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Clivus Palatinus

Directions: Rome, RegX (to Clivus Palatinus); Shortcut @go Clivus Palatinus

Resources: Clickable plan of Palatine hill

Uses: Navigation aid in VRoma

Area Palatina (including Domus Flavia, Domus Augustana, Domus Tiberiana)

Directions: Rome, RegX (to Clivus Palatinus), up (to Area Palatina);Shortcut @go Area Palatina

Resources:

• 11 Rooms: Area Palatina; Domus Flavia (Aula Regia, Basilica, Lararium, Peristyle, Triclinium); Domus Augustana (Hippodromus); Domus Tiberiana (Cryptoporticus)
• Images and Links: reconstruction drawings of the whole area and the various buildings and the following resources specific to each palace:
  • Domus Flavia: bust and statue of Domitian; coin with equestrian statue of Domitian; relief of Roma and Senate welcoming Domitian; photos of remains of octagonal maze in peristyle and oval fountain outside triclinium; photo of lararium painting from Pompeii; English excerpt from Suetonius about Domitian's enforcement of the law; Latin and English excerpt from Suetonius about the omen of the crow just before the assassination; Latin and English excerpt from Statius (Silvae 4.2. 10-11; 18-22) praising triclinium and comparing Domitian to Jupiter; information about construction of the palace; links to De Imperatoribus Romanis biography of Domitian and information about his assassination
  • Domus Augustana: image of galleries overlooking Circus Maximus (plastico); photo of remains of Hippodromus; Latin and English text of lead pipe inscription giving name Domus Augustana; image of another lead pipe inscription; links to aerial view of the site and reconstruction drawing of Hippodromus
  • Domus Tiberiana: information about who built the palace complex; photo of cryptoporticus; information about assassination of Caligula with Latin and English excerpt from Suetonius; link to images and historical background about Caligula; link to images of and information about Tiberius's villa on Capri
• Objects: three poems of Martial about the Domus Flavia (7.56; 8.36; 12.15) in Latin with hyperlinked glossary, notes, and translation—the first two flattering poems were written soon after the dedication of the palace, and the third critical poem was written after Domitian's death

Uses: As with other parts of the Palatine, this is an excellent locus for exploration and discussion of the magificence of imperial display and the emotions it evoked among the Romans. Some suggestions specific to the Area Palatina follow:

• Sample Treasure-Hunt Questions: What two emperors were assassinated on the Palatine? Where and when did the assassinations take place? Compare these two emperors; do you see any common factors that may have contributed to their fates? What evidence can you find of excessive flattery for Domitian? To what god is he compared? What evidence can you find for criticism or dislike of Domitian? Explain why the three palace complexes had different names. Which part of the palaces struck you as the most amazing (from a positive or a negative point of view) and why?
• Analysis of Texts: Ask students to compare the three poems of Martial that can be found at the Domus Flavia facade. How are the first two similar? How does the fhird turn the themes of the first two upside down? How are all the poems dependent on the circumstances surrounding Martial at the time of their composition? Do you see any elements of subtle protest in the first two poems or are they merely exercises in flattery? Conversely, do you see any real admiration for the Domus Flavia in any of the poems? Latin students at or above the intermediate level can be asked to translate the poems and answer these questions by pointing to specifics in the Latin text. More advanced students could be asked to compare the first two Martial poems with Propertius's poem about the temple of Palatine Apollo (located in Area Apollinis Palatini) to see whether they can detect any similarities or differences of tone and theme.

Area Apollinis Palatini

Directions: Rome, RegX (to Clivus Palatinus), up (to Area Palatina),right—rear (to Area Apollinis Palatini);Shortcut @go Area Apollinis

Resources:

• 8 Rooms: Area Apollinis Palatini; Scalae Templi (Temple Pronaos, Cella); Porticus; Bibliotheca Colonnade (Latin Library); Ramp to Domus Augusti
• Images, Links, and Objects: the following resources are specific to each part:
  • Area Apollinis Palatini: reconstruction drawing; images of Augustus as pontifex maximus and a relief of Apollo with lyre; Objects: poem of Propertius written about dedication of the temple (2.31), Latin version and English version, both hyperlinked to explanatory notes with information and images about Danaids, Niobids, Gauls, Myron; bot named Gaius Maledictus, a fictional architecture student from Britannia who takes a very cynical view of imperial display and leaves protest notes on wax tablets scattered about the complex (he also has been programmed with a considerable amount of dialogue)
  • Temple: photos of the Temple of Portunus in Rome and the Temple of Jupiter Capitolinus in Dougga, North Africa; relief showing a temple with carved doors; coin depicting Actian Apollo; Roman copy of statue of Apollo by Scopas; statue of Diana; sarcophagus depicting Niobids; information about the structure of the temple; information about the way Augustus linked himself with Apollo and Apollo with his victory at Actium; Latin and English quotes from Vergil's Aeneid (8.704-706; 714-15; 720-23) supporting this identification and referring to this temple; Latin and English excerpt from Horace's Carmen Saeculare (1-8) about this temple; Objects: two wax tablets from Gaius Maledictus
  • Porticus: photo of peristyle and garden from Pompeii; information about the “Golden Poticus” of the temple complex; discussion of significance of Danaids here and whether Vergil might have this in mind when he put them on Pallas's sword belt, with Latin and English text of Aeneid 10.497-98; 501-502; Object: wax tablet from Gaius Maledictus
  • Bibliotheca: photo of Corinthian columns from the Temple of Hadrian incorporated into the Borsa; photo of reconstructed library from Hadrian's Villa; photo of statue of Augustus as Jupiter; links to Bibliotheca Augustana, the Latin Library, and Perseus Latin Texts; Objects: Ovid, Tristia 3.1.59-82, Latin version and English version, both hyperlinked to explanatory notes about the places mentioned; bot named S. Julius Hyginus (descendant of Augustus's librarian) with information about Ovid's exile and the poem; wax tablet from Gaius Maledictus with Latin and English excerpt from Suetonius about Augustus's penchant for virgins
  • Ramp to Domus Augusti: image of a Praetorian guard; image of bust of Augustus wearing corona civica and of a doorway from Pompeii with relief of the corona civica; Object: wax tablet from Gaius Maledictus with Latin and English excerpt from Suetonius about a “dinner of the 12 Olympians” where Augustus dressed as Apollo

Uses: As with other parts of the Palatine, this is an excellent locus for exploration and discussion of the magificence of imperial display and the emotions it evoked among the Romans. Some suggestions specific to the Area Apollinis Palatini follow:

• Sample Treasure-Hunt Questions: See the relevant questions from Barbara McManus's treasure hunt and Bill Magrath's treasure hunt in the Course Materials Repository. Why did Augustus choose to dedicate this showpiece of a temple to the god Apollo? Find three examples of the ways that Augustus associated himself with Apollo. Describe the appearance of representations of Apollo connected to this temple. Describe three different objections that Gaius Maledictus makes to the temple complex. Do you think that these would have made sense to a Roman of the time? Why or why not?
• Analysis of Texts: Ask students to discuss the Ovid poem from the perspective of the poet's situation. What does the poem tell us about the libraries of Rome? Why was this library such a great boon to Roman intellectuals, and why does Ovid envision his little poem being turned away? Why is the Propertius poem so important for our understanding of the appearance of the Temple of Apollo? What do the passages from the Aeneid suggest about Vergil's reaction to Augustus? More advanced students could be asked to compare the Propertius poem with the first two Martial poems (located in the Domus Flavia facade) to see whether they can detect any similarities or differences of tone and theme.

Directions: Shortcut::

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