11. Notorious Nero and His Amazing Architectural Legacy

Roman Architecture (HSAR 252)

Professor Kleiner features the architecture of Augustus' successors, the Julio-Claudian emperors, whose dynasty lasted half a century (A.D. 14-68). She first presents Tiberius' magnificent Villa Jovis on the Island of Capri and an underground basilica in Rome used by members of a secret Neo-Pythagorean cult. She then turns to the eccentric architecture of Claudius, a return to masonry building techniques and a unique combination of finished and unfinished, or rusticated, elements. Finally, Professor Kleiner highlights the luxurious architecture of the infamous Nero, especially his Domus Aurea or Golden House and its octagonal room, one of the most important rooms in the history of Roman architecture. The construction of the Domus Aurea accelerates the shift in Roman building practice toward a dematerialized architecture that fully utilizes recent innovations in concrete technology and emphasizes interior space over solid form.

00:00 - Chapter 1. Tiberius and the Villa Jovis on Capri
16:58 - Chapter 2. Caligula and the Underground Basilica in Rome
29:23 - Chapter 3. Claudius and the Harbor at Portus
39:59 - Chapter 4. Claudius Porta Maggiore in Rome
47:33 - Chapter 5. Nero and the Domus Transitoria in Rome
01:01:24 - Chapter 6. The Golden House of Nero and the Octagonal Room

Complete course materials are available at the Open Yale Courses website: http://open.yale.edu/courses

This course was recorded in Spring 2009.