Cultural Association Grvppo storico romano
Presents the XIX Edition of “NATALE DI ROMA 2019”
(a.u.c. MMDCCLXXII ineunte)
CELEBRATION OF LONGVS ET VNVS ANNVS
FROM NERONE TO VESPASIANO From GIULIO-CLAVDII To the FLAVI
“NATALE DI ROMA 2019”
1. GOALS AND FINALITIES
The Gruppo Storico Romano is a no profit cultural association born in 1994 from the passion for ancient Rome.The goals to which the association is aiming are to promote, organize amd sustain the spreading of artistic, cultural and recreational displays reguarding the world of ancient Rome, for keeping alive the memory of the ancient splendor of its civiliazation, and to be a point of aggregation for all the passionate that, by becoming members, would want to become the beating heart of it. The association has claimed numerous recognitions, from which is reported the golden medals recieved by the president of the Republic, awarded in occasion of the celebration of the Natale di Roma between 2009 and 2018, and the pretigious and the prestigious patronages, from which the one from the presidence of the council of the Ministers of the Lazio region, from the Province of Rome, and of Roma Capitale. And this year we have also submitted the request for the patronage to the Order of Engineers, to the University "Tor Vergata" to the university "La Sapienza" to the amministrations of the I City Hall, the commune of Frascati, the commune of Tarquinia, the commune of Rieti.
2. THE CULTURAL AND REENACTING ACTIVITY
The association’s activity mainly takes places at the social headquarter, in Via Appia Antica 18, where is present a suggestive structure inside of which there is built a small castrum, an arena and an anphiteater in which take place events, displays of particular cultural and didactic interest; there are also present an interactive free entry museum, awarded with the silver medal from the president of the Republic, in which are exposed both military and civilian objects about ancient Rome, about 15,000 people visit it every yar, italians and foreigners, and also didactic and ludic areas, and then areas reserved for the members of the association. Many different branches live together inside of the association, from legionaries to gladiators, from the estals to the pretorians, from the senators to the plebes, and at last the dancers, each one of these study deeply and shares the aspects and themes of their interest beyond the general one of ancient Rome.
3. EVENTS, PROTOCOLS, CONVENTIONS AND PATRONAGES The most important display, organized by the association, is without any doubt the NATALE DI ROMA, this year’s edition will be the XIX, and on the date Sunday 21 April 2019 there will be a amarch of about 2,000 reenactors coming from all over Italy and Europe. During its activity the Gruppo Storico Romano has collaborated and still collaborates with the General direction for the Antiques of the MIIBACT for the realization of events and reenactments of cultural and didactic character, with the university of Rome "Tor Vergata", which’s professors assemble the Scientific Commitee of the Group, and with Roma Capitale, for the realization of the celebration of the Natale di Roma, for having undersigned an agreement protocol with the Department of Cultural Politics and Historic Center and the Department of Educational Politics, School related,amily and youth
3.1 REQUISITI di SERIETÀ SCIENTIFICA
The historical reenactments planned for the Natale di Roma qualify themselves as attractions for cultural tourism: the Natale di Roma 2019 (arrived at its XIX edition) is going to underline this very aspect through reenacting programs and cultural organizations: transmitting to the younger generations the values of the cultures of the past, through sometimes spectacular or didactic events prepared with scientific seriousness, with the goal to spread the interest for experimental archeology and to amlify the knowledge of the customs and habits of ancient romans using methods of fine divulgation and above all contents submitted to a scientific committee of university professors. The customs, the weapons, the rites and the celebrations arecritically reproduced with fidelity to the historical sources, thanks to an agreement protocol, signed September 4th 2012 between the Gruppo Storico Romano and the Department of historical sciences, filosofical-social, the cultural goods and the territory of the University of Rome "Tor Vergata". By the way, the signature of the protocol has only officialized the concrete commitment offered by the professors of the Department, which have been already part of the scientific committee in charge of supervisioning the magazine "Acta bimestra", published by the GSR, and have also beencontributions speakers during the Natale di Roma between 2011 and 2017.
Scientific Commitee:
Prof. Anna Pasqualini, ordinary professor of Roman Antiquity in “Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia dell’Università di Roma “Tor Vergata”
Prof. Mariano Malavolta, associated professor of Roman History in “Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia dell’Università di Roma “Tor Vergata”
Prof. Maria Bonamente, researcher of Roman History in “Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia dell’Università degli Studi di Roma Tre”.
