02-the monuments of romeewh.ieee.org/conf/ius_2009/media/tourist pdf/the...marsh known as the...

Co

Rome for youInformation series on the City of Rome

Produced by: Cosmofilm spa - Elio de Rosa, editoreTexts: Alberto Tagliaferri, Valerio Variale

(Cultural Association Mirabilia Urbis)Editorial coordination: Emanuela BosiGraphics and page setting: Marco C. MastrolorenziTranslation edit by: Stephen Geoffrey Wheeler

Photos: C. De Santis: cover, p. 2, 13 bottom, 17, 35 left; A. Idini: p. 31, 32, 34, 35, 38 top; L. Moz-zano: p. 21, 22, 23, 24, 25; P. Soriani: p. 14, 27, 28, 36, 37, 38 bottom; Spazio Visivo: p.3, 9, 10 right, 11, 12, 13 top, 15 bottom, 16, 18, 19 top; Archivio Cosmofilm: p. 10 left,15 top, 19 bottom. Drawings on p. 8, 20, 29 by P. Pinchera for Mirabilia Urbis

On the cover, Temple of Vespasian in the Roman ForumOn this page, Columns of the Temple of Mars Ultor in the Forum of Augustus

02-The Monuments of Rome 20-03-2007 16:55 Pagina 2

• The Roman Forum 81. The west area 92. The east area 143. Walking, walking… 19

• The Colosseum area 204. The Arch of Constantine 215. Walking, walking… 226. The Flavian Amphitheatre (or Colosseum) 237. Walking, walking… 26

• The Imperial Forums 298. The Temple (or Forum) of Peace 309. The Forum of Nerva (or Forum Transitorium) 31

10. The Forum of Augustus 3211. Trajan’s Forum 3312. Walking, walking… 36

Monumental RomeFrom Via dei Fori Imperiali to the Colosseum

The Curia

Comune di RomaTurismo

Walks in Rome


Stampa: GRAFICA PONTINA - Pomezia - ord. n. 12564 del 3-6-09 (c. 10.000)

A view of the Roman Forum looking towards the Capitoline Hill in an 18th century engrav-ing by G. Vasi. The Forum area had not yet been excavated, and it was used for grazing cattle.

The Colosseum and Arch of Constantine in a 17th century engraving by L. Cruyl. The mon-uments are viewed for the area of the Temple of Venus and Rome, which was then coveredin orchards and vegetable gardens.


PresentationM

onumental Rom

e

5


The Roman academic Silvio Negro maintai-ned that in order to know Rome, a “lifetimewas not enough”.

When faced with a history that is as eventfulas Rome’s, it is difficult to appraise it even intobrick thick guides, still we decided to offer a seriesof encompassing pocketbook volumes that anycurious tourist may carry with them during theirvisit.

The “Walks in Rome” series offers routeswithin the city’s great web of must-see sites andmonuments. Each publication has chosen a gui-ding theme allowing you to follow a path through,to mention a few, “Monumental Rome” (via deiFori Imperiali and the Colosseum) or “TheDawning of Christian Rome” (The Basilicas of St.Johns in the Lateran and the Holy Cross inJerusalem) or even enjoy the most earthly Rome“A virtual film set” (via Veneto and surroundings).

So, even if a lifetime is not enough, you mightas well start.

Tourism OfficeRome Municipal Council

Map

6

Key1. The west area of the Roman Forum2. The east area of the Roman Forum3. Walking, walking…4. The Arch of Constantine5. Walking, walking…6. The Flavian Amphitheatre (or Colosseum)7. Walking, walking…8. The Temple (or Forum) of Peace9. The Forum of Nerva (or Forum Transitorium)

10. The Forum of Augustus11. Trajan’s Forum12. Walking, walking…

1

2

1112

8

10

9


Map

7

2

3

7

4

5

6


The valley in which the RomanForum came into existence wasformed by the Tiber’s erosion

of the sides of the volcanic lava whichconstitutes the base of the seven hills.The lower part of this basin, stretchingroughly from the central area almost asfar as to the river, was occupied by amarsh known as the Velabrum. On theedge of this marsh, at the foot of thePalatine, rose some of Rome’s most an-cient monuments, such as the Regia,seat of the ancient kings. Towards theend of the 6th century BC, under theTarquin dynasty, the valley was re-claimed and the waters drained intothe Tiber down a sewer, the CloacaMaxima. The area was now ready foruse by the tribes who were already liv-ing on the surrounding hills, providingthem with a place to meet, exchangegoods and carry out the main activitiesof daily life. Thus the Roman Forum wasborn, and it was to be the centre stageof Roman history throughout the peri-od of the Republic, right down to the1st century AD. The Re-publican build-

ings mirrored changes in the politicalinstitutions. First came the great tem-ples of the 5th and 4th centuries, repre-senting the city’s extraordinary impor-tance right from the start of its history.Basilicas were constructed from the3rd century onwards, buildings whichserved to provide citizens with a cov-ered area for business and assembly asan alternative to open areas. The earli-est were the Basilica Porcia and theBasilica Sempronia, later to be substi-tuted by the Basilica Aemilia and theBasilica Julia. The Imperial period,from the reign of Augustus onwards,saw the definitive transformation ofthe entire area into a monumentalsquare which served a strictly com-memorative purpose, adorned in opu-lent marble but by now deprived of itshistoricfunctions.

2ndw

alk

8

…the walkbegins...

The Roman Forum

The valley of the Roman Forum in the Imperial Age: a) Curia Julia - b) Basilica Aemil-ia - c) Basilica Julia - d) Temple of Castor and Pollux - e) Temple of Divus Julius - f)Temple of Romulus - g) Basilica of Maxentius - h) Temple of Venus and Rome

a

b

c

de

f

g

h


Monum

ental Rome

9

Our walk begins in Via dei ForiImperiali. Coming from PiazzaVenezia, the entrance to the

archeological area of the Roman Fo-rum is on the right. We go throughthe gate and follow the short rampdown the left side of the Temple ofAntoninus and Faustina; on the rightis the area of the Basilica Aemilia, builtat the expense of the gens Aemilia(Aemilii clan), from which it took itsname. It was built by the censors Mar-cus Aemilius Lepidus and Marcus Ful-vius Nobilior in 179 BC. The south fa-cade of the basilica, looking towardsthe Forum Square and the SacredWay, featured a two-storey colon-nade of piers decorated with en-gaged columns. Below the porticus ofthe basilica was a series of tabernae,leading to the offices of theargentarii, or money changers. En-trance to the basilica was via three en-trances on the long side of the build-ing. The huge interior was divided in-to four aisles: a main central one, twosmaller ones to the

north and another to the south.Following the paved Sacred Way,the most important street in AncientRome, which traverses the whole ofthe Forum area, we come to the westside of the Basilica Aemilia and whatremains of the ancient Shrine ofVenus Cloacina: its circular marblebase. The shrine consisted of aprecinct surrounded by a low wall,containing the statues of the god-desses Cloacina and Venus. It was animperial-age reconstruction of a veryancient building erected at the pointwhere the Cloaca Maxima enteredthe square.In the same area, at the meeting pointof the Via Sacra and the Argiletum,the road which led to the crowdedSuburra neighbourhood, are the re-mains of a small brick building whichhas been identified as the Temple ofJanus, a double-faced god who wasthe patron di-

