The Ancient World

Museum Site and Directions

The World of Augustus and Virgil

This audio tour through some of the Ancient Roman Art galleries at the Metropolitan Museum emphasizes the imagery used by Augustus Caesar to consolidate his control over the new Roman Empire. So it works well with the political aspect of Virgil’s Aeneid: Aeneas’ destiny is to found Rome, and in Book 6 of the poem, [...]

The World of Homer, The Iliad

This audio tour through the Ancient Greek Art galleries at the Metropolitan Museum is keyed to study of The Iliad. By focusing on objects embodying or displaying ancient Greek values and cultural practices, the tour helps students better understand Homer’s poem. For example, elaborate funeral monuments show the Greek desire to honor the dead (Iliad [...]

The World of Homer, The Odyssey

This audio tour through the Ancient Greek Art galleries at the Metropolitan Museum is keyed to study of The Odyssey. By focusing on objects embodying or displaying ancient Greek values and cultural practices, the tour helps students better understand Homer’s poem. For example, vase paintings of women getting married or weaving correlate with depictions of [...]