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September 22, 2018

Palatine is rich in interesting historical and archaeological sites. Most of them are partially or almost completely destroyed, but even the ruins amaze with the former grandeur of the buildings.

Remains of the Flavian Imperial Palace

Imperial palaces

• Domus Augustus - even in his youth, Octavian dreamed of building his own palace on the Palatine, but he was able to bring his plans to life only after he became emperor. Destroyed a grand building under Domitian to make room for the Domus of the new emperor;

• the Flavian Palace (Domus Flavia) with internal open courtyards and a fountain - once the richness of its interiors, emphasized by luxurious marble polished to a mirror shine, was glorified by poets;

Courtyard of the Palace of Augustus

The Flavian Palace was built by Domitian, who fell in love with reflective surfaces not for their beauty, but because they could show who was behind him and what he was doing while the emperor was looking the other way. Domitian was pathologically afraid of an assassination attempt, but he could not avoid it;

• Palace of Augustus - a private imperial residence;
• the house of Livia - in the private chambers of the wife of Emperor Octavian Augustus, wall paintings (frescoes) have been preserved;
• the house of the Vultures and the house of Scauro - the remains of the buildings date back to the Republican period (this is how the noble Romans lived);
• the house of Tiberius and the palace of Caligula - excavations are difficult because of the Farnese gardens located above the buildings - the oldest in Rome;
• the palace of Septimius Severus is a giant extension to the palace of the Augusts, overlooking the slope of the Palatine from the circus of Massimo. The grandiose arcade greatly enlarged the area of ​​the Palatine. A wonderful panorama opens from the top tier.

Found artifacts of the Palatine Hill

On the Palatine, you can also see the ruins of various buildings:

• stadium - sports competitions could well have been held here, but it is believed that the territory was used as an imperial garden. On one side there is a VIP box;
• cryptoportic - it is assumed that underground gallery was built by Caligula, and decorated with bas-reliefs during the time of Nero. Today the originals have been replaced by copies;
• Aqueduct of Claudius - supplied the Palatine with water. It was built under Domitian (late 1st century). What remains of the ancient aqueduct opens onto Via San Gregorio;
• the nymphaeum Septizonium, or Septizodiy (a sanctuary near the water in the form of a fountain) - only the foundation of a monumental structure, once surrounded by planetary gods, has been preserved;

The nymphaeum was built during the reign of Septimius Severus (in the 3rd century), and was completely destroyed under Pope Sixtus V (in the 16th century). The stones were intensively exported for the construction of religious sites, and the rest became a kind of fortification of the hill.

• the baths of the North and the baths of Maxentius - even today one can understand that their interior decoration was chic, and the buildings themselves were grandiose;
• pedagogium - a school where slaves were taught. In the surviving ruins, small rooms with mosaic-covered walls are visible;
• Arch of Titus - built in honor of the conquest of Judea in the 1st century.

It is believed that on Palatine was the hut of Romulus. Whether this is a myth or a fact, it is not known for certain. But archaeologists are sure that traces of dwellings found on the hill date back to the 8th century BC. And this means that the founder of Rome or the shepherd who sheltered the legendary twins who were saved from death by a she-wolf could well live in it or in a similar structure. By the way, "lupa" in translation from Italian is interpreted not only as "she-wolf". So in ancient Rome they called public women of easy virtue. Is it possible that one of them brought up the boys?

Traces of the hut of Romulus found on the Palatine

In 2007, archaeologists announced that Lupercal, a grotto decorated with mosaics and shells, was discovered under the House of Augustus. It is located at a depth of 15 meters. The study was carried out using a probe camera.

The main street of the Palatine was Clivo della Vittoria. It got its name thanks to the built in the 3rd century BC. Temple of Victory. Equally impressive are the Via Nova and the ancient Via Sacra, which connects the Colosseum to the Roman Fora.