1. The west area

The Basilica Aemilia


vinity of transition, of the beginningand end of all things.The temple must have been square inshape, and it featured two doors,which were kept closed in time ofpeace and open in time of war.In front of the Arch of SeptimiusSeverus, in an area marked off by arail, are the remains of what is knownas the Lapis Niger (black stone), asegment of black marble paving sur-rounded by the remaining fragmentsof slabs of white marble. In additionto an altar, 1899 excavations beneaththe paving also revealed a stele bear-ing an inscription in archaic Latin curs-ing anyone who profaned the place,which was reserved for the ritual sac-rifices carried out by the king. Thesmall sanctuary can therefore be dat-ed to the 6th century BC and mayhave marked the site of the mythicaldeath of Romulus, whom legend hasit was killed near the Volcanal, an an-cient temple to Vulcan. Together withthe courts and other buildings, theLapis Niger formed part of the ancientarea of the Comitium, the politicalheart of the city, where the peoplemet in assembly and where the publiccrier announced the times of midday

and sunset. On one side of the Comi-tium was the Graecostasis, a platformfrom which overseas ambassadorsmade their addresses, generally inGreek. Another space contained theRostra, a platform decorated with theprow-heads (rostra) taken from ene-my ships, from which orators ha-rangued the people. The Comitiumwas entirely redesigned during Cae-sar and Augustus’s reworkings of theForum, after which it no longer servedthe traditional political function it hadunder the Republican order.Caesar embarked upon his ambitioustransformations of the political areaof the Forum in 54 BC. The old SenateHouse, the Curia Hostilia, was closedand converted into a temple, and thenew Curia was erected where it stillstands today, to the right of the LapisNiger, in between the Roman Forumand the one which Caesar had builtnext to it. The large brick building wasinaugurated by Augustus in 29 BCand underwent several restorationsover the course of time, the last ofwhich was effected under the princi-pate of Diocletian. Planned according to Vitruvian speci-fications, the building is rectangular

2ndw

alk

10

Arch of Septimius Severus Temple of Saturn


Monum

ental Rome

11

in form, with four piers at the cornersand a pitched roof. The lower half ofthe outer walls was clad in marbleslabs, above which was an stone-work effect in plaster. The facade fea-tured three large windows and a por-tal on which were mounted the doorswhich were subsequently transferredto the main door of S. Giovanni in Lat-erano. Even the Rostra were moved:the platform became a proper stage,from which the politician, no longerhaving to worry about obtaining anelectorate’s consensus, performedwith his retinue in front of the crowd.Continuing in the direction of theCapitoline Hill, we come to the Archof Septimius Severus. This emperorof African origin immortalized therecord of his exploits in the field

against the Parthians with the con-struction of a grand triumphal arch in203. The monument, which is about21 metres high, was topped by abronze quadriga and statues of theleader and his sons, Caracalla and Ge-ta. When Caracalla killed his brotherin 211, with a view to becoming thesole heir to the throne, all referencesto Geta were obliterated from theconstruction.On the right after the arch is the monu-mental platform of the Temple ofConcord, of which a few architecturalfragments are left. It was built by FuriusCamillus in 367 BC in order to com-memorate the resolution of the strug-gles between patrician and plebeianswith the approval of Licinius Sextius’slegislation and the consequent exten-

Area of the Lapis Niger


sion of political entitlements. Underthe reign of Tiberius it became a sort ofmuseum of Greek art.The three columns forming an angleto the left of the platform of the Tem-ple of Peace, which feature Corinthiancapitals and a section of entablature,are more recent, dating back to theFlavian dynasty. These are the remainsof the Temple of Vespasian, whichDomitian subsequently also dedicatedto Titus. Restored under SeptimiusSeverus and Caracalla, the templestood on a platform, was 33 metreslong and 22 metres wide, and had apronaos with six Corinthian columnson the front and two on the sides.Further to the left stand the imposingruins of the Temple of Saturn, whichwas located near the ancient Volcanal.Built in 498 BC and dedicated to thegod who founded the first village onthe Capitoline Hill, it was the first ma-jor construction of the Republican

Age. Because Saturn was alsothe god of the mythical

Golden Age, the plat-form of the tem-

ple containedthe Aerar-

ium,

where the state treasury was kept. Thetemple formed the starting point ofthe Clivus Capitolinus, the laststretch of the Sacred Way, trodden inancient times by the processions of tri-umphant generals on their way up tothe Temple of Capitoline Jupiter. Todaythe high podium of the Temple of Sat-urn can still be admired, along with itseight granite columns and their Ioniccapitals, dating back to reconstruc-tions in the 3rd century AD. There isstill an inscription on the frieze com-memorating the restoration, and theeast facade of the podium, looking to-wards the square, contains a series ofholes used for hanging the great panelupon which acts and documents ofstate were exhibited.On the slopes of the Capitoline Hill theremains may be seen of the last greattemple dedicated to the pagan tradi-tion: what is known as the PorticusDeorum Consentium, referring topairs of Greek gods who were ab-sorbed into the Roman religion. Behindthe porticus, which consists of two linesof columns meeting at an obtuse an-gle, is a row of double chambers whichcontained the sacred images. Afterrestoration in the Flavian Age the build-ing was rebuilt by the prefect VettiusAgorius Praetextatus in 367.

We return to the Forum

2ndw

alk

12The Porticus Deorum Consentium


Square. In front of the right corner ofthe Rostra is the base of a columnerected in 303 in order to celebratethe tenth anniversary of the Tetrarchy,the subdivision of the empire into fourareas according to Diocletian’s wishes.The base is decorated with carvings inlow relief depicting winged victories,barbarian prisoners and the traditionalsacrifice of the pig, the ram and thebull. In the area behind the base theancient travertine paving of the Forumis partially visible. This was undertakenby the praetor Lucius Naevius Sordinusin 14 BC according to Augustus’swishes. The last monument to beerected in the square was the Columnof Phocas. Mounted on a steppedbase, it still bears part of its inscriptionin honour of the Byzantine emperorPhocas, whose statue has been lost.The column was dedicated to the em-peror in 608 by the Church of Rome ingratitude for the donation of thePantheon, which then became thechurch of S. Maria ad Martyres.Caesar rounded off the Forum areaon the south side with the construc-tion of the BasilicaJulia. In order to dothis he demolished

the pre-existing Basilica Semproniaput up by Tiberius Sempronius Grac-chus, father of brothers Tiberius andGaius, the famous tribunes of thepeople. Now only the large platform,the steps and the bases of some ofthe piers remain of this large building,which measured 101 metres by 49and was divided into five aisles, andwas used to hear cases regardingquestions of inheritance. Some tabu-lae lusoriae have been found carvedon the surface of the steps surround-ing the basilica. Similar to chessboards, these were perhaps used bythose who sat to await their turn in

court.

