The Ara Pacis Augustae

The Ara Pacis Augustae 

As promised here is my post on the Ara Pacis!

Ever since visiting the Ara Pacis in 2017 I have been complete enamoured with the structure and it is by far my favourite Augustan building. Currently it is my intention to try and write my third year dissertation on the topic.

https://youtu.be/8d6-ysEKgMQ

I made this video whilst walking around the Ara Pacis in 2017 and thought I would share it here so you can get a sense of scale and just how impressive the building is. 

Me outside the Ara Pacis in Rome during my 2017 visit to Italy

I thought it would be a good idea to start this blog with quick overview of the monument before moving one the iconography present on the altar and most importantly the significance and message conveyed by the building. 

Location - Campus Martius / field of Mars near Augustus Mausoleum in Rome. 

Date - Consecrated on the 4th July 13 BCE (Livia's Birthday)

         - Finished 9 BCE 

Why? - To celebrate Augustus' safe return from Spain and Gaul.

           - It was a gift from the Senate 

Material - White Luna marble from Northern Italy 

Inspiration - The huge Altar of Pergamum, Asia Minor (Petit 1967:237)

                    - Decoration inspired by Ancient Greece (eg the Parthenon) 

Themes - Pax, Prosperity, Piety, Family, Morality and History 

Figures - Real historical figures, personifications, mythological figures, allegorical figures

Form - A plain stepped altar surrounded by a highly decorated enclosure. 

Ara Pacis in Colour

Having written the previous posting on colour and the 'myth of white', the presence of colour in the ancient world is now at the forefront of my mind when viewing ancient art and architecture. Having said this I think it is apt to start this blog post of by mentioning the exhibition put on at the Ara Pacis museum where the colours of the Ara Pacis were 'restored.' The colour was projected onto the actual panels of the Ara Pacis (as can be seen below).  The photos below were taken in 2010 during an exhibition at the Ara Pacis museum which restored the colour to the monument. This exhibition photos changed my view of the Ara Pacis as this clean perfect monument and instead really highlighted the scenes and showed the colour and beauty of the reliefs. The themes of plenty and abundance as well as prosperity are really demonstrated through the bright colours (to much greater extent that the white marble - in my opinion). 

images from - https://www.reed.edu/ara-pacis/altar/front-entrance-west/front-facade-2/

Below is a quote from Ovid where he talks about the Ara Pacis.  As you shall hopefully see throughout this post, the building of the Ara Pacis conveys very similar themes and ideas to this passage.

The course of my song hath led me to the altar of Peace. The day will be the second from the end of the month. Come, Peace, they dainty tresses wreathed with Actian laurels, and let thy gentle presence abide in the whole world. So but there be nor foes nor food for triumphs, thou shalt be unto our chiefs a glory greater than war. May the soldier bear arms only to check the armed aggressor, and may the fierce trumpet blare for naught but solemn pomp! May the world near and far dread the sons of Aeneas, and if there be any land that feared not Rome, may it love Rome instead! Add incense, ye priests, to the flames that burn on the alter of Peace, let a white victim fall with wine anointed brow, and ask of the gods, who lend a favouring ear to pious prayers, that the house, which is the warranty of peace, with peace may last for ever. (Ovid Fasti 1. 709-22 tr. Frazer, James George)

Panel Break Down 

Photo taken by me during my visit to the Ara Pacis in 2017
showing the Lupercalia panel. 

Front Left  - This panel depicts the origins of Rome, Romulus and Remus are depicted suckling from the she-wolf outside the Lupercal cave. Mars, the God of war can be seen standing near by, this could seem very odd on an Altar of peace however as we learnt when researching foundation myths for an earlier post Mars was believed to have been the father of the twins. It is also possible that the presence of Mars reiterates the idea that peace is only achieved through successful warfare. The Shepard that rescued and raised Romulus and Remus is also represented in this panel. To me this could have been  included to show that adoptive parents were just as important as biological ones, essentially reaffirming that link between Augustus and Julius Caesar as father and son.   The panel itself is quite badly damaged (as can be seen to the left) 

Photo taken by me during my visit to the Ara Pacis in 2017
showing the panel depicting the first sacrifice in Italy. 

