ARTH111

Description

Section information text: This course is a survey of the art and architecture of the Roman world, with a diachronic focus on developments in visual and material culture including building projects, painting, mosaics, ceramic, metalworking, and other crafts. It will cover the history of Roman art and architecture from its humble beginnings in 8th century BCE Italy, to its height in the 2nd century CE, and culminate in the 4th century CE with the reign of Emperor Constantine. We will be attentive to how visual and material can be a window into social, political, and economic developments in the Roman Republican and Imperial Periods, as well as what it can tell us about how people of various social and economic backgrounds lived their daily lives and contributed to the development of Roman society. In addition, the course will encourage students to consider the legacy of ancient Roman art and architecture in the modern world, as well as issues and controversies surrounding the recovery, curation, ownership, and interpretation of particular artifacts, buildings, and sites.