Subject Guides: Classics: Art and Architecture

Europa and the Bull
Red-Figure Stamnos, Tarquinia Museum, circa 480 BC
[image source]

Colosseum/
Flavian Amphitheatre
[image source]

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Lexicon Iconographicum Mythologiae Classicae (LIMC)
Available in print only and not borrowable: Central Library, Level 6, N 7760 .L679

Oxford Art Online This link opens in a new window

Oxford Bibliographies Online: Classics
Annotated bibliographies by scholars
Oxford Bibliographies Online: Art History
Annotated bibliographies by scholars
The Oxford Companion to Western Art
Encyclopedia of Aesthetics, 2nd ed. / Michael Kelly, editor in chief. (2014)
A Companion to Roman Architecture / edited by Roger B. Ulrich and Caroline K. Quenemoen. (2014)
Oxford Classical Dictionary (2016– )
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Art Full Text (H.W. Wilson) This link opens in a new window Provides full text plus abstracts and indexing of an international array of peer-selected publications, with expanded coverage of Latin American, Canadian, Asian and non-Western art, new artists, contemporary art, exhibition reviews, and feminist criticism. Subject coverage includes art and architectural history, film/cinema, museology, painting, photography, sculpture, television and video. Date range: 1984- (indexing/abstracts); 1995- (full text)

Journals:

Greek and Roman Musical Studies
Electronic journal. The first issue is open access.
Theoretical Roman Archaeology Journal (TRAJ)
“A peer-reviewed, open access journal, providing a venue for innovative and interdisciplinary research in the field of Roman Archaeology. The journal promotes the use of theoretical approaches to the Roman past and facilitates fresh interpretations of datasets, rather than solely the presentation of archaeological data.”
The Waters of Rome
“A refereed, on-line journal of occasional papers concerned with water studies and the city of Rome.”

Art and Architecture – Central Library, Level 6

ML 162–169	Ancient Music
N 5320–5899	Ancient Art. Artistic Archaeology
N 5350–5351	Egypt
N 5630–5720	Greece
N 5740–5790	Rome
N 7760–7763	Ancient Mythology in Art
NA 260–340	Classical Architecture
NA 3760–3770	Ancient Mosaics
NB 85–169	Classical Sculpture
ND 100–127	Classical Painting
NK 610–685	Decorative Arts in the Ancient World
NK 1180–1250	Decorative and Ornament; Design, in the Ancient World
NK 3800–3855	Ancient Ceramics, Pottery
NK 4645–4653	Greek Vases and Their Decorations
NX 448.5	History of Classical Arts
T 16	Ancient Technology – EPS Library, Level 3
TA 16	Ancient Engineering – EPS Library, Level 3