Front Right - This panel depicts Aeneas performing the first sacrifice in Italy. It is I believe important to note here that The Aeneid was published in 19/18BCE so people would be very familiar with the connection between Aeneas and Augustus. The panel shows Aeneas offering a sacrifice to the Penates (house hold gods). Behind him is thought to be stood his son Ascanius Iulus ancestor of the Julian line that Augustus is depended from. However scholars such as Paul Rehak (2001:192) believe that the figure is more likely to be Achates a friend of Aeneas'. he says that "the figures appear to be the same height and the Iulus is normal represented as a small child leaving the likely identification of the figure as Achates". In front of Aeneas are two young boys leading a bull to sacrifice. Rehak (2001:193) simply identifies them as "victimarius (male sacrificial attendant who leads the animal victim) and a camillus (youthful male assistant at a sacrifice who holds the ritual equipment)" respectively. What I find important here is the placement of this panel on the monument itself. When looking at the monument from left to right you first see Romulus and Remus and the story of the founding of Rome, then reading on you see the story of Aeneas (the 'second' founder of Rome) and importantly a member of the Julian line until finally you turn the corner and are greeted by the image of Augustus himself. Augustus is presented to look very similar to Aeneas, they both have their heads covered and slightly bowed their also both turned the same way. This similarity between Augustus and Aeneas is what I discussed in my use of foundation myths post. This similarity creates a link  between Augustus and Aeneas (just as in The Aeneid)  they are one and the same, Augustus is the new Aeneas, they are both founders of their country (Pater Patriae). Brunt and More in their 1967 book look at Augustus' use of the altar as propaganda. 

Photo taken by me during my visit to the Ara Pacis in 2017
showing the south side procession.

South Side - This long panel depicts a procession of the imperial family and their children.  This procession is likely a historical narrative, it is veristic - true to life. The procession depicted could be the one that was performed during the consecration of the ground in 13 BCE (Ryberg 1949:89). Augustus is depicted at the front of the procession (he was Pontifex Maximus - chief priest of Rome). Behind Augustus there are a series of priests, Paul Zanker (1988:121) says that "two thirds of the scene is occupied by members of the four principle colleges of priests (pontifices, augured, XV viri sacris faciundis, VII viri epulonum) and the four chief  priest (flamines)." For example the flamines priests can be identified by the hats they are wearing (they look a bit like a thumbtack) and the fact that they are holding sacrificial instruments (Zanker 1988:120-126). Another notable group present on the south side frieze is the Lictors, essentially a body guard they carried the fasces rods which designated the individual had imperium, they can be seen here around Augustus holding said rods. One of the most important parts of this frieze is I believe the presence of children. In 18 BCE Augustus passed a series of morality laws known as the Lex Juia laws. Their aims were to increase the standards of morality and stop people divorcing so frequently. They also made it a legal requirement to marry and a criminal offence to commit adultery, but most importantly they aimed to increase the rapidly declining birthrate in Rome. Therefore, the presence of children on the Ara Pacis could be a political one, a demonstration that his family was obeying the laws and to get ordinary people to imitate them (the 'perfect' family). It promoted Augustus as a pious family man.  Another thing that is important here is the sculpture itself. The sculpture is almost photorealistic with participants facing deferent ways to talk to the people behind them, there is even a child pulling on his fathers cape. Having said this though the sculpture is also idealised, as we saw in the post on the Prima Port, Augustus had a standard state image that was used throughout his lifetime. This image was idealised to the point of perfection and conveyed his youthfulness. Unfortunately the figure identified as Augustus here is badly damaged, but it would be my guess from what little is left that he is represented in a similar manner. Many of the other undamaged figures also possess somewhat youthful qualities (even Agrippa who died in 12 BCE, a year after the procession which took place in 13 BCE). Other figures that have been identified include Augustus' wife Livia and his step son and heir Tiberius.  However, as always there is a debate about the true identity of the figures. Below is an image depicting who the figures are most likely to be according to the Ara Pacis museum in Rome. You can see that even they are unsure about the identity of some of the figures, mainly Tiberius who they have denoted with a question mark. 

