Ancient Mediterranean

Exam Weight: 15%
Dates Covered: 3500 BCE - 300 CE
Go to CreativeSchmit.com for daily work info
We will explore the cultural contexts of Ancient Mediterranean Art, how interactions within and across cultures affect artistic expression, understand the purpose and audiences intended to view the art, as well as theories and general interpretations to identify unknown works. 

2.1 Ancient Mesopotamia

Required Works List (6 total)
General TL;DR info to know
  • Innovations
    • Development of Agriculture, Irrigation, and trade routes
    • Cuneiform (writing)
    • Using Imposing Architecture to reflect wealth and power of leadership (Ziggurat, temples, and large complexes)
  • Cultures to Know
    • Sumerians
    • Babylonians
    • Assyrians
    • ​Persians
  • ​Religious and/or Political Structure(s)
    • ​Theocracy
    • Independent City-States

2.2 Ancient Egypt
General TL;DR info to know
  • Innovations
    • Hieroglyphic writing system and Papyrus Scrolls
    • Hypostyle Hall
    • Artistic Cannon - remains consistent, idealization for Deities and Pharaohs; more naturalistic for "lesser" people
    • Pyramids and other large building structures
  • Periods and Cultures to know to Know
    • Upper Kingdom (Southern Nile River) 
    • Lower Kingdom (Northern Nile River)
    • Predynastic Period
      • Prehistoric settlements before unification
    • Dynastic Period
      • Old Kingdom (Saqqara and Giza are main Capitals)
      • Middle Kingdom
      • New Kingdom  (Thebes becomes Capital)
    • First millennium
      • Foreign Powers become main rulers, Dynasties persis but display considerably less power and influence.
  • ​Religious and/or Political Structure(s)
    • Polytheistic Theocracy (except Akhenaten implements a monotheistic shift for a while)
    • Beliefs are centered around the Pharaoh as well as life, rebearth, and afterlife- believed you could take it with you.
    • Dynastic

2.3 Ancient Greece

​Required Works List (10 total)
General TL;DR info to know
  • Innovations
    • Greek Alpha numeric writing system
    • Artistic Canon-based on mathematical rules to represent a "perfection" of nature.
    • Contrapposto
  • Periods to know to Know
    • Archaic Period
      • Doric Architecture Order
      • Archaic cannon
    • Classical Period
      • Ionic Architecture Order
      • Contrapposto and Idealized-Naturalistic Cannon
    • Hellenistic Period
      • Corinthian Architecture Order
      • Contrapposto and Idealized-Naturalistic Cannon (everything more exaggerated than Classical, and tend to see more "rule" breaking)
  • ​Religious and/or Political Structure(s)
    • Polytheistic 
    • Rise of the City-State- each state had a variation of these but would send a representative to Athens to collectively decide matters of the entire state
      • Democracy (Athens) - rule by the people (male citizens).
      • Monarchy (King Midas) - rule by an individual who had inherited his role.
      • Oligarchy (Sparta) - rule by a select group of individuals.
      • Tyranny (Alexander the Great) - rule by an individual who had seized power by unconstitutional means.

2.4 Ancient Etruria and Rome

​Required Works List (11 total)
General TL;DR info to know
  • Innovations
    • Highly influenced by innovations of other cultures as they get absorbed by the expansion of the Roman empire.
    • Figures usually clothed (notably men) and more dynamic
    • Utilized Terracotta (fired Clay) for sculpture and bricks.
    • Artwork generally demonstrates more daily life and calibrations; as well as value Voyeurism (celebrating age as wisdom).
    • Architecture: Aqueducts, Concrete, Domes, and Barrel Arches invented
  • Cultures to Know
    • Etruscans- predate Romans
    • Romans- Origin story involving the twins Romulus and Remus who were razed by a she-wolf
      • Roman Constitutional Republic and dissolves after Julius Cesar is murdered
      • Roman Empire- Begins with Octavian (Aka Augustus) reuniting Rome
  • ​Religious and/or Political Structure(s)
    • Polytheistic until the split of the of the Roman Empire by Constantine
    • Democratic: senators, magistrates, and later on emperor - some were elected, some were appointed, and some positions followed family patriarchal lines.