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The Arch of Constantine 111 Four Regions of the Augustan City (II, III, IV and X)

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The Arch of Constantine 111 Four Regions of the Augustan City (II, III, IV and X) 110 THE TEMPLE OF VENUS & ROMA THE ARCH OF CONSTANTINE 111 four regions of the Augustan city (II, III, IV and X). It was the largest monumental fountain in the ancient city, surrounded by a circular basin, and its shape is known from its representation on some ancient Roman coins. It was restored by Constantine, h h and received its name from its resemblance to the conical turning-post for chariot races in circuses (meta), and from the fact that it ‘sweated’ water (from sudare, to sweat) f f through numerous small orifices. In 2002 another circular structure made from red i i i i tufa, about 3m in diameter, was found here and dated to the time of Augustus. Temple of Venus and Roma The summit of the Velia is now a terrace with gardens (145m by 100m); the area virtu- d d ally coincides with that of the enormous Temple of Venus and Roma, the largest temple e a e ever built in Rome. The ruins are being restored, and may one day be opened to the b b b b public. Probably designed by Hadrian himself, the temple stood on the site of the g vestibule of the Domus Aurea. The temple was built in honour of Venus, the mother of Aeneas and the ancestor of the gens Julia, and of Roma Aeterna, whose cult appears a a to have been localised on the Velia. Begun c. 125 and dedicated in 135, it dominated this end of the Roman Forum. Its Classical proportions show how strongly the emper- or was influenced by Greek architecture. Damaged by fire in 283, it was restored by c c c c Maxentius in 307. It is said to have been the last pagan temple which remained in use in Rome, as it was not closed until 391 by Theodosius. It remained virtually entire until 625, when Honorius I stole the bronze tiles off its roof for the old basilica of St Peter’s. To counteract the unevenness of the ground, it was necessary to build a high plat- ARCH OF CONSTANTINE, NORTH SIDE form. This was of rubble, with slabs of peperino and marble-faced travertine. The temple was dipteral, with ten granite Corinthian columns at the front and back and 20 and reliefs reused from older Roman monuments. Because of this it is often taken as on each of the sides. It had two cellae placed back to back; that facing the Forum was an example of the decline of the arts in the late Imperial period. The inscription men- the shrine of Roma Aeterna and the other that of Venus. The visible remains date from tions the ‘divine inspiration’ which served Constantine in his victory over Maxentius, the time of Maxentius. The two cellae (the apses and diamond-shaped coffers were which seems to refer to both pagan and Christian beliefs. Indeed scholars have sug- added by Maxentius) are still standing. That facing the Roman Forum has been partly gested that the idea of a supreme god (Jupiter) already existed in pagan Rome. restored, and is visible from a room of the Antiquarium in the Forum (see p. 86). The brick walls were formerly faced with marble and provided with niches framed with Decorations from the time of in the attic (f) were taken from a monu- small porphyry columns. The apse contains the base of the statue of the goddess. The Constantine: The decoration in the ment to Marcus Aurelius, and represent a floor is of coloured marbles. The temple was surrounded by a colonnaded courtyard, spandrels of the arches (a), the oblong sacrifice, orations to the army and to the with propylaea on the north and south sides; in 1935 some of the columns and column reliefs above them (b), the victories and people, and a triumphal entry into Rome. fragments on the south were re-erected, and can be seen from the extension of the captives at the base of the columns (c), Sacra Via which leads up from the Colosseum towards the Arch of Titus in the Forum. and the two roundels and oblong friezes Decorations from the time of Trajan: on the two short sides of the arch (d). The splendid large reliefs on the inside of the central arch (g) and the two on THE ARCH OF CONSTANTINE Decorations from the time of the the upper sides (h) come from the Antonines: The large medallions on each frieze of a monument commemorating The triple Arch of Constantine (map p. 639, D3) was erected in AD 315 by the senate of the two long faces (e), with finely- Trajan’s victories over the Dacians and and people of Rome in honour of Constantine’s victory in 312 over a rival emperor, carved hunting scenes and