Steve's Genealogy Blog

As I prepared to leave the Roman Forum, the final sights I photographed were the Basilica of Maxentius, a series of arches between the Temple of Romulus and the Basilica of Maxentius, the Church of Santa Francesca Romana, and a series of columns along the Via Sacra.

The Basilica of Maxentius was a public meeting place and was the largest building in the Roman Forum. Most of this building was destroyed, probably in the earthquake of 847 AD. A series of arches runs along near the Basilica of Maxentius, the function of which I have not been able to discover. Walking toward the Arch of Titus, I passed the Church of Santa Francesca Romana, dedicated to Saint Frances of Rome who, incidentally, is the patron saint of automobile drivers. Finally, exiting the Forum through the Arch of Titus along the Via Sacra, I passed a series of columns and approached the Colosseum.

With that, my Mediterranean vacation was nearly over. I spent one final night in Rome and then left for the airport and home.

Basilica of Maxentius

SOURCE:  Basilica of Maxentius (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Arches near the Basilica of Maxentius

SOURCE:  Arches near the Basilica of Maxentius (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Church of Santa Francesca Romana

SOURCE:  Church of Santa Francesca Romana (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Leaving the Forum along the Via Sacra

SOURCE:  Leaving the Forum along the Via Sacra (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

Atop the Palatine Hill are the remains of an ancient temple, presumably dedicated to Jupiter Stator. This temple was the site of Cicero’s first oration against Cataline in 63 BC. Around the niches, there are remnants of mosaics, and above the niche to the left is a representation of the Greek Sphynx and the Fleur de Lys of the Farnese family.

The grave of Giacomo Boni (25 April 1859 – 10 July 1925) lies on the Palatine Hill where he had worked as an archeologist.

From the Palatine Hill, there is a magnificent panoramic view of the Roman Forum, including a wide swath of green where the House of the Vestals once stood. The Colosseum can be seen just outside the Forum.

Temple of Jupiter Stator

SOURCE:  Temple of Jupiter Stator (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Grave of Giacomo Boni

SOURCE:  Grave of Giacomo Boni (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

The House of the Vestals

SOURCE:  The House of the Vestals (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

The Forum and the Colosseum

SOURCE:  The Forum and the Colosseum (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

The Palatine Hill overlooks the Roman Forum. The buildings of the Farnese Gardens can be seen from the Forum itself, and the approach to the Palatine Hill is through these buildings.

The Farnese Gardens were constructed as a summer residence for Cardinal Allesandro Farnese on top of the Domus Tiberiana, the imperial palace built by the Emperor Tiberius on the Palatine Hill.

The stairs to the Farnese Gardens pass by the Nymphaeum, an artificial grotto dedicated to the nymphs of the springs. Stairways continue upwards to the Aviaries of the Farnese Gardens.

The Farnese Gardens from the Roman Forum

SOURCE:  The Farnese Gardens from the Roman Forum (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Stairway to the Nymphaeum and the Farnese Gardens

SOURCE:  Stairway to the Nymphaeum and the Farnese Gardens (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

The Nymphaeum

SOURCE:  The Nymphaeum (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

The Aviaries of the Farnese Gardens

SOURCE:  The Aviaries of the Farnese Gardens (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

The Arch of Titus was built in 81 AD by the Emperor Domatian to celebrate the deification of his deceased predecessor and brother, Titus. The arch is located at the east end of the Roman Forum, close to the Colosseum.

Inside the arch, one can see an image of the deification of Titus directly above, in the coffered soffit. On the interior, to the North, is a relief of the spoils of the temple in Jerusalem and, to the South, is a relief of Titus as Triumphator, riding in a quadriga – a chariot drawn by four horses.

The Arch of Titus

SOURCE:  The Arch of Titus (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 10 August 2011.

Detail of the Arch of Titus

SOURCE:  Detail of the Arch of Titus (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

The Spoils of War

SOURCE:  The Spoils of War (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Titus as Triumphator

SOURCE:  Titus as Triumphator (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

The Temple of Divus Romulus (Tempio di Romolo) in the Roman Forum was constructed to honor Romulus, the deified son of Emperor Maxentius in 309 AD. In the sixth century, the temple was converted into the vestibule for the Basilica of Saints Cosmas and Damian. Inside, there are several decaying frescos on the walls and visitors can peer into the basilica through a gate.

The Temple of Divus Romulus

SOURCE:  The Temple of Divus Romulus (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Fresco of the Virgin and Child

SOURCE:  Fresco of the Virgin and Child (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Fresco of Christ

SOURCE:  Fresco of Christ (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Decorative Fresco

SOURCE:  Decorative Fresco (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

View into the Basilica

SOURCE:  View into the Basilica (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

Moving through the Roman Forum to the southeast, one passes the Tempio del Divo Giulio (Temple of Caesar). Construction of this temple was begun after the Roman Senate deified Julius Caesar and was dedicated to the cult of a comet that appeared soon after Caesar was assassinated. This comet was considered to be the soul of Julius Caesar.

Close to the Tempio del Divo Giulio is the Tempio di Vesta (Temple of Vesta). Here, the Vestal Virgins tended the fires of Vesta, the goddess of the hearth.

The Tempio dei Castori (Temple of Castor and Pollux) has only three columns remaining. It was built to commemorate the Roman victory at the Battle of Lake Regillus in 495 BC. According to legend, Castor and Pollux, the twin sons of Zeus and Leda, appeared on the battlefield to aid the Romans.

Construction of the Tempio di Antonino e Faustina (Temple of Antonino and Faustina) was begun in 141 AD by the Emperor Antoninus Pius in honor of his deceased wife Faustina the Elder. It survives today because it was later converted to the Roman Catholic Church San Lorenzo in Miranda.