Monum

ental Rome

13The Forum Square and, in the centre, the Column of Phocas

Basilica Julia, detail of chess board carvedon one of its steps


In 29 BC Augustus dedicated a tem-ple to Julius Caesar, the first Romancitizen to be deified. What is left of

the Temple of Divus Julius is locatedon the east side of the Forum, wherethe dictator’s body was cremated: themassive core of the podium, in con-crete, with a semi-circular area in thecentre containing a circular altar. Inthe same year Augustus erected a sin-gle-doored arch in order to celebratehis victory at Actium. Ten years later,in 19 BC, the arch was replaced by an-other more imposing one, with threedoors, commemorating the policy ofnegotiations initiated by Augustuswith regard to the Parthians. Remains

of its central pylons may still be seento the south of the Temple of Caesar,and fragments of decoration attrib-uted to what was known as the Parth-ic Arch have been found close by.To the right of the Temple of Caesarare the remains of the Temple ofCastor and Pollux. Theirs was aGreek cult introduced to Rome bythe aristocratic class. The temple wasput up in 484 BC by the son of AulusPostumius, victor in the Battle ofLake Regillus in 499 BC. The last ofits many reconstructions was that ofTiberius in 6 AD, of which three ma-jestic columns survive in fluted Pari-an marble with large Corinthian cap-itals, mounted on a tall podium.Behind the Temple of Castor and Pol-lux is the church of S. Maria Anti-qua, a 6th century conversion of thelarge vestibule of the imperialpalaces. The church, which acquiredits epithet after the construction ofS. Maria Nova (now S. Francesca Ro-mana), was built with three aislesand an apse in the back wall. It wasdecorated with frescoes betweenthe 6th and the 9th centuries, andabandoned in the 9th century due tothe damage caused by a series ofearthquakes.The Spring of Juturna, or Lacus Iu-turnae, was the spring which provid-ed the ancient nucleus of the citywith water. It was here, according tolegend, that Castor and Polluxstopped to water their steeds andbroke the news of the Roman victoryat Lake Regillus.Nowadays the spring consists of abasin located between the Temple of

2ndw

alk

14

2. The east area

Columns of the Temple of Castor and Pollux


Vesta and that of Castor and Pollux,with a pedestal in the centre whichonce supported the marble sculptureof the twin gods. Near the spring

stood the head office of the StatioAquarum, or Water Board, after itwas moved here from the CampusMartius in 328.

Monum

ental Rome

15The Temple of Vesta

S. Maria Antiqua, overall view of decoration of left wall


The circular Temple of Vesta, whichis surrounded by 20 Corinthiancolumns, was restored in 1930 andnow features a reconstructed sectionin which the original fragments,which date back to the period ofSeptimius Severus, have been incor-porated into the modern travertineused in the reconstruction. The tem-ple probably had a conical roof witha central opening to allow the smokefrom the sacred fire to escape. Be-hind the temple, on the east side, isthe entrance to the House of theVestals. In its earliest form, theHouse of the Vestals consisted of sixparallel rooms, reserved for thepriestesses, which opened onto acourtyard built on a precise N-S, E-Walignment. Reconstructions in thereigns of Trajan and SeptimiusSeverus resulted in a building de-signed around a vast inner courtyard69 metres long.The Regia, or Royal Palace, is deeplyrooted in the monarchical period. It’sruins can be seen be-hind the podium of theTemple of DivusJulius. According totradition, it wasfounded byRome’s secondking, NumaPompilius,

and served as official residence ofthe king. In Republican times the lat-ter figure was substituted by the RexSacrorum and the Pontifex Maximus.One of the rooms contained the an-cilia, the sacred shields borne in pro-cession by the Salii priests.The monumental Temple of Antoni-nus and Faustina was dedicated toAntoninus Pius and his wife Faustinathe Elder. It faces onto the north-eastside of the Forum, next to the visitors’entrance ramp. The temple demon-strates the definitive triumph of thecult of the emperor-god and there-fore of the divinity of the State, whichwas identified primarily in the personof the emperor. In the middle of themodern stairway is the brick core ofthe ancient altar, and the temple’spronaos features ten marblecolumns, seventeen metres tall andtopped with Corinthian capitals,brought from the quarries of the Is-land of Euboea. Inside the pronaos isthe facade of the church of S. Lorenzo

in Miranda, which was once atstreet level, prior to 19th centu-

ry excavation of the Forum.Certain grooves chiselled in-

to the columns for the pur-

2ndw

alk

The Temple of Antoninus and Faustina16


Monum

ental Rome

17

pose of holding ropes point to an at-tempt to demolish the building in or-der to recycle and sell off its buildingmaterials. The construction of thechurch of S. Lorenzo in Miranda sub-sequently preserved the colonnadefrom any further attempts at demoli-tion. The church was first built aroundthe 8th century. It was bestowed tothe University of Spicers and Aromati-cians by Pope Martin V and now be-longs to the Noble Chemical-Pharma-ceutical College. In the early 17thcentury it was rebuilt according to thedesign of Orazio Torriani, who incor-porated the elegant facade into thepronaos of the Temple of Antoninusand Faustina, thus creating one of themost emblematic monuments toRome’s ability to wed ancient andmodern. To the right of the templepodium some grassy patches markout the positions of the thirty-oddsunken and shallow graves whichformed part of the archaic cemeterydiscovered in 1902. The site was usedby the inhabitants of the Palatine andhas yielded material dating from the10th to the 8th centuries BC.

Along the Sacred Way a building onthe left commemorates Maxentiusand - in particular - his son Romulus,who died in infancy in 309 and wasdeified by his father. This is the so-called Temple of Romulus: circularin plan and topped by a dome, itboasts a slightly concave front deco-rated with niches for statues, whilenext to the original bronze door aretwo red porphyry columns with mar-ble capitals. Some scholars identifythe monument as the Temple of thePenates, moved here to make way forthe erection of the Basilica of Maxen-tius. Here the Sacred Way climbssomewhat. A turning on the left takesus to a large open area dominated bywhat remains of the Basilica of Max-entius. This was the emperor whostarted to build the gigantic basilica,which is divided into three aisles byfour colossal piers and topped withbarrel vaults, on the high ground ofthe Velia. The central nave was 80metres long and 25 wide, achieving amaximum height of 35 metres. It wascovered by three cross-vaults, restingon eight fluted columns of Procon-

The Basilica of Maxentius


nesian marble, the last of which wastaken by Pope Paul V Borghese in1613 as a support for the statue ofthe Madonna in Piazza S. Maria Mag-giore. Access to the basilica was viathe east side, and the west side termi-nated in a deep apse. The remains ofthe colossal statue of Constantinewere discovered in 15th century exca-vations: the head is 2.6 metres highand is kept, together with other frag-ments, in the courtyard of the Palazzodei Conservatori on the CapitolineHill. Maxentius himself never saw thefinished project: it was completed af-ter the Battle of the Milvian Bridge bythe victor of the en-counter.

