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Roman funerary monuments: Track 1

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How and what can we learn from fragments? Thousands of fragmented inscriptions survive from the ancient city of Rome, the majority of which are funerary inscriptions or epitaphs from tombs. This album looks at the impact of funerary monuments. From the Mausoleum of Emperor Augustus, to the more humble tombs of freed slaves, these monuments reveal a great deal about the people and families commemorated. Examining the type, scale, location, decoration, and epitaph of each tomb allows us to build up a detailed picture of a life lived thousands of years ago. This material forms part of The Open University course A219 Exploring the classical world.

By: The OpenLearn Team (The Open University)

  • Duration 32 minutes
  • Updated Monday 9th November 2009

Track 1: Roman funerary monuments

An introduction to this album.



Tracks in this podcast:

Track Title Description
1 Roman funerary monuments An introduction to this album. Play now Roman funerary monuments
2 Fragments as clues Thousands of ancient inscriptions survive in Rome; what do they tell us? Play now Fragments as clues
3 Cemeteries in the Roman world How ancient Romans buried and commemorated their dead outside the city walls. Play now Cemeteries in the Roman world
4 Funerary monuments How the style of a memorial can indicate a lot about the deceased’s status and identity. Play now Funerary monuments
5 Epitaphs and sculptures How tombs and epitaphs promote the memory of the deceased. Play now Epitaphs and sculptures
6 Constructing identity How tomb styles changed after Augustus built his huge mausoleum. Play now Constructing identity
7 Family tombs How a family tomb evolved over generations. Play now Family tombs
8 The living and the dead The living had to the power to keep the memory of the dead alive, so tombs were designed for their visits too. Play now The living and the dead
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