Splendore Dell' Antica Roma: The Splendors of Rome, Circa 1625
Rome in ancient times was the busy center of the Roman Empire, one of the largest empires of the ancient world. Rome, the city, was said to be founded in 753 B.C.E. by brothers Romulus and Remus. Almost from the beginning, it was a city of building projects and political struggle. Roman holdings grew from a kingdom to a vast empire, then dwindled again, dividing into the Western Empire, which fell in the 5th century, and the Eastern Empire, which held on for another 1,000 years. The city of Rome is located in the Western Empire. Since the first century C.E., the city of Rome has been the center of the Catholic papacy, becoming the capital of the Papal States until 1870. In 1871, Rome became the capital of the kingdom of Italy, and in 1946, the capital of the Italian Republic.
A schism in 1377 brought about a 40-year period that nearly devastated the church. In 1418, the Council of Constance brought relative peace to Rome and marked the onset of the Italian Renaissance. A succession of wealthy popes transformed the city into a center of art, culture, and building projects. It also became a tourist destination.
Long a site for religious pilgrimages, Rome became an essential destination as the notion of the Grand Tour took hold among the wealthier citizens of Europe. The Grand Tour served to provide a liberal education for participants and allowed them to see not only the antiquities and ruins of Rome, but also the new splendors.
Quite a number of authors and artists took advantage of this Grand Tour idea, producing books that served as guidebooks on a broad range of Roman art and architectural features. One such book is Splendore Dell' Antica Roma, engraved by Giacomo Lauro. The book went through several iterations and titles. It was first published as Antiquae Urbis Splendor and issued in three books. Compilations were later published with the addition of a fourth part. Engraver Lauro illustrated ruins of Rome as well as reconstructions. He included secular buildings as well as religious structures, and also illustrated Roman customs, burial sites, and gardens. He even included several maps.
The Savannah Library’s Special Collections copy has several title pages, the first dated 1625 with a publication place of Rome. The book can be described as an exhaustive and influential work on the monuments and antiquities of ancient and modern Rome. Comprised chiefly of the 1625 second edition, with additional plates and indices from other editions, it appears to be an early compilation of material from the several early editions with a number of variations. The book has 160 plates, including maps and illustrated title pages. Text in Latin describes each plate. Additional information on the back of many of the plates describes the image in Italian, French, and German, as well, with titles in Italian.
Here, the book is presented leaf-by-leaf. The records are shown in sets of two images: the Recto and Verso of each leaf. The book is not paginated, so leaf numbers have been assigned by the library. Some of the images have been dated separately, and that date is recorded in the “date created” field. Information is also provided as to what the site represents today and its modern use.
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The image describes a military procession with the lead horseman or aquilifer carrying an Aquila or Eagle, which was the most important standard for the Roman legion. A number of other standards were also utilized and served to keep units together while in battle. The eagle standard bearer or aquilifer often wore a lion skin head dress.
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Matrimonium A Latinis olim et romanis nondum...depicts marriage ceremonies in early Rome. The image shows specific parts of the marriage ceremony in lettered illustrations with a key in Latin at the bottom.
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Image depicts the rites and ceremonies of attending the bride on the wedding night. Figures are lettered and there is a corresponding key in Latin at the bottom of the page.
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The Columna Miliaria was built by Augustus in around 20 BC and was called the Milliareum Aureum or Golden milestone. It bore a bronze tablet with various destinations and the distances over Roman roads from the city of Rome. This column, considered a point of convergence of the great roads, probably stood between the Rostra and the Temple of Saturn, but its foundations have not been found.
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The Isola Tiberina, formerly the Tempio di Giove Licaonio, now the Island of Saint Bartholomew. At one time the entirety of the Isola Tiberina had been covered in marble to make the island look like a ship. The Basilica of St. Bartholomew on the Island now stands on the site of the Temple Aesculapius. Bridges connect the island to either side of the Tiber.
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The image depicts the Temple of Vesta between the Capitoline and Palatine. The small round temple was used to contain the sacred fire and safeguard sacred relics. It burned in 390 BC, and several other times though. It stood at the east end of the Roman Forum. The temple was dedicated to Vesta, the protectress of both the family and State. Vestal Virgins guarded the sacred eternal flame, sacred water, and sacred cakes used in rituals. The temple was finally closed by Theodosius in 394 AD.
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This image depicts a large set of buildings that were on the top of the Capitoline Hill. The Capitolium was named for the Hill it resides on. It was named the Capitoline Hill when a human skull (caput) was found while excavating for the foundation of the Temple of Jupiter. The Capitolium was one of three major areas of the hill, along with the Arx and Tarpeius. The temples that were once here have been replaced with museums.
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Mons Ianiculus is second tallest of the Hills of Rome, but is not technically one of the seven hills, as it lies outside of the boundaries of the ancient city. Janiculus refers to the cult of the god, Janus. One of the landmarks noted on the image is the Mammea Sacellum or shrine of Mammea. This may be the mother of Alexander Severus.
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Depicted in the image is the Temple of Jupiter. Though little is left of this structure, it was well known in the middle ages. Before it could be built, a massive leveling project was undertaken. It was during this time that the skull was found that gave the name to the Capitoline Hill and was also thought to be an omen of Rome's sovereignty. Much of the extensive foundation work is evident today. It was originally dedicated in 509 BCE, the beginning of the Roman republic. The temple was decorated with terra cotta sculptures. The temple was rebuilt several times, though destruction started in 5th century AD with vandalism. In the 16th century, the Caffarelli built their palace on the ruins.
