All AP Art History Resources
Example Questions
Example Question #13 : Ancient Greek And Roman Architecture
What specific story does the Column of Trajan tell about Trajan's life?
A mythical story of how Trajan obtained super strength from the god Jupiter
Trajan's coronation as Emperor
Trajan's birth and coming of age
Trajan's negotiation for more territory in Rome from the Gauls
Trajan's leadership in the defeat of the Dacians
Trajan's leadership in the defeat of the Dacians
The Column of Trajan tells the story of Trajan's victory against the Dacians. Over 128 feet high, the narrative wraps around the entirety of the column and tells the story over 625 feet of marble. As a result, the compositions are crowded and the entire story is difficult to view in its entirety.
Image accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/RomaColonnaTraiana%26BasilicaUlpia.jpg
Example Question #14 : Ancient Greek And Roman Architecture
Who is depicted at the base of the column, and how are they depicted?
The Roman gods, and they are depicted as looking on proudly
Trajan's family, and they are depicted as strong and fearsome
The defeated Dacians, and they are depicted as worthy opponents
The defeated Dacians, and they are depicted as weak and scrawny
The Greeks, and they are depicted as being in fearful awe of Trajan
The defeated Dacians, and they are depicted as worthy opponents
The defeated Dacians are depicted on the base of the column. They are shown as being worthy opponents to further highlight how significant the victory was for Trajan -- they appear strong, which shows how strong Trajan's army needed to be to defeat them. Above the defeated Dacians is a victory laurel to again highlight the significance of winning the battle against them.
Image accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/RomaColonnaTraiana%26BasilicaUlpia.jpg
Example Question #801 : Ap Art History
What was originally on either side of the Column of Trajan in Trajan's Forum?
Two libraries, both featuring manuscripts of the life of Trajan (one in Roman and one in Greek)
Tombstones for Trajan's wife and eldest son
Inscribed steles with laws for the city of Rome
Lamassu guardians to protect the column from evil spirits
Monuments to Julius Caesar and Octavian
Two libraries, both featuring manuscripts of the life of Trajan (one in Roman and one in Greek)
Originally, two libraries stood next to the column. Each had manuscripts detailing the Roman-Dacian war. One had the manuscripts in Roman, and the other in Greek. (Lamassu guardians are associated with Assyrian architecture and art, and steles, such as the Stele of Hammurabi, are associated with the Babylonians.)
Image accessed through Wikipedia Media Commons: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e2/RomaColonnaTraiana%26BasilicaUlpia.jpg
Example Question #1 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Ancient Greek And Roman Architecture
The Roman building the Pantheon features columns in the style called __________.
Ionic
Doric
Composite
Corinthian
Corinthian
Ancient Greek and Roman architecture can be broken down into three main chronological groupings, from oldest to youngest: the Doric, the Ionic, and the Corinthian. As a building of the Roman Empire, the Pantheon, built between 27 BCE and 126 CE, is emblematic of the Corinthian order, especially its ornate columns lining its portico.
Example Question #2 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Ancient Greek And Roman Architecture
An Ionic column is distinguished by __________.
floral ornaments in its capital
scroll-shaped ornaments in its capital
ornate ornamentation in its base
a plain, heavy base
scroll-shaped ornaments in its capital
The three "classical orders" applied to columns in Ancient Greek architecture are Doric, Ionian, and Corinthian, going from least to most ornate. The Ionic column is most easily distinguished by its capital, or the top of the column. On every Ionic column, a scroll-shaped ornamentation is placed at the top portion of the column.
Example Question #2 : Understanding Terminology That Describes Ancient Greek And Roman Architecture
Female figures supporting an overhang in place of columns are known as __________.
serdabs
kouros
caryatids
amphorae
caryatids
Often found in Ancient Greek architecture, female figures used as part of or in place of plainer columns are known as caryatids.
Example Question #22 : Ancient Greek And Roman Architecture
What is not part of the Doric order, one of the three Classical Greek architectural orders?
Shaft
Base
Stylobate
Abacus
Stereobate
Base
Columns in the Doric order sit directly on the stylobate without a base. The other two Classical Greek orders, Ionic and Corinthian, both employ bases.
Example Question #811 : Ap Art History
A ______________ column resembles a Doric column, but it is unfluted and has a base.
Ionic
Tuscan
Corinthian
Cycladian
Tuscan
Tuscan columns are the standard type of Etruscan column. They closely resemble Doric columns, but are usually made of wood, have a base and are not fluted along the shaft.
Example Question #218 : 3 D Art
The chamber at the center of an ancient temple is called a ________________.
caldarium
cella
peristyle
cubiculum
cella
The "cella" is the central room or chamber of an ancient temple; often this is where the cult statue of the god or goddess would be set up.
Example Question #219 : 3 D Art
A _____________ is a circular building in Greek and Roman architecture.
tholos
rotunda
mausoleum
basilica
tholos
In Greek and Roman architecture, a circular building is called a tholos. The tholos (plu. tholoi) is more common in Greek architecture than in Roman architecture; normally they were used for circular temples or shrines. In the Mycenaean tradition, the term "tholos" refers to a kind of circular, beehive-shaped tomb.
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