Find Websites: Arts and Architecture

AMPHORAS Project
A variety of material on amphoras: searchable database of inscriptions (work in progress), passages form Greek literature mentioning amphoras (in English), bibliography of scholarly work on amphoras, Russian research papers (translated into English) and links to other websites describing amphoras from both land and sea excavations
Ancient Ports – Ports Antiques (Arthur de Graauw)
A catalogue of ancient coastal settlements, ports and harbours based on a study of ancient and modern authors, including the Barrington Atlas.
Aquae Urbis Romae (University of Virginia)
An interactive cartographic history of the relationships between hydrological and hydraulic systems and their impact on the urban development of Rome, Italy. Timeframe from 753 BCE to the present day (work in progress)
Ara Pacis Augustae
“The main purpose of this web site is to make available a more comprehensive body of images of the Ara Pacis than previously available in any print or web publication.” Site includes a chronology and bibliography.
Art & Archaeology Artifact Browser (Perseus Digital Library)
A large library of art objects (coins, vases, gems), sites and buildings. Each entry has a description of the object and its context; most have images. Produced in collaboration with many museums, institutions and scholars
Art History Resources on the Web (Chris Witcombe)
An extensive collection of links to museums, projects, archaeological sites, sorted by period and subject. Includes individual named images of vases, friezes and monuments
○ Ancient Greek Art
○ Ancient Roman Art
ArtServe (Australian National University)
“Art & architecture mainly from the Mediterranean Basin, Japan, India & Cambodia”
The Beazley Archive (Univeristy of Oxford, Classical Art Research Centre)
A world centre for the study of ancient Greek painted pottery. Also includes extensive material on the history of gem-collecting and classical archaeology more generally
Cartography in prehistoric, ancient, and medieval Europe and the Mediterranean
Volume 1 of The History of Cartography, edited by J.B. Harley and David Woodward.
Also held at UC Library in print format.
Digital Roman Forum
A digital model of the Roman Forum, created by the UCLA Cultural Virtual Reality Laboratory, as it appeared in late antiquity. The notional date of the model is June 21, 400 A.D.
NB. In this archived version, some links and features do not work.
Fasti Online: Excavation
“A database of archaeological excavations since the year 2000” – a project of the International Association of Classical Archaeology (AIAC) and the Center for the Study of Ancient Italy of the University of Texas at Austin (CSAI)
Library Subject Guide: Art (University of Canterbury)
Maecenas: Images of Ancient Greece and Rome (Leo C. Curran)
Over 1,500 colour and b&w photographs relating to ancient Greece and Rome taken by the author primarily for teaching purposes. Archived version via the Wayback Machine; internal search engine non-functional
Metropolitan Museum of Art
     ○  Athenian Vase Painting: Black- and Red-Figure Techniques
     ○  Greek and Roman Art in the Ancient World
     ○  Greek Art, From Prehistoric to Classical: A Resource for Educators (Michael Norris)
     ○  Timelines
          ‣  Ancient Greece, 1000 B.C.–1 A.D.
          ‣  Ancient Greece, 1–500 A.D.
          ‣  Italian Peninsula, 1000 B.C.–1 A.D.
          ‣  Italian Peninsula, 1–500 A.D.
Pompeii Bibliography and Mapping Project
The site maps “the landscape of publications about Pompeii onto the space of the ancient city itself, creating a unified, bi-directional interface to both resources.”
Stanford Digital Forma Urbis Romae Project
Severan Marble Plan of Rome
The Teece Museum of Classical Antiquities (University of Canterbury)
Featuring the James Logie Memorial Collection
Teece Museum on Facebook
Teece Museum on Instagram
Trajan’s Column
“This is a site for exploring the Column of Trajan as a sculptural monument. The core of the site is a searchable database of over 500 images focusing on various aspects of the design and execution of the column's sculptural decoration. These images (slides and drawings) were generated by and for sculptor Peter Rockwell, over the course of his study of Roman stone-carving practices.” Archived version via the Wayback Machine; internal search engine is non-functional.

Music

Ancient Greek Music (Stefan Hagel)
“Contains all published fragments of Ancient Greek music which contain more than a few scattered notes. All of them are recorded under the use of tunings whose exact ratios have been transmitted to us by ancient theoreticians (of the Pythagorean school, most of them cited by Ptolemaios). Instruments and speed are chosen by the author.”
MOISA: The International Society for the Study of Greek and Roman Music and its Cultural Heritage
Click the site’s De Musicis tab for an annotated bibliography.
The site includes a list of ancient-music websites