image from - http://employees.oneonta.edu/farberas/arth/arth200/politics/roman_imp_sculpt.html

My Photo of the North side wall 

North Side - This  procession panel depicts senators and their family's. I believe it is also again important to note here that the procession depicts large families which as stated above illustrates Augustus' wish for large families and lots of children as well as his desire for modesty, the women have their heads covered (lex Julia laws). This frieze like the south side shows a snap shot of the procession undertaken, again with the senators turning around and talking to each other (very informal). Something that is really clever in both the northern and southern friezes is the sculptures way of achieving a three dimensional effect, you can see a foot sticking out of the frieze and the way the figures are layered on top of each other give a sense of depth and thus three dimensionally. One thing that is really worth noting is that the figures in this frieze look very similar to the imperial figures in the southern frieze. This  must have been deliberate, by portraying himself as no different to anyone else Augustus is able to reaffirm is position not as King or Dictator but as Princeps (first citizen). The senators in the frieze are portrayed wearing togas with laurel on their heads (see Ovid passage above, also a symbol of victory, possibly representing Augustus' victory in Spain and Gaul) and some can also be seen carrying laurel, which is symbol of peace. When looking at these friezes you can't help but draw on possible similarities to the processional friezes on the Parthenon. Gillian Shepard (2016:57) says that "it is quite possible here that a deliberate reference was being made to the Parthenon frieze, even though that (whatever its precise interpretation) is a more generic or even mythologised scene than this historical one... similarities include the relatively shallow relief and the classicising style symptomatic of the general influence of 5th century BC Greek sculptural styles." I think that Shepard makes some very good points and I agree with what she is saying. To me Augustus took elements of the Parthenon's style and use it as influence for his own. Regarding the Ara Pacis frieze it is quite clear that the themes are very different to that of the Parthenon. As far as I am aware the Parthenon frieze has very few mortal women (a group on the eastern frieze) or children represented. Another big difference is that most scholars agree that the procession represented on the Ara Pacis was the one that took place in 13 BCE, where as the procession represented on the Parthenon can not be identified. One of the main themes I get from looking at  the Ara Pacis is the importance of family, this is not conveyed to me via the Parthenon. This theme on the Ara Pacis is I believe conveyed in two main ways, the first being through the the relaxed nature of the procession and the inclusion of children and the second through the identifiable figures of the imperial family, by making the figures historical Augustus is able to present his family with its links to the founders of Rome and introduce his successors and heirs to the Roman people. The style of the frieze and the fact that there even is a processional frieze, I believe most likely lends credit to the idea of the Ara Pacis having been influenced by the Parthenon but the actual figures and what they convey to the observer could not be more different. 

My photo of the 'Tellus' Panel  

Back left - I have always been told that this panel depicts Tellus or Mother Earth depicted in the centre with the personification for the East and West winds at either side of her. However I am now not so sure. Whilst researching this panel I read some very convincing articles that identify the central figure as Italia (Van Buren, A. 1913), Venus (Galinsky, G. 1966), Pax (De Grummond, N. 1990) and Ceres (Spaeth, B. 1994). However despite these identification I think Zanker (1988:173-4) sums up this debate really well he says "whether we wish to call this mother goddess Venus, because of the motif of the garment slipping off the shoulder, Ceres, on account of the veil and stalks of grain, or the earth goddess tellus, because of the landscape and rocky seat, it is immediately obvious that she is a divinity when domain is growth and fertility."  To me the identity of the goddess will always be a point of contention because as Zanker states she posses the characteristics associated with more than one goddess. Why then can't she be more than one Goddess? Galinsky in his 1996 book proposes that the goddess is an amalgamation of Venus, Tellus, Ceres and Pax. Despite not being able to give her a definitive name the implication and message told by the panel is still clear. The abundance of food and water in the panel links to the idea of peace and prosperity. This idea of peace and prosperity being linked is one that Augustus used throughout his principate, for example in the Carmen Seculare by Horace written for Augustus to be performed at the Secular Games says:

