Madrid Archeology Museum
This is me at the Archeology Museum in Madrid! I knew very little about Spanish history before this trip so it was quite educational. I will cover more of the Hispanic Roman Era and a little past that. Basically, the Romans took over the Iberian peninsula. They brought in the road network which made it easier to govern the land and use its resources. Therefore, industries were developed to a much larger scale and city life became more standard. In this picture I am next to statues livia and Tiberius. Livia was the great matriarch of the Julio Claudian dynasty, wife of Agustin and mother of Tiberius. She had a lot of power and influence in regard to the state. Her son Tiberius later ruled as empower and her reinforced their territories. It was quite the empire while it lasted. It is also very important to note that the Romans also brought in Christianity. Later the Visigoths took over after the Romans and then the Moorish after that. The Christians then took back over and Ferdinand’s and Isabel ruled.
This time period had a dramatic effect on Spain. When I went to Toledo yesterday, I even got to see a Roman road and walls from back then. And now Spain is luckily more religiously diverse but it remains a very largely catholic country. The Romans had a serious lasting impact on Spain in this way. Additionally, city life continues to be essential (even though Madrid is technically a village). By having this archeology museum here in Madrid , Spain is showing us their deep roots here on the Iberian peninsula. This long history demonstrates their legitimacy and ties them to the land. It also shows that diversity has played a big role in the past, and Spain has invited back those they pushed out previously.
This museum contributes to Madrid as a cultural capital because it contains a wealth of historical knowledge and artifacts. By being housed here it can bring in those seeking to learn more. A big part of culture is knowledge and learning. This historical institution is also charged with the responsibility to preserve the history and artifacts from key ages. I especially loved seeing the progression of the artifacts and seeing how many of the different cultures influenced each other. Once the Romans came in and saw a drastic change. By documenting their history I genuinely learned a lot while here. It helped me to leave with just a little piece of culture myself. That, in my opinion, is a big part of what makes a cultural capital.
Anna, this is a good blog post! You explain that knowledge and learning are key to culture and cultural value, and that the archeology museum contributes to the cultural capital of Madrid because it enhances knowledge and learning. You mention that the different different cultures influenced one another, which creates a unique sense of Spanish identity unique from any one of the melding cultures that meet within the nation. You finish by saying that the museum allows people to internalize a portion of the cultural legacy of Spain, and that this is a key to enhancing Spain's cultural capital. I agree with you on all points and find your ideas very compelling.
ReplyDeleteAnna, you did such a great job clearly outlining Spain's history and the history of Rome and the Iberian Peninsula! This museum holds old artifacts that can often be difficult to connect with without significant background knowledge, and your demonstration of understanding is impressive. I loved how you connected this old culture's importance and its significance to modern Spain's diverse culture.
ReplyDeleteI love this blog post. I think it does a great job explaining how the archeology museum shows how Spain has grown and the history of Spain. I love when you describe the different civilizations that contributed to Spain.
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ReplyDeleteOne thing you touched on was there was a diverse representation of items in the museum. I think this is important because to have a strong culture you need diverse people and ideas that contribute to its uniqueness. The archeology museum is a great place to show people through objects how this as was consistent on Spain’s history.
ReplyDeleteAnna, I love how you pointed out that the archaeological museum really had a progression of artifacts that highlighted the different time periods. The Madrid Archaeological Museum definitely strengthens Madrid’s position as a cultural capital because of the wealth of knowledge it holds inside of it regarding Spain’s history. Anyone that comes to the city can go inside and learn all they need to know about all the diverse influences in Spain!
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