Head of the City
Head of the World?!
The Romans connected the name of the Capitoline hill with their work caput (Latin for ‘head’). They even told a story that during building works on the hill a perfectly preserved human head was found belonging to a man named Aulus or Oli. This head either spoke or was interpreted by soothsayers to mean Rome would become the head of Italy or the whole world. It all depends on who is reporting the story.
Readings
Claridge: Capitoline Hill and Museum sections; Alive! chapter 3
Presentation Topics
(a) How did Michelangelo change how we see this space?
(b) What stood on top of the so-called “Tabularium”?
Logistics
We are meeting by the replica of the Marcus Aurelius on horseback outside the museum.
We will aim to be done before lunch.
THemes
When do we fictionalize history? When do we treat myth as fact? What makes us attached to such stories? How do we think about the layering of the past, both literarily and metaphorically? How is this museum different from the Villia Guilia’s presentation or that of Centrale Montemartini? How is this location related to the rest of the city?
Blog Prompt
Small, Average and HUGE. Reflect on how these three words could be used to describe things we saw together today. Connect one of them to the primary readings. What was messy or confusing today? Did you find anything inspirational? Did anything remind you of the US or NYC?
Gallery
Rome via Brooklyn 