(M. Valentini) – Maybe not everyone knows that, under the baroque square of Piazza Navona in Rome, the remains of the Stadium of Domitian can still be admired.
Actually, the Stadium was built by the Emperor Domitian (Titus Flavius Domitianus), who reigned from 81 to 96 AD. He was the son of the Emperor Vespasianus and younguer brother of Titus.
Piazza Navona, Roma
The Stadium was built at the Campus Martius, near the Theater of Pompey. Based on the Greek models, it was mostly used for athletic competions, that’s why it was also known as Circus Agonalis, from where the name Piazza Navona comes from. The Stadium had approximately 15,000 – 20,000 seats.
Here below, some pictures of the ancient Stadium taken by me.
I lavori di costruzione delle “Mura Spagnole” di Milano iniziarono nel 1549 su iniziativa di Ferrante Gonzaga e durarono per circa cinquant’anni, arrivando a coprire un perimetro di circa undici chilometri. Gli Spagnoli, sotto il regno di Carlo V d’Asburgo, si erano insediati a Milano nel 1535 dopo che nel 1525 avevano sconftito i Francesi nella battaglia di Pavia.
Le nuove mura avevano ampliato la cinta urbana di Milano rispetto alle vecchie mura medioevali. Caposaldo del nuovo sistema difensivo della Città era il Castello Sfrorzesco, trasformato in una cittadella fortificata.
Mappa di Milano del 1832, prima della demolizione delle Mura Spagnole (evidenziate in rosso)
l’Arco di Porta Romana, costruito nel 1598, fu la prima porta del sistema difensivo costruita con intento celebrativo, secondo i canoni degli antichi archi trionfali a tre fornici, per celebrare l’ingresso di Margherita d’Austria-Stiria, consorte di Fillippo III di Spagna.
Lato esterno di Porta Romana
Lato interno di Porta Romana
Porta Romana in un dipinto del 1714
Entrata dei Francesi a Milano attraverso Porta Romana (1796), dipinto di Vernet
La Porta Romana “spagnola” si collocava sull’antico tracciato della strada che usciva dalla Mediolanum romana, la monumentale via Porticata (verosimilmente costruita in epoca tardoimperiale), che rappresentava la continuazione del Decumano Maximo oltre le mura romane (lungo il tracciato dell’attuale Corso di Porta Romana) ed accoglieva sontuosamente (era stato costruito anche un arco trionfale all’altezza dell’odierno Largo Crocetta) chi arrivava da Roma dopo aver percorso prima la via Flaminia fino a Rimini (l’antica Ariminum) e da qui la via Emilia che, dopo aver attraversato Piacenza (Placentia), giungeva fino a Milano.
A partire dai primi anni dell’Ottocento, essendo ormai sorpassata la loro efficacia difensiva a causa dell’evoluzione delle tecniche e strategie belliche, si decise di trasformare le mura in passeggiate alberate e giardini. Le porte della città, invece, diventarono sostanzialmente dei presìdi ai fini della riscossione dei dazi.
Bastioni spagnoli presso Porta Romana (foto: mv)
Bastioni spagnoli presso Porta Romana (foto: mv)
Interno dei bastioni presso Porta Romana (foto: mv)
Bastioni spagnoli presso Porta Romana (foto: mv)
A partire dalla fine del XIX° secolo e soprattutto nella la prima metà del XX° secolo, purtroppo, la maggior parte delle Mura Spagnole, così come era stato fatto con le mura medioevali nel XVI° secolo [1], furono abbattute in attuazione ai piani regolatori della Città che vedevano le Mura come dei vincoli all’epansione della Città e alla mobilità urbana. I bastioni che si possono ammirare presso Porta Romana sono i resti meglio conservati delle vecchie Mura Spagnole.
m.v.
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Note:
[1] Le mura medioevali erano state costruite a seguito della distruzione delle vecchie mura romane da parte di Federico Barbarossa (Foediricus Aenobarbus) durante l’assedio di Milano nel 1162.