"Let Earth that is fruitful in crops, and in cattle,

Adorn our Ceres with garlands of wheat-ears:

And may Jupiter’s life-giving rain and breezes

Ripen the harvest"

This stanza has been used as proof that the central figure of the panel is indeed Ceres. However, I think that people have got so caught up in who this figure is that they are missing the point of the panel. One of Augustus main political ideologies was to portray himself and his family as the keepers of peace and the bringers of prosperity (again see Ovid quote at beginning). The central figure is surrounded by crops and animals and on her lap sits two babies and a collection of fruits. To me these two things contain the message of the panel. As we discussed earlier in the section on the south side frieze Augustus had passed laws regarding childbirth, so the presence of these children (whoever they are, I have seen interpretations of them as Romulus and Remus but also as Augustus adopted sons Gaius and Lucius Caesar) surrounded by crops is the most important part not the identification of the Goddess (who as mention earlier is I believe purposefully ambiguous). I believe the message that the panel is conveying is that the plants, animals and children are all crops of Italy ones that have returned under an era of peace and prosperity brought in and protected by Augustus.  

My photo of the Lady Roma Panel 

Back Right - This panel is extremely damaged. The panel depicts lady Roma sat on a pile of weapons. Because of the highly damaged nature of the panel it appears that most scholars simply ignore its existence, I couldn't even find reference to it in Zanker's book the Power of Images in the Age of Augustus. One place that did mention this panel was the Ara Pacis museum website. It talks about how the damaged relief was filled in "On the right panel a fragment of a relief of the goddess Roma survives, whose figure has been completed by sketching in on the mortar." Galinsky (1996:148) says that Roma is sat a pile of weapons which have been taken as spoils of war. Lamp (2009:18) reiterates this point but goes on to say that "next to her should be personifications of Honos and Virtus, two Roman military virtues; however, the reconstruction is somewhat incomplete." One scholar who does not simply ignore this panel is Kathleen Lamp in her 2009 article she says that "Roma scene again offers some justification for Augustus's more bloodthirsty acts." She says that the panel is a way for Augustus to conclude his narrative on the Ara Pacis by saying that peace is only achievable through military greatness (again similar sentiments to Ovid). This idea links really well into the story of The Aeneid  especially when in book 6 Anchises says to his son Aeneas "Roman, remember by your strength to rule earth's people for your arts are to be these: to pacify, to impose the rule of law, to spare the conquered, battle down the proud." This could apply to both Aeneas or Augustus, which is exactly what Augustus wants, as we said earlier Augustus wants to be the new Aeneas. The echos of the Aeneid in this panel defiantly help to reinforce this link between Aeneas and Augustus and between war and peace. 

My Photo of the Foliate scrolls on the outside of the enclosure
 of the Ara Pacis

Decoration of lower panels - These panels are  around the whole monument underneath the figured panels. The figured panels are separated from the lower panels by a swastika meander which symbolised good luck. Under the border are foliate scrolls of leaves and flowers, this type of decoration is typically associated with the Hellenistic period of late Greek antiquity but also became typical of the Augustan period. This fits with what I mentioned earlier about taking inspiration from the Parthenon in the design of the Ara Pacis. The scrolls are are inhabited with over 50 different species including insects such as lizards and snails as well as more than 20 swans (possible link to Apollo - Augustus' 'favourite' god). Kleiner and Buxton (2008:59) say that "this vegetal relief encircles the entire monument and reinforces the theme of peaceful abundance resulting from the Pax Romana." The website for the Ara Pacis museum links the foliate panels to "Virgil's fourth Eclogue [which says] in which the Golden Age, the return of peaceful, happy times is announced by the copious and spontaneous production of fruit and harvests." The 'Golden Age' is a reference to the Seculum, a period of 110 years where the Golden Age, the silver Age, the Bronze Age and the Iron Age rotate through continuously. Augustus put on the Secular Games to mark the start of a new Golden Age and end of the Iron Age in 17 BCE. The start of the Augustan Golden age was a huge propaganda stunt that helped reiterate Augustus' right to rule and his claim of being the guardian off peace and prosperity.  Therefore these foliate  panel which at first seems like a decorative way to fill in space actually conveying the same message of prosperity as the figure panels above it. 

