Largo di Torre Argentina/Campo de' Fiori/Via del Sudario/Via di S. Anna
61/55 BC for the consul Pompey
Restored in the year 32 BC for Augustus (27 BC/14) who had the curia sealed and walled in and moved the statue of Pompey behind the scene
Restored again for Domitian (81/96), Diocletian (285/305) and Maximian (286/305) associated with Diocletian
It was the first theater in masonry in Rome
Diameter of the auditorium 160 m (525 feet)
The capacity was up to 17,580 spectators
The scene had large statues of the Muses with Apollo, five of which still existing in the Louvre, the National Museum of Naples and in the courtyard of Palazzo Borghese
At the center there were two groves of sycomore trees bordered by lines of fountains
On top of the auditorium there was the TEMPLE OF VENUS VICTRIX opened in 52 BC and corresponding to the modern Palazzo Pio Righetti
Behind the scene there was the huge PORCH of about 180 x 135 m (590 x 443 feet)
On the side of the porch opposite to the theater there was a great big rectangular exedra known as CURIA OF POMPEY that was used as a Curia for Senate meetings. There was a statue of Pompey
In the Curia of Pompey Julius Caesar was killed on March 15, 44 BC
Traces of the Curia are visible in the sacred area of Largo Argentina
ARCH OF GROTTAPINTA
In the Passetto del Biscione, so named for the remains of paintings with columns, swags and putti
S. MARIA IN GROTTAPINTA
Known from 1291. Deconsecrated
No comments:
Post a Comment