Abstract:
This thesis explores the manner in which the shrinking landscape of an early
Imperial Rome led to an increased utilization of vegetal motifs in Roman art. Beginning
in the late first century BCE, Augustus attempted to emphasize the natural world within
the city by introducing actual green space through gardens, groves, and parks while also
associating himself with various forms of arboreal mythology. Augustus compensated for
the transient nature of these public gardens and groves by providing permanent
monuments upon which the imagery of a verdant, prosperous earth could flourish,
instilling within the viewer a sense of wonder and appreciation for the abundance brought
forth by the emperor and the beginning of a new Golden Age in Rome.
