ARTH 4120 - Ancient Rome: the Republic, the Empire

The course focuses on art forms linked with changing political, religious, and social agendas during the growth of an empire in Antiquity that came to encompass the whole of the Mediterranean Basin and Britannia. As a consequence of Rome's pervasive world view, its patrons exploited technology and the latest fashion to shape a diverse visual environment that ranges from state monuments to private objects for daily use. Through lecture, discussion, and written essays, students will investigate factors shaping cultural interpretation.