Rome Reconstructed

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The Tabularium was built in 78 B.C.E. by Lucius Cornelius Sulla and was used as a records office in Rome. It was located on Capitoline Hill and overlooked the Roman Forum. It was an important place where the government kept legal and political documents. An interesting fact is that the building had a large arched gallery that you can still see parts of today. Another cool fact is that the Tabularium was later used to help build the Palazzo Senatorio during medieval times. Its design even inspired other government buildings later on.
The Temple of Vespasian was built in 79 AD by Titus. The temple was made to honor the Flavian Dynasty. Normally buildings like these would be made to create even more power for the family name, but this one was made to honor the family name instead. The temple of Vespasian is unusually narrow because fo the little space available when it was built. The Temple is made of “tuff” concrete which is primarily volcanic ash. It was rebuilt in 203 AD, but all that remains today is the podiums base, part of the cella, and three columns on the south east side.
The Temple of Saturn, (according to the legend) was built by Tarquinius Superbus. This temple was dedicated to Saturn, and it also served as the state treasury, which is where the gold and silver was held. It was created in 498 BC, but was rebuilt in 42 BC, and again, sometime in the fourth century A.D. What remains of this landmark are eight granite columns that rest on huge blocks of travertine. It is just viewed as a historic site these days. The temple of Saturn is the oldest sacred place in Rome, behind two other sites. It was dedicated to Saturn, the agricultural divinity. It was also rebuilt by Lucius Munatius Plancus.
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The Temple of Divine Julius Caesar, located in the Roman Forum, was built by Augustus in 42 BC, but dedicated in 29 BC. It commemorates the god status of Julius Caesar and stands on the site where Caesar’s body was cremated. The temple represents the turning point from the Roman Republic to the Roman Empire and was the inception of imperial worship and power. Structurally, the temple was based on a cement core covered with travertine blocks and marble slabs; the temple was constructed with eight Corinthian style columns, and it remained intact until the 15th century. Only parts of the cement core still remain today.
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The Temple of Romulus is a stunning landmark in the Roman Forum and has a very interesting history. Some sources say Maxentius designed, restored, and dedicated it to Valerius Romulus, his son. Other sources, however, say Constantine the first was the one that built it. It was originally used as a place to worship Jupiter. It is a Circular building at the entrance of the Forum Romanum (Roman Forum). It is made mostly out of marble. While it was built in 309 CE it is still intact. It was being used as a vestibule for the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian, and now it is now a tourist attraction. The temple has several names. The first one was the Temple of Romulus when it Maxentius restored and dedicated to Valerius Romulus, his son who had died. Two years later, Constantine I changed its name to The Temple of Jupiter Stator which is what it was called before it was restored. The most recent name is the Basilica of Santi Cosma e Damiano (the Church of Saints Cosmas and Damian) which is what it was changed to in 527 CE when it was turned into a church by Theodoric the Great.
The Basilica Maxentius was designed and generally built by Maxentius but completed by Constantine. It served as many things but was often used as a court-house, a council chamber, and meeting hall. It is a rectangular building with a large open space in the center. The basilica began in 308 AD and ended in 312 AD but ended up with the majority of it destroyed by an earthquake in 847 AD. This left the south and central parts of the building gone, now it is simply a tourist attraction. It was started by Maxentius, but finished by Constantine, who was his enemy and the man that killed him and took over Rome. Instead of using pillars for support like most basilicas, it uses arches like roman bath houses.
The Temple of Castor and Pollux was the result of a great victory at Lake Regillus. Aulus Postumius Albus Regilensis was the dictator who officially had the construction started. It was built to honor the twins Castor and Pollux known as the Dioscuri . It was built in 484 BC, reconstructed in 117 BC and restored once more in 73 BC. It is hardly intact to this day with only a few columns standing in the front. It was yet another testament to the power of Roman architecture seeing how many times they had it rebuilt and restored.
