Introduction

My name is Bryn Edwards, I am a dual Government and Philosophy major at Claremont-McKenna College hailing from Arlington, VA. This is my third year of studies here at the Claremont Colleges, and in my free time I can usually be found at swim practice with the CMS team. After a riveting Roman Art and Archaeology course last year, I decided to complete Scripps College’s Art History minor requirements as well. My interest in art history lies primarily in the classics; so Roman and Greek art are two great foundational classes for me to begin with. Last spring I also took a class on ancient disasters of the Mediterranean with the same professor, allowing me to gain more background knowledge of the societal and historical lore of the region. What struck me most about my experience studying ancient Roman art the political role art played in the time period – by the end of the course I was thoroughly convinced that Augustus’ wildly innovative and successful propaganda campaign through art and architecture solidified his claim to power and essentially build the empire after the chaos following the death of Caesar. Never before had I realized the monumental power that art held over ancient societies as a major proponent of both culture and information. This summer I wandered the streets of Rome with an entirely new way of regarding the eternal city, focusing on the columns and arches instead of the gelato and pizza. Since much of the Roman art world can trace it’s roots to Greek origins and masterworks, I thought it would be intriguing to work backwards through the art and the history from Rome to Greece in order to gain a more holistic view of ancient Mediterranean art. As a government major, I am most interested to learn about the role art played in politics; how it can make or break a leader or their legacy, and even their power over the people. I want to add to my knowledge of classical art, focusing on the Greek masterworks and techniques that inspired the Romans and continue to inspire us today.