Apollodorus of Damascus

Early life

Apollodorus was born in Damascus, Roman Syria. Modern sources refer to him as Nabatean, Arab & Hellenized Nabatean, or as Greek. The name Appolodorus is a Hellenized form of the Nabatean name Abodat. It is noted that Trajan may have first met the architect in Syria, where Apollodorus began his career and maintained his artistic ties. Furthermore he mentions that the stylistic and grammatical weakness of his inscriptions suggest Greek was not his native language and that his second language was Greek.

Neither Cassius Dio nor Procopius, scholars and historians of antiquity, mention his origins when writing of him. Little is known of his early life, but he started his career as a military engineer before meeting future emperor Trajan in Damascus, then being summoned to Rome by him when he was a consul in 91 AD, after his twentieth birthday, and later accompanying him during the Second Dacian War in 105 AD.

Works and style

Apollodorus was Trajan's favoured architect and engineer.

In Rome he designed and oversaw the construction of:

• Trajan's Forum and Markets
• Temple of Trajan
• Trajan's Column (the first monument of its kind)

Outside the capital, Apollodorus designed the:

• Trajan's Bridge across the Danube
• Alconétar Bridge over the Tagus in Spain
• triumphal arch of Trajan at Benevento
• Arch of Trajan at Ancona.
• Trajan's Trophy near Adamclisi, Romania

He is the author of Siege Engines (Πολιορκητικά, Poliorcetica), dedicated to an unnamed emperor, likely Trajan.[[File:072 Conrad Cichorius, Die Reliefs der Traianssäule, Tafel LXXII (Ausschnitt 01).jpg|thumb|250px|The monumental [[Trajan's Bridge|Danube Bridge of Apollodorus]]. Apollodorus himself stands in the foreground behind the sacrificing emperor.]]

The director of the in Damascus, Fiorella Festa Farina, described the technical prowess of Apollodorus as stemming from his cultural roots and the architectural tradition of Syria; and that he owed his particular mastery to Nabataean culture filtered through Greek modes of thought. He was known for his practical and robust designs. It was likely due to his influence that domes became a standard element in Roman architecture.

Death

Cassius Dio reports that Apollodorus offended Hadrian by dismissing and ridiculing the emperor's forays into architecture, which led to his banishment and death. many modern historians cast doubt on this event. According to the historian Jona Lendering, modern scholarship views the anecdote as unlikely to have occurred, due to Hadrian's preoccupation with far greater threats to his power early in his reign, and that the criticism Apollodorus proffered was acted upon.

Notes

Citing the primary sources:

• Cassius Dio: Roman History 69.4; and
• Procopius' The Buildings IV 6.11–14

References

References

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