All civilizations need law, and this was the late Roman Republic‘s response. Being a courtroom and recreational space both, it held a central place in the roman forum. It was first built by Julius Caesar in 46 BCE, but it burned down in a fire. Then, the first Emperor, Augustus, rebuilt it in 9 CE. The emperor Caligula enjoyed throwing coins from the roof at the crowds there. Even with its serious courts, the Basilica Julia was still a favorite place of the Roman people to rest, with its games in the roof section. The Basilica Julia now lies in ruins, standing a silent vigil over Rome, reminding us that justice, along with the civilizations responsible, eventually crumble to dust.
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Emperor Septimus Serverus built this unique landmark in 203 CE for one purpose: to impress travellers entering through the Appian Way to Rome. It was peculiar in that its purpose served for no other reason. The only remains of this building are the foundations. After the fall of the Roman Empire, it was used as a baronial fortress. In 1241, the christian cardinals used it to choose a new pope, despite the appalling conditions of disarray. The Septizodium is now only ruins of a foundation, despite its previous grandeur.
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The Colosseum was built during 70 and 72 C.E by emperor Titus Caesar Vespasian Augustus. The Colosseum was for bloody sports, prisoner executions, and gladiatorial combat. The Colosseum is still around today, although it has been worn down. Did you know that the Colosseum was once filled with water? Also, the Colosseum was once painted with bright colors.
Two words; Circus Maximus. Built under the rule of Tarquinius Superbus, this massive circuit was home to countless chariot races, Ludi events, and other venues. It could seat 250,000 people! But it didn’t last forever. It was destroyed but then rebuilt bigger and better under Julius Caesar. Today only a small part of it stands on the South East side and the rest is a public park for people to stand in what was once a Roman architectural masterpiece.
The Imperial Palace was the central section of the Domus Augustiana in Palatine Hill. It was built from 81-92 AD by Emperor Domitian’s architect Rubirius. Roman emperors resided in this palace from late first to third centuries AD and the place is now a hugely popular tourist attraction. It’s remains include a courtyard, remnants of a fountain, a reception wing with an audience hall, basilica, domestic quarters, a hippodrome, and the Bath. It was actually built on earlier structures such as the House of Griffins and parts of Nero’s Domus Transitoria.
The Stadium of Domitian was built in 86 C.E. by Emperor Domitian and was used for sports and events in Rome. It was located in the Campus Martius area and could hold up to 15,000 spectators. An interesting fact is that it was the first permanent stadium in Rome made entirely of stone. Another cool fact is that the modern Piazza Navona was built on top of its ruins, and you can still see parts of the original stadium underground today!
The Pantheon was built by Agrippa from 27-25 BC and is dedicated to the twelve Gods and the living Sovran. The architectural structure of the Pantheon is characterized by its circular shape, concrete face with brick, concrete dome, Corinthian columns, and a roof with triangular pediment. An interesting feature of the dome is the hole that allows sunlight to seep through, creating a majestic duality between light and shadows. The word Pantheon means “All the Gods”, and it was used for certain government functions. Today, the Pantheon still stands as a Catholic Church. The dome of the Pantheon remains the single largest, unreinforced concrete dome in the entire world.
The Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus was built by Tarquinius Priscus to be used as a religious temple. It was the largest temple in Rome, and is a symbol of sovereignty and immortality to the Roman civilization. The temple was built in 509 BC, and rebuilt in 69 BCE. Throughout this time it was destroyed four separate times. Today, there are still parts of this temple intact. This includes the stadium wall.
Tiber island was a natural made island. It still stands today. The island doesn’t have many interesting facts other than its interesting mythology and that it is featured in the video game Assassins Creed. The island itself is not famous, but it's famous for its many buildings that lay on it. The buildings have changed over the years from temples, churches, houses, and many other things. The most famous building on the island was the ancient temple of Asclepius. This temple was built around 290 BC but was changed to a hospital in the 16th century. This hospital became the main focus of the island and still remains to this day. The houses on the island remained for a while until the 1930s when they were demolished so that the hospital could be expanded. Tiber island is constantly changing but still holds a strong piece of history.