Synopsis
We regret that we have had to change the dates from those originally published. Lecture 1 will now take place on Tue 12 Apr & Lecture 2 on Wed 20 Apr. We apologise for the inconvenience.
The Glory that was Greece, and the Grandeur that was Rome runs Poe's poem, but Dr Christopher Smith, recently retired as Director of The British School at Rome, has always been perplexed by this comparative, indeed seductive pairing. As he will explain, most of the Glory is based on Athens and a lot of the Grandeur is to be found in Italy. His two illustrated lectures will focus on important aspects of the Italian background to Roman success. It will trace a history of over 800 years during which some remarkable monuments and works of art were created, many of which remain to intrigue and dazzle us - not least the great Ara Pacis, pictured above, the Altar of Peace which celebrates a new age of prosperity ushered in by Augustus and his family.
The Glory that was Greece, and the Grandeur that was Rome runs Poe's poem, but Dr Christopher Smith, recently retired as Director of The British School at Rome, has always been perplexed by this comparative, indeed seductive pairing. As he will explain, most of the Glory is based on Athens and a lot of the Grandeur is to be found in Italy. His two illustrated lectures will focus on important aspects of the Italian background to Roman success. It will trace a history of over 800 years during which some remarkable monuments and works of art were created, many of which remain to intrigue and dazzle us - not least the great Ara Pacis, pictured above, the Altar of Peace which celebrates a new age of prosperity ushered in by Augustus and his family.
