Reply To: Propaganda Art

[mbsimington]

A large number of Roman art pieces were designed for propagandistic purposes. Statues and portraits of leaders were created, as well as statues that depict the state of government. The Tetrarchy is a good example of this, as it not only shows the system of government in place, but also the unity, solidarity, and impact of such a governmental form. Another example would be the Equestrian Statue of Marcus Aurelius, as not only is an equestrian portrait a symbol of honor, it later shows another form of propagandism as the only reason it survived is due to the belief that he was Constantine, with ties to religion. These forms of propaganda are not in any sense new, and have lasted through the centuries to remain a commonplace product of governments around the world.