The two side aisles consisted of threeintercommunicating areas surmount-ed by imposing barrel vaults, whichwere decorated with coffering and il-luminated by large windows. The re-mains still visible are of the right aisle. If we return to the Sacred Way andcontinue our ascent, we come to theArch of Titus. The arch, which wasdedicated to Titus by his brotherDomitian, has a single passage and itstwo facades feature couples of en-gaged columns with composite capi-tals. The keystones of the arch depictthe Personification of Rome on theeast side and the Genius of the Ro-man People on the west side. Thespandrels feature winged victoriescarrying banners. On the east side arethe remains of a frieze in low relief de-

picting the triumphal processiongranted to Vespasian and Ti-

tus after their victory inthe Jewish War in70 AD and the cap-ture of Jerusalem.The two carvedpanels located in-side the door alsorefer to this tri-umph: on thesouth side, theprocession of thelegionaries bear-ing the treasurespillaged from theTemple of

2ndw

alk

18Arch of Titus, west side


Monum

ental Rome

Solomon (the menorah, the sacredseven-branched candlestick, and thesilver trumpets), and on the otherside, another panel with Titus on thetriumphal four-horse chariot, preced-ed by the lictors’ fasces, while thegoddess Rome leads the horses by thebridle and a winged victory crownsthe victor. This is followed by the to-ga-clad personification of the Senateand a bare-breasted personification ofthe Roman people. In the centre of thevault is a smaller panel featuring Titusbeing borne into the sky on an eagle.In the Middle Ages the arch formedpart of the fortification wall built in thearea by the Frangipane family, and it

was only in 1822 that it was disen-gaged and restored by Valadier.

If we descend theSacred Way in thedirection of the

Colosseum valley, wecome, on the left, to one ofthe apses, a few columns and thesubstructures of the Temple of Venusand Rome, built by the emperorHadrian. Together with the Templeof Serapis on the Quirinal, this wasthe biggest in the whole of AncientRome, with a podium measuring 145metres long and 100 metres wide.This long platform was lined withporticoes with tall granite columnson its long sides. There were twoshort staircases at either end on theColosseum side, and a large flight ofsteps descended the podium in thedirection of the Roman Forum. Thetemple, surrounded by steps, wasperipteral, ie it had a row of columnsaround all four sides, in line with thetraditional models of Greek architec-ture favoured by the emperor. The in-terior consisted of two chambers withback-to-back apses: the east one con-tained the statue of the GoddessRome and the west one, looking to-

wards the Colosseum,that of Venus. Thechamber looking to-

wards the Forum is wellpreserved: it used to form

part of the convent of S. FrancescaRomana and it is now annexed to theSoprintendenza Archeologica di Ro-ma and the Forum Antiquarium. Con-tinuing along the Sacred Way, wecome to the Colosseum Valley.

3. Walking,walking...

19

The chamber dedicated to Venus in theTemple of Venus and Rome

The Sacred Way towards the Arch of Titus


2ndw

alk

20

The area now occupied by theColosseum was, in Nero’stime, the point around which

the whole of his Domus Aurea com-plex was articulated. The placewhere the Colosseum now standswas occupied by an artificial lakewhich was drained after the emper-or’s death to allow for the construc-tion of the grand new monument.This was brought about by the fusionof blueprints for two theatres, result-ing in an elliptical building designedto host spectacles of wild animalhunts (venationes) and gladiatorfights (munera, lit. dutiful gifts). Itsactual name was the Flavian Am-phitheatre, because it was built bythe Flavian emperors, and it only be-came known as the Colosseum inlate medieval times, probably inmemory of the colossal statue of theemperor Nero whichstood nearby.The

Colosseum is, of course, not only thelargest amphitheatre and undoubt-edly the greatest monument in theRoman world, but also the very sym-bol of Rome and her immortality.According to a 7th century prophe-cy by the Anglo-Saxon monk Bede:“As long as the Colosseum exists, sowill Rome, and when the Colosseumfalls, Rome too will fall; and whenRome falls, so will the world”.Besides the statue of Nero, theColosseum valley also contained thespring known as the Meta Sudansand the famous Arch of Constan-tine, which was a sort of “swan song”of pagan architecture. Assembled in315 using pieces recycled from earli-er monuments, it was followed bythe construction of the first Christ-ian churches in the same years.

…continuingthe walk...

The Colosseum area

The Colosseum valley: a) Colosseum - b) Arch of Constantine - c) Meta Sudans - d)Colossus of Nero - e) Temple of Venus and Rome - f) Trajan’s Baths

a

bc

de

f


Next to the Colosseum is themost famous of all the ancientarches of Rome. Started in 312

to celebrate the victory of Constan-tine at the Milvian Bridge, it was com-pleted in 315 in time to mark thetenth anniversary of the reign of Con-stantine, who had become tetrarch inBritannia in 305. The arch has threeopenings, the middle one bigger thanthe side ones, and it was approachedup a stairway, now no longer visible.In order to accelerate its completion,it was decorated on its facades, in theattic and inside the central archway,with works of art taken from otherRoman monuments which may al-

ready have been abandoned. The at-tic contains the followinginscription: “To the emperor FlaviusConstantine, the Great, pious andfortunate, the Senate and People ofRome dedicated this arch to mark histriumphs, because by divine inspira-tion and his own great spirit he simul-taneously freed the State from thetyrant and from all factions”. Over theside arches run the six sections of thefrieze in low relief which tells the storyof his military campaign against Max-entius, from his departure from Milanto his arrival in Rome, the only deco-ration undertaken especially for theoccasion. On top of this continuous

Monum

ental Rome

4. The Arch of Constantine

The Arch of Constantine21


panel relief, the small archways fea-ture carved roundels dating back to

the period of Hadrian and originallydepicting the latter, which

were reworked in order tomake Constantine thenew protagonist of thescenes. On either sideof the inscription on theattic were reworkedpanels, over three me-tres in height, whichprobably came from an

arch erected in honourof Marcus Aurelius by his

son Commodus. These re-fer to the military campaigns

which the philosopher-emperorconducted against the Quadi and theMarcomanni. Other low-relief carv-ings and statues of Dacian prisonersoriginate from the area of the Forumof Trajan.