The Roman city of Ariminum (present-day Rimini, situated in the Italian region of Emilia-Romagna) was founded in 268 BC by Roman colonies and soldiers, near the estuary of the Ariminus river (present-day Marecchia), after that those territories fell under Roman control following the battle of Sentino in 295 BC, where the Celtic tribe of Galli Senoniwere defeated by the Romans. The toponym of the city of Senigallia, not far away from Rimini, recall that ancient Gallic tribe (the Romans called these Celtic populations with the name of Galli, Gauls in English).
Tiberius’s Bridge, 1st century CE – Rimini (photo: m.v.)
Initially, the City – founded as a colony under Latin law (ius Latii) – represented an important stronghold in the Ager Picenus et Gallicus(i.e. the territory between the present-day regions of Romagna and Marche) against the potential attacks of Gauls as well as a starting point for the northward further expansion of the Res Publica Populi Romani, i.e. the ancient Roman State. After the establishment of the Roman province of the Gallia Cisalpina at the end of the 2nd century BC, Ariminum resulted to be the main important city along the eastern boundary, marked by the Rubicone river, between the provinces of Italia and Gallia Cisalpina. It is believed that Caius Julius Caesar, after having transpassed that boundary with his legions on January 12th, 49 BC, made a speech to his troops at the Ariminum’s Theatre during which he said the famous words “Alea iacta est” .
Roman Theatre, Rimini
Paving of the Roman Forum, Rimini
The City was also a strategic settlement at the crossroad of important ways such as the Via Arretina, which followed the Marecchia’s valley, the Via Popilia, which reached Ravenna and Aquileia toward east, the Via Aemilia toward Placentia and Mediolanum and, southward, the via Flaminia to Rome (the last three viae enjoyed the rank of consular roads).
In the beginning of the 1st century CE, under the principatus of Caius Octavius Augustus, Ariminum became a municipium with administrative autonomy and an important imperial city. The City’s infrastructures were improved and several important building and monuments were built. Among them, the Archdedicated to Augustus by the Senatus in place of the Porta Romana at the entry of the City from the via Flaminia as well as the monumental bridge over the Marecchia river. The building works of the bridge started in 14 CE under Augustus and finished in 21 CE under his successor Tiberius (the bridge is nowadays called Ponte di Tiberio, Tiberius’ Bridge).
Arch of Augustus, former Porta Romana
Arch of Augustus, particular
Arch of Augustus
Reconstruction of the Arch of Augustus
The City’s decumanus maximus (present-day Corso d’Augusto) departed from the Arch of Augustus/Porta Romana and arrived until the Tiberius’ Bridge, the cardo maximus (present-day Via Garibaldi and Via IV Novembre) departed from Porta Montanara (where started the Via Arretina) and reached the port of the City. At the crossroad of the aforesaid two main streets, there was the ancient Forum, situated where nowadays is Piazza Tre Martiri.
(Reconstruction of the Roman Ariminum – Source: www.riminiromana.it)
Several ancient Roman houses were unearthed along the years in Rimini, like the “Domus praefecti”, under Palazzo Massani and the so-called “Surgeon’s House” (“Domus del Chirurgo”), dating back at the imperial age, called in this way after the finding of many surgical instruments in the taberna medica, i.e. the room used as doctor’s office/surgery.
Ancient Roman surgical instruments, Rimini
Ancient Roman surgical instruments, Rimini
Ancient pots for medical preparations, Rimini
The Surgenon’s House was built in the second half of the 2nd century CE and destroyed by fire in the 3rd century, probably during a raid of German tribes under the reign of the Emperor Gallienus. In this period of instability, the walls of the City were rebuilt and reinforced.
