01 01 2019 168 seconda serie ri-vista graphical analysis. urbancivilization, landscapeanalysis,urbanhistory,ogies, ancientbuildingenvironment, geo technol paleo-urban strategic- cities,knowledge management, smart Archaic Keywords tal contributionofallhumankind. the fate establishing thebasisofwestern civilizationof thaturbanarea, andgivinga fundamen- citizen’s determination andtheirprimitivebuteffective technologies, havecontributed to design allthosefactors, where of Rome, ing destinyoftheCity together withthepowerful boostofits shaping apowerful for future However, anyurbansettlement. few theastonish- citiesshare very playingafundamental are roleinthegameof sition: rivers,hills,islandsandnatural resources Most of the ancient cities link their initial fortune to the uniqueness of their geographical po Abstract shaping the foundation of the Roman civilization together with technological approaches, Rome before Rome: the role of landscape elements, DOI: 10.13128/rv-7020 -www.fupress.net/index.php/ri-vista/ distributed undertheterms oftheCC-BY-4.0 Licence Press. University for andpublishedbyFirenze metadata: CC0 1.0 |©2019 /Accepted:Received: August2019 July2019 Author(s). OpenAccess issue/article(s) edited byQULSO, Protection andResearch Istituto Superiore perlaProtezione Ambientale elaRicerca (ISPRA) Italian NationalInstitute for Environmental Federico Cinquepalmi [email protected] - - Cinquepalmi 169 - - - . 2 . Their commercial . Their commercial 1 ) could be dated 5000 dated be could Palatinus) . The hills are dominating the lower 3 , still visible today in the countrysidein today visible still , sur 4 course of the River, where the valley opens in a large opens in a large where the valley of the River, course alluvial plain stretching sea. out to be very those hills used to The lowland surrounding stretches, by water and characterized rich of waters the so-called streams, mudflats and short seasonal Marrane rounding Rome. The ancient landscape,rounding character years ago (Heiken, Funiciello, De Rita, 2005). The 2005). The De Rita, Funiciello, (Heiken, ago years is a very of Rome of the foundation site crucial one one of the main crossing-points reasons: several for where the Tiber in the area located of the River was territoryIsland lays. The original landscape of Rome Centurywas shaped by BC the IX-VIII 1), around (fig. typical the depicting hills, morphology of tufaceous a volcanic area Ab Urbe condita analysis: Ab landscape The earliest the of the right date establish It is impossible to of Rome, but most archeologists and foundation settlements human first the agree that historians ( hill Palatine the on routes from north to south, linked since the end of of end the since linked south, to north from routes of the Etruscancenters at the different Era the Iron in the mainly Tiber, the River crossing civilization, of the Tiber Island downstream immediate Etruscans held a strong flow of commerce both by commerce both by flow of Etruscans held a strong especially on potteryland and sea, ar and metallic jewels and blades like tifacts ------translated by Rev. Canon Roberts, 1905) Canon by Rev. translated
After starting from small and humble beginnings, beginnings, humble and small from starting After be to such dimensions that it begins to has grown (Titus by its greatness. overburdened Livius, Ab Ur be Condita (small-river), a secondary branch that creates a a secondary a creates that branch (small-river), ern coast of the Italian peninsula, reaching the coast the peninsula, reaching of the Italian ern coast On that low and sandy coast Sea. of the Tyrrhenian - of two a pseudo-delta branch line, the river forms of Fiumici- of Ostia and the branch es, the branch no island). (sacred island, called Isola sacra large lays Tiber the of island famous most the However, present its takes and sea, the km from 30 about the Insula Tiberina (Tib River itself: the name from er Island).history The of the River is inextricably as with the Tiber Island, with the foundation sociated of the western with the development and of Rome civilization. its most of and deep for large The River is quite twoin part of western the literally course,cutting Peninsula. Among the most ancient in- the Italian de Etruscans the Italy, pre-roman the of habitants part in the central/western veloped their civilization the CenturyX the BC,from since of Italy spreading in the north, of the until the present areas Po Valley presence of Naples and Pozzuoli, with a strong gulfs colonies.of Greek coastal The Tiber River flows for about 400 km from the the about 400 km from The Tiber River flows for the east until Italy, in Central Apennine Mountains Introduction 01 01 2019 170 seconda serie ri-vista mate in central Italy with vegetation oftheMediterranean typical cli- ized byswampy plainsandrocky tufaceous hills, observation pointsovertheRiver,observation theIslandand thePalatineRome, andthe Capitoline perfect were er rocks of volcanicorigins.Two oftheSeven Hillsof scape around hills,composed thepresent byhard- platform, land- shapingthepresent sedimentary ly theAnieneriver, tracing were theircourse inthat amongthemmain- the Tiberriveranditsaffluent, Later during the following warmer climatic period, duringtheinter-glacialrise, period. Romethe present was submerged bytheSea level form area ofsediments,deposedwhentheentire of oftheancientPliocene plat theremains tops, were located (fig. 3).Thecraggy slopehills,oftenon flat theTiberIslandis a step intheriverbed,rightwhere becauseoftherapids formedbeyond thispoint, by the maritimeships,sailingupriver, could notgo commercial ships ablewere to arrive inland (fig. 2), The site isalsothemostadvanced pointwhere alsolaystheruinsofEgeriawhere Nymphaeum. Caffarella park,alongtheAppianWay, archeological 5 could be seen still today in the - eventually removable incaseofenemies’ attacks narrate thatthebridge was builtwithoutnails,to be ofRome, The legends withthe early related history today ofthemoderncity. atthecore ral place for establishing theirfirst settlements,still Island, was givingto thefirst inhabitants anatu- and theirstrategic positionovertheriverand The hillsprofile shapedlike natural fortifications, area. entire surrounding plains, strategically dominating the ‘bridge builders’ and healing) ly theGodAesculapius (protector ofthemedicine connected withthecultofhealth gods, main- early roman religious traditions and was always The TiberIslandhadalways astrong linkwiththe Pontefices devoted thesocalled to thecustody ofthebridge, as clearly bytherole asserted order ofthereligious oftheState,ering itsconnection withthesecurity andfrom pointofview,tance, thereligious consid- both forancient Roman culture, commercial impor The bridge hadobviouslyagreat relevance inthe 7 , etymologically derivedfrom, etymologically the Latin 9 . The reason of this dedication could be . Thereason ofthisdedicationcould be 8 . 6 - .
