Saepta Julia
The Saepta Julia was a building in the
History
The conception of the Saepta Julia, which also goes by Saepta or Porticus Saeptorum, began during the reign of Julius Caesar. It took the form of a
After Caesar's assassination in 44 BCE, work continued on projects that Caesar had set into motion.
The Great Fire of Rome led to its destruction in 80 CE. It was rebuilt sometime before the reign of Domitian.[4] Restoration also took place under Hadrian, as is evidenced by brick-work and literary sources.[5] The building is also attested on a post-Constantine bronze collar of a slave, but there is no known mention of the building in the Middle Ages.[6]
The Saepta Julia can be seen on the Forma Urbis Romae, a map of the city of Rome as it existed in the early 3rd century CE. Part of the original wall of the Saepta Julia can still be seen right next to the Pantheon
Plan
Due to the limited archaeological remains, the majority of archaeological reconstructions are derived from the
Archaeological excavations underneath the Palazzo Doria uncovered multiple travertine piers. While the majority of the piers measured 1.7 meters square, other piers showed a variety of dimensions. This has led some scholars to speculate on the existence of a second floor.[8][9]
The Saepta was supplied with water by Aqua Virgo, which supplied the majority of buildings on the Campus Martius.[10]
Porticus Argonautarum
The Porticus Argonautarum lined the western side of the Saepta Julia. It was completed by Agrippa ca. 25 BCE, and received its name from the artwork it depicted, which showed Jason and the Argonauts. A portion of the western wall survives, and is located beside the Pantheon, and suggests that it was made of brick-faced concrete, and covered in marble.[11] Reconstructed by Domitian after the fire of 80 CE, this portico was also part of Hadrian's reconstruction of the entire Saepta Julia.[12]
Porticus Meleagri
The Porticus Meleagri lined the eastern side of the Saepta Julia. Little remains of the Porticus Meleagri, and location and reconstruction rely primarily on the Forma Urbis Romae. Although not mentioned, it was most likely constructed during the final decades of the first century BCE, along with the dedication of the Saepta.
Use
The concept of the Saepta was initially planned by Caesar in place of the earlier Ovile, and was projected as early as 54 BCE, and finished by Agrippa in 26 BCE. In a letter to Atticus, Cicero writes that the building was to be made of marble, with a lofty portico and a roof.[13]
The building was initially intended to be used as a voting place for both the
When Tiberius returned from Germany, after his military procession, he was presented in this building by Augustus.[16] Both Augustus and Caligula used this building for naumachiae.[17] It was used for gymnastics competitions and exhibitions during the reign of Nero.[18] Statius and Martial report that it was used intermittently as a public space for Roman citizens, as well as a market for luxury goods.[19][20]
See also
References
- ^ ISBN 0-19-866172-X; available online for a fee
- ^ Cic. Att 4.16.14
- ^ Jacobs II, Paul W.; Conlin, Diane Atnally (2015). Campus Martius: The Field of Mars in the Life of Ancient Rome. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. p. 107.
- ^ Statius. Silvae 4.5.2.
- ^ Historia Augusta: Life of Hadrian.
- ^ Platner, Samuel; Ashby, Thomas (1929). A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. London: Oxford University Press. p. 460.
- ^ Richardson Jr., Lawrence (1992). A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press.
- ^ Platner, Samuel; Ashby, Thomas (1929). A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. London: Oxford University Press.
- ^ Richardson Jr., Lawrence (1992). A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University.
- ^ Harry, Evans (1997). Water Distribution in Ancient Rome: The Evidence of Frontinus. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press. p. 109.
- ^ Richardson Jr., Lawrence (1992). A New Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. pp. 312–340.
- ^ Boatwright, Mary (1987). Hadrian and the City of Rome. Princeton: Princeton University Press. p. 51.
- ^ Cicero. Letters to Atticus 2.
- ^ Lanciani, Rodolfo (1897). The Ruins and Excavations of Ancient Rome: A Companion for Students and Travelers. New York: Houghton, Mifflin and Company. p. 472.
- ^ Suetonius. Life of Augustus 23.
- ^ Suetonius. Life of Tiberius 17.
- ^ Suetonius. Life of Caligula 18.
- ^ Suetonius. Life of Nero 12.
- ^ Statius. Silvae 4.2.6.
- ^ Martial. Epigrams 2.14.5.