Roman Spain Manifested in Art and Architecture
The era following the Roman empire’s conquest of the Iberian peninsula witnessed a subsequent period of what some scholars call “Romanization”, in which the region experienced a transformation of its political practices, religion, and overall culture. One area in which this assimilation of Roman culture and way of life was most prevalent, and continues to be very visible in modern-day Spain, was the art and architecture of the Iberian peninsula. Spain even experienced a revitalization of Roman culture during the 10th through 13th centuries, demonstrating its enduring impact and the area’s nostalgic desire to "call back" to this era. The preservation of Roman architecture and pieces of art, combined with the allusions back to Roman style during the Romanesque period, reveal the significance that the empire had on its cultural history.
Roman Architecture
Various architecture structures from the Roman Imperial period have persisted through time and continue to be monumental symbols of Spanish history. The Aqueduct of Segovia is one such Roman architectural feature that despite the passing of time, has remained as an important landmark and emblem of Roman influence in Spain. Following the conquest of the city of Segovia by the Romans in around 90 BCE, the aqueduct was constructed in 50 A.D in order to bring water from the Rio Frio to the growing city of Segovia. The contiguous arches present on the aqueduct, also known as "arcades", were a key architectural feature of the Roman style of architecture. Beyond the impressive height and width of the two-tiered structure, the structure consists of granite stone held together with nearly no mortar. A possible reasoning for this design choice was to make the structure more resistant to long-term erosion from water flow. The aqueduct was operational in Spain until 1973; its longevity as a functional piece of infrastructure is a testament to the architectural prowess of the Romans.
Other semi-preserved pieces of Roman architecture include the the Mérida theater and the Ruins in Itálica. Itálica was in fact the first Roman city founded in the Iberian peninsula, from which a large amphitheater was erected that is still visited today for its impressiveness and rich history. Grand, constructed amphitheaters such as those in Itálica and Mérida drew crowds from all over Hispania (the name given to the Iberian peninsula by the Romans), contributing to immense cultural diffusion and wealth of the empire. Furthermore, the fact that the structures have been left relatively untouched and have remained as important sites within Spain demonstrate the strength of the Roman architectural legacy in the country.
As well as architecture, art, especially paintings, was indubitably influential and prevalent during the period of Roman rule in Spain. The quintessentially Roman art style was the "fresco": a type of mural painting that utilized water-based paint placed onto a wet plaster. The art style of the "fresco" was likely borrowed from the Ancient Greeks, to whom the Romans owe a lot of their cultural practices. Roman frescoes were known to exhibit vibrant colors, partially in order to lighten the interiors of darkened, enclosed rooms that were popular in Roman-style buildings.
A frequently occurring feature in that of Roman art pieces is animal symbolism, as is seen in the compositions above. Although much of Roman paintings carried religious motifs that drew connections between man and God, animals played an equally paramount role as well. In both the fresco and the mosaic above, the artists chose to include images of animals that held renowned connections to the empire, possibly as a means to endorse the sanctity and power of Rome. These allusions to animals and nature are still very much present in the contemporary art of Spain, further illustrating the enduring impact that Rome had on the art produced from this region of the world.
Revitalization in Romanesque Era
The popularity of Roman-style art and architecture also transcends the temporal bounds that mark the beginning and end of the Roman Empire in Spain. During the mid-10th century until about the 12th century, Spain experienced a resurgence of Roman culture with the Romanesque movement, several centuries after the Roman empire itself had collapsed. "Romanesque" directly translates to "descending from, or resembling, something Roman". Across Europe, with the explosive growth of the Christian church, there was a wistful desire to turn back the clocks and relive the time of relatively high cultural and religious unity that had existed under Roman rule. Subsequently, this translated into renewal of the Roman artistic and architectural design choices.
Although the features that characterized the Romanesque era of art and architecture are difficult to define, due to the fact that they varied across the European states, the pieces produced in Spain at this time did share certain commonalities. Several Romanesque architectural structures contained highly decorated arches and arcades that preceded entrances, as is seen on the Basilica de San Isidoro. Additionally, Spain saw a new wave of Roman-like frescoes that often depicted Biblical scenes that weaved Christian narratives throughout the imaging.
In all, we have observed the numerous pieces of Roman art and architecture that have been preserved throughout the course of Spanish history, coupled by the fact that the state experienced an intense revival of Roman culture through the medium of art and architecture during the Medeival ages. Taken together, it becomes obvious that Roman influence cannot be ignored from the story of Spain's cultural history.
