Roman Neighborhoods
Background material keyed to topics to be covered in the Autumn 1999 Roman Neighborhoods course of the English Programme of the GARGretchen Meyers
Fridays 10 a.m. Oct. 8 - Dec
10
Ms. Gretchen Meyers (center) with the Roman
Neighborhoods Participants, outside the Domus Aurea
October 8: Nero Playground: The Domus Aurea
M.P.: Entrance to the Colosseo Metro stop
Domus Aurea -- la Republica feature article
Domus Aurea -- FORVM ROMANVM
Domus Aurea -- U. Texas
Domus Aurea - Severus and Celer - Great Buildings Online
Severus and Celer - Great Buildings Online
October 15: Mussolini, the Construction of the via dei Fori Imperiali and the Recent Excavations of the Imperial Fora
M.P.: Church of S. Gregorio Magno on the Caelian
Capitolium.org - Imperial Forums Official WebsiteCommune di Roma's official Internet siteArcaiche del IX (in Italian)
Museo dei Fori ImperialiAnother Commune di Roma Internet site which includes some good pictures, information of the mounting of the excavations, and links to other Commune archeological pages.Pope St. Gregory, the Great, converted his family's home on the Coelian hill for use as the Monastery of S. Andrea and later, according to legend, sent St. Augustine of Canterbury from that monastery on his mission to convert England to Christianity. The first Church of S. Gregorio Magno was built on the site by Gregorio II in honor of his illustrious predecessor. There were several iterations of the church culminating in the present structure. The exterior of of the church was completely rebuilt (1629-33) for Cardinal Scipione Borghese by G. B. Soria and is considered to be Soria's baroque masterpiece. The interior was redone by F. Ferrari (1725-34) preserving only the cosmatesque floor and the spolii pillars of the older church. (Relics of the earl churches are incorporated, however, and there are some fine old tombs in the forecourt.) There are three early chapels or oratorii in the garden to the left of the grand staircase leading up to the church. To gain entry to the church and the chapels ring the bell on the clearly marked door on the right side of the forecourt.
St. Gregory's on the Coelian Hill
Chronology of Pope Gregory the Great
Mission of St. Augustine of Canterbury
October 22: Augustus' City of Marble (!Note, schedule change!)
M.P.: Piazza del Popolo, near the Obelisk
Transformation of Rome under Augustus -- lecture textAlthough this site, unfortunately, does not provide links to the images that were to have accompanied the lecture, the text provides much useful information.Marmora Romana -- Roman MarbleVia Flaminia
LacusCurtius - The Via FlaminiaAra PacisAUGUSTUS: IMAGES OF POWER (for Mausoleum and Ara Pacis)Mausoleum of Augustus
LacusCurtius - The Ara Pacis Augustus
LacusCurtius ï Rodolfo Lanciani -Ara Pacis (1892)The Mausoleum of AugustusHorologium
AUGUSTUS: IMAGES OF POWER (for Mausoleum and Ara Pacis)LacusCurtius ï Obeliscus Augusti (Platner & Ashby, 1929)Ustrinum
LacusCurtius - Pliny (Elder) on the Gnomen (Latin)
Stefano del Lungo on the horologium (Italian)FUNERAL CUSTOMS
Riti funerari
Roman Funerals
October 29: Outside the City Walls at the Villa Doria Pamphili (!Note, schedule change!)
M.P.: Port S. Pancrazio on the JaniculumVilla Doria Pamphili
Doria Pamphilj - The family
WHERE THE DOVE FLIES
"Rome O Morte" The Siege of Rome - 1849There is not much on the Internet about the Villa, so this account of the use of the Villa as one of the major rallying points for the Seige is included for your reading pleasure.
November 5: Baroque Visions on the Quirinale
M.P.: Santa Maria della Vittoria in Via XX SettembreNovember 12: Rome's CapitolBaroque is popular, so there is a wealth of information on the Internet about sites covered here.
The overarching figure in the decoration of the Quirinale is Sixtus V (Fra Felice Peretti), who in his five year reign set his mark on Rome. He re-erected four of Rome's obelisks (at sites of his own choosing), sponsored construction and redecoration of churches, finished the construction of St. Peter's Basilica, restored the Alexandrina aquaduct (or, some say, part of the Claudia) now known as the Aqua Felice, reorganized the Roman Curia into the still prevalent fifteen Congregations, and restored the prestige (and finances) of the Papacy after a string of inept predecessors. Look for symbols of his Papacy -- the lions and pears (felice = cat, lion; peretti = pears) throughout Rome.
Popes Through the Ages: Pope Sixtus VLargo Santa Susanna a chatty site that discusses the Churches around the Largo and the Moses fountain, which is the mostra of the Aqua Felice.
Lions and PearsSanta Maria della Vittoria
S.Maria della Vittoria -- Cornaro ChapelSant'Andrea - Bernini - Great Buildings Online
Sant'Anndrea 1658-70 -- Sullivan
Sant'Andrea al Quirinale -- description/photosLE QUATTRO FONTANE
S.Carlo alle Quattro Fontane
S. Carlo - Borromini - Great Buildings
San Carlo 1665-76 -- SullivanBorromini Exhibition Coming to Rome -- After the Bernini Exhibition through the summer of 1999, it's only fair that Borromini also gets some time in the spotlight. At the Rome Palazzo delle Esposizioni 12/15/1999-2/28/2000: 400 Years of Borromini -- The Internet site is:
Francesco Borromini 1599-1667 - Structure and MetamorphosisAnd two more general referencesGateway to Art History: IV Renaissance, Baroque & Rococo
LacusCurtius ï Aquaeductus (Smith's Dictionary, 1875)
M.P.: Statue of M.Aurelius on the Campidoglio
As would be expected of a site ot the antiquity and importance of the Capitoline/Campidoglio, there is very much information on the Internet.