3.2 IL NATALE DI ROMA
We have already arrived at the XIX edition of the celebrations of the Natale di ROma organized by the Gruppo storico Romano. The event will be dedicated to the longus et unnus annus. After the death of Nero, three more emperors (Galb, Otone and Vitelio) died of violent death in the whirl of a bllody civil conflict, until Vespasiano managed to found a new dynasty that opened the doors to a new fase inthe history of princedom. As in the past editions our goal is to remember, through a series of didactic-cultural activities, the anniversary of the foundation of the city: an event that has had a major role in the development of modern civilization and for this shouold be reason of pride for the citizens of Rome. Starting as a small settlement on one of the seven hills it began growing into what would have one day become the greatest city of the ancient world, which extended his domain through Europe, Africa and middle East.
In ancient times Rome has been a crossroads of people and different cultures and we intend to exalt this characteristic still current in our times and in our city through the partecipation of groups of reenactors from all over the world and most of all from those nations in which the bond with the roman past is still alive. Even today the name of Rome inspires an ncomparable charm and admiration in the whole world, and one of our goas is keeping unaltered and always more alive this interest, both to the tourists, italians and foreigners, and also towards the roman citizens, so we may impassion and make them fond of the origin’s history of our city.Our initiative assumes a particular value, due to the protocol of agreement undersigned with Roma capitale for the valorization and the divulgation of the customs and habts of ancient Rome, which poses a "brand of guarantee" on our actions from the side of the capitolina administration. The involvment in our displays of first choice in cultural characters on national scope, as well as the one of Tor Vergata university professors, and of archeologists, the Archeological Roman group, may only confirm the character and the high scientific value, cultural and didactic of our proposal. All of this makes this event the biggest and the most important in the scope of reenactment about ancient Rome. The numbers of the past editions speak clear and show the success of this initiative: 2000 reenactors belonging to 42 cultural associations coming from 10 different countries, and so the greatest historical procession of ancient Rome in the world. A long walkthrough that passed through, on each side two long wings of the crowd (about 350.000 people) the Via dei Fori Imperiali, passing side to the Colosseum and Teatro Marcello, in the beating heart of ancient Rome. And as many were the people that filled Circus Maximus, both in the morning at the start of the procession and in the evening, for watching the displays and the various associations that took part. The patronages of Lazio region and Roma Capitale and the various medals recieved by the president of the Republic this event has gained a particular importance in its institutional aspect, the presence of the Capitoline institutions and foreign delegations, from Bulgaria and Romania, that have wanted to accompany, with their mayors and Assessors, the groups coming from vaious regions.
3.3 MEETING WITH THE ORDER OF ENGINEERS AND THE UNIVERSITY OF ROME "LA SAPIENZA:
“THE CONSTRUCITION OF THE COLOSSEUM”
THURSDAY 18TH APRIL 2019 at ……
The construction of the Colosseum, Flavian dynasty’s most important urbanistic intervention, funded with the loot from the victory in the jewish war, was an initiative of Vespasiano, but the anphiteater was inaugurated by Titus in the 80 a.d. and was then completed by Domiziano, which realized the undergrounds and dislocated in the sorroundings of the anphiteater the ludi (like the ludus magnus), or rather the stations in which the gladiators were held and trained for the fights. Domiziano himself took care of the structures of service, such as the sailor’s station of Miseno’s fleet employed for the manouver of the velarium (the great covering of the Colosseum, which protected the spectators from the beams of the sun). The anphiteater was built where once there was an artificial lake wanted by Nero for his domus aurea, his palace, and so the imposing structure was deliberated as restitution to the people of Rome of an area that was usurped by a tyrant, transformed in the biggest building for public shows ever known in the empire. Vespasiano wanted to show in this way his political view, which was far away from Nero’s despotism and instead close to the needs of the people. The hugeness and might of the structure, over 50 meters tall, able of hosting more than 40.000 seats, and its technical perfection have made and make today the Colosseum a monument like no other in the world.