Temples of ancient Rome

• Jupiter Stator - the surviving remains of the foundation on the edge of the Palatine may belong to this particular temple;
• Victoria - its size and grandeur can be judged by a small fragment of the foundation. The temple dedicated to the goddess Victoria was founded in the 4th century BC;
• Apollo - was erected in honor of his victories by Augustus on the site where, according to legend, lightning struck in the year 29. This event was taken as a sign. Today you can see only a small part of the temple, since the building burned down in the middle of the 4th century;
• Sun - it appeared during the time of the emperor Elagabalus (Heliogabalus), who ruled Rome at the beginning of the 3rd century. The cult of the solar Syrian god, to the detriment of Jupiter traditionally revered by the Romans, did not take root among the townspeople, although all sacred objects, including the fire of Vesta, were transferred to the temple. To date, only the foundation has survived from the temple;
• Cybele - the Great Mother of the gods and the goddess of fertility. It is known that the temple dates back to the 3rd century BC. already restored, so it was founded long before that;

The cult of Cybele belongs to an ancient religion. It was believed that she not only gives life, but also easily takes it away. Cybele was powerful over Light and Darkness, controlled the life of both people and animals. In her subordination was the wild nature - mountains and forests. The service of the Great Mother was accompanied by rituals that brought to the maximum point of delight and inspiration. During the Roman Empire, the celebrations in honor of Cybele reached their maximum pomp. She began to be considered the patroness of the welfare of Rome.

Remains of the majestic palaces of the Palatine Hill

Near the ruins of the temple of the Great Mother is a platform called Avgurakul. Augurs (servants of the priestly college of Rome) came to it before any important state event to watch the flight and cry of birds, and then make predictions based on the behavior of birds. It was believed that this was the only way to find out whether the gods approved of the intended action. It is interesting that fortune-telling was carried out quite officially, and the honorary position of augur was given for life.

Palatine Map

Historic churches

• San Bonaventure (Chiesa di S. Bonaventura) - refers to the Franciscan order. The monastery and church appeared on the hill in the second half of the 17th century. They bear the name of Saint Bonaventure, who is considered the greatest teacher of the church. The last restoration took place in 1840;
• San Sebastian (Chiesa San Sebastiano), originally - Santa Maria in Pallar. According to legend, there was once a pagan temple on the site of the church. Restoration took place in the first half of the 17th century, but the original frescoes were lost;
• Santa Maria Antiqua (S. Maria Antiqua) - known for its murals of the early Middle Ages. It is in poor condition and therefore requires constant restoration. Tourist access is severely limited.

The importance of the Palatine is difficult to overestimate. Is it possible today to imagine the world without Rome, and the foundation of Rome without Romulus and Palatine? Such important facts should not be overlooked, so visiting the main hill of the Eternal City and getting in touch with antiquity here is a must! About interesting facts, myths and historical reality associated with the Palatine.

The Palatine is the central of the seven Roman hills. According to legend, it was on it that the she-wolf raised Remus and Romulus. Today's Palatine looks like an island of silence in the midst of noisy Rome. This is a huge archaeological reserve.

How did the name Palatine come about?

Palatine (lat. Mons Palatinus, Palatium; Italian. Palatino) is the central of the seven Roman hills, 40 m high. According to legend, it was on it that the she-wolf raised Remus and Romulus, and here Romulus founded the city. Palatium is a poetic name, but its origin was very prosaic. Pales is the name of the goddess, the patroness of cattle. Livestock was grazed here for a long time. Later, the hill became a place of worship for the goddess Pales, and then it began to be gradually built up. Houses of aristocrats appeared, followed by imperial palaces. They were built and rebuilt over 3 centuries.

Palaces of the Palatine

The entire history of the Ancient One lies in ruins on the Palatine. The first settlements appeared here in 1000 BC.

Palace of the Augusts

The first palace was built here by Augustus at the end of the 1st century. n. who used it as a personal residence. Little remains of the marble August Palace (Domus Augustana): parts of the foundation and gloomy fragments of the outer walls.

House of Libya

House of Libya (Casa di Livia), photo Carole Raddato

Nearby are the ruins of the House of Libya (Casa di Livia) (end of the 1st century BC) - the wife of Augustus. Here you can discern the outlines of several interior spaces; fragments of paintings depicting mythological scenes, candelabra, sphinxes, garlands of flowers and fruits have been preserved on the walls (part of the frescoes from the palace were transferred to the Palatine Museum).