Cinquepalmi 171 — Model of the archaic City of Rome around about 500 BCE (scale 1:1000 — detail) designed by Prof. Lorenzo Quilici, was added Quilici, was Lorenzo designed by Prof. — detail) 1:1000 about 500 BCE (scale of the archaic2 — Model Fig. City around of Rome of Portunus visible the temple the ancient (1), Quilici, it is clearly On the reconstruction by Prof. in 1995. the Museum collection to in his original wood the primitive Pons Sublicius dominating the harbor, Portus Tiberinus (2); (3) hills (4) and Palatine the Capitoline ® 2014). Museums of Rome structure (5) of Capitoline and the Tiber Island (6) authorized by the Superintendence (Photo on the two island of the river on both visible the rapids branches where are clearly of the Tiber Island today, 3D view 3 — Satellite Fig. it is visible the location of the paleo-harbor Portus of the image Tiberinus, and close by the modern bridge,sides. In the center located of Google Earth). by courtesy be (Image supposed to where was in the same site the wooden Pons Sublicius page opposite at the located hill, the Tiber River and the original swamp rendering view of the Tiber Island, the Capitolium 1 — Tridimensional Fig. of Arch. by courtesy G. Rosi — IX Century BC (Image of Rome the foundation before appearing most probably of the hill, as it was foot
. 13 ): widespread (Opus Siliceum): widespread work The Polygonal between- cen the sixth and second Italy, in central turies BC, the superposition of un- of consisted size, of considerable even boulders, stone worked or pins. That grappas without the aid of binders, - con and terracing for used mainly was system walls. tainment work Square The - of the superposition of square a paral in blocks height,lelepiped shape and of uniform which are sup continuous with rows homogeneous in laid - the tech area, In the Roman porting surfaces. BC Century sixth the as early as used was nique refined,regularityand progressively with greater of of the cut and a more arrangement articulated the blocks The most ancient remains we refers to are cis to some remainsancient most The refers we Hill, the covered with Thólos on the Palatine terns temple, the remains of Capitoline base of Jupiter on the Palatine Quadrata of Roma the fortifications Walls, the circleServianHill and those of the first of most ancient sections of the Cloaca Maxima , the and Pollux. of Castor and the primitive Temple Regia All these monuments are made with a soft-grained call connected with the earliest remains of the ar earliest with the call connected are: work (Opus Siliceum) chaic Rome the Polygonal ): and the Square work (Opus Quadratum • • The two masonry main we must re that techniques
. - - - - - 12 , archae 11 ) for describing the ) for Τετραγώνοs ( Tetragonos Tetragonos since most ancient times. In general, the most ancient times. In general, since Lazio (Courtesy of Wikimedia (Courtesy Opus Quadratum ologist at the University expert of Pisa and in ancient seems the most plausible one. She is Topography, way Greek who describedreflecting authors, on the contemporaryon almost ArchaicRome usedtimes, term the The archaeological researches that took place on on place The archaeological that took researches during the nineteenth Hill, especially Palatine the the pres have established and twentieth Centuries, (Opus Quad- of a square system ence construction used in Etruria ), the same building system, ratum and with in the territories is located Opus Quadratum than itself better suited this rock soil, a tufaceous parallelepipedof form the in cut be to limestone the 4). planes (fig. in uniform and arranged blocks, ‘squared’ Archaic Rome,- histori has involved many however ans and archaeologists the antiquity, since Maccari Aurora from coming the proposal commons, photo by Sailko 2016). by Sailko photo commons, opposite page opposite of the archeological4 — View Fig. excavation on on the Capitoline shed’ called ‘Romulus the site hill in Rome. are Neolithic layer Over the lower of on Cappellaccio visible the tuff blocks clearly the is Tetragonos foundation. shape of the Rome earlies pe describing a quadrangular a noun geometrically quad- the roughly to which is well suited rimeter, Palatine. shape of the The most interestrangular the in- to is referring she proposes, ing conclusion figure exceed lat that such quadrilateral fluence the on both reverberates history, Roman the in er military Roman classical model the and on camp, overlapping cities, often foundation of the Roman pre-existing of planning the settlements urban 01 01 2019 174 seconda serie ri-vista feet) andcm.25÷30high(Lugli, 1957) into ashlars cm.90long(=3feet), cm.60wide(=2 tuff, commonly called ‘Cappellaccio’, which was cut where laysaparking area,where nowadays calledBocca the primitive harbor was in the ground depression in theMuseumofRoman Civilization inRome, the plaster castmodelbyLorenzo Quilici,conserved ent just at the foot of the Aventine hill, along the pres was movedto thedownstream banks oftheriver, whentheharborharbor basin,andlater reclaimed That swamp wasexcavated firstly to shapeasmall Tiberinus). harbor ofRome (Portus within therivermeander was located theprimitive nally mostprobably laidaswamp intheflatarea origi- Hills, onthesouthernbankofriverwere coveries, rightatthefoot ofCapitoline andPalatine According dis to themostrecent archaeological Urbanization of lungotevere Testacciolungotevere well showedin . As very Velabrum valley:Cloaca Maxima 14 . - - That first most fluvialport createdprobably exca- stream flowinginto theTiber valley ofthesmall riverVelabrum Maius,aseasonal Valleluvial deposits.Itwas theso-called or Murcia later on, inaflat-bottomed valley, ofHolocene al- ancient Roman Massimowas stadium Circo built Palatine andAventine hills,justwestofwhich,the labro) was located atthebaseofCampidoglio, acterized the alluvial plain. A vast swampy area (Ve ent inthisarea, marshes where andswamps char The Tiberreceived thewaters ofsomeminorafflu- genesis oftheearly Rome. feature to thatneedto the inrelation beconsidered cheological pointofview, isanotherartificial there , asconfirmed froming temple thear ofPortunus the base of the Palatine Hill, nearby the still exist chaic If wedonothavesomuchinformation aboutthear ria inCosmedin (fig. 5). della Verità nearby ofSanta Ma- thechurch square, , apart thatitwas Tiberinus,apart located at Portus 15,16 . - - - - - Cinquepalmi 175 - - - - . 