Landscape Symbolism of Imperial Rome: Reflecting the Governmental Changes from the Republic to the Empire

Abstract

This work presents research on the symbolic intent of public space in Rome during the fall of the Republic, (61 ? 2 BC). The thesis focuses particularly on the three largest public developments occurring during this time period: the Theatre Complex of Pompey, the Forum of Caesar, and the Forum of Augustus. The political organization of Rome was changing during this time period, slowly transitioning from a representative democracy to an imperial dictatorship. Certain elements of the three public spaces that were created at this time symbolize these political transformations. Providing detailed design analysis of these areas will help in understanding the use of symbolic attributes of the public landscape. The specific elements to be studied are: location, orientation, axes, and scale.