The Equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius not only displayed the beauty of artistry but also carried deeper meanings to the people of Rome. The statute has a naturalistic and utilitarian approach that shows how the then emperor displayed the greatness of Rome. His calmness in the sculpture also indicates how his authority is accepted, and people like him as their ruler. He waves his hand to probably great them to show that his reign was beneficial to everyone. He did not act with selfishness to meet his own desires but rather acted in nobility while bearing in mind the interests of his people. The sculpture survived since it represented an emperor who accepted Christianity in Rome for the first time. The representation of the emperor was essential to the people of Rome who led his citizens with respect and not under a dictatorial rule ( Nickel, 1989) . On the other hand, the Augustus of Primaporta was relatively smaller compared to the statute of Marcus Aurelius’. Cupid was made smaller so that attention could be given to Augustus. People would have divided attention if the sizes of the sculptures were equal. However, August would have wanted all the attention. He displays a utilitarian approach where his authority is felt across Rome. He distributes his sculpture across Rome to assert his authority and reign over people. The inclusion of cupid is to remind people that he is a descendant of Venus and thereby a symbol of divinity.
They both raise their right hand to indicate victory over their enemies during their reign of authority. The right hand is an assertion of supremacy and power that was to be respected and recognized ( Nickel, 1989) . On one hand, Augustus of Primaporta is remembered for his victory over Mark Anthony and Cleopatra, who betrayed him by trying to take over Rome. On the other hand, Marcus of Aurelius’s sculpture commemorated his victorious win over the Sarmatians. After all, they are both leaders and soldiers at different times in the Roman era.
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The statues were designed for public view that would recognize the authority of the two leaders. In earlier civilizations, Romans developed the city in a modern look where statutes were placed in different areas of the city for the public to see. Since Augustus of Primaporta enjoyed the attention he got from people recognizing him as an authority and divine being, he distributed several of his sculptures throughout the city ( Reeder, 1997) . The Greeks and Egyptians used a lot of sculptures that were scattered throughout the city for people to view. For instance, Pharaoh’s statute was placed in the middle of the city where his palace was. Egyptians’ palaces were placed in the middle and surrounded by people in the town perhaps to offer protection in the event of an attack. Romans borrowed the Greek’s style of architecture, where large buildings were supported by columns and an aqueduct developed to run throughout the city to provide water to its citizens. Similar to Greeks, the enormous representation of sculptures was to assert the authority of both leaders and their gods. The monumental architectures also represented the superiority of the reign of the leaders.
The civic building, also known as the Cadman center, demonstrated various appropriations of Roman architecture and planning. The building that was once frustrated by old buildings now has a beautiful view of tall and modern buildings that have different architectural styles. More than 300 buildings were torn down to incorporate government facilities such as the municipal building that borrowed the Roman use of columns to support both exterior and the internal structures. The ancient style of the Decumanus Maximus has been used to establish the main road that intersects with other streets to increase access to the facilities in the region ( Fagan, & Scarre, 2016) . The current urban center has crossroads for pedestrians and a park for festivals such as street fairs and events to be held. The Cardo Maximus that was described in ancient Rome as a fort would often be used to harbor prisoners or provide a safe haven for individuals. The concept of safe haven would have perhaps been used by surrounding the civic building with other buildings. The civic building itself is a representation of justice and a haven for people as it was seen in the Cardo Maximus. The Roman style of Basilica, where columns and domes are used as the characteristic style, is seen with the municipal building and other federal facilities. Contemporary and western styles of architecture more often include concepts from ancient civilizations.
Proceeding down the Cardo Maximus would see monuments of great heroes such as Robert Kennedy, Christopher Columbus, and Henry Beecher. The statues are enormous as it was with the Roman sculptures of Augustus of Primaporta and Marcus Aurelius in the city of Rome. Given that the buildings in the region were federal justice agencies, a display of political figures who make great strides and reforms would demonstrate the country’s quest for justice and power. Therefore, the monumental objects and antiques are figuratively used to embrace the rich history of the country while commemorating their participation in American history. For instance, the representation of Henry Beecher symbolizes unity and encourages people to maintain social justice and order ( Savage, 2011) . In the same manner, the representation of the ancient Roman leaders was figurative to demonstrate their authority and success of gaining victory over their enemies.
The contested present is diverse and a continuation of history and its richness. It is, therefore, impossible to focus on modern styles of planning and architecture without incorporating themes from the ancient civilizations. The style and level of intelligence laid down with Romans, Greeks, and Egyptians are the foundation for most architecture in modern society. After all, it is evident that the buildings have survived the test of time by remaining strong with minimal effects from erosion. For instance, the use of mortar, which combined various materials to make buildings reliable, is still used today when building. Similarly, the Roman aqueduct that supplies water throughout the city has been applied today as well by setting a centralized system of sanitation and water management. In this regard, the prominence of the objects is justified due to the significant influence it has had on modern architecture. It is also important to recognize heroes and important historical events through art. Effectiveness is also achieved as it is not only distributed at convenient locations throughout the city but also attracts people who receive the intended message that is being communicated. People are lured with the idea of learning the history of ancient civilizations and matching it with modern societies. However, representations of female heroes and great people are yet to be achieved since the majority of the sculptures are of male leaders.
References
Fagan, B. M., & Scarre, C. (2016). Ancient civilizations . Routledge.
Nickel, H. (1989). The Emperor's New Saddle Cloth: The Ephippium of the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius. Metropolitan Museum Journal , 24 , 17-24.
Reeder, J. C. (1997). The statue of Augustus from Prima Porta, the underground complex, and the omen of the gallina alba. The American Journal of Philology , 118 (1), 89-118.
Savage, K. (2011). Monument wars: Washington, DC, the national mall, and the transformation of the memorial landscape . Univ of California Press.