22 . All antique authors agree about agree about . All antique authors 21 . 20 . So between 580 and 530/520 BC it was built BC it was between. So 580 and 530/520 19 It makes perfectly sense that the transformation sense that the transformation perfectly It makes canal in an under drainage of the original open-air ground sewer could be attributed to the expertise to be attributed sewer could ofground under with more familiar general in Etruscan, the thatis clear be to seems it What excavation. ground impressive hydraulic such of purpose original the drain with the need to mainly connected work was - mean the in fighting area, the on marshes the fe of seasonal endemic problem the time against and in that swampy carried out by mosquitos vers plain unhealthy of the circus dedicated to horse races (Circus Maxi (Circus - races horse of the circus to dedicated mus) the unhealthy nature of the lowlands around the the nature around of the lowlands unhealthy the The context described clarify valley. Forum Roman religion of roman in the early played the importance with her Febris (Fever)the cult of goddess together dedication of the month February (Februarium) The structural details of the walls belonging to the belonging to of the walls details The structural most archaic sections of the Cloaca Maxima , are techniques in line with the construction perfectly a massive duct, by Plinius, aimed to as highlighted a floods; Tiber of the water the reflux drain quickly massive duct,aimed mainly “to the re quickly drain Con- of the Tiber floods”water flux 2018). (Bianchi, preventive a ground, the of level low the sidering was most probably work of landfill and conspicuous required ------book V 3,8) , following several flooding occurred on occurred flooding on several , following 18 (‘Geography’),, in his work Geographica re 17 Romans engaged in the construction of roads, aq- of roads, in the construction engaged Romans that poured Tiber the the ueducts and sewers into of turned with rows the sewers, dirt Urbe […] of the allow the are so wide as to stones, in some places Geo (Strabo, laden with hay. wagons of large transit graphica graphica the lowlands surrounding the Palatine hill, finally hill, finally the Palatine the lowlands surrounding the King decided the excavation of the Cloaca Maxi- ma, more or less in the same time of the realization ports that: - of hydrau of this work and importance fectiveness the most impres that he considers lic engineering, Rome, reportingsive of the early of the attribution Tarquinius the Etruscan king Lucius to the project - Priscus. It seems that during the reign of Tarquini us Priscus Also Dionysius of Halicarnassus describes the ef Also Dionysius of Halicarnassus describes vating those antiques marshes and conceived for for and conceived antiques marshes those vating progres small fluvial vessels the river, remounting sively lost his function and importance, also be importance, and also function his lost sively cause the city and the maritime traf development for completely relinquished was increase. it fic Once moresame the in less sites, or moreother favorable the final section of the Cloaca realized was place Maxima feature . The description of that hydraulic sources re in almost all literature be found could history the earliest to of Rome.ferred Strabo opposite page opposite of Portunustemple 5 — The Fig. area and the , della Verità Bocca presently Piazza denominated (Portus of Rome of the primitive harbor the site Cinquepalmi — ® 2014). by F. Tiberinus) (Photo 01 01 2019 176 seconda serie ri-vista Regarding the project management of such com tee thecontrol oftheTiberwater levels. The publican andimperialtimes(fig.6). re techniques ofthe lyzing thedifferent masonry thesuccessiverecognize maintenance works, ana- tainment walls onthePalatine hill,anditiseasy to ofthefortificationsmost ancientremains and con- blocks ofCappellacciosquared tuff,exactly like the underground sewer canalization realized are with of the same times. The of most theancient parts bank affluentoftheTiber for possibleflooding’s causedbythestreams, west- since theoriginasadrainage system, usefulboth that astonishing hydraulic project was conceived order to cope withtheneedsofgrowing city, size ofthecity. in timeafter time, Evenifexpanded draulic over-dimensioned system apparently for the meters per second, of a hy - giving the impression meters, allowingawaterreaching flow tens ofcubic central ofthesystem even part asectionof9square sizeofthetunnels,reachingThe impressive inthe anchi, 2018, p.182). ing those pavements fixed with bronze clamps (Bi- oftheundergrounding parts stillshow- canalsare tural collapse oftheside’s- walls. Most ofthesurviv by water andsedimentsflow, andtheriskofstruc inorder to theground prevent erosionertine, caused Cloaca was paved with harder stones like trav 23 , butmostlyfor guaran- - - - - abetta Bianchi, when she affirms that: abetta Bianchi,whensheaffirmsthat: we completely withElis infrastructure, agree plex conduit (E. Bianchi). conduit (E. theconnection oftheImperialage ontheright, (bottom part); or Augustan age restoration oftheRoman Kingdom conduit with