Visualizing Harbours in the Classical World

Iconography and Representation around the Mediterranean

Federico Ugolini

• Publisher: Bloomsbury Academic
• Year: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781350125759
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Architecture
• Subtopic: History of Architecture

In recent years, there has been intense debate about the reality behind the depiction of maritime cityscapes, especially harbours. Visualizing Harbours in the Classical World argues that the available textual and iconographic evidence supports the argument that these representations have a symbolic, rather than literal, meaning and message, and moreover that the traditional view, that all these media represent the reality of the contemporary cityscapes, is often unrealistic. Bridging the gap between archaeological sciences and the humanities, it ably integrates iconographic materials, epigraphic sources, history and archaeology, along with visual culture. Focusing on three main ancient ports – Alexandria, Rome and Leptis Magna – Federico Ugolini considers a range of issues around harbour iconography, from the triumphal imagery of monumental harbours and the symbolism of harbour images, their identification across the Mediterranean, and their symbolic, ideological and propagandistic messages, to the ways in which aspects of Imperial authority and control over the seas were expressed in the iconography of the Julio-Claudian, Trajan and Severii periods, how they reflected the repute, growth and power of the mercantile class during the Imperial era, and how the use of imagery reflected euergetism and paideia, which would inform the Roman audience about who had power over the sea.

1

Introduction

Aim and scope

Maritime cityscapes, harbours, seaports and views of the marine world, with their evocative monumental buildings, were fascinating and popular subjects for visual representations in the Classical world.¹ The development of building techniques for architectural elements – such as moles, quays, porticoes, warehouses and lighthouses, and also for maritime villas and coastal settlements – as well as the intensification of seafaring, sailing, trade and commerce were characteristics of the boom in constructing ports in the ancient Mediterranean. They also contributed not only to the ports’ overall scale, scope and monumentality, but also to the transmission of the emotions, perceptions, senses and understanding of the viewers.² The presence of these key harbour elements undoubtedly shaped the artistic interest in Mediterranean ports in general, and specific structures and areas, some of which – including those along the coasts of the Aegean, Adriatic, Black, Levantine, Libyan and Tyrrhenian Seas – became the motifs of a broader repertoire of iconographies and representations of the maritime world in Classical antiquity (Fig. 1.1; Fig. 1.2).³ Major ports and coastal buildings were depicted, and their reproduction in several artworks and in different media reached its zenith during a relatively short period, from the late third century BC to the mid-third century AD.⁴

The Mediterranean region played a pivotal geographic and economic role as an interface within the context of the Graeco-Roman world, and its vast body of water was a major source of attraction not only for fishermen, merchants, sailors and traders but also artists, passengers, travellers, writers and a more general audience. This territory and its waters acted as a crossroads between the West and the East – for example Greece and India, and Rome, Arabia and China – and also between Europe and Africa – for example Rome, Athens, Alexandria and the Nile region. It also functioned as a node enabling connections with the newly established provinces of the seaborne empires, from the Hellenistic kingdoms to the Roman Empire.⁵ From the Hellenistic period onwards, with the acquisition and creation of new kingdoms and provinces, the markets, ports and associated communication networks were improved across the Mediterranean, and agricultural and commercial activities intensified in their hinterlands and beyond.⁶ This phenomenon has been linked to the consolidation of maritime and terrestrial routes which were vital for both socio-economic and military and seafaring activities.⁷ Within this framework, harbours, maritime centres and natural landing points assumed a key function in markets, life and military events. They also played a role in shaping history, in the construction of the identity of Mediterranean culture and in making the Mediterranean both a broad territory acting as an ‘interface’ within the Classical world and a favoured subject – a source of inspiration and a genre for iconographic themes.

Owing to the geographical centrality of its territory, the Mediterranean region and its harbours and maritime centres have recently been well documented in archaeological studies.⁸ The Graeco-Roman expansion, in particular along the Aegean, Adriatic, Black, Libyan and Tyrrhenian Seas, favoured the construction of major settlements and permanent ports. These ports became the motifs of diverse and popular representations that are of high value and relevance in terms of representing these superstructures of the Classical world. Modern scholarship is inclined to situate harbour iconography from the third century BC onwards within specific geographical contexts such as representations of natural anchorages, beaches, riverine environments, quasi-idyllic marine landscapes or sheltered bays, for example at Alexandria, Caesarea Maritima and Puteoli, or to link these harbours with selected buildings from man-made port cities during the first and third centuries AD, for example harbour constructions and renovations at Ostia, Portus, Ancona, Kenchreai and Leptis Magna.⁹ But, the representations of ports and maritime landscapes have often been neglected in studies of ancient harbours. The iconography of marine landscapes and structures, and especially its significance and messages, features very little in scholarship, and only the most famous representations of individual harbours, such as Alexandria, Portus and Leptis Magna, are cited as representative evidence of great harbours in this macro-region.¹⁰