My photo of the inside of the Ara Pacis

Inside - The inside of the altar is decorated to represent an open air shrine. Around the lower half of the walls is a 'fence', above this their is a large repeating relief of festoons (garlands made of flowers from all seasons as well as wheat, berries fruits and nuts) with vessels (sacrificial bowl) and bucrania (ox skulls). The ox skulls are a literal representation of what the altar was used for and Augustus' piety. Zanker (1988:118) says that "the effectiveness of such symbols of piety derived from their infinite repetition and from  their close association of image and ritual experience."  Holliday in her December 1990 article says that  "the garlands of fruit make a further reference to the seasonal round, the recurrent natural cycle. The alternation of bull's skulls with swags of fruit alludes to cycles of decay and regeneration." This idea of all year round and regeneration is distinctively Augustan for he restored Rome and "left a city of marble"(Suet. Aug 28.3) and his peace is evergreen. Kellum like Holliday puts forward this idea of everlasting by discussing the fact the winter flowers are  flowering at the same time as the spring flowers, she says that "The Ara Pacis ... celebrates the Augusta world of perpetual victory and perpetual peace" (Kellum 1994:221). One interesting design fact about the inside of the  Ara Pacis is as the monument doesn't have a roof, the floor slopes slightly outwards and drainage holes were cut along the front so that rain and water can run out of the alter.

My photo of the alter inside the Ara Pacis

The Altar itself - Despite this building being an Alter none of what I have discussed previously is actually part of the Alter itself rather just its enclosure. The altar itself is relatively plain, it has a few steps leading up to the platform The two sides supports are decorated with acroteria, floral scrolls and winged lions. One either end of the alter their is a second frieze Elsner (1991:57) says "the frieze offers us on the inner altar wall images of animals - including what is either a bull, an ox or a cow - being led to sacrifice."(you can see a cow represented in the 'Tellus' relief). Another of these small frieze seems to depict the vestal virgins (Freibergs,  Littleton & Strutynski 1986:15). In the Res Gestae Augustus states that the Vestal Virgins were the ones to lead the sacrifice every year. "The senate voted in honour of my return the consecration of an altar to Pax Augusta in the Campus Martius, and on this altar it ordered the magistrates and priests and Vestal virgins to make annual sacrifice"(RG 12). Many of the friezes surrounding the alter itself are badly damaged for example the vestal virgins are all missing their heads.

Image from Elsner, J. (1991:57)

The image to the left shows just how badly the small frieze is damaged, with huge parts of it missing. The Ara Pacis museum website states that "Only a fragment remains of the frieze opposite that of the Vestals. It shows two figures, the first of whom is a priest, or more precisely a flamen, while the figure following him is sometimes identified as Augustus himself, possibly shown wearing the attire of the Pontifex Maximus ... On the outside of the right support a procession of three animals has survived, two cows and a sheep being led to the sacrifice by twelve adepts. In their hands they hold the sacrificial instruments: trays, the knife, the club, the laurel branch for aspersion. They are proceeded by a man wearing a toga (perhaps a priest) accompanied by helpers and acolytes of the cult." Because of the highly damaged nature of the frieze it is not possible to tell if it is all one procession or two separate ones it is not even possible to tell the direction of the procession ( Elsner 1991:56). Some scholars have suggested that like the large frieze on the outside this small frieze also depicts an actual procession in this case the first sacrifice. The Ara Pacis museum says that "Most probably the fragments of the altar frieze refer to a particular sacrifice, perhaps that of the Pax Augusta itself, which the Senate had decreed should be celebrated every year on the 30th of January, commemorating the consecration of the altar." 

