Ara Pacis
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The Ara Pacis (Latin, "Altar to Peace") or Ara Pacis Augustae ("Altar of Augustus to Peace") is an altar to Peace envisioned as a Roman goddess by the Roman Emperor Augustus Cæsar concecrated on 30 January 9 B.C. It had earlier been dedicated on 4 July 13 B.C. The altar was meant to be a vision of the Roman civil religion. It sought to portray the peace and prosperity enjoyed as a result of the Pax Romana (Latin, "Roman peace") brought about by the military supremacy of the Roman empire.
It was elaborately and finely sculpted, depicting scenes of traditional Roman piety, in which the Emperor and his family were portrayed in the act of offering sacrifices to the gods. Various figures bring forth cattle to be sacrificed. Some have their togas drawn over their heads, like a hood; this signifies that they are representing the role of a priest. Others wear laurel crowns, traditional symbols of victory. Men, women, and children all approach the gods.
The Altar is considered a masterpiece of Roman sculpture; the figures in the procession are not idealised types, as are typically found in Greek sculpture; they are recognizable portraits of individuals.
The Altar was located on the Campus Martius.
See also
External links
- Samuel Ball Platner, A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome: (http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/_Texts/PLATOP*/Ara_Pacis.html) Ara Pacis
- Several pages with photos of the sculpture (http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/Ara_Pacis/home.html)de:Ara Pacis