S.STEIN Cultural Intro to Renaissance Rome by Ingrid D. Rowland

Rome is a city that has so far had success in its efforts to last an eternity. The Renaissance papacy is to thank for this. Thanks to Petrarch, Rome was rebuilt from the ashes and ruins that it once lay in. He inspired a class of people devoted to the study of humanity or what we have learned in past readings, Humanism.

The papacy located in Babylon was changed to Rome the place it was meant to be thanks Pope Martin. Housing the curia was great for Rome providing employment to the people and money from travelers viewing the great city. Petrarch’s writings were a new style that everyone adored. He took the past standards to create the present standards. Rome lagged behind the flourishing city of Florence before the fifteenth century. It had still been a poor city in ruins. The people and builders of Renaissance Rome were destined to recreate Rome because it answered the call from god. Scattered throughout the ruins were the history of Christianity and a period of perfection that was based on the peace of the mankind.  As the people investigated the roman ruins they discovered traces of god’s plan, they discovered ancient building techniques unlike any other. Money helped Renaissance Rome rise, providing stable economy and the strong ancient roman techniques of politics. The roman republic was being reborn. Ancient roman ruins were reused and recaptured in Renaissance Rome’s newly erected architecture.

After the fifteenth century Rome was extremely well off. Its popes were providing more and more money to better the city. The rise of humanism begins during this time. They transformed language into persuasive speech. This was known as rhetoric as we know from earlier readings. Rhetoric met the persuasive needs of the courts.  Schools and libraries were created to enhance the skills and memory in humanism teachings and the arts. Manuscripts were created to record history and knowledge that would be stored in libraries.

Pope Julius added to Rome’s success by investing money in explorations to unexplored territories.  Michelangelo created painting for the great pope’s chapel and Leonardo was given full commission to create his fresco paintings. Julius was highly interested in ancient Rome; he collected statues and ancient wisdom that was recorded in books. Julius extended the power of Rome and strengthened politics, theology, and art. Rome had its struggles after Pope Julius, but managed to continue its reconstruction. By the 1600s it was still growing and becoming even more advanced. The rebuilding of the great Roman Empire was becoming a successful reality to the people of Renaissance Rome.