Surgeon’s House, 2 cent. CE, Rimini
Surgeon’s House, 2nd cent. CE
Surgeon’s House, 2nd cent. CE
Between the 5th and 6th centuries, Ariminum regained a period of prosperity due to the vicinity of Ravenna, which had become the capital of the Western Roman Empire in 402. During this period, a large important palace was built near and on top of the former “Surgeon’s House” . Beautiful mosaics and rooms with hypocaust highlight the high rank of the owner this palace of the late imperial period (see pictures below).
Mosaic, 5th cent. CE
Mosaic, 5th cent. CE
Room with hypocaust of a Palace dating 5th cent. CE
Mosaic, 5th cent. CE
Unfortunatley, Ariminum and all the surrounding territories were again ravaged and sacked during the terrible war between the Goths and the Roman-Byzantine Eastern Empire, which lasted more than 15 years (535-555 CE). Since this time, Ariminum and all the region started a long decline. In fact, the victory of Roman-Byzantines against the Goths was an ephemeral succes since few years later another German tribe, the Longobards or Lombards, started the occupation of the northern regions of the Italian peninsula, signing the very end of the Roman Era in Italy. The Longobards, who had adopted the Christian religion, ruled a vast part of Italy for about 200 years (the present-day region of Lombardia, in northern Italy, takes its name from this population).
Here below some other pictures of the Roman Rimini, including some findings exposed to the Archeological Museum of Rimini.
Mosaics from the Domus at the Vescovado, Imperial age, Rimini
Roman Mosaic, Rimini
Mosaic 2nd cent. CE, from the Domus under Palazzo Diotallevi, Rimini
Province of Rimini/Riviera di Rimini “Ariminum-Archaeological discoveries and journeys through the area of Rimini”; Edited by G. Barberini, A. Biondi and M. Campana; 2011.
Sisani S. “Il significato del termine Italia nella tabula Heracleensis e la data di costituzione a provincia della Gallia Cisalpina”, in Historica VI, 2016.
The “Basilica of Saint Ambrosius” was originally built around 380 CE outside the walls of the ancient Roman city of Mediolanum, near a catacomb, as Basilica Martyrum by Aurelius Ambrosius, a government official and then bishop of Milan under the Christian emperor Theodosius.
Amongst other interesting and historic artifacts and remains, at the Sant’Ambrogio church there are two ancient columns which are surrounded by stories and legends: the so-called Devil’s Column and Snake Column.
Devil’s Column
Outside the Church there is an ancient Corinthian column bearing two big holes. According to the legend, the Devil tried to seduce Ambrosius into temptation, the refusal of Ambrosius gave rise to a fight with the Devil, who hit the column with the head, piercing the marble with his horns. According to a popular belief, the holes still smell the sulfur and leaning your ear on the column you can hear the sound of the hell.
Devil’s ColumnSaint Ambrosius Church
Snake Column
On a granite column of ancient Roman times inside the Basilica stands the Snake of Moses. It is a bronze sculpture, probably, donated in 1007 by the Emperor Basil II, nicknamed the Bulgaroktonos, i.e. the Slayer of Bulgars.
The Snake was believing having thaumaturgic powers. Moreover, it is said that the end of the world will be announced by its descent from that column to reach the Valley of Jehoshaphat.
(M. Valentini) – The Roman town of Deultum (Colonia Flavia Pacis Deultensium) in Thracia (present-day Bulgaria) was built in the 1st century CE near a previously existing ancient Thracian settlement. It was settled near the Mandra Lake, which was connected to the Pontus Euxinus (the Black Sea). The Roman province of Thracia bordered on the north the province of Moesia, which in 86 CE was divided by Domitian into the two new provinces of Moesia Superior and Moesia Inferior.
The city was founded in the year 70 CE by the Roman veterans from the Legio VIII Augusta (the 8th Legion “Augusta”) under the Emperor Vespasianus (69-79 CE). The 8th Legion was probably sent in the provinces of Thracia and Moesia around the 45 CE to take part to suppression of the Thracian revolt that brought to the transformation of Thrace from a tributary kingdom into a provincia of the Roman Empire. Thrace had been a Roman tributary kingdom from the end of the 2nd century BC until 45 CE. Then, the Legio VIII was stationed at Novae (present-day Svishtov) in Moesia in order to control the Danubian limes.