theSacra viacollector. theRepublican Ontheupperleft, attheintersection masonry Fig. 6 —DetailCloaca Maxima ofthe Pons SubliciusThe first Pons , realized mostprobably First woodenbridge: Pons Sublicius (bridge) and the adjectivetis (bridge) The namecomes from theLatin words, Pons sitioned probably onpilingsfixedintheriverbed. ed just downstream of theIsland, was rightly po- simple buteffective technology. locat Thebridge, employed forAncus Marcius, itsrealization avery ofKing BCduringthereign around theVcentury carnassus on pilings’.ymologically ‘erected Dionysius ofHali- anchi, 2018, p.179) fro blocks, orCortona. suchasthoseofCerveteri (Bi- with corbelled vault coverage, formed bylarge nen- large burialmounds,accessible through longdromoi intheconstruction of ing ofthoseEtruscan,expert drainage conduit attended thesametechnical train- Probably theworkers whobuiltthegreat Rome 25 about king Ancus Marcius states: states: aboutkingAncus Marcius Sublicius, meaning et - Pon 24 - - -
Cinquepalmi 177 ; - - - 28 , in a very painting dat evocative 29 ed 1814 (fig. 8). (fig. ed 1814 the technology a consolidat evidently applied was military within the roman ed knowledge engineers. reconstruction of that One of the most fascinating of the the techniques by step step bridge, following military been proposed has Cesar engineers Giulio’s by Sir John Soane The technology developed for building temporary The technology for developed by Giu- later it is still described centuries bridges, to 7), in the De Bello Gallico (fig. referring Cesar lio’s cross the temporary built by its legions for bridge militarythat during River Rhine the ing campaign - - - - . 26 . 27 John Soane (1814). Guido (1814). John Soane commons, Dudenw, 2016). Dudenw, commons, Rhine Bridge, by Beltramini, Pierre Gros, 2003, pp. 182-196. 2003, Pierre Gros, Beltramini, — Detail of the hypothetical structure of the hypothetical 7 — Detail Fig. of the military Cesar’s by Giulius bridge the on Louis Napoleon Bonaparte — Histoire de Cesar Bonaparte Napoleon — Histoirede Cesar Louis — Atlas 2 — table 15.jpg (Courtesy of Wikimedia 15.jpg (Courtesy 2 — table — Atlas — Proposed reconstruction of the Caesar’s 8 — Proposed Fig. The enemy would have forced their way over the over the their way The enemy would have forced one man, Hor had it not been for bridge Sublician . The good fortune of Rome provided provided of Rome fortune . The good atius Cocles He hap- day. on that memorable him as her bulwark when he sawbridge at the the be on guard pened to by a sudden assault and the ene Janiculum taken own his whilst river, the to it from down rushing my were mob, deserting their postsmen, a panic-struck them away their arms. He reproached and throwing stop tried to their cowardice, another for one after stand, name to them in heaven’s to them, appealed seek safety them to for in vain declared that it was open behind them, the bridge in flight whilst leaving there would very soon be more of the enemy on the than there were on the and the Capitoline Palatine down break them to to he shouted Janiculum. So or fire, by sword means the bridge or by whatever so attack he would meet the enemies’ could, they them at bay keep as one man could far He also is said to have built the wooden bridge bridge have built the wooden He also is said to construct be required to was which Tiber, the over ed without brass or iron, being held together by its being held together iron, or without brass ed alone. preserve they beams This bridge the pres to ofpart any if and sacred; as it upon looking day, ent certainto it, attend offering it gives out the pontiffs while it is being sacrifices repaired traditional Horatius reported by Titus Livius about Horatius The legend the bridge defending hero, roman , the early Cocles northern enemies seems to from during an attack toeasy the hypothesis of a wooden bridge, confirm dismantle in case of emergency: 01 01 2019 178 seconda serie ri-vista ertine marble ertine ders enclosedwith thelocaltrav oftheislandwere - ship, commemorating thetravel Thebor to Greece. The Island was later shaped in the form of a roman the construction oftheCloacaMaxima. technique as intheCapitol andPalatine hills,andin ed with tuff-squared blocks, employing thesame from alluvial origin, just successively consolidat The analysis states definitively that the Island is for geo-sites. national inventory in ageological data sheetcomprised intheItalian al origin, for human intervention anartificial tus Livius the reports legend of a possible alluvi scholars andhistorians, since theRoman times.Ti- The Islandoriginhasbeenlargely discussedby The island onthe river: InsulaTiberina visible today ofthe Island inthesouthernpart Oneofthemarble decorationswith sculptures. still site to corresponding theIsland advanced study dedicated to thegeologicalvery Sapienza University in produced Rome, in 2012 a However, ofEarth theDepartment Sciences ofLa the basisofsubsequentalluvialsediments branchestwo andthetuff rock wouldhave formed of thetuffwouldhave theriver forced to divideinto pidoglio andthehillsonleftbank;resistance would betuff, ofthesamekindasnearby Cam- cording to Besnier, oftheisland thebasicstructure 33 designedasashiphull,decorated 32 andsummarized 30 31 . Ac . 34 . , is - - - - his main attribute: thesnakehis mainattribute: curledonastick thegod Aesculapiusrepresenting (fig. 9), showing Religion, dedicated a tochurch Saint Bartholomew when, with the rising of the Christianism as State an hospital, alsoafter thefall oftheRoman Empire The Islandsince thattimehasbeenalways usedas en Hills where Romeen Hillswhere was founded, could beright mark oftheTiberine Island,dominated bytheSev- course of the Sacred River, together with the land the Historic Centre ofRome The landscapeofthelowTiber valley surrounding Conclusions site oftheimperialpalace oftheRoman emperors. of theFoundation andfor ofRome, centuries the from thenameofPalatine hill,originalplace ogy line hill,andalsotheword ‘Palace’ found- itsetymol takes itsnamefromernment, theancientCapito - ‘Capital’, meaning thetown hostinganation’s gov- development ofthewestern civilization. Thenoun ic Rome hadasubstantial influence onthe future Several- toponym ofthe landscapeinthearcha the last2500years. sites stillusedwiththesamesanitarian functionsin fratelli hospital, probably oneofthemostancient famous hospital ofthecity,a very theFatebene was builtontheIsland.Still today, thesite hosts 37 and backboned by the andbackbonedbythe 35 . 36 - - -