22 Carvings of the exploits of Marcus Aurelius: left, distribution of money; right, the emperorin front of the triumphal gate

2ndw

alk

Side roundel portraying god Apollo on sunchariot


Monum

ental Rome

23

Between theArch of Con-stantine and

the Colosseum wecome upon the remains ofthe foundations of what wasknown as the Meta Sudans. Thiswas a monumental fountain in theshape of the trunk of a cone, fromwhich water flowed as if it wassweating. Its brick core surviveduntil 1936, when it was demolishedto make way for the Fascist militaryparades which took place in thearea of the Arch of Constantine.The fountain was located at themeeting point of four of the four-teen wards into which ImperialRome was divided. It was referredto as meta (limit) because it wasbuilt on the site of one of the stelaimarking the boundaries of Romu-lus’s primitive city.

If we follow the an-cient street pavingwhich runs along-

side the area of theMeta Sudans, we pass by

a large raised area of grass plant-ed with a group of holm oakswhich precisely marks the area ofthe base of the colossal statue ofNero. The statue, which wascarved by the Greek sculptor Zen-odorus, was over thirty metreshigh and remained over the cen-turies the largest bronze statueever cast. Nero had himself por-trayed with the radiate features ofthe sun-god Sol. During Hadri-an’s reign the statue was movedfrom the crest of the Velia to theplace marked by the currentgrassy patch, in order to makeroom for the building of the Tem-ple of Venus and Rome.


The circular base of the Meta Sudans in front of the Arch of Constantine


Originally occupied, as wehave seen, by the artificiallake of Nero’s Domus Aurea,

the area of the Colosseum was re-stored to the public domain by theemperors of the Flavian dynasty.Vespasian was the first emperor totackle the construction of the build-ing, and in the years 72-79 it rose totwo-thirds its final height. It was in-

augurated by Ves-pasian’sson Titus

in 80 AD, with a series of spectacleslasting a hundred days, which sawthe slaughtering of over five thou-sand wild beasts. Domitian, Titus’sbrother, also contributed to thebuilding’s construction, decoratingit usque ad clypea, ie right up to itscrowning with bronze shield motifs.A retractable canopy was also in-stalled, manned by a special crew ofsailors, in order to furnish the seat-ing area with shade. Renouncingthe possibili-

2ndw

alk

24

6. The Flavian Amphitheatre,or Colosseum

The subterranean areas of the Flavian Amphitheatre


Monum

ental Rome

25

ty of flooding the arena, an under-ground system of passageways wascreated with equipment for facili-tating the rapid succession of ani-mals and scenes. The amphitheatrewas repeatedly stricken by earth-quakes and fires and was repairedmany times over the years. In 523 ithosted its last wild beast hunt. Inthe Middle Ages it was convertedinto a fortress, by the Frangipaneand then the Annibaldi families.The monument’s decline accelerat-ed after the 1349 earthquake,when the materials in marble,bronze and iron started to bestripped systematically. For cen-turies the Colosseum became noth-

Erroneous reconstruction of the sector re-served for senators

Subterranean parts of the Flavian Amphitheatre: the east entrance, connected to the gladi-ators’ barracks, the Ludus Magnus


ing but a city quarry. In order to saveit, Pope Benedict XIV pronounced ita holy place in 1744 due to theblood spilt by the martyrs, andplaced around the arena 14aedicules of the Via Crucis, whichwere later removed in 1874. Therestoration of the monument beganin the 19th century, but its conditiononly improved notably after 1870.The amphitheatre is elliptical inplan, measuring 188 metres by 156,and travertine was used for the ex-terior and load-bearing parts. Thecavea, which seated a public of asmany as 50,000, was planned withparticular care, with the seatingrows plotted on radial walls, inclin-ing at about 37 degrees. At the bot-tom and middle levels the seatingrows were of marble, as these werethe places taken up by the most im-portant spectators, while in the up-per section of the cavea the struc-tures were of wood. Rationalizedsystems of access and numberedentrances facilitated the rapid tran-

sition of spectators. The imperialfamily and the highest-rankingstate officials enjoyed the use of en-trance passages especially designedfor retinues, with no steps or longdiversions.The architectural structure of thebuilding was of three orders, eachwith eighty archways, framed byengaged columns set in the middleof piers. The lowest order was in theTuscan style, the middle one Ionic,and the upper one Corinthian. Theattic contained windows which, inancient times, alternated withbronze shields. Two thirds of theway up the attic we can still see thelarge stone brackets which held themasts used to hoist the canopy. Theunderground sectors included stor-age areas, lifts, ramps, trapdoors,cages for the wild beasts and vari-ous facilities. There was also an un-derground passageway via whichcombatants might reach the am-phitheatre from the nearby gladia-torial barracks, the Ludus Magnus.

2ndw

alk

Leaving theColosseumbehind us, we

enter the left side ofVia dei Fori Imperiali.The Via del Impero was created be-tween 1924 and 1936, with the de-struction of the dense carpet ofbuildings which stretched from Pi-azza Venezia to the Colosseum.Since the end of the Second WorldWar it has been referred to by itspresent name. The annual paradeof the armed forces takes placedown this road every year on 2ndJune, to mark the Anniversary ofthe Republic.

If we continue downthe left side of theroad and up the Cli-

vo di Venere Felice wesoon reach the church of

S. Maria Nova, better known to Ro-mans as S. Francesca Romana. Itwas here, at this point on the Velia,that there rose an older, smallerchurch, which Pope Paul I dedicat-ed to Saints Peter and Paul at thevery spot where Simon Magus is re-puted to have fallen after a magicflight undertaken as a public chal-lenge to St Peter. Indeed, thechurch preserves the silicesapostolici, flagstones which are sup-


26


posed to bear the imprint of kneesleft by the apostle Peter when heknelt to pray to God for the punish-ment of Simon Magus. The churchis referred to as Nova because it wasbuilt to replace the church of S.Maria Antiqua, rendered unviableby the frequent flooding of theTiber, towards the end of the 10thcentury. It is where S. Francesca Ro-mana and her followers becameOblates in 1425. After 1870, part ofthe convent passed to the demesne,and it is now used as headquartersof the Archeological Superinten-dency of Rome and Forum Anti-quarium. The travertine facade wasexecuted in 1615 by Carlo Lombar-di. At the highest point of the fa-cade are five statues of saints, in-cluding one of the titular saint.Next to the church stands the 12thcentury Romanesque campanile,which rises to five storeys, the topthree of which are decorated withtwo-leaved windows: at the top is aMarian niche decorated by a pair ofsmall columns. The interior of thechurch features a single nave andremains of the original Cos-matesque paving, which has been

partly restored. The confessio, byGian Lorenzo Bernini, contains theremains of the saint, which werebrought here from Tor de’ Specchi.In the basin of the apse is a 12thcentury mosaic featuring theMadonna enthroned flanked bySaints James, John, Peter and An-drew.Back on Via dei Fori Imperiali, wecome to a stretch of wall on our leftbearing four marble panels docu-menting the extent of the con-quests of Ancient Rome, from thereign of the seven kings up to thatof Trajan, under whom the empireexpanded to its maximum size be-tween 98 and 117. A little furtheron, we come to the church of SS.Cosma e Damiano, which Pope Fe-lix IV had built inside the Templeof Romulus in the 6th century.Cosmas and Damian were twobrothers, both doctors, who weremartyred under Diocletian andwere much venerated in Byzan-tium. Of all the renovations whichthe church has undergone, themost important was that under Ur-ban VIII in 1632, when the floorwas raised by seven metres, trans-

