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Golden Excess
Art and the Aesthetics of the Incredible in Neronian Rome
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Golden Excess: Art and the Aesthetics of the Incredible in Neronian Rome is the first monograph to offer a full art historical synthesis of the rich archaeological and monumental evidence for Neroâs remarkable principate. An outsized and innovative artistic program emerges, informed by aesthetics of excess, the grotesque and learned luxury, that rivals the cultural achievements of Romeâs first emperor, Augustus, and stands in stark contrast to the universally negative and disparaging accounts of Nero in ancient authors. Indeed, Neronian Rome witnessed an astonishing efflorescence in the arts whose lasting effects still resonate.
Eric R. Varner, Ph.D. (Yale, 1993) is Associate Professor of Art History and Classics at Emory University. He has published extensively on ancient Roman portraits, including Mutilation and Transformation: Damnatio Memoriae and Roman Imperial Portraiture (Brill, 2004).
Preface and Acknowledgments
List of Illustrations
1 Introduction: Chasing the Neronian Mystique
â1âRecuperating Multiple âNerosâ
â2âBecoming Nero
â3âAfter Nero
2 Setting the Stageâthe Aesthetics of Empire: Claudius, Agrippina, and the Augustan Inheritance
â1âCaligulan Aesthetics? Dynasty, Legitimacy, and Luxury
â2âNeroâs Earliest Images: Type I Portraits on Coins, Gems, and Sculpture
â3âNeroâs Sculpted Representations
â4âAntiquarianism: a Claudian Cultural Program?
3 The Dawn of a Golden Age? Nero, Seneca, and the Quinquennium Neronis
â1âAn Ongoing Augustan Axis
â2âAgrippina: Optima Mater and Flaminica Divi Claudi
â3âNero Imperator
â4âTheomorphic Rhetorics
â5âA New Emperor, a New Apollo
â6âA New Aurea Aetas
â7âThe Quinquennium Neronis
4 Neropolis and the Urbs Nova: Neroâs Public Building Program in Rome
â1âEarly Building Initiatives
â2âAfter the Fire: Neropolis and the Urbs Nova
5 Golden Excess Part 1: Neroâs Portraits and the Cult of Luxury
â1âRadical Portrait Strategies: Innovative Iconography and Physiognomy
â2âLearned Luxury Refined
â3âInnovations in Numismatic Imagery
â4âHeadgear
â5âTraditional Statuary Formats
â6âTheomorphic Rhetorics Continued
â7âSolar Alignments Continued: Helios-Apollo-Neronianus
â8âNeroâs Women
6 Golden Excess, Part 2: the Residencesâto Live Like a Human
â1âAdaptations and Expansions on the Palatine
â2âThe Domus Transitoria: Transitive Architecture and Transcendent Decoration
â3âThe Oppian Wing of the Domus Aurea: Revolutionary Architecture and Outrageous Opulence
â4âCollecting the Empire: Sculpture and Painting on Display at the Domus Aurea
â5âTopography and History: Exploiting the Oppian
â6âOpulence and Innovation Outside of Rome: the Imperial Villas at Subiaco and Anzio
7 Qualis Artefix: Martyr and Monster
â1âThe Final Hours
â2âRehabilitation under Otho and Vitellius
â3âRepurposing Neroâs Memory and Monuments
â4âContesting Neroâs Memory in Flavian Rome
â5âLater Encounters with Neroâs Images
â6âThe Return of Nero: Nero Redivivus
â7âNegative Constructions of Neroâs Memory in Ancient Authors
â8âReviving Neroâs Memory on the Contorniates
8 Aftermath: Icon and Antichrist
â1âEstablishing an Anti-Christ: Early Christian Assessments
â2âMedieval Nero
â3âEarly Modern Nero
â4âThe Domus Aurea and the Grotesque
â5âRe-assessing Neroâs Historical Legacy
Bibliography
Museum and Collections Index
General Index
List of Illustrations
1 Introduction: Chasing the Neronian Mystique
â1âRecuperating Multiple âNerosâ
â2âBecoming Nero
â3âAfter Nero
2 Setting the Stageâthe Aesthetics of Empire: Claudius, Agrippina, and the Augustan Inheritance
â1âCaligulan Aesthetics? Dynasty, Legitimacy, and Luxury
â2âNeroâs Earliest Images: Type I Portraits on Coins, Gems, and Sculpture
â3âNeroâs Sculpted Representations
â4âAntiquarianism: a Claudian Cultural Program?
3 The Dawn of a Golden Age? Nero, Seneca, and the Quinquennium Neronis
â1âAn Ongoing Augustan Axis
â2âAgrippina: Optima Mater and Flaminica Divi Claudi
â3âNero Imperator
â4âTheomorphic Rhetorics
â5âA New Emperor, a New Apollo
â6âA New Aurea Aetas
â7âThe Quinquennium Neronis
4 Neropolis and the Urbs Nova: Neroâs Public Building Program in Rome
â1âEarly Building Initiatives
â2âAfter the Fire: Neropolis and the Urbs Nova
5 Golden Excess Part 1: Neroâs Portraits and the Cult of Luxury
â1âRadical Portrait Strategies: Innovative Iconography and Physiognomy
â2âLearned Luxury Refined
â3âInnovations in Numismatic Imagery
â4âHeadgear
â5âTraditional Statuary Formats
â6âTheomorphic Rhetorics Continued
â7âSolar Alignments Continued: Helios-Apollo-Neronianus
â8âNeroâs Women
6 Golden Excess, Part 2: the Residencesâto Live Like a Human
â1âAdaptations and Expansions on the Palatine
â2âThe Domus Transitoria: Transitive Architecture and Transcendent Decoration
â3âThe Oppian Wing of the Domus Aurea: Revolutionary Architecture and Outrageous Opulence
â4âCollecting the Empire: Sculpture and Painting on Display at the Domus Aurea
â5âTopography and History: Exploiting the Oppian
â6âOpulence and Innovation Outside of Rome: the Imperial Villas at Subiaco and Anzio
7 Qualis Artefix: Martyr and Monster
â1âThe Final Hours
â2âRehabilitation under Otho and Vitellius
â3âRepurposing Neroâs Memory and Monuments
â4âContesting Neroâs Memory in Flavian Rome
â5âLater Encounters with Neroâs Images
â6âThe Return of Nero: Nero Redivivus
â7âNegative Constructions of Neroâs Memory in Ancient Authors
â8âReviving Neroâs Memory on the Contorniates
8 Aftermath: Icon and Antichrist
â1âEstablishing an Anti-Christ: Early Christian Assessments
â2âMedieval Nero
â3âEarly Modern Nero
â4âThe Domus Aurea and the Grotesque
â5âRe-assessing Neroâs Historical Legacy
Bibliography
Museum and Collections Index
General Index
Scholars and graduate students of art history, ancient history, classical archaeology, and classical philology. Keywords: Nero, Neronian art, Neronian aesthetics, Neronian architecture, Neroâs portraits, Neropolis, Golden House, Domus Aurea, Domus Transitoria, Colossus of Nero, Nero Antichrist, aurea aetas, grotesque, luxuria, incredibilium cupitor.