Cinquepalmi 179
- - - - - ),pinaster , book II-10). On the appearance appearance the On II-10). , book Ab urbe condita , Mediterranean origin], roman. roman. origin], [noun, Mediterranean marana) (or Marrana “Cum hostes adessent, pro se quisque in urbem ex agris adessent, hostes exurbem in quisque se agris pro “Cum White oaks (Quercus oaks White alba), Maritime pines (Pinus The entire central Italy, the region surrounding Rome, was a Rome, was the region surrounding Italy, The entire central The Etruscan maritime traffic took place mainly at short mainly dis took place The Etruscan maritime traffic - Scaevo ut Pontufices, dicti. sacris a universi “Sacerdotes demigrant; urbem ipsam saepiunt praesidiis. Alia muris, alia urbem ipsam saepiunt praesidiis. demigrant; paene hos pons sublicius iter videbantur tuta: Tiberi obiecto — Small stream or ditch with water: up to where up to the hill de or ditch with water: — Small stream of the toponyms in various is an element that occurs scends ‘swamp, Mara of Rome, perhaps deriving from surroundings - suffix (Britan a pejorative with family, sea the from marsh’, nica.com). munimen id dedit, tibus Cocles; fuisset, vir unus ni Horatius habuit” urbis Romanae tum illo die fortuna (Titus Livius, , Coclite Orazio of the enemy the country the City people fled into as best they were occupied by mil- in the defences places The weak could. itarywereTiber the and deemed elsewhere the walls posts; way forced their The enemy would have protection. sufficient Horati man, one for been not it had bridge Sublician the over him as her bul- provided of Rome fortune The good us Cocles. day. on that memorable wark highly volcanic area around 600.000 years ago, dominated by dominated ago, years 600.000 around highly volcanic area the Alban volcano. tance from the coastlines and with frequent stops; to the the to frequentwith and stops; coastlines the from tance the while to Liguria and southern France north reached they Greek as the Lipari Islands and the of colonies south as far as a the north acted to routes The land trade Sicily. eastern - Med of the eastern civilizations link between the advanced the of civilizations basin and the less developed iterranean which the Etruscans were best known for The products West. Buccheri, furnishings and including the were wine, pottery, 2003). (Torelli, weapons bronze la Quintus pontufex maximuspontufex la Quintus dicebat,ut facere, a posse et Sublicius est nam ab his arbitror: a ponte Ego pontentifices. cis et uls et restitus ut primum saepe, sacra ideo cum factus Tiberim non mediocri ritu fiant”, Coclite (Titus Livius, Orazio 6 7 ) and Swamp reeds ( Phragmites Swamp and ) nobilis trees (Laurus Laurel 3 4 5 or communis). australis 2 - - - - The Etruscans began about 3,000 years ago to work the El- to ago years about 3,000 The Etruscans began Note 1 ly considered an unique example of how few land- exampleunique an considered ly few how of influential. been historically scape elements have the for not only fundamental was That influence but also most civilization, Roman of the flourishing - human and civilization western for significant ly kind history. inhabit of the earliest the genius it was However, of the Italian in the center ants of that small area in places different from peninsula, that gathering recognized the the river, nearby that crucial place position of the described landscape el- strategical knowl innovation, ement. technological Applying management, romans and strategic the early edge in one the site where shape that unhealthy able to most powerful cities of the ancient world, the capi- paving of one of the most significant civilization, tal contemporary all the - tech architectural for the way nologies. opposite page opposite of the remaining 9 — Part Fig. still visible decoration marble on the Tiber Island, shapedtoday ship triremeof a Roman in form the marble and in the foreground, relief representing the Greek God by a characterized Aesculapius curled on a stick snake Cinquepalmi ®, 2014). (F. sible to define the ancestors of the modern blast furnace. The define the ancestors sible to that includes the municipalities of Massa Marittima, area - Roccastra Scarlino, Gavorrano, Marittimo, Monterotondo Suvereto, of Grosseto, province in the Montieri, Follonica, da, of Livorno, and Piombino in the province Marittima Campiglia - by significant mining and metal characterized strongly was the extraction by the Etruscan for activities developed lurgical 2008). zinc, lead, and silver (Irollo, tin copper, of iron, ban iron mineral in small melting pot furnaces, which, unlike unlike which, furnaces, pot melting small in mineral iron ban so that it is pos the older low-lying fires, upwards, extended 01 01 2019 180 seconda serie ri-vista este, sedApollinenato.este, Ite bonisavibus prolemque accersite nunc propiore loco! necApollinevobis,quiminuatluctus, opus Christianity (SfameniChristianity G.,Calí V., DeMiro (eds.), E. 2010). paganism levels, and uptoture thelimitsofcultbetween ic andmedicineontheliterary, philologicalandmaterial