27

Via dei Fori Imperiali

Monum

ental Rome


forming the Temple of Romulusinto a sort of crypt. Of particularinterest is the wall to the left of theentrance to the church, whichbears the regularly spaced holeswhich once contained the bronzehinges which supported the mar-ble panels of the Forma Urbis, the

map of Rome carved inthe reign of SeptimiusSeverus. Of particular inter-est in the interior of thechurch is a splendid 6th cen-tury apsidal mosaic, whichfeatures Christ in betweenSaints Peter, Paul, Cosmasand Damian, accompaniedby Saint Theodore and PopeFelix IV. On the triumphalarch is the Mystic Lamb sur-rounded by seven candle-sticks, angels, the symbols ofthe Evangelists and the 24 El-ders of the Apocalypse.Since 1939 the basilica hasalso conserved an 18th-cen-tury Neapolitan presepio.

Exiting the church and return-ing to Largo della Salara Vecchia,we cross over to the right side ofVia dei Fori Imperiali and thencross Via Cavour at the pedestriancrossing. On our left extends thearea of what is left of the ImperialForums.

SS. Cosma e Damiano, facade and wall onwhich Forma Urbis was hung

SS. Cosma e Damiano, apsidal mosaic: Christ at his Second Coming amid Saints Peterand Paul and Cosmas, Damian and Theodore and Pope Felix IV; below, the twelve lambs28

2ndw

alk


Monum

ental Rome

29

By the end of the Republican peri-od the ancient Roman Forumwas no longer big enough to car-

ry out all those functions – political, re-ligious, administrative and representa-tive – which up until then had made itthe engine of the city. Rome was nowthe centre of a considerable empire andit needed a project for extending theForum area. The most suitable area forthis purpose was identified in the broadflat area located to the north-west of theold square. This had for centuries beenan intricate labyrinth of winding streets,shops and street markets. Julius Caesarwas the first to build in this area, withCaesar’s Forum, which was to become akind of prototype for the Imperial Fo-rums. Augustus followed suit, addinganother forum at right-angles to that ofhis predecessor, penetrating deep intothe heart of the Suburra. Then it befellVespasian to construct the grand com-plex of the Temple of Peace, further tothe south, in celebration of his con-quest of Judaea. This, in practice, tookon all the functions of a public square. Asmall space re-mained be-tween this andthe earlier Fo-rum of Augus-tus, whichDomitian usedto build whatwas known as the

“Forum Transitorium”, later completedby his successor Nerva, from whom itthen took its name. When Trajan acced-ed to power there was no longer anyarea big enough to contain a forumworthy of his conquests, which is why hedecided to level off the saddle of landjoining the Capitoline to the Quirinal,in order to create the necessary space toundertake what is by far the biggest andmost spectacular of all the Imperial Fo-rums. With this operation Trajan alsoconnected the ancient city, which hadgrown up inside the circle of the sevenhills, with its more recent part, whichstood on the outer plain of the Field ofMars. The greatest project of city and ar-chitectural redevelopment in ancienttimes was therefore completed in lessthan a hundred and fifty years, and themain commercial and economic func-tions of the ancient Forum came to adecisive end. With the building of a se-ries of large squares surrounded by por-ticoes and featuring temples, basilicasand other buildings, the city acquired anew political, administrative, judicialand monumental centre. The RomanForum was inevitably cut off from allthis, and hence served only to record

the historical memory of theorigins of the city and

its earliestevents.

…continuingthe walk...

The Imperial Forums

The Imperial Forums: a) Tra-jan’s Forum; b) Caesar’s Forum; c)Augustus’s Forum; d) Forum of Nerva;e) Forum of Peace

a

bc

de


The first of the Imperial Forumsthat one comes to when arrivingfrom the Colosseum is actually

the least visible, in so far as its remainsare almost completely buried underthe road surface. Only a small part ofit, currently still under excavation, canbe seen in the area between thechurch of SS. Cosma e Damiano andLargo della Salara Vecchia.Under the emperor Vespasian, fatherof Titus and Domitian and founder ofthe Flavian dynasty, construction be-gan of an enormous area occupied bygardens and surrounded by a quadri-

porticus. This monumental square,one of the most beautiful in AncientRome, was dominated by the pres-ence of the temple dedicated toPeace, from which the entire archi-tectural complex, known as the Tem-plum Pacis and later as the Forum ofPeace, derived its name. The templewas built to celebrate the conquest ofJerusalem in 70 AD, and tradition hasit that its inner chamber containedobjects sacred to the Jewish religion,including the famous menorah, orseven-branched candlestick, in addi-tion to several works of Greek art.

2ndw

alk

30

8. The Temple, or Forum, of Peace

9. The Forum of Nerva, or ForumTransitorium

DDomitian, the last of the Fla-vians, had a monumental forumof his own built in the area still

free between the Temple of Peace, theForum of Augustus, Caesar’s Forumand the north-east side of the RomanForum. This was a grand square, longand narrow, decorated with columnswhich formed a pseudo-porticus andbore reliefs perhaps connected to themyth of Arachne, of which a sectionsurvives bearing the figure of Minervaand scenes of women’s tasks. Beloware two columns which, over the cen-turies, became known as the Colon-nacce (ugly columns). At the bottomwas a temple dedicated to the goddess

Minerva, of whom Domitian was aparticularly fervent devotee, of whichthe podium remains, uncovered dur-ing excavations in the 1930s. Thecolumns and remaining marble of thetemple were used by Pope Paul V in1606 for the construction of the Ac-qua Paola fountain on the Janiculum.Inside the forum were two large stat-ues of emperors, but Domitian was un-able to complete his project as he wasassassinated in 96 AD in a palace con-spiracy. It was his successor, the elderlyemperor Nerva, who inaugurated thesquare in 97. It was known as the Fo-rum Transitorium because of the wayin which it functioned as a thorough-fare, connecting the earlier forums.


