Augustan Transformation of the Forum Romanum - Essay Example

? Introduction Augustus rule was very pivotal in the world history because of the peace and transformations itbrought to the Roman world. During the time, there was tremendous change around the world ranging from Rome, Italy, and the Mediterranean where a number of developments got underway after Augustus took over power. One of the most celebrated pieces of architecture is the forum romanum (Galinsky 23-56). Many argue that Augustus exalted himself and boasted of having found Rome and turned it from brick to marble. In his time of leadership, he did restore the temples and many other monumental buildings that had been decayed or destroyed by the riots brought about by civil war (Grant 11-18). The noblest of them all was his transformation of the new forum of Augustus at the roman forum and the Julius forum. At this place, a temple of mars the avenger was erected. This was built by Augustus for his commemoration of the war that he had waged to avenge the killing of Caesar. Forum Romanum is a piece of architecture that is both monumental and an envy of many from time immemorial. It became almost as a symbol of unity and Rome. One of the major contributions made by Augustus was the preservation of architecture or buildings that had been built by his predecessors instead of destroying them and building his own to mark his reign. Much credit has been given to Augustus for transforming Rome and preserving the social, cultural, and roman values at his time of rule. The kind of cultural and religious beliefs expressed by the Forum Romanum are immense (Marucchi 1–2). This paper looks at the Forum Romanum’s transformation by Augustus and how this monument is interwoven with the politics, cultures, religious, and other social values held by the roman people. Discussion The Forum Romanum is a plaza that is rectangular in shape and is surrounded by numerous ruins that represent quite a number of important ancient roman government houses that are located in the middle of the city, Rome. This place was initially a place for buying and selling of goods by the roman people and the people originally referred to it as forum magnum. In the roman life, this place served as their central location and marked their public life. This is attributed to the fact that it was the site where all processions of triumph, elections, political speeches, trials of criminals, and matches of gladiators were organized and took place. It was also the commercial nucleus of the roman people (Galinsky 23-56). When looking at these activities, one would be able to understand why the Forum Romanum was such an important location to the romans and why it received so much fame during the reign of kings and even in the present day’s history. The statues and monuments that were erected here did commemorate the great men of the city who got fame and favor from the kings, nobles, and the public. It was basically the teeming heart of what could be referred to as the ancient Rome. Historians call this place as the most celebrated meeting place in the whole world and recognized through history. This Forum Romanum is found between the Capitoline Hills and the Palatine. However, currently the Forum Romanum stands out as sprawling ruins made of architectural fragments and has exhibited very intermittent excavations from archeologists (Grant 11-18). The reign of Augustus was extraordinary and left Rome with a new order in government, personal and social identity. His transformations did redefine what Rome was and changed the perceptions of people about what being roman symbolized. Traditions and values that found their roots to new mythology of nationalism were fully expressed. The new ideology found its manifestation in architectural designs and art. The political buildings like this Forum Romanum were planned carefully and took into consideration the programs that had been designed for urban renewal and the boosting of the public (Galinsky 23-56). This Forum Romanum did serve the political goals of Augustus and glorified his public image. One important point to note is Augustus’s linking of his political events with specific architectural aspects of the roman people. They also represented the shifts of political choices and the new changes that he brought to his self-image. The Forum Romanum could be associated with three things in the Augustus era (Jessica 1-11). These were him being legitimized as the true successor of the brutally murdered Caesar, the new Golden Age that he had proclaimed, and the issues that arose with succession. The Forum Romanum did actually incorporate the military, religious, moral values, and cultural beliefs of the city into monuments and other imageries that were very specific to Augustus’s persona ending up embodying the entire Rome (Archibald 607-610). Forum Romanum marks a very symbolic piece of art in the Roman Empire. The transformation of this monument was more than just art. At the time when Caesar had been murdered, there was a serious civil strife. At the same period, issues to do with legitimacy of who was to succeed Caesar brought about civil war with Marc Antony who was the second in command to Caesar and Octavian Augustus who was the nephew and adopted heir to Caesar started struggling for power. They fought a war that lasted for over thirteen years (Marucchi 34-45). At this point in time, focus shifted towards art architecture, factors that played important roles in the transformation of Rome. This is because of the contest that occurred in rivalry