cul- andofthemesinvolvingastrology,East andinEgypt, mag of the lar significance, romantic aspects of cult in the Near turned theirattention to thetreatment- ofparticu ofsources igraphic sources. In the field, scholarshistorical religious have andep- issues, aswellritualsinconnection withliterary topographical, architectural, iconographic and chronological the Italic area, Africa inNorth andinSicily, withalltheopen intheAegean,clepius inthemainlandGreek, inAsia Minor, in scholars haveillustrated themanyaspectsofcultAs Mediterranean area. In the historical-archaeological field, er context ofanalogousinthe phenomenapresent religious rama, hasbeenanalyzedinallthesalientaspectswid- aunicum represents ency of thecultAsclepiusinMediterranean, whoseconsist lingua latina,bookV-15). monies on both Terentiussides of the Tiber (Marcus Varro, is alsothereason heldwithsolemncere rites are whysacred asit andthis restored, was thenoften first timebytheircare, comes from pons; infact theSublicio bridge was builtfor the as if it were andfaceresaid, derivetheirnamefrom posse(power) (to do), rites. pontiff. Thepontiffs,sacred asthemaximum Scevola eral senseoftheterm, derivetheirnamesfrom therespective Ab urbecondita, bookII-10). Sacerdotal societiesinthegen- 10 9 8 tian roman pontifflater on. can andRoman Godwas thekeys, to theCris passeddirectly fact connected to thecultofthatEtrus thatthesymbology the interesting Subliciusstruction asthePons , andisalsovery ic times it usedjust of towhere Rome, be an important con- itsstilllocatedple ofGodPortunus asitwas since- thearcha nally located. Itcannotbeacoincidence thefact thatthetem - erected so close to the place where whythetempleriver wading was points,wouldalsoexplain The complex framework Thecomplex ofthedevelopment anddiffusion The other possible association of Portunus, protecting TheotherpossibleassociationofPortunus, the
“Quod propiore loco, petis hinc, petisses et pete Romane, poten_fices (capable I think the term of doing). in theGreek-Roman pano- religious Pons SubliciusPons was origi De De ------Roma, Metamorphoseis, bookXVverses 619-728). (Publius OvidiusNaso, L’introduzione delculto diEsculapioa please moveonundergood auspices andappeal to ourson!” Apollus thatyouneed,butthesonofhim”(AEsculapius). “So place youmustsearch it!For yourmourning, reducing itisnot nostram! you searching | What Roman,are here in a closer Velabrum Maior(Foro Boario)” (Bianchi,2018, pp.178-179). and Capitoline itformed Hill,where theVelabrum Minusand Palatinewould becalledArgiletum andcontinued between Before reaching theTiber, hisbasinwidenedinthearea that be born,theRoman Forum, theBasilicaAemiliawas. where heading towards thearea would thefirst publicsquare where crossed theQuirinalHillandVelian thevalley between Hill, pp. 149-150), was fed by rains and by numerous springs, and ciani identifiedwiththeSpinoncited byCicero (Palombi 2013, Amnis,theNodinus.Thestreamana, thePetronia whichLan- streams stillhypothetical:theSallusti- whosenamesare formed four valleys slopingtoward theriver, crossed by only through theconstruction ofsewers (cloacis)started by ing theunhealthy oftheForum nature valley, marked how BC by the Tarquiniantury kings. Varro and Livius in describ lamation workwas probably madeattheendof6 ed thelevel ofabout3metersrec (Filippi,2005). The final withreclaimed, filling of andearth other material that uplift the Archaic Age, inthemiddleof7 the Archaic with theTiber, was subjectto flooding, regularly sothatsince ley, as well as other hollowed urban areas in direct contact “The studies thefirst transformation ofthearea: Velabro val- tendenza Capitolina ai Beni Culturali confirmed with ad hoc 18 16 15 14 13 12 11 17 geographer, philosopher, andhistorian. other techniques. titious material throughout alongsidethe theimperialage, Tiberina”, 2012. Maccari,2019, p.143. Strabo (Στράβων Strábōn; 64or63 BC-AD24) was aGreek Ferri, 1950, pp.3-6. The use continues even after theintroduction of the cemen- “IsolaTiberina”: “Isola Data sheetofthegeological survey Lugli, 1957 (MCMLVII). “About 3500 years ago, ontheleftbankofTiber, were Most analysisfrom recent Elisabetta Bianchi,oftheSovrin- th century BC, thearea was BC, century th cen - - - -
Cinquepalmi 181 ------“Ager Tarquiniorum inter urbem ac Tiberim erat, Tiberim ac consecra urbem inter Tarquiniorum “Ager - Oxford 1753, Goring, 10, September (born Soane John Sir tus Marti: Martius deinde Campus appellatus est. tus Marti: hic Martius deinde Campus Forte erat. matura Quoniam regii campi fructum farris tunc seges magnis immissa seges, desecta putabatur, nefas consumere re corbes haesitantes fusa est in Tiberim. In valdis corbibus, mag invectis rebus flumine aliis cum una et limo in sederunt nos acervos cumulaverunt. est. Insula inde paulatim creata sunt, moles additae certe fir Postea quoniam eminentem et porticus nunc sustinere et templa videmus”mam aream shire, England — died January 20, 1837, London), British archi- London), shire, England — died January 1837, 20, of interpretations his original, highly personal for notable tect the Neoclassical style. He is considered one of the most in- architects of his time (Britannica.org). ventive European 29 30 engines, sunk these into the river, and fixed them at the bot and fixed the river, engines, sunk these into per not quite them in with rammers, and then driven tom, so sloping, and forward bending but a stake, dike pendicularly, he also direction incline in the as to of the current of the river; two piles]placed [other these, to of opposite at the distance in the same manner, together lower down, fastened feet forty Both currentand river. the of force the directedbut against feet firmly aparttwo by beams were kept these, moreover, which the binding of the piles occupied), space thick (the