3.4 CONVENTION ON "LUNGUS ET UNUS ANNUS
FRIDAY 19TH APRIL 2019
During the flavian dynasty Rome came came to know a long building activity which, with the great projects by Vespasiano and Domiziano, radically renewed its image. The beutification and the global afterthought of the urban spacewas the visible sign of the political renewment of the empire. When Vespasiano became emperor the city was still devastated by the fire of 64 a.D.. The temple of Jupiter on the Capitol, the most important in the city, had been destroyed by the fire in Vitellio. Vespasiano started right from the Capitol and went there personally to remove the ruins. He decided to redraw the perimiter of the city (the pomerio) the sacred limit of the public ground of Rome, just like it was done before him by Silla and the emperor Claudio. At last he planned projects that were completely new to Rome: the temple of peace and the Colosseum. But the most important intervention was made by Domiziano, that wanted to leave in the city evident traces of the name Flavio: the renovation, of almost all, the Capitol (which had been devastated by yet another fire in the 80 a.D.) the interventions in Campo Marzio, the design for an are destined to the shows, the building of a staduim (today’s piazza Navona) and of the Oedum (the covered auditorium). He entrusted the projects to the architect Rubirio, which has realized the immense imperial residence on the Palatino and the so called Foro Transitorio, next to the temple of peace. He also made build numerous honorary archs, to the point of arousing ironical jokes by the citizens and celebrated his image through a hude equestrian statue, the so called equus, which he had placed in the center of the forum. He invadedthe urban spaces and political places of Rome with pictures of his propaganda and building sanctuaries that celebrated the cult of his family.
3.5 MEETINGS with WRITERS Friday 19 and Saturday 20 April 2019
The writers were contacted:
Marco LUCCHETTI: The Roman army is considered the most powerful and best organized one in the ancient world. The legions were surely the engine that lead to the conuest of the the world known back then and the shield that protected it for centuries. These highly trained warriors used deadly weapons, a lot of which derived from the populations they came in contact with or from those the Romans absorbed the traditions. In the narration there a lot of space is given to the oftenly forgotten naval military, that gave a huge contribution in the rise of the global empire and to the creation of one of the greatest thalassocracies known in history. A tale about the military history of Rome, starting from Romolus (VIII century b.C.) to the emperor of the East Maurizio (VI century a.D.) passing through the mythical king Arthur, joined by an echaustive chronology of the wars that were fought and a list of the most famous Roman legions. Evolution, reforms, inventions, engineerings, dexterity and weapons whose names have become a symbol of the excellence of the roman soldier, at the same time a warrior, an artillery man, engineer, workman, carpenter, bricklayer and a sailor..
Raffaele ALLIEGRO: He presents the book “the secret of Brutus” he pretended to be stupid in order to survive the wrath of Tarquinius the superb. He brood his vengeance feeding the germ of rebellion. He exiled the monarch tyrant, funded the Republic, he was the first consoul in Rome in 509 b.C.. This is the story of Lucio Giunio, the predestined of the sibillini book. The Pizia, Oracle of Delfi, revealed to him the present and the future of a Rome that back then was split into two souls: the romano ne, unflexible, honest, proud, primitive, and the etruscan one, commercial, modern, refined corrupte. Brutus knew that that village of rough sphephards on the shores of the river Tiber was destined to become caput mundi, transforming itself into the most powerful war machine ever existed, between fights for power, cruelty, seeds of suffocated freedo. And it was him, adopted nephew of the Superb, believed by everyone a fool, that weaved the web of the democratic revolt, which exploded devastating after the rape of Lucrezia by one of the sons of the king, she committed suicide for honor. Unflexible consoul, Brutus even oredered tohave two of his sons decapitated, which confessed that they were plotting against the Res Publica, he fell in battle, knowing that, hundreds of years later, a descendent of his would have picked the testimony. That Marcus Giunio Brutus, which plotted against Caio julius Caesar, on the ides of March in 44 b.C.. In the hinges tracked bu Titus Livio in the work Ab Urbe, Raffaele Alliegro makes characters and and events slide away, a perfect synthesis between certain historical facts and coherent invention, giving back a climate of passions and authentic feelings that, in the past like today, shake the lives of men.
Antonella PRENNER: Philologist and latinist, she teaches at the “Università degli Studi di Napoli Federico II”. She has written many important studies on ancient licterature. “Tenebre” Is her first novel. She presents her first novel: “Tenebre – the last desperate battle of Cicerone” Rome, Ides of March in 44 b.C. In the bloody night that has changed the course of ancient history, Marco Tullio Cicerone recieves a terrible prophecy: Giulio Cesare, lying dead stabbed by the daggers of the plotters, he appears in his dreams and reveals to him and reveals him the date of his death. Distress, dismay and the waiting for the fates fuse in the soul of Cicero and the hope of giving freedom back to Rome. But reality becomes harder day by day and blood calls for other blood. The deadly civil war, unavoidable at this point, will leave no one in peace. The intense narrating voice of Cicero, protagonist of this admirable novel, he addresses to Tullia, his beloved daughter that was too early ripped away from the love of his father. To her and to us he tells the end of his life and the dream of freedom, the schemes and the dramas of an unrepeatable time.