Art and Architecture

The Acropolis and the Parthenon (6 parts) (ETV; Open University)
1. The Panathenaia and the Panathenaic Way (3 mins)
2. The Acropolis (6 mins)
3. The Parthenon (4 mins)
4. The Parthenon: Pediments and Metopes (3 mins)
5. The Parthenon Frieze (6 mins)
6. Plan Drawings (6 mins)
Ancient Discoveries – Robotics (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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This programme brings us into the company of the most brilliant and prolific inventor in the ancient world. ‘Robotics’ explores the life and three key areas of invention of Heron of Alexandria. Beginning in the dark recesses of an Egyptian temple we will witness the awe-inspiring operations of his ‘miracle machines’, from automatic doors and magically suspended spheres, to mechanical singing birds, coin-operated slot machines and speaking statues – all designed to inspire wonder in the congregation and provide revenue for the priests. In Rome’s theatres we will then look behind the scenes at his performing robots from simple thunder and lightning machines to a complete robotic theatre that rolled onto the stage, performed a whole play and then trundled off. But, greatest of all, we will delve into the mystery of Heron’s steam engine, a working device that was not only the first steam engine in history but also the first jet engine.
Ancient Megastructures – Colosseum (DVD; 55 mins)
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Follow the dramatic story behind the building of the Colosseum in Ancient Rome. The Romans used innovative technology that we still use today, but the money to pay for the project enslaved the nation.
Ancient Megastructures – The Colosseum (ETV; 60 mins; National Geographic)
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Ancient Megastructures visits the iconic structure in the heart of Rome to explain how its 1st Century A.D. architects drained a lake the size of five football fields to construct a spectacular arena with a 55,000 capacity for gladiatorial contests and public spectacles.
Building the Impossible: Seven Wonders of the [Ancient] World (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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Building The Impossible: The Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World reveals the secrets behind the seven monuments built over 2000 years ago -- the Pyramids of Egypt; the Hanging Gardens of Babylon; the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus; the Statue of Zeus at Olympia; the Mausoleum at Halicarnassus; the Colossus of Rhodes; and the Pharos of Alexandria. By combing ancient sources for clues and making modern-day comparisons, the ancient wonders are reconstructed using computer imagery and scale models. Narrated by Pierce Brosnan.
The Circus Flaminius – Buildings of Ancient Rome (3/5) (ETV; 3 mins; Open University)
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The parade ground where triumphal processions mustered is also famous for the games held there.
Engineering an Empire: the Complete Series (set of 6 DVDs)
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disc 1 (132 min.). Greece ; Greece : age of Alexander / produced, written & directed by Ted Poole (44 min. each) ; The Aztecs / produced, written & directed by Jim Gaffey (44 min.) -- disc 2 (132 min.). Carthage / produced, written & directed by Jessica Conway (44 min.) ; China / produced, written & directed by Joanna Chejade-Bloom, Doug Ross (44 min.) ; Russia / produced, written & directed by Sarah Hutt (44 min.) -- disc 3 (133 min.). Britain : blood and steel / produced, written & directed by Kristin Gray (44 min.) ; The Persians / produced, written & directed by Hassan Ildari (45 min.) ; The Maya : death empire / produced, written & directed by Dana K. Ross (44 min.) -- disc 4 (133 min.). Napoleon : steel monster / produced, written & directed by Penny Fearon (45 min.) ; The Byzantines / produced, written & directed by Rebecca J. Ratliff (44 min.) ; Da Vinci's world / produced, written & directed by Anna K. Ross, Gabrielle Mahler (44 min.) -- discs 5 & 6. Rome : engineering an empire ; Egypt : engineering an empire / produced, written & directed by Christopher Cassel ; KPI (91 min. each).
Engineering the Impossible. Disc 1, The Colosseum; The Great Pyramid (DVD).
The Graeco-Roman City of Paestum (4 parts) (ETV; Open University)
1. The Greek City of Poseidonia (6 mins) – An introduction to the early Greek city and three of the best preserved temples
2. The Tomb of the Diver (6 mins) – A spectacular tomb illustration reveals Greek cultural behaviour
3. After the Lucanian Conquest (3 mins) – How the city was conquered by indigenous people who occupied the city in the 5th Century BCE
4. How Poseidonia Became Paestum (8 mins) – How Greek culture of Poseidonia was absorbed into the new Roman colony
Largo Argentina – Buildings of Ancient Rome (4/5) (ETV; 7 mins; Open University)
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Four significant temples, which have proved very complex to excavate.
