history reading notes.

To simplify for myself: I learned: that the Greek library in Alexandria burnt down in Caesar's time. I learned about Vatican Vergil which represents classical style. A way to describe this would be rustic capitals, pictorial and historical book illustration. A good way to describe the illustrations would be rich colors and illusionist use of space. FUN

The classical style:
Greek library in Alexandria was destroyed during a fire during the time of Julius Ceasar (100-44 BC). 700,000 scrolls were destroyed. What has survived shows that the style was similar to comic books. Simple drawings mixed with writing.

Vatican Vergil: Earliest surviving illustrated manuscript. Created in the late 4th century AD. Rustic capital letters, wide column, framed band of color around illustrations (often red) and are the same size as the column.

Pagan subject matter. Illustrations echo wall frescoes (rich colors and illusionist space) of Pompeii.

These represents the classical style (pictorial and historical method of book illustration with rustic capitals). Characterizes late Roman book design.