Massimiliano COLOMBO:
Andrea FREDIANI: His aproach to the historical tales is "democratic" and not for the elite: his volumes are meant for the large audience, which can this way get familiar with the events of the past, learning to love history, which is oftenly and wrongly considered like a pretty boring matter. The work of Frediani inserts itself in the shifting current of scientific research (Since he’s first of all an historian, a researcher) which, through divulgation, aims to spread the knowledge and the study in depth of human events.
The speakers of the aformentioned writers:
Giancarlo CARLONE Paolo BELOCCHI Mariano MALAVOLTA
3.6 CERIMONIES
3. 6.1 HISTORIARVM FRAGMENTA”
Saturday 20th April 11:00 am to 12:00 am The Gruppo Storico Romano asks to make a series of displays and cerimonies in the inimtable scenography of the Imperial Forum in occasion of the celebrations for the Natale di Roma 2019 THEATRALICIZED KIOSKS
1. Arch of Titus 2. Basilica of Maxentius 3. S. Francesca Romana 4. Remains of the Baths 5. Temple of Romulus 6. Time Antonino and Faustina 7. Time of Vesta 8. Time of Caesar 9. House of the Vestal Virgins 10. Time of Castor and Pollux 11. Basilica Julia 12. S. Maria Antiqua 13. Farnese Gardens 14. Basilica Aemilia 15. Curia 16. Arch of Septimius Severus 17. Temple of Jupiter 18. Rostra 19. Temple of Saturn 20. Time of Vespasian 21. Column of Seal 22. Via Sacra 23. Domus Flavia 24. Domus Augustana 25. Forum of Caesar 26. Museum of the Risorgimento 27. Vittoriano 28. Mamertine Prison 29. Forum of Augustus 30. Forum of Nerva 31. Torre del Grillo 32. House of the Knights of Rhodes 33. Trajan's Column 34. Basilica Ulpia 35. Piazza Venezia 36. S. Maria di Loreto and Holy Name of Mary 37. Forum of Trajan 38. Mercati Traianei 39. Largo Magnanapoli 40. Torre delle Milizie
3. 6.2 RELIGIOUS RITE "PRO SALUTE ET FELICITATE REPUBLICAE” Hadrian reached Rome to establish himself on the throne only in the year 119, since he was busy in military campaignes. A "humanist" emperoro, Hadrian presents himself as a phlisopher emperor, opening the doors to arts and poetry: he belived deeply in the cultural development, and in the architectonical and urbanistic progression of the cities of the empire.
THIS CEREMONY CAN BE DISPLAYED BY THE CURIA A man devoted to the esoteric cults which spoke greek better than latin. The ceremony will be displayed entirely in latin language, on the line of the ecclesiastical blessings of the XIII century taken from the ones belonging to the imperial age. This ceremony will be officiated by reenactors known as the best ecponents in this field on a european level, six nations will be present.
3.7 DIDACTICS for SCHOOLS Friday 19th and Saturday 20th and Sunday 21st April 2019 The didactic days that are going to take place at the Castrum, rebuilt in circus maximus, are going to include the following program:
I. THE ROMAN WOMAN: CLOTHING and MAQUILLAGE II. ROMAN MAN: CLOTHING AND OTHER CURIOSITIES III. THE SCHOOL IV. THE MEDICINE V. THE RELIGION YOU. THE MOSAIC VII. UNGUENTI e PERFUMES VIII. WORKSHOP IX. LEGIONARIES and PRETORIANS X. GLADIATORS: COMBAT ARMS and TECHNIQUES XI. ALL THE ASPECTS OF THE VI and V CENTURY
The contents of the lessons can be addressed to everybody but in particular to the students of primary school of 1st and 2nd grade. The display of a castrum and of a dacic camp allows the development of a didactic route destined mainly to a younger audience but usable also by an audience of adults. There is also going to be an exhibition of manufacts relative to kitchen, medicine, religion, school, women’s care, and to the military world of Rome. The members of the Gruppo Storico Romano will be at thedisposal of the visitors. They will passionately and voluntarily guide the audience in a trip back in time, through the reenactment the visitors will experience the manufacts exposed and bring back to life the customs and habits of civilians and militaries of the imperial age. For the schools that will ask for it there will be the chance of experiencing sessions of about 30 minutes of the life of a gladiator. They will be reenactors themselves and put on a display in an arena that will be placed in Circus Maximus. Last but not least, there will be short but intense cultural meetings with experts of various disciplines and university
3.8 “TRACING OF THE FURROW”
On Sunday 21st April, inside of circus maximus, the Gruppo Storico Romano will reenact the fundation of the Urbe in a display that is in between history and legend titled " tracing of the furrow". This display, divided into four acts, will narrate the story of the fundation of Rome, in the way the historians have handed down to us. The spectators will assist to the landing of Enea on the shores of Lazio, the enconunters with the god Mars and Rea Silvia, the vestal which is going to give birth to the two twins, the finding of these by the shepherd Faustolo and his wife Acca Larenzia, and at last the scene in which the line (pomerio) is tracked, and the fratricide (Romulus kills Remus).
