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Ancient Rome and America

In questa nuova puntata della sua rubrica, James Weaver ci porta alla scoperta di un evento che lega l’antico Impero Romano agli Stati Uniti. Un viaggio nella storia per meglio comprendere le dinamiche attuali.

The National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, will present “Ancient Rome & America,” a major exhibit illustrating the cultural, political, and social connections between ancient Rome and modern America. Opening February 19, it will run through August 1, 2010.

The Center has worked for three years to develop this multimillion dollar exhibit, which features a fine collection of rare artifacts and artwork. The exhibit was created in collaboration with Contemporanea Progetti of Florence, Italy and the Ministero per i Beni e Le Attività Culturali, Rome, Italy.

From the battlefields of the American Revolution to the chambers of Congress, Rome has been a part of America’s foundation. Rome, like the United States, overcame a monarchy to become a republic. Long after its fall of ancient Rome its heroes and legends have continued to influence many generations. Through marble sculptures, paintings, jewelry, coins, and ceramics, the exhibit draws remarkable comparisons between Roman and American culture, from theories of government, to slavery and civil war, to continental expansion and worldwide influence. The connections between these two cultures separated by millennia and continents are both startling and captivating.

The exhibit features more than 300 artifacts from Italy’s leading archaeological collections in Florence, Naples, and Rome, paired with objects from museums in the United States. Highlights include:

Two eagles depicting this classic symbol shared by ancient Rome and America. The American eagle is carved from gilt wood. It was made in 1804 by Samuel McIntire, an important early American architect. Of the Roman eagle, only the bronze head remains. It likely originated from the top of a Roman army military standard.

Roman busts of Scipio Africanus, Julius Caesar, and Cicero. American busts of George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Thomas Jefferson, each portrayed in togas.

Gladiator/Football helmets. Philadelphia Eagles (American football) famed player Harold Carmichael’s helmet is displayed with a gladiator helmet and four original pieces from the gladiator barracks of an amphitheater in Pompeii – a “greave” (shin guard), two spearheads, and a dagger.

Excavated remnants from Pompeii, including silverware, a preserved piece of a wall fresco, and the cast of a man who did not escape the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius.

A selection of classical works belonging to the Founding Fathers that helped shape their political thought during the early years of the American republic. John Adams’ personal copy of Plutarch’s Lives, John Dickenson’s personal copy of the works of Roman historian Tacitus, and John Quincy Adams’ personal copy of Cicero’s De Oratore.

Two letters from August 1776 exchanged between John Adams (second U.S. President) and his wife Abigail Adams. In them, Abigail signs her name “Portia” after the wife of the Roman Senator Brutus. The letters are filled with classical references and ideas of republican virtue.

Slave Collar. Made in the early 1800s, the slave collar from the U.S. is a rare artifact that can be tied to one man’s quest for freedom. Ben, a slave who worked on a farm in Pennsylvania, tried to escape three times, and after the third time, his owner had an iron collar made for him.

“The profound and pervasive legacy of ancient Rome is deeply embedded in the American culture of today; the lasting effects of Roman domination can be found almost anywhere,” said Linda Carioni of Contemporanea Progetti. “They can be seen in the judiciary and monetary systems, in art and architectural, in the alphabet of 26 letters, as well as the calendar of Julius Caesar.”

The National Constitution Center, located on Philadelphia’s Independence Mall, is dedicated to increasing public understanding of the U.S. Constitution and the ideas and values it represents. The Center serves as a museum, an education center, and a forum for debate on constitutional issues.

Additional information is available at www.constitutioncenter.org.

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