laid side,and extremities each on their at in betweentwo braces fas directions and of these being in different in consequence the was so great the other, to the one opposite on sides tened of the mate strength of the work, and such the arrangement dashed water of body greater the as in proportion that rials, the bridge, so much the closer wereagainst its parts held fas by timber were bound together These beams together. tened laid over them, in the direction of the length of the bridge, and and in addi- were [then] covered over with laths and hurdles; at the obliquely, this, piles were the water tion to driven into bridge,the of side lower and these,serving buttresses,as and everywith connected being portionsustained work, of the there and also above were of the stream: others the force trees of distance; trunks if or that bridge,the a moderate at for the vessels were down the river by the barbarians floated of such things the work, the violence purpose of destroying and might not injure might be diminished by these defenses, the bridge” 15). (De Bello Gallico, Book IV chapter
- - - - and the first bridge over bridge first the and , the low-lying areas of the city the of were final areas low-lying the , (1939), book II 45 p. 181. book II 45 Antiquities (1939), The Roman “According to some geotechnical investigations the lowest investigations some geotechnical to “According “He devised this plan of a bridge. He joined together at the this plan of a bridge. “He devised He joined together - centu for the Janiculum was to leading The Pons Sublicius According to tradition, fourth king of Rome (640-610 BC). (640-610 Rome king of fourth tradition, to According (fever) was the goddess per the goddess was Febris (fever) mythology, In Roman stream was one of the small affluent of the Ti- was The Spinon stream
From the Founding of the City by Livy, Book II chapter 10. Book II chapter of the City Founding the by Livy, From Eutropius, Breviarium, I, 6. Ab Urbe condita , I.19 and I.37. Titus Livius, Periochae, I.19 Ab Urbe condita ber river on the west bank: “The iden- which Lanciani stream rains and by fed by was by Cicero tified with the Spinon cited between the valley the Quir and crossed springs, numerous where the area towards Hill, heading inal Hill and the Velian Forum” square public the first would be born, the Roman p. 178). (Bianchi, 2018, point of the valley between Capitoline and Palatine Hill was Hill was and Palatine between Capitoline point of the valley easily up coming about 6.90 m a.s.l., while the annual floods flooding” continual causing m 9.00 2018,of level a (Bianchi, to p. 179). sonifying but also protecting people from fever and malaria. fever from people sonifying but also protecting Febris had three in ancient Rome, temples of which one was , as reported by betweenlocated and Velabrum the Palatine authors. several ries the only bridge in Rome. Dionysius has already, in discuss in Rome. Dionysius has already, ries the only bridge were that they so named stated (II.73.1), ing the pontifices their important one of duties, the repairing of the wood- from in deriving pontifex (L.L.V.83) Varro en bridge. Thus, he follows Pons the noun make). (bridge)from and the verb Facere (to 27 28 25 26 24 23 22 21 19 20 Tarquinius Priscus Tarquinius ly drained. Livius again says that the one known in his time time says that the one known in his Livius again ly drained. , Superbus as the Cloaca Maxima by Tarquinius completed was which extended the Tiber” it down to p. 178). (Bianchi, 2018, Numa’s grandson, he continued the policy he continued of religious resto- grandson, Numa’s cities, many Latin Ostia and conquered He founded ration. he In Rome settling part on the Aventine. of their inhabitants Janiculum the on fortification a built ). the Tiber (Pons Sublicius distance of two feet, two piles, each a foot and a half thick, and a half thick, of twodistance feet, a foot two piles, each in sharpened a little at the lower end, and proportioned of means by had, he After river. the of depth the to length, 01 01 2019 182 seconda serie ri-vista here localizable. From even crum- localizable. ifparticularly the remains here construction for thebuildingsof temple ofAesculapius, necessary ed thebeginningof thebankings-embankment, wall a square the remainsf of tufa, which probably constitut the decorated travertine isinterrupted structure joiningwith confirmed advanced,the hypothesis previously and in fact have andaccuratecareful studyofthis important monument, also from historical sources” (Titus Livius). (Titus also from historical sources” fense constructions, foundations oranchoringassuggested lithoid-tawny butmostlikelyremains ofde the tuffdeposit, ologists believe thatthetufaceous traces notasign ofa are nized andconfirmedthemajor with ge focused surveys Even these claims have never been geologicallyture. recog the island (1990), struc highlighted a sandy sedimentary stream of onesundertheoldeststructures oftheprevious (1982, near madeup- whileotherexcavations, thechurch) the S. Giovanni Calibita Hospital, elementsoftufa found were duringtheexcavations carriedoutinthebasementof that, appear.(strips ofvolcanictuff) Itshouldalsobementioned ‘lambeaux dutufvolcanique’and gravel, sediment, ofrecent il EngineeringOffice —thatappear underthelayers ofsand munications received from thetechnicians oftheRome Civ- Besnier theory, whichin1902 stated —basedonverbalcom- therefore, allowusto completely the refute This doesnot, generallymerous carriedoutfor surveys, buildingpurposes. or by the stratigraphy from resulting the cused nu- surveys land was formed”. anis the debriswhichriverbrought downcollected there, shallows, andheaps withmud;gradually covered ofitwere as and thestream was low, consequently thecorn stuckinthe itinto theriver.er andthrew Itwas theheightofsummer andall,inbaskets straw to theTib They carriedit, to cutit. was growing ontheCampus, alarge sent bodyofmenwere andasitwouldhavebeensacrilege to consume whatvest, is said,to beacrop whichwas ofcorn there ripefor thehar Mars andknownastheCampus happened,it There Martius. andtheTiber, theCity between was henceforth to sacred land of the Tarquins, Livius, liber II-5).