of symbols and imagery. Augustus did respect the god Apollo and had a closer relationship with this god while his opponent Anthony worshipped Dionysus. Forum Romanum was thus reshaped into the divine patronage imageries and symbols that were associated with Augustus beliefs (Grant 11-18). Augustus did focus on the transformation of Forum Romanum to symbolize his close association with the roots of Rome and to propagate his public propaganda against Marc Anthony, who he claimed denounced Rome after directing in his will that he be buried beside Cleopatra in Egypt after his death. This transformation of Forum Romanum showed his need to secure the support and faith of the wider roman public. The transformation of Forum Romanum had more meaning to Augustus than just the three mentioned aspects of its building (Galinsky 23-56). This was the significant show of how Augustus took the entire city into his possession after the many victories he gained (Marucchi 1–2). His decision to preserve the emotive antiques where he appeared as the Lapis Niger, this emperor emphasized his need to recover the roman’s forgotten traditions, customs, and values that had been lost in the past. Besides the transformations, this Forum Romanum was converted into a very significant dynastic monument for his family, where he did manage to connect his name with the age that had been restored. This could be explained from the fact that during the times of the republican, this place was a civic, commercial, and important religious center with two basilicas of Aemilia and Sempronia (Marucchi 34-45; Vasaly 61-65). Forum Romanum could be looked at in three aspects: the governmental business change that led to reforms in government following the Mediterranean-wide state of Rome; imposition on the public of the standards defining dignity and solemnity; and the evolution of what could be considered as new patterns of self-representation and display, the inception of an imperial system of governance and power of elites. Looking at the Forum Romanum, one cannot fail to notice how the aspect of memory was so vividly expressed (Galinsky 23-56). This could be attributed to Augustus’s strive to stump his power and legitimacy on the roman people. The Forum Romanum also had a significant reference to the achievements secured by Augustus and the respect he had for his father, besides legitimizing his succession and transforming the image of Rome with what could be seen as ubiquitous symbolization of his pietas and victory (Jessica 1-11). Attention towards religion and renewal of moral values was also marked by the transformation of this Forum Romanum (Galinsky 23-56). Through this, an extensive program that was to restore the lost honor of Rome was crafted through social legislation. Peace, prosperity, sibyls, politics, and prophesies were all entrenched in the Forum Romanum. This transformation was also to serve as a representation of Julio-Claudian Dynasty transforming Rome’s landmark into Caesar’s family monument (Archibald 607-610). Conclusion 300 The Forum Romanum was more than just an art and architectural form. Its transformation had more to do with political dominance than serving its initially intended purpose. We cannot talk about the Forum Romanum without Augustus coming into the discussion. This is because of his closer association with the monument and the activities he carried out to transform it. This transformation was more than just the physical glorification attributed to the Roman Empire. It also redefined the cultural, moral, and religious values, besides exemplifying the military prowess of the Roman Empire (Vasaly 61-65). The Forum Romanum did manage to accommodate the many changes brought about by Augustus and became a true reflection of his self-image as well as his political preferences. As has been noted, the need to legitimize his succession of deified Caesar, pursuit to proclaim the Golden Age, and subsequent entrenchment of Julio-Claudian dynasty were among the major driving forces for Augustus’s transformation of this monument. The Forum Romanum also marks a period in time when significant developments in politics, religious beliefs, moral values, as well as cultural creativity took place (Jessica 1-11). However, Augustus remained as the living and new founder of the new roman city, and he took charge of the consistent activities of building the architectural designs and art of the Forum Romanum. The contribution of this monument to the daily lives of the roman people cannot be ignored. Much as it was meant to serve political interests, its gains in terms of restoring the roman state and bringing peace and tranquility in the empire cannot be overshadowed (Galinsky 23-56). Works Cited Archibald, Richmond, Ian, Entry, "Forum Romanum", In: Hornblower, Simon and Antony Spawforth (eds.), The Oxford Classical Dictionary (3rd ed.), Oxford University Press, (1996), pg.607-610 Galinsky, Karl, Augustan Culture: An Interpretive Introduction, Princeton: Princeton University Press, (1996), 23-56. Grant, Michael, The Roman Forum, London: Weidenfeld and Nicholson, (1970), pg.11-18 Jessica BR, The Augustan Transformation Of Rome, Politics and Beauty, 2005, 1-11 Marucchi, Horace, The Complete Odes and Epodes, transl. David West, Oxford: Oxford University Press, (1997), 34-45. Marucchi, Horace, The Roman Forum and the Palatine According to the Latest Discoveries. Paris: Lefebvre. (1906), pp.1–2 Vasaly, Ann, Representations: Images of the World in Ciceronian Oratory. Berkeley: University of California Press. (1996), p.61-65 Read More