Tempio del Divo Giulio

SOURCE:  Tempio del Divo Giulio (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Templo di Vesta

SOURCE:  Tempio di Vesta (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Tempio dei Castori

SOURCE:  Tempio dei Castori (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Tempio di Antonino e Faustina

SOURCE:  Tempio di Antonino e Faustina (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

The Curia Julia in the Roman Forum holds several important objects including the Plutei of Trajan, a pair of stone balustrades found in the Forum. These balustrades were not part of the Curia Julia, but they are historically important because they show the structures of the Forum as they once appeared.

Also on display in the Curia Julia are a number of paintings, including one from 1899 by Henryk H. Siemiradzki entitled “The future victims of the Colosseum”.

Next to the Curia Julia are the remnants of the Basilica Aemilia. This basilica was a Roman public building rather than a church. Very little remains of the Basilica Aemilia today.

Pluteus of Trajan – 1

SOURCE:  Pluteus of Trajan – 1 (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Pluteus of Trajan – 2

SOURCE:  Pluteus of Trajan – 2 (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

The Future Victims of the Colosseum

SOURCE:  The Future Victims of the Colosseum (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Remnants of the Basilica Aemilia

SOURCE:  Remnants of the Basilica Aemilia (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

The Curia Julia was one of the buildings where the Roman Senate gathered. The reason why the Curia Julia has survived while most others have not is that the building was converted into the Basilica of Sant’Adriano al Foro in the seventh century. Construction of the Curia Julia was begun during the reign of Julius Caesar but it was not completed until after his assassination.

Several sculptures are also displayed in the Curia Julia. The first, the torso of Nero, is probably here temporarily during the Nero Exhibition in the Forum. It is described as a Cuirassed Statue of Nero and is from the Piazza dei Celestini in Bologna. The second is a Statue of Agrippa Minor perhaps recut from a statue of Messalina. This statue is originally from Herculaneum. The third is described as Togate Statue with Portrait of a Princess (Claudia Octavia?). It is from the Forum at Rosele.

The Curia Julia

SOURCE:  The Curia Julia (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Torso of Nero

SOURCE:  Torso of Nero (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Agrippa Minor

SOURCE:  Agrippa Minor (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Claudia Octavia?

SOURCE:  Claudia Octavia? (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

The Forum was the center for public life in ancient Rome. Today, the Forum lies mostly in ruins. At the northwest corner of the forum stands the Arch of Septimius Severus dedicated in 203 AD to commemorate the victories of Septimius Severus and his sons against the Parthians. Near the Arch stands the Column of Phocus dedicated in 608 AD to the Eastern Roman Emperor Phocus. The Church of Santi Luca e Martina, commissioned in 625 AD, is also nearby. Of the Temple of Saturn, the oldest temple in the Forum, only eight columns and the podium remain. Even less of the Temple of Vespasian and Titus has survived. Only three columns remain standing.

Arch of Septimius Severus

SOURCE:  Arch of Septimius Severus (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Church of Santi Luca e Martina / Arch of Septimius Severus

SOURCE:  Church of Santi Luca e Martina / Arch of Septimius Severus (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Column of Phocus

SOURCE:  Column of Phocus (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Column of Phocus / Temple of Saturn / Temple of Vespasian and Titus

SOURCE:  Column of Phocus / Temple of Saturn / Temple of Vespasian and Titus (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 13 August 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko

The Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains (San Pietro in Vincoli) is located near the Colosseum in Rome, Italy. Its façade is modest. If one did not know the basilica was there, one might pass by, thinking that the structure was an office building or a residence.

The most amazing possession of the basilica are the chains on display, thought to be the chains that held Saint Peter while he was imprisoned in Jerusalem and in the Mamertine Prison in Rome.

The basilica is also famous for a monument to Pope Julius II which includes Michelangelo’s sculpture of Moses. Original texts describing Moses as he descended Mount Sinai describe Moses face as “radiant”, although Jerome, who translated the Old Testament into Latin, described Moses as “horned” rather than “radiant”. In any case, Michelangelo sculpted Moses with horns. While the monument to Pope Julius II is located in San Pietro in Vincoli, his tomb is located in Saint Peter’s.

Another striking feature of the basilica is the tomb of Cinzio Aldobrandini, the nephew of Pope Clement VIII. Aldobrandini was a cardinal in the Roman Catholic Church and lived much of his life in service to the Vatican. His tomb is decorated with an impressive sculpture of Death.

The altar of Saint Sebastian is related to an outbreak of Plague in Pavia that could only be abated if an altar to Saint Sebastian was constructed in the Church of San Pietro in Vincoli in Pavia. Presumably, this story was told in Rome and an altar to Saint Sebastian was also constructed in San Pietro in Vincoli in Rome. A mosaic of Saint Sebastian hangs over the altar.

The Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains

SOURCE:  The Basilica of Saint Peter in Chains (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 12 August 2011.

The Chains of Saint Peter

SOURCE:  The Chains of Saint Peter (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 12 August 2011.

Monument to Pope Julius II

SOURCE:  Monument to Pope Julius II (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 12 August 2011.

Tomb of Cardinal Cinzio Aldobrandini

SOURCE:  Tomb of Cardinal Cinzio Aldobrandini (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 12 August 2011.

Mosaic of Saint Sebastian

SOURCE:  Mosaic of Saint Sebastian (Rome, Lazio, Italy); photographed by Stephen J. Danko on 12 August 2011.

Copyright © 2011 by Stephen J. Danko