(Titus “The which lay 33 32 31 “The alluvial theory hasnever beenconfirmed eitherby fo- alluvialtheory “The Pica,2012. “The graphic surveys presented here, carriedoutfor here, presented amore graphic surveys “The ------deity hasbeenidentifiedwiththeislandsince atleastdeity the 3 (Pasquali, Passeri, 1983). faithfullyRoman warship (perhapsatrireme) reconstructed” bling, itisclearly ofabow recognized therepresentation UNESCO since 1980. with theproprieties World oftheHolySee, Heritage Site from 37 36 35 34 Grappa (BL),pp.177-204. 24th-28th(Feltre, August 2015) andtheCity:“Water Hydraulic systems in theRoman Age” Proceedings ofthesecondinternational summerschool 2018,Bianchi E. II,inTamburrino AquamDucere (ed.), E. tion catalogue, Mendrisio-London, pp.182-196. John Soaneandthewoodenbridges ofSwitzerland,- exhibi Beltramini G.,Gros P. BridgeontheRhine,in 2003, Cesar’s temoing, Parigi. Besnier M.1902, L’île Tibérinedansl’Antiquité Fon, Albert - References ertine ship,staff,ertine (Jones, 2009). andsnake stillhighlight” are walls ofAesclepius’ Theremains onitssoutheast side. trav- into thefoundation BCEwhenhisshipwasCentury carved the altar of the church” (Jones, 2009). (Jones, the altar ofthechurch” eval wellbuiltonAesclepius’ ancientspringcanbefound near lennium ago on the shrine ofthe ancient healing god. A medi- The BasilicaofSan Bartolomeo to thesouthwas builtamil- brotherhood runbyareligious previously intheMiddleAges. the Ospedale di Fatebenefratelli, now a public hospital, but the Royal Pharmaceutical ofGreat Society Britain. of so seeninthebottom oftheshieldcrest leftquarter serpent ofEpidaurusonthestaff of Aesculapius, canbeal- today thesymbolofpharmaciesinmanycountries. The The Historic Centre of Rome has been recognized, together Thesnake curledonthestickofgod Aesculapius isstill “Even today, the northern half of the island is occupied by “The association of the God Aesculapius with the healing “The , Edizioni DBS, Seren del rd
Cinquepalmi 183 - - - Sacred Species and Sites — Les — Sacred Sites and Species , Electa, e archeologia dell’Isola Tiberina, Electa, ria, architettura Milano. Pica A.- “Isola Tiberi del geosito Scheda censimento 2012, Uni- Sapienza La di Scienze della Terra, na”, Dipartmento (ISPRA). nazionale dei geositi Inventario di Roma, versità Sacred (in press), and bi- sites G., Cinquepalmi F. Pungetti G., , in Pungetti applying the principles diversity: ocultural (eds.), D. Hooke G., Oviedo University Biodiversity Conservation , Cambridge sons for (UK). Press, Cambridge di Ascle Il culto 2010, E. (eds.) De Miro V., G., Calí Sfameni Editore,, Gangemi Roma. pio nell’area mediterranea Tiber river bridges and the development of R. 2002, Taylor 2. n. of Rome», waters , «The the ancient city of Rome Bari. degli Etruschi, Laterza, Storia M. 2003, Torelli , prima civiltà italiana Gli Etruschi. La 2008, Thuillier J.P. Lindau, Torino. V-15. De lingua latina, libro Varro, Marcus Terentius Storia, civiltà etrusca, Gli elefanti. La K. 1999, Werner Libri, Milano. Garzanti Pomerium, verbi vim solam intuentes, Pomerium, verbi vim solam intuentes, Maccari A. 2019, postmoerium interpretantur esse.- e anti storica critica La - , 1. Pomerium e ‘Ro del passato quaria e la manipolazione - Universi n. 65, Classici e Orientali», «Studi ma quadrata’, tà di Pisa. della salute. romano di tempio Dal L’Isola Martire E. 1934, - Esculapio all’ospedale Ro di S. Giovanni di Dio, Rassegna mana Editore, Roma. sto nave di Pietra: La 1983, A. G., Passeri Pasquali (eds.) - - - Il Tevere — L’Isola Tiberina, le inondazio le Tiberina, L’Isola — Tevere Il , «Rend. Acc. Lin.» ser. Acc. «Rend. , ser. Lin.» “Tetràs” e “Quadratus” trans War, on the Gallic Commentaries Gaius Julius Caesar, lated by McDevitte W.A. and Bohn. W.S. (1869), Harper & Harper (1869), W.S. Bohn. and W.A. McDevitte by lated New York. Brothers, e le altre acque del A.M. Portus 1986, Colini Tiberinus. Il Tevere vol. 12, n. 2, pp. 157-97. Laziale», antico, «Archeologia Lazio Tiberina è di origine al- L’isola G. 1944, d’Ossat De Angelis Italiana», Geografica luvionale?, «Bollettino della Società pp. 73-89. serie VII, vol. IX, n. 3, C. 1980, D’Onofrio - ni, i molini, i porti, le rive,, Stu i ponti di Roma i muraglioni, Romana vol. 3, della città di Roma, per la storia di e testi Editrice, Roma. Società , publi- Antiquities Dionysius of Halicarnassus, The Roman Classical Libraryshed in vol. II of the Loeb edition (1939), book II, 45. 1950, S. Ferri 6. n. of Rome», waters no and the urban commons, «The by Rev. liber 2 (5),Titus Livius, Ab urbe condita Translation (1905). Roberts Canon particolare con romana edilizia tecnica La 1957, G. Lugli edi - Bardi Giovanni , vol. II (tavole), e Lazio a Roma riguardo tore, Roma. 8, vol. 5, pp. 3-6. 8, Hills of The Seven 2005, R., D. G., Funiciello De Rita Heiken Uni- City, Princeton of the Eternal Rome. A Geological Tour versity Press, Princeton. civiltà, Gli etruschi. Alle origini della nostra J.M. 2008, Irollo Bari. Dedalo, uncertain Tiberscape: Tevereter Rome’s Jones K.B. 2009, next pages #2, di Canalgrande Cava Marble Quarries, Carrara 2016. Italy Carrara, Admira courtesy Burtynsky, © Edward photo(s) Gallery, Metivier Milan / Nicholas Photography, Toronto. un’esplorazione Athropocene, MAST. Fondazione l’indelebile impronta che documenta multimediale umana sulla terra. 01 01 2019 184 seconda serie ri-vista Cinquepalmi 185