, we discussed the twin concepts of regularization and monumentalization, as well as memory theater and the forum’s later shift into a symbol of Rome and her history. Overview of the forum Figure 1: A view from down in the forum Background In the swampy land between three hills: Capitoline, Palatine, Esquiline. https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-12-19/ Sat, 15 Jun 2019 15:25:06 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-12-19/ Today we visited the Mausoleum of Augustus and the remains of the Ara Pacis (“Altar of Peace”) and discussed exactly how these things related to Augustus’ PR strategy. We also visited the Palazzo Altemps and looked at some statuary that combined ancient parts with reconstructions by sculptors hired by the Ludovisi family, as well as a Roman copy of a Greek piece called “The suicidal Gaul.” Mausoleum of Augustus Augustus’ tomb, and that of his immediate relatives. https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-11-19/ Fri, 14 Jun 2019 14:02:57 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-11-19/ Today we talked about the transition from the Republic to the Empire in the context of political and social considerations. We also went to the Palazzo Massimo, a large museum that we only saw bits and pieces of. When there, we discussed Roman portraiture, among other things. Walls of Rome Servian wall: 4th century BC Not actually built in the Regal period by Servius Tullius. Rome won’t have a wall again until 700 years later. https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-10-19/ Fri, 14 Jun 2019 14:02:19 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-10-19/ Last week we talked about the early history of the city: the regal period, but also a bit of Rennaissance (turtle fountain, the Borghese Palazzo). Today: brief overview on the transition from the Republic to the empire. In particular, an examination of how this transition affected the city fabric itself. Civil war, Augustus, and rebuilding Competition between generals comes to a head. 100 BC to 31 BC: near constant state of civil war in the Roman state. https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-07-19/ Sat, 08 Jun 2019 08:08:30 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-07-19/ Today we talked about a wide variety of things: Tiber island, a couple temples near the Forum Boarium, the Campus Martius and triumphs, the Largo Argentina and the victory temples therein, the theater of Pompey, and Giordiano Bruno, whose statue is in the Campo de’ Fiori. Tiber island Background 19th century walls around Tiber: Rome suffered from devastating floods of the Tiber; the walls help prevent this. https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-06-19/ Sat, 08 Jun 2019 06:37:14 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-06-19/ Today was our first day-trip. Today we visited Etruscan tombs at the Monterozzi necropolis in ancient Tarquinia and the Banditaccia necropolis in Cerveteri (Caere). Monterozzi necropolis in ancient Tarquinia Herodotus on the mythological origins of the Etruscans: founder = Tarchon, Lydian prince. Story associated with ancient Tarquinia. Etruscans are from Lydia. Came as a result of a famine. Herodotus portrays them as a lascivious people. The location of ancient Tarquinia was an advantageous land (I mean, just look at it! https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-05-19/ Wed, 05 Jun 2019 16:05:25 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-05-19/ Today we talked about the history of the Borghese family’s property, and also spent some time examining the Etruscans. We went over quite a bit on our museum tour, so this post is a necessarily incomplete record. The Borghese park’s history Geographically outside the city of Rome in antiquity. Also outside the city of Rome in the 1600s, when it was acquired by the Borghese family. Was originally an active vineyard. https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-04-19/ Tue, 04 Jun 2019 15:06:49 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-04-19/ Today we focused on the founding of Rome, and in particular how the development of Rome was influenced by the Greek and Etruscan civilizations. Relationship to the Greeks, mytho-history The Romans felt socially inferior to the Greeks (in terms of art, literature, etc.). Romulus and Remus: descendants of the Trojan prince Aeneas. Sets up the Romans in relation to the Greeks. Gives them another divine ancestor in Venus. https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-03-19/ Mon, 03 Jun 2019 16:08:03 -0400 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-03-19/ Today was the first real day of the trip. It was still more introductory in nature, but we got to see more of the city outside of the bit near us. First stop: Piazza della Repubblica This plaza has distinctive curving buildings. The ancient city of Rome imposes its shape upon the modern city. Rather than altering the structural base, modern architects follow what is already there. https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-02-19/ Sun, 02 Jun 2019 20:08:15 +0000 https://www.steventammen.com/blog/06-02-19/ Outbound flight Today I flew to Rome for a Classics study abroad program. There was not too much traffic through the Atlanta airport when I went through the international terminal on my way to Rome. Checking the bag was easy, getting to the gate was easy, and getting settled in the proper seat at the proper time just required paying a bit of attention to the announcements to make sure I was boarding with the correct group.