Ben S.

2/26/02

Latin Project

Mr. Burnett, H

• Augustus only emperor to live in this ''palace''
• Given to Augustus by the Senate after the victory over Naulochos
• Two stories, many small rooms facing the Circus Maximus
• The public rooms were decorated with marble, patterned floors, large size, and stucco ceilings and were located near the Temple of Apollo
• The private rooms were smaller and not as decorated

• The home of Emperors Tiberius to Domitian
• First palace built on the Palatine
• Held one of the most important libraries with many records of the Roman Empire’s history
• Seriously damaged in two fires of Rome, the one causing the most damage was in 64 AD
• Palace is a series of small houses of which the Domus Tiberiana is one
• Though named after Tiberius, it did not become a real palace until Nero’s reign
• It was officially a palace in 64 and was incorporated into the larger plan of the Domus Aurea
• When entering from the southern side (from the Temple of Magna Mater) there are 18 brick rooms believed to be the guards' quarters
• The guards are known for their graffiti and drawings on the walls
• Coming from the eastern side there is the Neronian Cryptoporticus, a chamber/walkway
• It has a 130 m plaster wall lit by windows that has geometrical motifs all over it
• The floor is mosaic tile
• Past that in the area between the Domus Tiberiana and what would be the Domus Flavia there are exquisite scenes of Cupid
• Coming from the northern side of the palace there is the famous walkway facing the forum called the Victory Clivus
• On the left side of the road are the front rooms of Domitian’s palace
• In these rooms are poorly lit paintings of the Flavian Era
• Also in this area there could be found other graffiti and games on the walls made by the guards
• Past this there is a marvelous marble stairway that leads to the Farnese Gardens which were of Renaissance Era
• Lining the street of the palace Hadrian built long arcades
• When Hadrian moved the palace he blocked the street but made a new one called the Via Tecta
• In this there were two altars found to Minerva and Lucina
• During Domitian’s reign he connected the palace with the forum
• There are believed to be gardens in the palace but historians are not sure exactly where

• Built on the highest part of the Palatine
• Commissioned by Domitian
• Built by the architect Rabirius
• The palace is between the Palatium and the Cermalus
• The palace has three parts: the Domus Flavia, the Domus Augustana, and the great Stadium
• The Domus Flavia was to the west and was for the public and for entertainment
• In the center was the Domus Augustana which was where the emperor lived
• The ''stadium'' was to the east
• The palace’s structure was all brick
• The palace is noted by historians to be the most well decorated palace of the Roman Empire
• It started with great polychrome marble columns in the entrance
• The floors and walls were coated with veneer (a very thin layer of wood to make it look like solid wood)
• The vaults are well known for their beautiful stucco-work on the ceilings
• The front of the Domus Flavia had giant columns made from cipolin marble that divided it into three main halls
• Also in front there was a covered terrace where the emperor would address the citizens of Rome
• From the terrace there were three poorly lit hallways used for ceremonies
• The first hall (left) led to what is believed to be the emperor’s private chapel
• The second hall (center) lead to the Aula Regia (Audience Chamber)
• This has pavonazzetto marble columns and great statues
• it then moves on to the throne room of the emperor
• in the throne room there were magnificent paintings and two giant statues of Apollo and Hercules
• The third hall (right)is the Basilica
• it is a rectangular shape with three rows and giant columns
• It may have been used for political and administrative meetings
• Past these rooms is a walkway on which Domitian, in fear of being attacked, made walls of shinning marble so he could look behind him
• Further on there is a large square hall called the Coenatio Iovis
• It was famous for its floor which was paved in different colored marbles
• On either side of the hall there is symmetry that can be seen from the great windows
• Adjacent to the Domus Flavia is the Domus Augustana
• The Domus Augustana is two stories, the second is level with the Domus Flavia and the first is twelve feet below
• The rooms were in a repetitive pattern of large, small, large, small
• There was a pond in the house, which had a temple to Minerva in the middle that could be reached by a small bridge
• There was a garden extending from the home into the entrance area, which not much is known about
• Moving past the home is the Stadium or Hippodrome--probably some sort of garden
• A brick building decorated with stucco
• It was a derivation of a Greek gymnasium
• The galleries of the stadium was decorated with marble

Tomei, Maria Antonietta. The Palatine. Translated by Luisa Guarneri Hynd. 1998. Electa, Milano.