CalendarPast Exhibitions
L’eredità dell’Impero romano
L’eredità dell’Impero romano
- Dates
- 19 September 2009 - Sunday 13 December 2009
- Venue
- National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo
- Organizers
- The National Museum of Western Art, Tokyo, Tokyo Shimbun, NHK,With the patronage of: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Agency for Cultural Affairs, Embassy of Italy in Japan
- Special Sponsor
- Sumitomo Metal Mining Co.,Ltd.
- Sponsor
- Nissha Printing Co.,Ltd. , EPSON
- In cooperation with
- Alitalia – Compaginia Aerea Italiana S.p.A. , Nippon Cargo Airlines Co.,Ltd. , East Japan Railway Company , The Western Art Foundation
- Scholarly collaboration
- The Archaeological Mission of University of Tokyo at Somma Vesuviana
- Collaboration
- TOPPAN PRINTING CO.,LTD.
- Number of visitors
- 195,477
The ancient Roman Empire, an empire whose relative longevity and breadth stands as a major accomplishment in the history of mankind. This exhibition traces the Roman Empire from its inception to its glorious pinnacle, presenting art works and archaeological materials that reveal the secrets behind the splendor of an empire that spread throughout most of the European continent. Julius Caesar was a genius politician of the first century BC, and his adopted son Octavius (who later ruled as Augustus Caesar) inherited his zeal. Through the efforts of these two men, the city-state of Rome was transformed into an empire. The first section of the exhibition, “The Birth of an Empire”, traces that transformation process, while the second section, “The Empire of Augustus and its Organization,” reveals the system of governance Augustus used to bring peace across the Empire. The third section, “The Wealth of the Empire,” reveals the prosperity of the empire during its most splendid, joyous period. The volcanic Mount Vesuvius erupted in AD 79, at the zenith of Rome’s imperial power, and buried the town of Pompeii in ash. The murals and silver eating utensils from Pompeii displayed here reveal the luxurious lifestyle of that time. This exhibition of unparalleled scope and range features approximately 120 fascinating works from the collections of the Naples National Archaeological Museum (Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Napoli) and other museums throughout Italy.