Imperial RomaNovember 19: Neighborhood Rivalry in the Piazza Navona
The centre of Rome in the late imperial era (3rd Century A.D.). Detail of the model in the Museo della Civiltà Romana (Rome)Capitoline Hill/Pza. Campidoglio 58 photos from Leo C. Curran's incomparable collection Maecenas: Images of Ancient Greece and Rome (which totals over 1100 photos)
Jupiter Capitoline -- LacusCurtius (Platner & Ashby, 1929) Although Platner and Ashby are dated, this entry is still the best and most extensive explanation of the great temple to Iovis Optimi Maximi Capitolini on the Internet. (The whole of Platner and Ashby is on line and can be found here. LacusCurtius excerpts important Platner and Ashby citations, and they can be found at: LacusCurtius ï Platner & Ashby's Topography of Ancient Rome.)
Piazza del Campidoglio - Michelangelo - Great Buildings Online
Aerial Campidoglio and Forum
Capitoline Hill -- early print
Images of Palazzo dei Conservatori
Jupiter or Jove (from a concise Roman Gods page)
Leoni Capitolini
Piazza del Campidoglio w/early views
Phototour -- Architectour
Prints (scroll to bottom of page)
Santa Maria in Aracoeli
TabulariumTarpeian Rock -- Rupes TarpeiaVersions of the story:"So called from Tarpeia, a vestal virgin, the daughter of Spurius Tarpeius, governor of the citadel on the Capitoline Hill. Tarpeia agreed to open the gates to the Sabines if they would give her "what they wore on their arms" (meaning their bracelets). The Sabines, "keeping their promise to the ear," crushed her to death with their shields, and she was buried in that part of the hill called the Tarpeian Rock. Subsequently, traitors were cast down this rock and so killed."
"According to an old Roman legend Tarpeia was the daughter of Spurius Tarpeius who was the defender of the Capitol in Rome in a fight against the Sabines. She delivered the castle to the enemy in exchange for gold and ornaments."
"Another legend tells she was driven by love for Titus Tatius, the leader of the enemy. Instead of rewarding her, the Sabines threw them off a rock on the south-west side of the Capitol. That is why this rock got the name 'rupes Tarpeia', which means 'rock of Tarpeia'."
"Bear him to the rock Tarpeian, and from thence into destruction cast him." Shakespeare: Coriolanus, iii. 1
M.P.: Fountain of the Four Rivers in Piazza Navona
Piazza Navona is a popular attraction on the internet as well as in the real Rome, so there is no scarcity of web pages to visit. The following are interesting because they provide more than the normal touristy information:November 26: From Diocletian to Fellini - Use and Reuse of the Baths of DiocletianNavona -- Nerone articleincludes a photo of the flooding of the PiazzaPiazza Navonaa nice drawing of Navona. Unfortunately the link to the larger version does not connectPiazza Navona -- Piranesi drawing
Francesco Borromini 1599-1667, Structure and MetamorphosisThe notice of the Exhibition starting December 15S. Agnese -- Piazza Navona
S. Agnese -- Morlacchi Catalogue
Palazzo Pamphili -- Morlacchi Catalogue
Images, Four Rivers fountain, by Bernini, 1648-51
M.P.: In the Basilica of Santa Maria degli Angeli
Baths of DiocletianDecember 3: From Roman to Christian on the CaelianPlans of the baths and parts still visible with overlays of modern streetsS.Bernardo&S.Maria degli AngeliDescription of two of the churches occupying parts of the terme -- scroll down to items five and six.Piranesi -- Terme di DioclezianoA picture of Piranesi's 1774 etching of the termeMuseo Nazionale delle TermeSomewhat dated, but good pictures of artifacts. Click on pictures for larger views (Koskimies)Baths of Diocletian and S. Maria degli AngeliPrints and Pictures. Click to pix to expand (Koskimies)Baths of DiocletianLeo Curran's photos. (Part of a much larger Internet site covering virtually all Roma archeological and architectural sites.)Baths of Ancient RomeThe whys and wherefores of Roman BathingCatholic Encyclopedia: DIOCLETIANThe History of Plumbing - Pompeii & Herculaneum
The History of Plumbing - Roman and English LegacyShort slanted biographyMedieval Sourcebook: Diocletian: Edicts Against The Christians
M.P.: Church of SS. Giovanni e Paolo
Ss. Giovanni e PaoloDecember 10: Unburying Caesar in Modern RomeAnother of June Hager's masterful descriptionsR. Lanciani: Pagan and Christian RomeFull text of Lanciani's book on the Christianization of RomeSS. Giovanni e Paolo (Koskimies)Click on pictures to expand
M.P.: Statue of Giordano Bruno in Campo dei Fiori
Plan of the Theatre of PompeyTheatre and modern streetsViews of ModelsTheater of Pompey -- view of modelTeatro di Pompeo
Model of Pompey's Theater
Caen - Scale Model of RomeShort description, in Italian (size, seating Capacity)PlutarchCaesarGaius Julius Caesar -- Epilogue to Assassination
Marcus Brutus
Assasination is at Act 3 Scene 1Shakespeare's Julius CaesarOther editions, sources, textual criticismDidaskalia: Introduction to Roman Stagecraft