3.9 THE PALILIE
On Sunday 21st April, at 05:00pm, inside of Circus Maximus, the six vestals of the Gruppo Storico Romano are going to reenact the feast of the Palilia: an ancient agricultural-pastoral, guardian godess of the herds andflocks. In the origins it used to be a feast for celebrating the arrival of Spring. In a second moment the celebration of the Natale of Rome was added to this feast. This recurrance acquired a double meaning: on one side religious solemnity, and on the other a political commemoration. In a later period the pastoral character of this celebration disappeared and the 21st of April was remembered only as the day of the fundation of Rome, celebrated as such with great feasts in every part of the empire.
3.10 EQUESTRIAN EVENT
At 06:00 pm on Saturday 20th April the equestrian event will take place. Chariot and quadrigas races are going to be rebuilt in the immeasurable scenary of Circus Maximus, the most ideal place for reenacting horse races and chariot battles against barbarians and enemy armies.
3.11 COMMISSIO FERIARUM
At 10:30 am on Monday 22nd April the Commissio Feriarum will happen, ceremony for opening the celebrations of the Natale di Roma with the ritual lightning of the fire, officiated by our six vestals, with the presence of all the representatives of the historical reenacting groups present during the procession.
3.12 MECENATE’S SPEAK
The mayor of Aicurzio Gianmarino Maurilio Colnago is not going to miss the celebrations of the Natale di Roma 2019 Sunday 22nd he will partecipate to the procession between the Imperial forum playing the role of Mecenate and opening with the oratory dedicated to Hadrian. On 2771st anniversary of the birth of the city he will pareade with the procession to bring to the Mayor Virginia Raggi a coffer with soil, water and minerals collected in symbolic places of the peninsula. Mecenate (Colnago) will take part in various manifestations waiting for the main event, like the one on Thursday evening at the temple of Hadrian, where the Mayor is going to exposean intervention about Hadrian himself and present the three goddess - and their tools - that have followed the procession: the goddess of waters (Acque) the goddess Minerva and the goddess Esperia Italica
3.13 THE HISTORICAL PROCESSION ON VIA DEI FORI IMPERIALI As for all the past editions, the historical procession of the historical groups is the clou event of the Natale di Roma: waited both by the grown ups and the younger ones; it usually collects thousands of people watching: in the past edition there were counted about 350.000 presences, which, sometimes challenging the heat or the rain, they crowd along the route for assisting to what is considered the greatest historical procession on ancient Rome. A true trip back in time, from 753 b.C. to the IV century a.D., this is infact the time arch covered by the various reenacting groups, and also from all the figures of ancient Rome, even the populations that came in contact with the Roman empire. It is not rare to see, beyond legionaries, greek oplites or celts.
On Monday 22nd April, strarting from 09:00 am at Circus Maximus all the historical groups taking part in the reenactment will start to flow into the procession. The opening ceremony is expected to start at 10:30 am, the Commissio Feriarum.
At 11:00 am, after the institutional’s and president’s salute, the departure of the 2.000 or more reenactors is expected at Circus Maximus, which belong to 40 or more reenacting groups coming from all over Europe and even outside of the continent, they will walk through the streets of the center of Rome forming a long snake.
At first Via Petroselli, then Via del Teatro Marcello, and then passing at the feet of Ara Coeli’s steps, oftenly crowded with spectators, they will arrive in Piazza Venezia for then taking one of the most beautiful and suggestive streets in the world: Via dei Fori Imperiali. The procession is then going to stop, at around 12:00, in front of the statue of Augustus, where the authorities tribune is going to be placed, to ay homage to Rome’s first emperor, with the ceremony by the Gruppo Storico Romano of the deposition of a laurel crown at the feet of the statue. A religious ceremony will happen in front tof the statue, cured by the maximim pontiff: Hadrian. He will bless all the reenacting associations following the ancient rite. The procession will then start again, walking through Via dei Fori Imperiali, and after having turned in front of the Colosseum and under Costantine’s arch, it will proceed on Via San Gregorio.
