Obelisks and the Power of the Monument
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Subject Area
History
Description
John (Jack) Brockelman ’23
Majors: History and Classics
Faculty Mentor: Dr. Robin Greene, History and Classics
In 10 BCE, Augustus, the first emperor of Rome, introduced an authentic Egyptian obelisk into the Roman architectural landscape. The foreign monument was steeped in religious, royal, and divine symbolism. In the past, obelisks were used by the pharaohs to justify their divine right to rule. Augustus sought to use them in much the same way. His meticulous efforts of propaganda and appropriation were a success, to the point where obelisks became more synonymous with Rome, than they did their native Egypt. Even the most famous obelisk in the modern world, Washington Monument, harkens back to Rome, not Egypt.
Publisher
Providence College
Academic Year
2022-2023
Date
4-27-2023
Type
Presentation
Format
Video
.mov
Language
English