Monum

ental Rome

31

Representation of Minerva in the Forum of Nerva

The so-called Colonnacce in the Forum of Nerva


If we continue down Via dei Fori Im-periali, we may admire the forumopened in 2 BC by Augustus to en-

dorse his own political role and that ofthe Julian dynasty. The forum is sepa-rated from the surrounding inhabitedarea, just as it was in ancient timesfrom the Suburra neighbourhood, byan imposing wall in blocks of peperi-no tufa with elements in travertine,which served to protect the squarefrom the fires that were a frequent oc-currence in the popular quarters.There were two entrances in the wall:one with three openings and the oth-er with just one. The latter becameknown over the centuries as the Arcodei Pantani (Arch of the Marshes), orSaint Basil’s Marsh, because watertended to stagnate around it. Thestreet which passed under the arch,which can be seen in some early 20th

century photographs,has since been

eliminat-

ed. The two entrances led to twostairways flanking the podium of theTemple of Mars Ultor, which led upto two commemorative arches. Thepodium of the temple still stands inthe middle at the back, with a stair-way in front which led up to the altar.Each side of the temple featured eightfluted columns with Corinthian capi-tals, three of which still stand on theleft side, plus the pier at the back, andsome columns have been re-erectedon the front of of the temple. Thechamber ended in an apse which con-tained the statues of Mars, Venus andCaesar. Mars Ultor (“the avenger”)celebrated Augustus’s avenging ofthe death of Caesar with the defeatof his assassins at the battle of Philippiin 42 BC. The goddess Venus, motherof Aeneas, underlined the Julian fami-ly’s connection with the Trojan hero,from whom Augustus boasted his de-scent. Behind the statues, at the backof the apse, was a niche designed tocontain the military standards whichthe Parthians had taken from Crassus

in 53 BC in the battle

2ndw

alk

32

10. The Forum of Augustus

The Forum of Augustus


Monum

ental Rome

33

of Carrhae and which Augustus hadmanaged to get back through skilfuldiplomacy.The square was built over an area ofabout 125 metres by 118, and it fea-tured a portico with columns of Carys-tian green marble on three sides,topped off by an attic with Caryatids.The long sides of the square openedinto two large exhedras with a seriesof niches containing statues of gildedbronze, dedicated to the main charac-ters of the legendary Trojan cycle andto those of Rome’s Monarchical andRepublican history. The centre of theforum contained the statue of Augus-

tus on a triumphal quadriga. The com-plex must also have contained a colos-sal statue of the emperor, measuringabout 14 metres in height. Indeed, thefragment of the foot of a large marblestatue can still be seen at the end ofthe left portico, in a large squareroom. The head of the emperor isprobably the one now kept on theeast wall of the Cortile della Pigna inthe Vatican. We know that the roomwhich contained the colossus alsocontained panels by the famousGreek painter Apelles, which depictedthe exploits of the Macedonian leaderAlexander the Great.

11. Trajan’s Forum

Trajan entrusted the job of de-signing his monumental squareand the adjacent Markets of

Trajan to the greatest architect of thetime, Apollodorus of Damascus. Thelargest of all the Imperial Forums, itwas undertaken between 107 and113, making use of the area betweenthe Velia, the Suburra, the valley ofthe Roman Forum and the Quirinal,with the levelling off of the saddlewhich had until then joined it to theCapitoline. The forum was 300 me-tres long and 185 metres wide. En-trance was via a commemorativearch surmounted by a statue of theemperor on a quadriga. The centre ofthe square was also dominated by agigantic equestrian statue of Trajan,while the porticoed sides of the fo-

rum were adorned with statues ofDacian prisoners, some of whichwere recycled for the Arch of Con-stantine. The long sides of the squareopened into two exhedras, of whichthe one adjacent to Trajan’s Marketscan still be seen. These exhedras con-tained statues of the emperors fromthe time of Augustus onwards. Atthe bottom of the square stood theBasilica Ulpia, the largest basilica inancient history, named after the em-peror, whose full name was MarcusUlpius Traianus. At the top of thebuilding was another monumentalquadriga with Trajan, and the facadebore the standards of the imperial le-gions. On the attic, a large frieze inhigh relief narrated Trajan’s departurefor war and the salient moments of


his battles. Part of this frieze, dividedinto four panels, is used to decoratethe Arch of Constantine. The AtriumLibertatis, the Hall of Liberty, whereslaves were formally freed, was trans-ferred to one of the apses of thebasilica. Trajan’s Column is 39.83metres tall, the same height as thesaddle of land which levelled off tomake way for the building of the fo-rum. It consists of large blocks of Ital-ian Luna marble and a square basedecorated with reliefs depicting thearms of the vanquished Dacians andeagles bearing festoons. Like a kindof long papyrus, a low-relief friezecircles up the column narrating thetwo Dacian campaigns fought byTrajan in 101-102 and 105-106.The reliefs were painted in colour,as was

the custom in ancient sculpture, andthe 2,500 odd figures were equippedwith miniature arms and accou-trements. The base originally housedthe golden urn containing the em-peror’s ashes. At the top was a statueof Trajan, which disappeared in me-dieval times and was replaced in the16th century by a statue of Saint Pe-ter. The column was previouslythought to have stood between theLatin and Greek libraries. However,the traditional reconstruction of thisforum and the exact position of someof its most important constituent ele-

ments has since been cast intodoubt by more recent studies.The complex of the Mar-kets of Trajan was alsoplanned by Apollodor-us of Damascus, whoaccommodated it inthe cut in the saddlewhich had previouslyjoined the Capitoline

2ndw

alk

34Trajan’s Column and, in the foreground, the columns of the Basilica Ulpia


Monum

ental Rome

35

to the Quirinal. The ancient entrancewas near one of the exhedras of Tra-jan’s Forum. Here extended the mainfront of the complex architecturalstructure, which consisted of a largeexhedra, concentric to that of the fo-rum and connected to it by a street.

The facade containedorders of arch-

ways framed by small pilasters withcapitals and surmounted by alternat-ing whole and broken pediments. In-side the exhedra were shops (taber-nae) and stairs which led up to theupper storeys. The upper part con-sisted of a terrace along which ran aroad lined with tabernae, which stillexists and was renamed the Via Bib-eratica in medieval times, frombiber, beverage, or perhaps by cor-ruption of the term piperatica whichreferred to the pepper market.

Trajan’s Column, detail of the legionariescrossing a boat bridge over the Danube,the personification of which may be notedbelow