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The image depicts the view of the Pantheon as it might have appeared when built, with statues on the pediment and the building clad in marble. It was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD) and rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian about 126 AD. The building has been used as a church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs" since 609 AD. It is known for its coffered dome made of unreinforced concrete. It was also used as a tomb during the Renaissance, with artists, popes, and kings entombed there.
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The image here is of the vestiges of the Pantheon, the building as it was in the time that Lauro made his engravings. The statues on the pediment and marble cladding have been removed. The building was commissioned by Marcus Agrippa during the reign of Augustus (27 BC - 14 AD) and rebuilt by the emperor Hadrian about 126 AD. The building has been used as a church dedicated to "St. Mary and the Martyrs" since 609 AD. It is known for its coffered dome made of unreinforced concrete. It was also used as a tomb during the Renaissance, with artists, popes, and kings entombed there.
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The image depicts the Temple of Honor and Virtue was planned in 210 BC by Marcus Claudius Marcellus, Consul of Rome, at the Porta Capena. Because there were objections from the priests that temples to two deities could not be on the same spot, two temples were built in such a way that to get to the Temple of Honor, one had to go through the Temple of Virtue.
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This massive Arch of Janus Quadrifrons at the Velabrum marks the northeastern border of the Forum Boarium, the cattle market of ancient Rome. It was constructed from bricks with white marble cladding. The building was probably erected by the emperor Constantine I the Great (306-337) and was also called Arcus Constantini. This image depicts the arch as it might have originally appeared with statuary in the niches and the roof in tact.
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This image depicts the view of the Arch of Janus that would have been seen by Lauro. The niches are empty and the statuary is gone. Damage has been done to the structure, but it still stands. Other landmarks appearing in the image are described in a lettered key, in Latin text below, or labeled in the image, such as San Giorgio in Velabro.
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Rest of title: conditore et illius templo in monte Quirinali hodie iuxta Aedem S. Vitalis. Depicted here is a temple that was on Monte Quirinale, the site of the original Sabine settlement. The Sabines united with the Palatine community to form Rome. A temple to the god Quirinal may have been erected around 400 BC, but was dedicated in 293 BC. By the late Republic, Quirinal was identified with Romulus, even sharing the same festival. The temple was located near the site of the Church of Saint Vitale.
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This image depicts the site of the Temple of Saturn, now the Church of St. Adrian at the foot of the Capitoline Hill. The church was mentioned in 1816 by James Hakewell as being small, but built on the site of an ancient temple of Saturn. He mentions that some parts of the walls of the temple can still be distinguished. He goes on to say that the church had been in existence as early as 600 AD and it had been rebuilt in the 17th century by the General of the Order of Mercy.
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The image depicts the Temple of Juno on the Aventine. Juno Regina was an Etruscan goddess who was evoked ritually by the Roman general Lucius Furius Camillus to transfer her protection to Rome. After his victory at Veii, Camillus built the temple and dedicated it in 392 BCE, solemnly installing there Juno's cult statue from Veii. Though the temple no longer exists, there are two dedication inscriptions found near the Church of Saint Sabena.
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The image depicts the Temple of Mercury, located on the Aventine Hill and dedicated in 495 BC. Mercury took on a similar role to Hermes in Greek Mythology, and dedicating the temple in May associated Mercury with parent Zeus and Maia. It was one of the first temples to use a concrete domed roof.
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The image depicts the Temple of Cybele located on the Palatine Hill. Also called the Temple of Magna Mater, it was Rome's first and most important temple to the "Great Mother", whose Greek name was Cybele. It was built to house a statue and a black stone (possibly a meteorite) brought from Greek Asia Minor in 204 BC. The new temple was dedicated in April 191 BC, and Magna Mater's first Megalesia festival was held on the temple's proscenium. The temple burned and was rebuilt several times until it was ordered destroyed in 394 AD by Emperor Theodosius I.
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While the title of this image indicates it is the Temple of Mars Ultor in the Forum of Augustus, the ruins of that temple are well documented and do not resemble the round temple depicted here.
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The Temple of Peace on the Via Sacra. The Via Sacra was the main street in the ancient city of Rome. It lead from the top of the Capitoline Hill, through the Forum, and to the Colosseum. It was the route the processionals used for a Roman Triumph.
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The Temple of Faustina in the Roman Forum. This temple is referred to as the Temple of Antonius and Faustina. It is on the Via Sacra at the entrance to the forum. Antonius Pius built the temple for his wife, Faustina, who had a cult following. It was rededicated to Antonius also after his death in 161 AD. It became the Church of St. Lorenzo in Miranda in the 7th or 8th century.
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A Section of the Roman Forum with the Ruins of the Arch of Titus. The image depicts how the Roman Forum would have appeared in the time of Lauro. The Roman Forum was a project begun in the reign of Augustus and continued actively throught Domitian's reign. But by 410 AD, rome was sacked by the Visigoths and plundered. The forum became an abandoned area until around the 19th century.
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Temple of the Sun on the Quirinal Hill. The Temple of the Sun was built by Aurelian. It was designed to bring Eastern architecture styles combining magnificence with public utility. It was a very large structure on the side of the hill with great steps up to the temple. It began to be dismantled early on, with some of the pillars possibly boing into the decoration of Santa Sophia. By the 16th century it was a ruins. Part of the pediment was in the Colonna gardens.
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- English
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