The procession will return at Circus Maximus at around 02:00 pm.
The procession will be opened as usual by the Dea Roma of the Gruppo Storico Romano.
3.14 EXHIBITIONS AND DISPLAYS OF THE GROUPS IN CIRCUS MAXIMUS
In the afternoon of Monday, April 22, from 15.00 to 18.30, inside the splendid Circus Maximus, will take place the performances of the historical groups participating in the Natale di Roma. Fights between gladiators, ancient dances, theater and re-enactments of historical moments will accompany the spectators throughout the afternoon, to conclude with the most awaited event by all, young and old: the great battles between legionaries and barbarians.
3.15 HISTORICAL RECONSTRUCTION OF THE CONQUEST OF MASADA
The episode of Masada, 73 a.D., is proably the most emblematic for reppresenting Rome’s military strenght. After the jewish rebellion, repressed in blood by Vespasiano’s troupes and his son Titus, culminated with the taking of Jerusalem and the destruction of the temple 70 a.D. a few fortresses were kept in the hands of the rebels. One of these was Masada, an inexpugnable fortress on the Dead Sea, born as a royal palace and then transformed into a fortress by Erode the Great. With its steep position, accessible only through a devious narrow road, and with its tanks full of water, the rebels believed they could resist to the bitter end. But they were wrong.
With the deat of Giulio Basso, jewish governor, the new governor Flavio Silvia focused on assaulting this apparently inexppugnable fortress. He brought in this place, since peace was restored in this region, an entire legion, the X Fretensis, and also the auxilary troops, summing in total between 10 - 15,000 men: Roman’s superiority was crushing and romans wanted an act of strength to be done. Roman’s intentions were clear from the start, Flavio Silvia had Vallum built all around the fortress, 1,80 meters high and interserpes by legionaries and auxiliary camps, a total for 11 towers and 8 camps. Closer to the camp there were 5 auxiliary camps, while 2 legionary camps were in a moreprotected area. At last one camp rose on north west, on a hill that was slightly taller than the fortress, this is where Flavio Silvia settled: the romans were in a crushing superiority in numbers, they shutted every way of escape fo the enemy, and have also settled on the higher ground. By the wat, the steepy slopes of the high ground couldn’t allow any assault; the road to the Dead Sea was controlled by the tower, while the more accessible one was blocked by bricks the weight of 45 kilograms each. After having inspected the perimeter Flavio Silva found a point in which the dislevel was of "only" 137 meters. The romans decided to fill the void with an enormous embankment, built in about two months, to its edge a large platform of about 29 meters was added. A 27 meters siege tower was built (filling so the remaining dislevel) equipped with catapults, balistas (also known as the tormenta), a battering ram and it was thenbrought at the top of the embankment. The tower managed to open a breach into the walls, thanks to the battering ram, but the zealots started throwing against it any kind of flamable object and many torches, setting it on flames; until at a certain point the wind changed direction, and the fire burned also the platforms that the jews builded on the walls, making the spot hitted by the battering ram collapse. The romans retreated preparing for the assault on the next day. But the next morning the spectacle was a desolation for romans: they found nothing but corpses. Eleazar had gathered the men and ordered them to kill each other in order not to allow the romans to take prisoners. One by one they killed each other, despite the complaints of many, they were convinced by the words of their leader, that had presented them the terrible end they would have faced if the romans would have captured them alive. The rebels burned everything down, while the chosen one for taking the lifes from the others (chosen by a draw) proceded his sad duty. In the synagouge a shard has been found with a writing on it: "ben Yai ’r", probably it was used for the draw by the leader of the rebels.
The romans entered in the city ready for a fierce battle, but they found nothing but death. At the end two women and five boys were found hiding, the only survivors, they lead the romans to the corpses. The romans showed respect for this act by the besieged, rendering them the honors: the archeological findings let us think that probably the bodies were buried. With the end of the revolt the fiscus iudaicus was established and the tribute was then brought to the temple of Jupiter, while it was forbidden the worship of the cult in the temple.
Sergio IACOMONI Presidente Gruppo Storico Romano