Palace of Tiberius and Palace of Caligula

Palace of Tiberius (Domus Tiberiana), photo daryl_mitchell

In the western part of the hill - the ruins of a structure made of neat brickwork - this is the Palace of Tiberius (Domus Tiberiana) (I-V centuries). It was built by the emperor Tiberius. Under Caligula, the building was expanded. From the walls of Caligula's palace there was a bridge to. There are many legends about the splendor of the palace, but today it is only a gloomy, albeit massive, ruins above the forum a little north of Domus Tiberiana. In the 16th century, the Farnese Gardens were laid out on the site of the destroyed imperial palace.

Flavian Palace

The Flavian Palace (Domus Flavia), photo by Cassius Ahenobarbus

Under Emperor Domitian in 80-92, the luxurious Flavian Palace (Domus Flavia) appeared. It housed a basilica, a sanctuary, a hall of Jupiter, a throne room and a columned one with a fountain. A Renaissance pavilion was built over its foundation, and a secret cryptoportico with a stucco ceiling has been preserved below.

Under Domitian, a huge one was also created. Once it served as an arena for spectacular spectacles, but now it is just a long rectangular wasteland. At the stadium, by the way, the imperial box has been preserved - an arched section of the wall in several tiers.

Palace of Septimius Severus

Palace of Septimius Severus (Domus Severiana), photo antmoose

The Palace of Septimius Severus (Domus Severiana) stood in the southeast of the hill. Now high arched galleries are visible in its place. Most of the building is hidden in the ground, and it is difficult to imagine the true dimensions from the remains. It was the last of the palaces on the Palatine.

Palatine today

Farnese Gardens, photo by Sarah P

After the invasion of the barbarians, the Palatine was empty, and the ruins of the majestic palaces were overgrown with grass and ivy. Its revival began in the 16th century under Pope Paul III Farnese.

Today, at the top of the Palace of Tiberius, there is an observation deck with views of and. Inspect everything from above, and then go down for a detailed acquaintance. There is also the Palatinum Museum.

Near the ruins of the Palace of Augustus, in a small Renaissance building, there is the Antiquarium Museum. There are collected sculptures found at the excavations. Fragments of ancient statues and modern sculptures are exhibited at the stadium of Domitian. Excavations on the hill have been going on since the 18th century.

Today's Palatine looks like an island of silence in the midst of noisy Rome. This is a huge archaeological reserve where royal pine trees grow, mysterious ruins stand motionless and the mysteries of ancient palaces hidden underground are waiting in the wings.

How to get there

To get to the Circus Maximus - this is the Circo Massimo stop, you can use:
buses: 51, 75, 81, 85, 87, 118, 160 628, 673, No. 2, No. 10, C3;
trams: 3; 8;
metro line B.

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The Palatine Hill is one of the seven hills of the Italian capital, the oldest part of the city and the place where it, in fact, was founded. The name comes from the Latin word "palus", which literally means "swamp". It rises forty meters and was once home to the ruling elite. Now the Palatine is a huge open-air museum. Not to visit it means not to feel the spirit of the Eternal City.

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Archaeological excavations indicate that the first settlements on the Palatine arose as early as the thirteenth century BC. Historians are inclined to believe that local shepherds grazed cattle for a long time on the hill. Hence the name, since the goddess Pales was their patroness, and in honor of her, the shepherds arranged sacrifices.

According to the mythology of the ancient Romans, it was on the Palatine hill that there was a cave called "Lupercal", where the she-wolf brought the two twin brothers Romulus and Remus. While they were babies, the animal nursed them, and after the brothers were found by the shepherd Faustul. By that time, fate had treated him and his wife cruelly - Akka had lost a child. In order to give shelter to newborns and drown out the pain of loss, the husband and wife took the twins for themselves.

When the brothers got older, they decided to found a city, but argued long and hard about where to start. During their quarrel, Romulus killed Remus, and later, repentant, founded Rome on the Palatine Hill, proclaiming himself its king. He ordered to surround the hill with a wall in order to protect his fiefdom. Subsequently, the hill was recognized by the Romans as the most iconic and prestigious place in the city.

The Italian rich dreamed of living in its vicinity, but only the royal nobility could afford such a thing. Many buildings on the Palatine Hill were destroyed during the invasion of the Goths. Only in the seventeenth century, representatives of the noble family of Farnese decided to restore part of the buildings.

