Roman funerary practices  

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-'''Roman portraiture''' was one of the most significant periods in the development of [[portrait]] art. Originating from [[Ancient Rome]], it continued for almost five centuries. Roman portraiture is characterised by unusual realism and the desire to convey images of nature in the high quality style often seen in [[Ancient Roman art]]. Several images and statues made in marble and bronze have survived in small numbers. Many roman portraits are directly linked to specific individuals, such as gods and emperors. +'''[[Ancient Rome|Ancient Roman]] [[funeral|funerary]] practices''' were part of the ''[[mos maiorum]]'', "tradition," that is, "the way of the ancestors," and drew on the beliefs embodied in [[Religion in ancient Rome|Roman public and domestic religion]].
-Portrait sculpture from the Republican era tends to be somewhat more modest, realistic, and natural compared to early Imperial works. A typical work might be one like the standing figure “A Roman Patrician with Busts of His Ancestors” (c. 30 B.C.)+Socially, funerals were a central and highly visible means of preserving the heritage of a family and ''[[gens]]''. The achievements of ancestors were celebrated alongside those of the deceased. The funeral procession was public and elaborate, led by professional [[mourner]]s, including actors who wore the portrait masks ''([[Roman funerals and burial#Imagines|imagines]])'' of the dead person's notable ancestors. The corpse was carried behind the mourners. A [[eulogy]] ''(laudatio funebris)'', instrumental music, and songs of mourning ''(neniae)'' were also part of the ceremonies. After the funeral, the body was traditionally [[cremation|cremated]], though in some periods [[inhumation]] was practiced, and the ashes were placed in a container and entombed.
-By the imperial age, though they were often realistic depictions of human anatomy, portrait sculpture of Roman emperors were often used for propaganda purposes and included ideological messages in the pose, accoutrements, or costume of the figure. Since most emperors from Augustus on were deified, some images are somewhat idealized. The Romans also depicted warriors and heroic adventures, in the spirit of the Greeks who came before them.+Roman cemeteries were located outside the ''[[pomerium]]'', the sacred boundary of the city. They were visited regularly with offerings of food and wine, and special observances during [[Roman festivals|religious festivals]] in honor of the dead. Funeral monuments appear throughout the [[Roman Empire]], and their [[inscription]]s are an important source of information for individuals otherwise unknown and for Roman history. A Roman [[sarcophagus]] could be an elaborately crafted art work, decorated with [[relief]] [[Roman sculpture|sculpture]] depicting a scene that was [[allegory|allegorical]], [[classical mythology|mythological]], or historical, or a scene from everyday life.
- +
-==Ideology==+
-===Religious functions and origins===+
-The origin of the realism of roman portraits may be, according to some scholars, because they evolved from wax [[death mask]]s. These death masks were taken from bodies and kept in a home altar. Besides wax, masks were made from bronze, marble and terracotta. The molds for the masks were made directly from the deceased, giving historians an accurate representation of typically roman features. +
-===Politics===+
-In the days of the Republic, full-size statues of political officials and military commanders were often erected in public places. Such an honor was provided by the decision of the Senate, usually in commemoration of victories, triumphs and political achievements. These portraits were usually accompanied by a dedicatory inscription. If the person who was commemorated with a portrait was found to have committed a crime, the portrait would be destroyed. +
-===Social and Psychological aspect===+
-Development of the Roman portrait was associated with increased interest in the individual, with the expansion of the [[social circle]] portrayed. At the heart of the artistic structure of many Roman portraits is the clear and rigorous transfer of unique features of the model, while still keeping the general style very similar. Unlike the ancient Greek portraits that strived for idealization (the Greeks believed that a good man must be beautiful), Roman portrait sculpture was far more natural and is still considered one of the most realistic samples of the genre in the history of art. +
- +
-==History==+
- +
-===Republican period===+
-:''[[Roman Republican portraiture]]+
- +
-==See also==+
-* [[Roman funerals and burial#Imagines|Imagines]]+
 +Although funerals were primarily a concern of the family, which was of paramount importance in Roman society, those who lacked the support of an extended family usually belonged to guilds or ''[[Collegium (ancient Rome)|collegia]]'' which provided funeral services for members.
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Ancient Roman funerary practices were part of the mos maiorum, "tradition," that is, "the way of the ancestors," and drew on the beliefs embodied in Roman public and domestic religion.

Socially, funerals were a central and highly visible means of preserving the heritage of a family and gens. The achievements of ancestors were celebrated alongside those of the deceased. The funeral procession was public and elaborate, led by professional mourners, including actors who wore the portrait masks (imagines) of the dead person's notable ancestors. The corpse was carried behind the mourners. A eulogy (laudatio funebris), instrumental music, and songs of mourning (neniae) were also part of the ceremonies. After the funeral, the body was traditionally cremated, though in some periods inhumation was practiced, and the ashes were placed in a container and entombed.

Roman cemeteries were located outside the pomerium, the sacred boundary of the city. They were visited regularly with offerings of food and wine, and special observances during religious festivals in honor of the dead. Funeral monuments appear throughout the Roman Empire, and their inscriptions are an important source of information for individuals otherwise unknown and for Roman history. A Roman sarcophagus could be an elaborately crafted art work, decorated with relief sculpture depicting a scene that was allegorical, mythological, or historical, or a scene from everyday life.

Although funerals were primarily a concern of the family, which was of paramount importance in Roman society, those who lacked the support of an extended family usually belonged to guilds or collegia which provided funeral services for members.




Unless indicated otherwise, the text in this article is either based on Wikipedia article "Roman funerals and burial" or another language Wikipedia page thereof used under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License; or on research by Jahsonic and friends. See Art and Popular Culture's copyright notice.

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