The main important center of the province during the entire Roman period was the ancient Greek town of Philippopolis, called also Trimontium in the Roman period (present-day Plovdiv, Bulgaria). Several other big cities existed on the territory of the province, like Serdica (present-day Sofia, Bulgaria), Augusta Traiana (Stara Zagora, Bulgaria) or Hadrianopolis (Edirne, Turkey). Deultum was one of the few cities of the region enjoying the status of colonia (Colonia Flavia Pacis Deultensium), i.e. their citizens had the same rights of Rome. The Roman city of Deultum was destroyed in the end of 6th century CE under the attacks of Slavs and Avars.
Debelt/Deultum was declared an archaeological monument in 1965. Now, the Debelt/Deultum Archaeological Preserve covers an area of about 3 square km. During the excavations, many important remains of ancient buildings were unearthed, like the remains of the thermae or a fortress tower found in 2015 and dating back to the early Byzantine period (second half of 5th century).
Roman Thermae
Fortress Tower (Late Roman Empire period)
Moreover, many noticeably artifacts were found, like the bronze head of the Emperor Septimius Severus (see the picture below).
Emperor Septimius Severus’ bronze head
Several Latin and Greek inscriptions, covering the period of the Roman rule on the region, were unearthed too. Some of these inscriptions are very interesting both from a historic and a linguistic point of view (see Sharankov, 2017).
For instance, we figure out an inscription reported on a column, probably supporting a statue (see the related picture on the right).
Here below, the text:
M(arcum) Iulium Philip̣p̣̣um novilissimum Caesarem ex d(ecreto) d(ecurionum)
Specifically, the monument was initially dedicated to the son of Philippus the Arab, Marcus Iulius Philippus. After the damnatio memoriae of both father and the son (249 CE), the cognomen Philippum was erased from the inscription. From a philological point of view, it is worth mentioning that the names reported in the inscription were in the accusative case and not in the dative as usual, probably, due to the Greek influence. Moreover, the epithet nobilissimus was spelled with V: novilissimum, since in late Latin, specifically in the eastern regions, B and V were often confused because of their similar pronunciation. In fact, now β is now pronounciated as V both in Cyrillic and modern Greek.
Here below, some other pictures of the archeological site taken last summer in one of our tour within the limes of the ancient Roman Empire.
Shield’s Umbo and Spatha from a warrior’s grave (Vespasianus’ period 69-79 AD)
Sharankov N. “The Inscriptions of the Roman Colony of Deultum in Thrace”, Archaeologia Bulgarica, XXI, 37-64, 3/2017.
Sharankov N. “Language and society in Roman Thrace” in “Early Roman Thrace. New Evidence from Bulgaria”, Journal of Roman Archaeology, Suppl. 82, Portsmouth, 2011
May be not many people know that about 200,000 years ago in the site where it will be built Rome (not in a day! 😉) the Neanderthal Man already lived there together with many other animal species nowadays extinct or no more living in Europe, e.g. the Uro (a big bull extinct in the 17th century AD), hippopotames or elephants.
Here below some pics of remains of antique elephants (Elephas Antiquus) that lived along the Aniene river (the Roman “flumen Anio“, the second river of Rome). The photos were taken at the “Museo di Casal de’ Pazzi/Deposito Pleistocenico” (www.museocasaldepazzi.it) in the Roman quarter of Rebibbia.
Ancient Roman coins found during the works for the new underground line of Rome (Metro C), now exposed at the underground station of San Giovanni. The coins date from 1st to the beginning of 3rd century CE.
In the first picture here below, two imperial Roman coins.