pastoral sacri- are probably by the sculptor who carved the ‘tyrant’ Maxentius, at the Milvian Bridge, which crosses the Tiber to the north. A fices, belonged to an unknown monu- Trajan’s Column. The eight statues of triumphal arch of excellent proportions, it was partly decorated with fine sculptures ment erected by Hadrian. The high reliefs Dacians (i) are of the same date. VIA GIULIA 223 WALK THREE VIA GIULIA: A 16TH-CENTURY STREET From Piazza Farnese, Via del time the most beautiful of the 16th-cen- Mascherone leads down towards the tury streets of the city. It still has a num- Tiber skirting the magnificent side ber of fine palaces with lovely court- façade of Palazzo Farnese to meet Via yards, and many churches (although Giulia. This very long, straight street most of them are kept closed). There are was laid out by Julius II (1503–13) par- some antique shops and art galleries on allel to the Tiber, and it was for a long the street. 296 THE esQUILine HILL SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE 297 by Torriti depicting the life of the Virgin, the old ciborium by Mino del Reame. SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE notably, in the centre, the Dormition. The (For the mosaics on the façade, also dating four reliefs below the windows are from from Nicholas IV’s day, see p. 299 below). High altar C The confessio, reconstructed in the main façade. A fragment of the crib of B 19th century by Virginio Vespignani, the Infant Jesus is kept here in a reli- A Mosaics in the nave contains a colossal kneeling statue of quary adorned with reliefs and silver C E B Apse Pius IX (see p. 431) by Ignazio Jacometti. statuettes. D C Confessio D Tomb of Bernini A porphyry sarcophagus containing the A E Tomb of Cardinal Rodriguez relics of St Matthew and other martyrs D By the two sanctuary steps is the G F Cappella Sistina serves as the high altar; the baldacchino simple pavement tomb of the Bernini F G Borghese Chapel H Sforza Chapel over it, with four porphyry columns, is family, including the great architect and A I Cesi Chapel by Ferdinando Fuga, who designed the sculptor Gian Lorenzo. J Cappella delle Reliquie H K Baptistery A J L Cappella San Michele Side chapels M Tomb of Nicholas IV L Museum N Tomb of Cardinal de Quelus E O Monument to Clement IX In the chapel (being restored at the produced by a pope who started out life I K time of writing) at the end of the south as a swineherd but by the end of his aisle is the beautiful tomb of Cardinal pontificate had paid for this staggering Consalvo Rodriguez (d. 1299), a mas- profusion of statuary, marble and pre- N M O terpiece by Giovanni di Cosma, showing cious stones. A few years later the astute the influence of Arnolfo di Cambio. The diplomat Paul V decided he was not to mosaic of the Madonna Enthroned with be outdone and he commissioned the Saints fits well with the architectonic even more sumptuous Borghese Chapel lines of the tomb, which was completed opposite. The temple-like baldacchino, by the beginning of the 14th century. carried by four gilt-bronze angels by West door Sebastiano Torrigiani, covers the original F The Cappella Sistina (being restored little Cosmatesque Chapel of the Relics, tradition, they are the most important is signed by Jacopo Torriti and repre- at the time of writing), on a domed redesigned by Arnolfo di Cambio (late Roman mosaic cycle of this period. The sents the Coronation of the Virgin, with Greek-cross plan, is a work of extraordi- 13th century) with figures of the crêche small rectangular biblical scenes high up angels, saints, Nicholas IV, Cardinal nary magnificence executed for Sixtus V by his assistants. These are now dis- above the nave architrave are difficult to Jacopo Colonna and others. It is the cul- by Domenico Fontana (1585). Some of played in the museum (see below). see with the naked eye. On the left are minating point of all the mosaics in the the marble panels were brought from the scenes from the lives of Abraham, Jacob church, commemorating the declaration Septizodium on the Palatine (see p. 104), G The splendid Borghese Chapel or and Isaac; on the right, scenes from the at the Council of Ephesus that the Virgin which had been demolished by the same Cappella Paolina was erected for Paul V lives of Moses and Joshua (restored, in was the Mother of God. The Virgin is pope. The chapel is a veritable church in by Flaminio Ponzio in 1611 as the part painted); over the triumphal arch seated on the same throne as Christ, a itself, decorated with statues, stuccoes pope’s burial place.
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