The Ara Pacis and Myth 

The obvious response to this is that there are mythical scenes on the Ara Pacis both Romulus, Remus and Aeneas are portrayed as well as Gods (such as Mars) and personifications. However, despite these mythical aspects to the Ara Pacis there is also a historical narrative as we have seen regarding the procession panels.  This historical context does not however detract from the mythological impact of the monument. One of the first quotes I used in this blog was to try and  define myth,  I used a quote from Helen Morales book (2007:9) where she said saying myth is “ a complex game of production and reception.” In my opinion this building and everything I have learned writing this post backs up that quote perfectly. Augustus used this building to disseminate the key messages of his principate to his people who then intern received them and act accordingly (or at lest he hoped they would). This definition of myth allows history to become mythology for the procession panels are delivering this mythical perfect family to its audience.  I believe that the Ara Pacis is still producing myth to this day, it is one of the most iconic Augustan buildings in Rome and it is still influencing people to this day. As we saw in the myth and making a difference post it was used by Mussolini in the 1920-40s and is still influencing Augustan study now (hence this blog post). This building not only sums up the imperial messages in Augustus principate but it is his lasting legacy. The idea that myth is not static and is ever changing is also perfectly incapsulated here.

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 In conclusion, the Ara Pacis is I believe one of the most complex, historical, myth rich, beautiful buildings to come out of Augustan Rome and if I could get away with it this post would probably be much longer, especially since I haven't covered the importance of the location of the Ara Pacis instead choosing to focus on the building itself (perhaps that's a post for another day if I continue this blog). During this post I have tried to cover the ideology displayed by the Ara Pacis and the message it conveys. Kleiner and Buxton in their 2008 article sum up really well these ideas saying "The Ara Pacis was, at the same time, a political manifesto, a religious hymn, a tribute to family, and an acknowledgment that Rome had matured from an Italic and Etruscan city into a multicultural empire. In this way, the senate blessed Augustus' endless empire and committed it to stone" (Kleiner, & Buxton (2008:57).

Bibliography 

Rehak, P (2001) Aeneas or Numa? Rethinking the Meaning of the Ara Pacis Augustae, The Art Bulletin, 83:2, 190-208

Moore, J M., and P A. Brunt, eds. Res Gestae Divi Augusti. 2nd ed. London: Oxford UP, 1967. 53-54

Ryberg, I. (1949). The Procession of the Ara Pacis. Memoirs of the American Academy in Rome, 19, 77-101. 

Mansker, R. (2009) "Augustan Propaganda: And Examination of the Ara Pacis Augustae". Student Theses, Papers and Projects (History). 206.

Shepard, G (2016) The Parthenon and the Ara Pacis ... and why they are both really weird. Journal of the Classical Association of Victoria,  Volume 29. 

Van Buren, A. (1913). The Ara Pacis Augustae. The Journal of Roman Studies, 3, 134-141

Galinsky, G. (1966). Venus in a Relief of the Ara Pacis Augustae. American Journal of Archaeology, 70(3), 223-243. 

De Grummond, N. (1990). Pax Augusta and the H

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https://homepages.bluffton.edu/~sullivanm/italy/rome/arapacis/arapacis.html

Kleiner, D., & Buxton, B. (2008). Pledges of Empire: The Ara Pacis and the Donations of Rome. American Journal of Archaeology, 112(1), 57-89. 

Holliday, P. (1990). Time, History, and Ritual on the Ara Pacis Augustae. The Art Bulletin, 72(4), 542-557.

Kellum, B. (1994). The Construction of Landscape in Augustan Rome: The Garden Room at the Villa ad Gallinas. The Art Bulletin, 76(2), 211-224.

Elsner, J. (1991). Cult and Sculpture: Sacrifice in the Ara Pacis Augustae. The Journal of Roman Studies, 81, 50-61.

DiLuzio, M. (2016). The Costume of the Vestal Virgins. In A Place at the Altar: Priestesses in Republican Rome (pp. 154-184). Princeton; Oxford: Princeton University Press.

Freibergs, G., Littleton, C., & Strutynski, U. (1986). Indo-European Tripartition and the Ara Pacis Augustae: An Excursus in Ideological Archaeology. Numen, 33(1), 3-32.

Kleiner, D., & Buxton, B. (2008). Pledges of Empire: The Ara Pacis and the Donations of Rome. American Journal of Archaeology, 112(1), 57-89.