Saturday, March 1, 2014

The Pantheon (built 118 A.D.)


The reason this is such a stereotypical picture is that this is the only spot from which one can get a decent shot of this famous landmark. The best preserved of all ancient temples, the Pantheon was dedicated to all (pan) gods (theon). The inscription on the faรงade translates:Marcus Agrippa, son of Lucius, three times consul, made this.” Herein lies a tale.
Marcus Vipsanius Agrippa was Caesar Augustus’ BFF. They grew up together, went to school together, fought in a murderous civil war against Antony and Cleopatra together, and formed the Imperial Roman Empire together. Marcus assisted Augustus in creating the office of Emperor and ably helped to administer the state. They were so close that eventually Marcus married Augustus daughter Julia. Now that is a close friendship! One of Augustus’ proudest boasts was that he found Rome a city of brick, and left it a city of marble. In other words, he liked to build. Marcus got on board with the program and, after winning the Battle of Actium, he took his share of the spoils and built the Pantheon in 27 B.C.
I can just hear you. Wait, you say! At the top of the page it says 118 A.D! How can this be? Whats the answer?  How long do you think buildings last without maintenance? They wear out, get run-down, and need expansion. The Emperor Hadrian also liked to build things. Theres still a wall separating Scotland and England that bears his name.  The Romans had a lot of good ideas that have
stood the test of time. Keeping the Scots and the English apart is one great example. Anyway, Hadrian decided to rebuild and expand Agrippas Pantheon, but—modest guy that he was—he kept the original inscription and gave credit to the long-dead Marcus Agrippa. What a guy!  Not all these Roman Emperors were egotists.
       So, Hadrian liked to dabble in architecture.  Its unclear to this day who actually designed this building: the Emperor, or his architect Apollodorus of Damascus. This building is so magnificent that theres plenty of credit to go around. The dome is 142 feet across. It has been the model of all subsequent domed buildings since. Michelangelo and Brunelleschi both came here to study this structure before attempting domes of their own.  Its made of tapering concrete, with ornamental coffers that also serve to lighten the structure. A hole in the roof (the oculus) provides interior lighting.
Given that Hadrian was a liberal (a Democrat), he thought that the beliefs of all the inhabitants of the Empire should be respected. As part of this recognition, he expanded this temple to honor every manifestation of the divine. In 609 A.D. Pope Boniface IV put his own spin on religious toleration. He tore out all the pagan stuff, made it into a church, and named it Santa Maria ad Martyrs—Mary and all the martyrs of the Christian faith. It did serve the useful purpose of preserving the building for future generations. Even the floor—a lovely marble design—is basically as it was when the temple was new.
Since the 1870s, it has been a museum and a tomb. Raphael is buried here, and there are shrines to various Italian heroes. Ive tried to put this off as long as I could, but here goes. There is another person buried in the Pantheon. You probably knew this was coming didnt you? That worthless, so-
and-so, King Victor Emmanuel II also has his tomb here. Im telling you, this guy must have sold his soul to the freakin’ devil! So now he gets to rest for all eternity (or what passes for it), in one of the most beautiful, best preserved, architectural marvels on earth, in one of the best-loved cities on the planet.  I wish I knew that guys secret. The old saw is right.  It really is better to be lucky than to be good. A sobering thought. Ok, I promise, this is the last time I mention that wildly successful, lucky boob.