Multiculturalism is a recent coinage that refers to the state of coexistence in a society of multiple cultures of race, ethnicity, religion, gender and sexuality. Also referred to as cosmopolitanism, multiculturalism was mainly displayed and shaped by architecture and art in cities that existed during the late Classical and Hellenistic periods. During this time, interactions increased between Greeks and Romans and other people living around the Mediterranean in areas such as Greece or Macedonia, as well as in Roman imperial times, resulting in the mixing of cultural elements. Three prominent examples of architecture and art that illustrated the concept of multiculturalism in the ancient world are: the Tomb of the Diver wall painting in Paestum,
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Furthermore, it was widely known that Caesar had originally intended to build this temple during his rule. Augustus’s completion of the Temple of Mars Ultor was a strategic political statement to affirm himself as Caesar’s heir and finishing this temple showed he was finishing Caesar’s work and continuing his lineage (Cartwright 2013). The design of the temple is an example of Roman appropriation of the Greek past and was designed to reflect the style of the nearby Temple of Venus in Caesar’s Forum to create an architectural harmony. It was built on a raised platform and fountains originally flanked the entrance steps. The exterior of the temple was constructed using the Italian white Luna marble from Cararra, which Augustus was the first to exploit. The flooring was laid with a mixture of colored marble, yellow Numidian, purple Phrygian and red and black Lucullun. The white marble of the temple exterior and colored marbles of the interior and the porticoes had not been used so extravagantly before. Both the temple and the forum represented Augustus’ boast, in which he had “found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble”. The overall statement of his building of the temple was therefore not only one regarding lineage, but also of victory against his enemies. The temple illuminated its purpose of being dedicated to Mars, the god of war. Augustus’ power to acquire rare material from around the empire such as the marble showcases his imperial power to rule over other empires and his militaristic ties across the empires, which in turn incorporates other
Furthermore, it was widely known that Caesar had originally intended to build this temple during his rule. Augustus’s completion of the Temple of Mars Ultor was a strategic political statement to affirm himself as Caesar’s heir and finishing this temple showed he was finishing Caesar’s work and continuing his lineage (Cartwright 2013). The design of the temple is an example of Roman appropriation of the Greek past and was designed to reflect the style of the nearby Temple of Venus in Caesar’s Forum to create an architectural harmony. It was built on a raised platform and fountains originally flanked the entrance steps. The exterior of the temple was constructed using the Italian white Luna marble from Cararra, which Augustus was the first to exploit. The flooring was laid with a mixture of colored marble, yellow Numidian, purple Phrygian and red and black Lucullun. The white marble of the temple exterior and colored marbles of the interior and the porticoes had not been used so extravagantly before. Both the temple and the forum represented Augustus’ boast, in which he had “found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble”. The overall statement of his building of the temple was therefore not only one regarding lineage, but also of victory against his enemies. The temple illuminated its purpose of being dedicated to Mars, the god of war. Augustus’ power to acquire rare material from around the empire such as the marble showcases his imperial power to rule over other empires and his militaristic ties across the empires, which in turn incorporates other