The harbour scenes set in marine landscapes, including water, the coast and landing points, on the diverse media tell us that the imagining and visualization of ports was an important component of Graeco-Roman art as early as the third century BC.¹¹ It is unlikely that Greek and Roman artists created marine landscapes by following dedicated patterns based on reality.¹² This is something that emerged during the late Hellenistic and Augustan periods when it was fashionable to create artworks with villas, porticoes, harbours, canals, rivers, coasts and, more importantly, representations of people fishing, sailing and working at the ports. The most relevant aspect of these artistic productions seems to be that the marine landscapes, the harbour buildings and the depicted workers are the centre of attention and interest. The people, who were often considered of secondary importance, are not drawn from mythology or fantasy, but rather conduct ordinary activities, including aspects of everyday coastal life. The exponential growth of harbour scenes is obvious in the Classical sources, and this kind of iconography emerged more fully during the time of the Julio-Claudian dynasty.¹³ This was not its first iteration, but rather a re-assessment of a development from the mid-Hellenistic period.¹⁴

These artworks were inspired by topography, such as that of Alexandria and its monumental lighthouse.¹⁵ This formula consists of marine environments, with buildings scattered along the coasts. But, although from the second century BC onwards there is evidence of Egyptian or exotic places, the harbourscape genre seems to emphasize architectural development as opposed to the landscape.¹⁶ Many sections feature river, delta, sea and marine scenarios, but the setting during the Graeco-Roman age prioritizes human achievements over these natural elements. This is conveyed through the general representations of porticoes, statues, buildings and ships as a familiar Mediterranean prototype which could perhaps refer to any region. The impression is of a generalized landscape that spread from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Levantine coasts, although it is clear that main centres, such as Alexandria and Portus, provided the artists and the commissioners with a model that satisfied their desire and demand for knowledge, identity and art.

The maritime landscapes indicate the use of architectural depictions as social and cultural symbols. This phenomenon can be seen throughout the Hellenistic and Imperial periods. As is the case for harbour images, architectural depictions in the Classical world represent cultures, evoke ideas of social and economic advancement and technological progress, and also illustrate primary geographic areas. These images might also ‘reproduce fictional narratives’ about cultures, progress and achievements. Depictions of ancient maritime buildings and environments highlighted and promoted parallels between Greek and Roman cultures and advanced harbours. Illustrations of the port architectural elements in the territories controlled by seaborne empires including Athens and Rome often portrayed urban centres, military achievements, joyful people and various authorities and rulers. This technique of representing the environment promotes a Mediterranean view of the superiority of Athens and Rome, in terms of social and economic success. Research on landscape representations often focuses on style, and categorizes them by chronology and theme.¹⁷ The adoption of specific environments or motifs is connected with representations of, for instance, harbours, maritime villas, exotic and Nilotic environments, lagoons, water basins, rivers, small lakes and ponds, especially in wall paintings from central and southern Italy, i.e. Latium and Campania.¹⁸ The depiction of monumental port structures is related to specific representations, but these scenes might also differ greatly, and the depiction may not necessarily be related to the location where it was made or found.

This monograph aims to investigate the visual aspects of Graeco-Roman Mediterranean port scenes dating to the Hellenistic and Imperial periods by analysing aspects of communication, identity, meaning, message, metaphor, perception, signification and symbolism, as presented in selected iconographies and representations. This monograph, which provides a comprehensive study of harbour images in Classical antiquity, also aims to fill a major lacuna in the study of the ancient Mediterranean. Research on this topic, which stems from the recent tradition of visual culture studies, offers new insights into the symbolic and metaphoric implications of harbour and marine landscape representations of the Mediterranean in the Classical world. Selected case studies, including harbour scenes depicting features that originally appear at the harbours of Alexandria, Portus and Leptis Magna, have been chosen as key pieces of evidence as much of the visual aspects of these ports have been little explored.¹⁹ By examining the iconography and representation of Mediterranean ports, this monograph aims to improve our understanding of the semiotic and visual aspects²⁰ – as opposed to the topographic significance – of these harbour and maritime images through considering their cultural, socio-economic, and political and propagandistic roles in their regional, transregional, and public and private contexts within the wider Mediterranean world. It evaluates the harbour images of the Graeco-Roman world by exploring literary, iconographic, epigraphic and archaeological sources. In this respect, this monograph offers a new interpretation of multiple characteristics of Mediterranean port representations, therefore filling the lacunae in decades of fragmented and almost non-existing research.²¹

This first section of the introduction outlined the aims of this book. The second section outlines current studies in Mediterranean iconography and their application to harbour representations. The third section reviews the existing literature on the subject. The fourth section describes the approach and method adopted for this investigation. The fifth section presents a review of the sources available for the study by ...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Half-Title Page
• Series
• Title Page
• Contents
• List of Illustrations
• Acknowledgements
• List of Abbreviations
• 1 Introduction
• 2 Alexandria, Rome, Leptis Magna and the Triumphal Imagery of Monumental Harbours
• 3 Harbours in Graeco-Roman Art: Symbolism and Identity across the Mediterranean
• 4 Portraying Maritime Cityscapes: An Imperial Perspective
• 5 The Mercantile Class: Economic Growth and Influence during the Imperial Era
• 6 A Postcard from the Ancient Mediterranean: Aspects of Euergetism and Paideia in Representations of Maritime Cities
• 7 Epilogue: Maritime Cities: An Iconography of Power
• Notes
• Bibliography
• Index
• Copyright