The Venus Capitolina (Capitoline Venus) was found on the Viminal Hill under the pontificate of Clement X (1670–76). It is an Roman copy, made during the Antoninian age, of a late Hellenistic sculpture.
Venus Exquilina (photo: mv)
Venus Exquilina (photo: mv)
The so-called Venus Exquilina (Esquiline Venus) was found in 1870 in Rome in the quarter of Rome Esquilino where were located the ancient Horti Lamiani. The statue dates back to 1st century BC and it was initially identified with Venus as Isis because of the snake near her legs, but in recent times it has been stated that the statue could represent Cleopatra, the Egyptian Queen.
The aforesaid statues are in the Capitoline Museums on the Capitole Hill of Rome.
Venus Callipyge (photo: mv)
Venus Callipyge (photo: mv)
The so-called Venus Callipyge or Aphrodite Kallipigos (Aφροδίτη Καλλίπυγος which means in Greek “Aphrodite of the beautiful buttocks”) is a Roman statue of 2nd century CE. It was found in 16th century, missing its head which was reconstructed. The statue was bought by the Farnese family and remained in the Farnese Palace in Rome until 1786 when the Bourbons – that had inherited the Palace – moved all the Farnese collection to Naples. Nowadays the statue is usually at the Achaelogical Museum of Naples (“MANN”).
Venus Pudica (photo: mv)
Venus Pudica (photo: mv)
The statue of Venus with Amor above reported – a Roman statue of the 2nd century CE – is a so-called Venus/Aphrodite Pudica (like the Venus Capitolina), it is a part of the collection of the “Musei degli Uffizi” in Florence. This kind of statues has inspired many artists through the centuries, Botticelli is probably the most famous.
The above pictures of the statues of Venus Callipyge and of Venus with Amor were taken at the “Scuderie del Quirinale” during a temporary exhibition in November 2018 (“Ovidio: amori, miti e altre storie“).
In the surrounding of the town of Tivoli, the ancient Tibur, there is a very interesting archeological site, even if less known than other important historical places nearby, like Villa d’Este, Villa Gregoriana or Villa Adriana (the latter was the residence of the Emperor Hadrian). This place is the Temple of Hercules Victor, built around the 2nd century BC. The Temple, or Sanctuary, was probably built on an older sacred place near the Anio river and just off the Town’s walls. The sacred area crossed the initial stretch of via Tiburtina, the road bringing to Rome, a part of which was covered by the Sanctuary so as to form a tunnel, called “via tecta” (“covered street”). The Sanctuary occupied an area of about 3,000 square meters and included a theatre too.
The Temple was progressively abandoned and the sacred area was used for different purposes: source of building materials, agriculture, livestock farming etc.. In the 13th century AD, two Christian monasteries were established on the site. Later, in the beginning of 17th century, the Roman Papal State set up an arms factory in the area. This industrial vocation of the area lasted until few decades ago, with the establishment, across the years, of several factories and of a hydroelectric station. Nowadays, the remains of the modern industrial buildings live together with the ancient Roman ruins.
Near the Hercules’ Temple, other archeological remains can be admired, like the so-called Temple of the “Tosse”, built in the 4th century AD, which probably was not even a temple but a monumental atrium of a country villa.
When I visited the archeological site, few days ago, in the Antiquarium there was an exhibition of ancient Roman finds dealing with the classical myth of Niobe.
Here below some pictures of the exhibition together with some photos of the archeological remains of the area.
All photos are mine unless stated otherwise.
m.v.
Hercules’ Temple
Theatre in the Temple sacred area
Remains of Industrial Buildings in the Temple area
Tivoli’s walls
Industrial building
Via Tecta
Via Tecta
Latin Inscription
so-called “Tempio della Tosse”
so-called “Tempio della Tosse”
Tivoli, remains of the Roman Ampitheatre and the “Rocca Pia” Castle
Remains of Industrial buildings along the “Clivus Tiburtinus”
(Reconstruction of the Roman Ariminum – Source: www.riminiromana.it)
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