In addition, there are several well-known facts from the history and legends regarding the Palatine Hill:

• According to legend, the fire-breathing giant Casus lived in a cave on the Palatine Hill and terrorized the inhabitants of the nearby Aventine Hill until Hercules defeated him.
• Emperor Augustus not only lived happily with his wife Livia on the Palatine Hill, but was born on it
• As a result of a palace coup, the emperor Caligula was killed in the tunnel under the Palatine palaces. At the age of twenty-eight, he was stabbed to death by conspirators who inflicted more than thirty stab wounds on him.
• The English word "palace", the Italian "palazzo" and the French "palais" all owe their origin to the Palatine Hill.

Archaeological excavations on the hill began in the eighteenth century and continue to this day.

Description

Today, the Palatine Hill is a popular tourist attraction, the custodian of the cultural and historical heritage of the Roman Empire. Here you can see the ruins of the Flavian Palace and the Stadium of Dominician, as well as the legendary hut of Romulus. Recently, the houses of Augustus and Livia have been opened to visitors, where you can admire beautiful ancient Roman frescoes.

Without visiting the Palatine Hill, one cannot understand the history of Rome. In addition, the hill itself is a kind of green harbor. Wild flowers grow among the ancient ruins, and it is not even an hour, a fluffy rabbit will run nearby. This is an ideal place for a picnic, because you can sit in the shade of the plants of the Farnese gardens. Even at the height of the tourist season, there are no suffocating crowds and human hubbub. Going around it from all sides, you can easily see other outstanding sights of the Italian capital. For example, the famous Colosseum, the Aventine Hill or the Circus Maximus.

Attractions

Without a suitable guidebook at hand, it is not so easy to navigate the ruins of the Palatine. Some places even look like a pile of bricks, but there are also buildings that have survived to this day in surprisingly good condition.

1. Saint Anastasia

Titular church built at the turn of the third and fourth centuries. It is possible that a certain Roman woman named Anastasia was involved in the construction, but this information is not accurate. What is known for certain is that the patroness of the basilica is St. Anastasia the Martyr of Sirmia.

1. Museum Antiquarium

The small two-story museum contains ancient Roman sculptures and bas-reliefs, many of which have miraculously survived since the founding of the city. The collection is updated annually.

1. Dominican Stadium

An impressive structure, which, according to some archaeologists and historians, could have been the emperor's private garden.

1. House of Libya

A small antique building, which most likely belonged to the wife of Emperor Augustus - Livia. The house was discovered at the end of the 19th century, and the name of the owner was established thanks to the engraving on the pipes. The condition of the building indicated that it was erected in the first century BC.

1. Farnese gardens

Picturesque place at the foot of the hill. Thanks to the natural source of water, plants are especially comfortable here. Visitors to the gardens will be greeted by a riot of colors and scents of roses, daffodils and other beautiful flowers.

palaces

Palatine Hill attracted the ruling nobility for many reasons: rich mythological heritage, central location, stunning views of the Eternal City, clean air and cool winds in the summer heat. It is not surprising that emperors erected palaces in such a wonderful place in order to once again emphasize their power in the eyes of ordinary citizens. Now tourists can visit the following of the buildings of the rulers:

1. House of Augustus

It was built back in the thirty-sixth year BC, nine years before Augustus was proclaimed emperor. It is curious that the personal rooms of the ruler are small in size and even modest, while the guest part of the house is distinguished by spacious rooms with high ceilings. The palace itself was built of marble, and next to it was the majestic temple of Apollo.

1. Palace of Tiberius

Unfortunately, the building has not survived to this day, but tourists can still visit what is left of it. It is located in the northwestern part of the hill, next to the Farnese gardens.

1. Flavian Palace

It was built during the reign of Emperor Domitian in 92 AD. This imposing building looks especially good from the Circus Maximus. It is known that at one time there were large halls inside the palace, in one of which trials were held, and in the other - imperial receptions. Behind the throne room was a small room that served as a sanctuary for the gods - the guardians of the ruling family.

Where is it located and how to get there

The Palatine Hill is the heart of Rome and is located not far from the equally famous Colosseum. You can get to both historical monuments, as well as to the Roman Forum, with a single ticket worth 12 euros. The surest way to get to your destination is by metro (Colosseo station, line B). You can also take buses number 75 and 87. If you decide to take a taxi, then keep in mind that on Saturdays and Sundays the central streets are filled with cars, and it may be easier and more pleasant to walk on foot.