Lost Treasures of the Ancient World – Ancient Rome (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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Presents the stories of the civic buildings and temples of the ancient city of Rome, including places such as the Forum, the Coliseum and the Pantheon.
Lost Treasures of the Ancient World – Carthage (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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Examines the ancient city of Carthage, which stood on the northern coast of Africa, near modern day Tunis
Lost Treasures of the Ancient World – Greece (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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Looks at the Acropolis and the Parthenon – now and as they once were – and the remains at Delphi, including the temple of Zeus
Lost Treasures of the Ancient World – Hadrian’s Wall (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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The construction of Hadrian’s Wall began in 122 CE, to separate the Romans from barbarians and was built under the direct orders of Emperor Hadrian. Hadrian’s Wall took over a decade to complete and was built out of stone. The wall is over 73 miles long and marks the northern border of the Roman Province of Britain, running between the North Sea and the Irish Sea. The programme provides a glimpse of military life during the Roman occupation
Lost Treasures of the Ancient World – Pompeii (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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In the year 79 CE, the ancient seaside city of Pompeii was buried beneath a mountain of volcanic ash and pumice when nearby volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted furiously. More than two thousand of Pompeii’s citizens lost their lives. For almost 1,700 years, until its rediscovery in 1748, Pompeii lay hidden – a city and its people suspended in time. Now we can see the streets and buildings almost as they were on the day Pompeii died - an incredible snapshot of Roman civilisation in its heyday
Lost Treasures of the Ancient World – The Seven Wonders (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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Presents the stories of the works of architecture regarded by the Greeks and Romans as the most extraordinary structures of antiquity: the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, The Statute of Zeus, the Temple of Artemis, the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus, the Pharos of Alexandria and the Pyramids of Egypt and more
Lost Worlds – Seven Wonders of the World (ETV; 120 mins; History Channel)
Naked Science. Roman Technology (DVD; 46 mins)
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Examines the skillful design and mechanics of Roman architecture and engineering, ranging from building materials to aqueducts, bathhouses to military weapons.
The Porticus of Octavia – Buildings of Ancient Rome (2/5) (ETV; 7 mins; Open University)
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The grand gateway to the temple precinct.
The Roman Forum – Buildings of Ancient Rome (5/5) (ETV; 15 mins; Open University)
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The social and political heart of the Roman Empire.
Roman Funerary Monuments (7 parts) (ETV; Open University)
1. Fragments As Clues (1.5 mins) – Thousands of ancient inscriptions survive in Rome; what do they tell us?
2. Cemeteries in the Roman World (2 mins) – How ancient Romans buried and commemorated their dead outside the city walls.
3. Funerary Monuments (9 mins) – How the style of a memorial can indicate a lot about the deceased's status and identity.
4. Epitaphs and Sculptures (4 mins) – How tombs and epitaphs promote the memory of the deceased.
5. Constructing Identity (5 mins) – How tomb styles changed after Augustus built his huge mausoleum.
6. Family Tombs (7 mins) – How a family tomb evolved over generations.
7. The Living and the Dead (4 mins) – The living had to the power to keep the memory of the dead alive, so tombs were designed for their visits too.
Secrets of the Parthenon (ETV; 60 mins; National Geographic)
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A restoration team is painstakingly reassembling the Parthenon of Athens—a classic Greek building that has suffered from wars, earthquakes, and disastrous previous restoration attempts.
Temples of Republican Rome – Buildings of Ancient Rome (1/5) (ETV; 7 mins; Open University)
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An introduction to the remains of some of the most significant Roman temples in the Campus Martius.
Treasures of Ancient Hellas – Monuments of the Acropolis (ETV; 60 mins; History Channel)
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In this episode, marvel at the history and the vivid representations of the unique monuments of the sacred rock of the Acropolis of Athens, the Parthenon, the Erectheion, the Karyatidis, the Propylaia, the Art Gallery, the wondrous Temples of Athena, Pallas, Rome, Augustus, and the Shrine of Artemis .. the great enemies, the catastrophes, and the looting of the most sacred monuments of antiquity.

Library Subject Guides

Classics: Art and Architecture