Base of Trajan’s Column

The large exhedra of the Markets of Trajan


We continueon our walkand enter a

open space to the rightof Piazza Venezia. PiazzaMadonna di Loreto takes itsname from the church of S. Maria diLoreto, the first of the two churches onour right. This was started in around1507 by the Tuscan architect Antonioda Sangallo the Younger, and was com-pleted by a pupil of Michelangelo’s, Ja-copo del Duca. The church stands on amassive square brick base, decoratedby pairs of composite pilasters. On topof this massive cube stands a tall octag-onal drum with windows, which sup-ports the cupola, in turn divided intoeight segments. Entrance is via a talldoorway surmounted by a triangularpediment, which contains an ad-mirable carving in low relief of theMadonna and Child and the Holy Fam-ily, which dates back to 1580 and is at-tributed either to del Duca or to An-drea Sansovino. The interior is octago-nal in plan, with chapels, a deep pres-bytery and a vault decorated with gold

stucco. On the wallsare six marble statues,including one of St Su-

sanna, a masterpiece byFrançois Duquesnoy, and

St Cecilia by Giuliano Finelli,both dating to 1630. On OnorioLonghi’s high altar is a painting onwood of the Antoniazzo Romanoschool depicting the Madonna be-tween St Sebastian and St Roche.Next to S. Maria di Loreto is anotherchurch which is at first sight similar instructure. This is the church of theSantissimo Nome di Maria, built in1736 by the confraternity of the samename which was formed after theChristian victory over the Turks dur-ing the siege of Vienna in 1683. Thebuilding work was supervised by theFrench architect Antoine Dérizet, whotook his inspiration from the nearby16th century church. The interior isfairly simple: elliptical in plan, withseven chapels lined in coloured mar-ble. On the high altar is an ancient im-age of the Virgin Mary, which origi-nates from the Oratory of S. Lorenzoin Laterano.Crossing over Via dei Fori Imperiali atthe traffic light, we come to the re-mains of Caesar’s Forum, which wasuncovered during the demolition inthe last century of the old Renaissancequarter which had grown up over thearea. The excavated part consists ofthe west porticus and the remains ofthe podium and temple. The squarewas built up by the dictator over anarea previously occupied by privatedwellings, purchased at huge cost in54 BC. Although it was inaugurated in46 BC, it was actually only completedby Augustus after Caesar’s death. TheForum represents the prototype forthe imperial squares: it consisted of arectangular area measuring 160 me-tres by 75, in the middle of which stooda statue of the leader on horseback.The short side to the north-west wasoccupied by the Temple of Venus Gen-


36S. Maria di Loreto: Antonio da Sangallothe Younger and Jacopo del Duca, drumand cupola

2ndw

alk


etrix, dedicated by Caesar in 48 BC onthe eve of the Battle of Pharsalus, inwhich Pompey was defeated once andfor all. As progenitor of Aeneas, Venuswas regarded as founder of the Julianclan. The temple boasted a pronaoswith eight Corinthian columns acrossthe front. It contained a statue ofVenus by Arcesilas, two famous pic-tures by Timomachus of Byzantium,and a gilded bronze statue of Cleopa-tra. Alongside Caesar’s Forum ran the

Clivus Argentarius, the street of the ar-gentarii, or moneychangers, and fromthere an ancient road descended tothe square.Now the slope takes us to an openspace which contains the church of S.Giuseppe dei Falegnami (St Joseph ofthe Carpenters), which is named afterthe confraternity which started rent-ing the pre-existing church of S. Pietroin Carcere in 1540. The interior of thenew church of the Carpenters, built

37

SS. Nome di Maria, interior

S. Maria di Loreto, The Madonna be-tween St Sebastian and St Roche (detail)

Monum

ental Rome

Caesar’s Forum


between 1597 and 1663, was entirelyrefurbished after 1860, and it took onits current external appearance withthe lowering of the level of the squarein 1941. Inside, half way down theright wall, is the entrance to the Orato-rio dei Falegnami, with its 17th centuryceiling in pure gold.The church stands on the ancientprison of the Tullianum, an ancientcistern used by the Romans as a placeof detention and execution. In theMiddle Ages it was known as theMamertine Prison. It was the place ofexecution of Jugurtha, Vercingetorix,the supporters of the Gracchi, those ofCatiline and Sejanus and his sons. Ac-cording to Christian tradition it is herethat the Apostles Peter and Paul wereimprisoned before being martyred.The facade in travertine blocks datesback to the mid-1st century, and bearsthe inscription of the Consuls VibiusRufinus and Cocceius Nerva. On theleft of the open space stands the majes-tic church of SS. Luca e Martina (StLuke and St Martina). Originally, thechurch was only dedicated to St Marti-na, and it was probably founded in the7th century under Pope Honorius I us-ing parts of the nearbyForum of Caesar. It wasrestored by Alexander IVin 1256 and,dedi-cat-

ed to St Luke from 1577 onwards, itwas donated to the Accademia del Diseg-no by Sextus V in 1588. It was then thatthe reconstruction of the church be-gan, the supervision of building workbeing entrusted to the Bolognese ar-chitect Ottaviano Mascarino. The finalappearance of the church is, however,due to Urban VIII and his nephew Car-dinal Francesco Barberini, who en-trusted the reconstruction to Pietro daCortona in 1643. The latter restoredthe crypt and executed the splendidfacade and cupola, all at his own ex-pense. The interior is in the form of aGreek cross with semi-elliptical apsesat its ends. The nave floor contains thetomb of Pietro da Cortona. Over thehigh altar is a copy of Raphael’s StLuke painting the Virgin by Antivedu-to Grammatica. The church was fin-ished in 1669, the year of the death ofthe artist from Cor-tona.

SS. Luca e Martina, the facade seen from the Roman Forum38

2ndw

alk

Mamertine Prison, interior


Piazza Venezia:H - 30 - 40 - 44 - 46 - 60 - 62 - 63 - 64 -70 - 81 - 84 - 85 - 87 - 95 - 117 - 119 -130 - 160 - 170 - 175 - 271 - 492 - 571 -628 - 630 - 715 - 716 - 780 - 781 -810 -850 - 916

Piazza del Colosseo:3 - 60 - 75 - 81 - 85 - 87 - 117 - 175 - 271- 571 - 673 - 810 - 850 - Metro B

Tour Lines:110

Legend:Numbers in bold show the terminus (e.g. 70)the underlined indicate the tram (e.g. 3)those in green are on Mondays - Saturdays (e.g. 30)those in red are only on holidays (e.g. 130)

How to get there…


Tourist Information Points

Comune di RomaTurismo


mon-sun 9.30am-7.00pm• Castel Sant’Angelo Piazza Pia• Santa Maria Maggiore Via dell’Olmata• Piazza Sonnino Trastevere• Via Nazionale near Palazzo Esposizioni

• Visitor Centre Via dei Fori Imperiali mon-sun 9.30am-6.00pm

• Fiumicino Leonardo da Vinci Airport - InternationalArrivals - Terminal Cmon-sun 9.00am-6.30pm

• Termini Station Via Giolitti 34 - Inside of building F/track 24mon-sun 8.00am-8.30pm

• Ciampino “G.B. Pastine” Airport of Romemon-sun 9.00am-6.30pm

• Lungomare P. Toscanelli - corner Piazza A. Marzio (Ostia Lido)mon-sun 9.30am-7.00pm

Tourism OfficeVia Leopardi, 24 - 00185 Roma

Tourist Call Centre +39 06 06 08(daily 9.00 a.m. - 7.30 p.m.)

Municipality pbx +39 06 06 06www.comune.roma.itwww.turismoroma.it

[email protected]

2

• Piazza Cinque Lune - Navona • Via Minghetti - Fontana di Trevi

02-the monuments of romeewh.ieee.org/conf/ius_2009/media/tourist pdf/the...marsh known as the...

Documents