Roman and Saxon London: a reappraisal

History

Hobley, Brian

Europe

Museum of London

Symbolism was endemic in the ancient world as a visual language, with its interpretation one of the most important challenges, especially in the realm of the divine and sacred, to today’s cognitive archaeology and Classical Studies. This study is focussed on circular solar/cosmic symbolism which has endured for seven millennia in the European and Mediterranean worlds. The potency of the solar/cosmic circle should not be understated, as this study will demonstrate, with its worldwide affiliation. For all humankind is aware of the sun’s benefits of light and warmth, and of the seasons which needed in the ancient world to be sustained by heavenly harmony through ritual, sacrifice and worship; hence the introduction of sympatheia, i.e. ‘as above so below’ thus satisfying society’s need for a relationship with the natural world of the universe/sun. To that end, Bronze Age people created circular landscapes such as Stonehenge with circular henges and burial monuments (barrows). In the Classical Greco-Roman world, kingship required emperors to play a cosmocrator role acting as a beneficial solar/cosmic earthly filter for their people. Thus Augustus adopted the primary solar Greek god Apollo as his patron, for he commanded prophecy and divination integral in the ancient world. Divination and fate belonged to the Gods, with ancient astrology not just fortune telling but projecting the divine will and workings of the circular living orderly universe with the Sun the centre of Divine intelligence. The pagan world inter-religious toleration was exchanged for Christian universalist monotheism which needed the solarisation of Christ by early Christian fathers to gain followers and permanent converts. Such was the strength of solar tradition that the Emperor Constantine remained loyal nearly unto death, and up to medieval times Christ in Europe was still known as Sol Resurrectionus. Table of Contents Part One: The Circle as a Symbol Chapter One: The Nature of Symbolism Chapter Two: Symbolism in the Greco - Roman World Chapter Three: Imaging the Gods Part Two: The Sun as a Universal Symbol Chapter Four: Solar Symbols in the Middle East Chapter Five: Solar Symbols in Megalithic Europe Chapter Six: The Sun and the Celts Chapter Seven: Sun - symbols in Mycenae and Crete Chapter Eight: The Greco - Roman Sun Chapter Nine: The Celestial Sphere Chapter Ten: The Advent of Apollo Chapter Eleven: Circularity and Centrality in Greek Thought Chapter Twelve: The Celestial Axis Part Three: Neolithic and Bronze Age Circular Structures Chapter Thirteen: The Neolithic/Bronze Age Circular World-View Chapter Fourteen: Stonehenge, Henges and Round Barrows Part Four: An Introduction to Greco - Roman Circular Structures Chapter Fifteen: Round Altars, Mundus /Offering Pits and Heröons Chapter Sixteen: Ancient Circular Town Planning Chapter Seventeen: The Tholus Chapter Eighteen: The Symbolic Meaning of Tholi Part Five: Circularity at Rome Chapter Nineteen: The Roman Circus Chapter Twenty: The Roman Theatre Chapter Twenty - One: Circularity in the Forum Romanum Part Six: Rome and the New Architecture Chapter Twenty - Two: The Dome in Roman Monumental Architecture Chapter Twenty - Three: Arches, Vaults and Sacred Gateways Chapter Twenty - Four: Apses and Hemicycles Chapter Twenty - Five: Circularity in Sacred Palaces Chapter Twenty - Six: Circularity at Roman Military Sites Part Seven: Roman Celestial Iconography Chapter Twenty - Seven: The Apollonian Solar Family at Rome Chapter Twenty - Eight: The Circle of the Zodiac Part Eight: The Cosmic Master - Builders Chapter Twenty - Nine: Augustus and the Sun - god Chapter Thirty: Augustus’ Circular Mausoleum Chapter Thirty - One: Apollo Palatinus and other Augustan Structures Chapter Thirty - Two: Agrippa’s Pantheon Chapter Thirty - Three: Hadrian’s Celestial Pantheon Chapter Thirty - Four: Hadrian’s Circles and Squares Part Nine: Circular Symbolism in Roman Life Chapter Thirty - Five: Circles of Death and the Afterlife Chapter Thirty - Six: Solar Discs and Sacred Sun - cakes Chapter Thirty - Seven: The Rosette Chapter Thirty - Eight: Solar Headwear, star, zodiac &amp; rosette garments Chapter Thirty - Nine: Cosmic and Celestial Shields Part Ten: The Solar World of Christianity Chapter Forty: Pagan Monotheism and Early Christianity Chapter Forty - One: Constantine the Great and the Triumph of Apollo Chapter Forty - Two: The Solar Cycle and the Christian Year Chapter Forty - Three: Circular Symbolism in Early Christian Structures Chapter Forty - Four: The Cross Chapter Forty - Five: The Unconquered Sun 46. Conclusion

The Circle of God: An archaeological and historical search for the nature of the sacred: A study of continuity

Arts & Photography

History & Criticism

Archaeopress Archaeology

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