8. The Alexander Mosaic II

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From the course by University of Arizona

Roman Art and Archaeology

296 ratings

University of Arizona

Roman Art and Archaeology

296 ratings

The objective of this course is to provide an overview of the culture of ancient Rome beginning about 1000 BCE and ending with the so-called "Fall of Rome". We will look at some of the key people who played a role in Rome, from the time of the kings through the Roman Republic and the Roman Empire. We will also focus on the city of Rome itself, as well as Rome's expansion through Italy, the Mediterranean, and beyond.

From the lesson

Augustus and the Early Roman Empire (31 BCE - 1st century CE)

Augustus - formerly known as Octavian - set the tone for the next major phase of Rome: the Roman empire. His family-related successors, the Julio-Claudians, would continue his rule. Yet none of his successors had the charisma or vision of Augustus himself, and some such as Caligula and Nero have become synonymous with profligacy and decadence of an extreme nature. By the year 69 CE. Rome was in chaos. But the emperor Vespasian restored order and dignity - not to mention humility - to the office, and instituted his own dynasty, the Flavians. Unfortunately, Vespasian's second son, Domitian, brought his Flavian dynasty to an end through dreadful administration. Domitian was murdered in 96 CE.

1. The Flavian Emperors: Vespasian, Titus, and Domitian10:47

2. The Arch of Titus6:40

3. The Eruption of Vesuvius (79 CE)3:02

5. The Pompeian House2:44

6. Pompeii in 3D4:18

7. The Alexander Mosaic I2:01

8. The Alexander Mosaic II5:55

9. The End of the Flavians0:41

Meet the Instructors

David Soren
Regents Professor of Classics and Anthropology
Classics and Anthropology

One of the most famous buildings in Pompeii is the House of the Faun,

an upper-class house which featured elegant mosaics that were the pride of

the owner.

>> One of the grandest atrium houses in Pompeii is the so-called House of

the Faun.

And the major work of art that came from it, discovered in the 1850s,

was the Alexander mosaic, a large detailed mosaic that shows in polychrome technique.

The battle between Alexander, who rides his horse and carries his long Macedonian

sarissa or lance in his right hand, and Darius III of Persia.

Alexander has just run through with his sarissa,

a member of the close entourage of Darius and

his chariot driver wheels that chariot around and drives the king out of danger.

[MUSIC]

The question that we're asking is how did the ancients see the mosaic in its

location in the House of the Faun?

And there are three aspects to this question.

The two most important ones are first,

how did the room in which it is located present itself?

Because it's located in a large rectangular room,

called an exedra, this is a large important room.

The room is flanked by pilasters on the both sides and

it is screened by two Corinthian columns in the center.

Then the second important question is how did one see the mosaic

in terms of the lighting situation?

Because the mosaic has such detail in it.

That one can reasonably assume that it was intended to be seen, and so,

we have asked those two questions.

And the third interesting question is how was the mosaic approached?

Because It was located on the far side of a peristyle in the House of the Faun.

And so you had a choice of going up the left branch, or

going up the right branch of the portico.

So which was preferred, or didn't it matter?

What we have discovered is it is very difficult to reconstruct

in one's mind's eye, the viewing and lighting conditions that may have existed.

So we have used a 3D model, and the 3D model has been critical in our research.

Ethan built the model, and the result of the model was that we

now know that it would have been nearly impossible to see the Alexander

exedra because the columns of the peristyle intervened.

This is the first problem.

Important Roman space are usually visible.

They announce themselves, they present themselves so

that they will call attention to their importance.

Ethan was able to introduce into the 3D model a sophisticated

lighting package that allowed us to set the time for 100 BC,

the traditional date of the mosaic.

And use the summer solstice and the winter solstice so

that we could test the lighting quality.

When the sun was at its highest in June or

lowest in December, and the results were extraordinary.

At the summer solstice, the sun was so

high that it did not penetrate the Alexander exedra at all.

But light only filtered from the garden through the portico and

into the space with the mosaic was.

The mosaic, consequently, was extremely dark.

Then we thought the solution will be the winter solstice when the sun's low.

And indeed, the sun streamed into the Alexander Mosaic.

The problem was that four columns of the the peristyle and the two Corinthian

columns of the Alexander exedra cast six long dark shadows across the mosaic.

And the resulting intense light dark chiaroscuro effect was so

intense that the mosaic was essentially illegible.

This brings us to the third question,

the preferred approach to the Alexander exedra.

And what we find is the same condition in one of the columns in the left,

or west peristyle, that was removed and the same footing modification took place.

And that indicates that the architect and

mosiacist wanted the viewer passing along the west portico to have

an unobscured view to the Alexander exedra, which contain the mosaic.

And so just at the critical point where one would see

it at the best oblique angle to the right, the column's gone.

This research exercise, and we hope these discoveries, reveal the importance of

3D computer modeling in archaeological research, and I underscore research.

Models are wonderful for presentation, but

we want to use them at a level that goes beyond presentation of information but

rather at a research level to ask questions.

So the model created for us, the two problems that seemed inconsistent with

the way in which the mosaic should have been seen by its patron and his friends.

And so it allowed us to address the ruins with new insights, with new questions.

It allowed us to view these modifications to the columns in a way that we

had never before, and no one else had ever before, comprehended.

And if we're right, then this shows

not only the importance of the mosaic to the ancient Pompeians, but

also the importance of Advanced technology in current archaeological research.

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