Moles Martis, il turpe sepulcrum di Tarpea e la Luna dell'Arx
di Francesco Marcattili (con un'appendice di Paola Paolucci), pp. 7-34
Through a re-examination of several literary sources and the iconographic documentation available, the paper aims to propose a reinterpretation of the legend of Tarpeia - a figure linked to the origins of Rome - and to explain her ties with the Mars of the Capitolium, Moles Martis and the Moon of Arx. In the tale of the traitor of the Capitoline hill and in her rehabilitation for propaganda purposes, traces of ancient ritual practices have been identified, connected with the reditus of the army and the recovery/reutilization of enemy weapons. Like the tomb of Titus Tatius on the Aventine hill, also the tomb of Tarpeia speaks of death and expiation. However, if on the Aventine there were laurels to guarantee the purification of soldiers by means of the blood of their dead enemies, on the Capitoline Arx the essential ingredient of the ritual seems to have been the violent hurling and the accumulation of weapons, especially shields.
Nuove ipotesi per una rilettura del settore meridionale del Foro di Augusto
di Elisabetta Carnabuci, Laura Braccalenti, pp. 35-66.
Archaeological investigations, directed by the Sovraintendenza ai Beni Culturali di Roma Capitale in the years 1998-2000 and 2004-2007, brought to light a large portion of a third hemicycle of the Forum of Augustus. This structure, located alongside the north-western porch and to the south of the already known hemicycle, was almost totally destroyed by the construction of the colonnaded courtyard of the Forum of Trajan.
In this paper is proposed a new reconstructive hypothesis for the southern part of the Forum and for the width of the new hemicycle. New investigations show that the structure is bigger than argued at the time of the discovery, and, because of this, it is impossible to imagine that a porch stood on the southern side of the of the Forum of Augustus.
Nuovi frammenti di piante marmoree dagli scavi dell'aula di culto del Templum Pacis
di Ersilia D'Ambrosio, Roberto Meneghini, Rossella Rea 67-76.
In 2006, an excavation carried out by the Soprintendenza Speciale per i Beni Archeologici di Roma in the chamber of the Templum Pacis brought to light four new fragments of marble maps. These fragments are not part of the severan Forma Urbis, but scraps of a stone workshop working in the area at least since the reconstruction of its buildings after the fire of the 192 AD. This workshop made probably marble-copies of pieces of the cadastral relief of Rome, which were used as official administrative acts. The finds described in the followed paper can be identified as documents of this kind.
Gli impianti di scale del Foro di Traiano
di Elisabetta Bianchi, Roberto Meneghini (con appendici di Marie D. Jackson, Antonella Lumacone, Roberto Serafini, Gianluca Primi), pp. 77-118.
The recent archaeological excavations (1998-2000) have brought to light a large portion of the Forum of Trajan that allowed for a detailed reconstructive plan of the complex. This study analyses the remains of the stairways system confirming the already assumed multistoried structure of the complex in several areas. A set of staircases inside the Basilica Ulpia (A-A1/B-B1) has been re-analyzed together with two large staircases, built on supporting arches close to the Libraries. These staircases led the way up from the outside to the upper level of the courtyard of the Trajan's Column and from there to the matronea of the Basilica (C-C1). Furthermore, the presence of a pair of stairs has been ascertained. These led to the upper floor from the southern wall of the square (D-D1). Finally, four spiral staircases have been identified as serving maintenance purposes for the complex's wooden roofing system, these were placed in pairs at the ends of the two hemicycles of the porticoed square (E-E1/F-F1).
Una testa giovanile dal Foro di Traiano: copia, rielaborazione o originale d'epoca imperiale?
di Francesco Paolo Arata, pp. 119-128.
This colossal head, discovered in the Forum of Trajan during archeological excavations in 1931, is undoubtedly a work of excellent quality. It has to be considered an original sculpture of the imperial period, inspired by classical models, instead of a copy or a re-elaboration of Greek prototypes.
The best comparisons are in fact with the head of Hermes Richelieu and with the head of Eros in a column from the rebuilt Artemision of Ephesus. The style of these models will be were appreciated in Roman times, as we can see in the basalt ephebe from the Palatine hill, or in the so called Hypnos from Hadrian's Villa.
The head from the Forum of Trajan was probably part of an architectural context: it should represent an ideal image of Victoria, or a personification of a provincia or nation. Because of the style and the technical execution, the monumental head can be dated in the second quarter of 2nd century AD.
L'utilizzo delle tecnologie geomantiche e la Forma Urbis: un nuovo approccio
di Mattia Crespi, Ulisse Fabiani, Paolo Carafa, Maria Teresa D'Alessio, pp. 129-152.
The paper illustrates a methodology for the analysis of the Forma Urbis, aiming to estimate the metric content of the marble Plan, in order to ascertain if it is actually a topographic map or an unreal representation. For this purpose mathematical techniques and computing methods have been applied to verify the relationship between the structures reproduced on the fragments of the Forma Urbis and the achievements of archaeological topography.
The validity of the methodology has been specifically tested on a group of fragments of the Theatre of Marcellus and the Temples of the Forum Holitorium, resulting in a different proposal for the location of these monuments.
Le trasformazioni di un blocco di granito. Da sostegno di un obelisco antico allAra dei caduti per la rivoluzione fascista sul Campidoglio (1926-1944)
di Sylvia Diebner, pp. 153-170.
In 1926 an enormous ancient stone block was reused as main structure of a new planned memorial for the Martyrs of the Fascist revolution. Absolutely important was the position of this memorial on the highest and most representative hill of Rome.
Main theme of the research is the new presence in the city centre for the memory of the martyrs. Adding a basement, an altar cover inspired by antique fashion, and an inscription on the block, the memorial was created for the relational rites as it is documented by photos of the Thirties. Even if, after the end of the fascist regime, the granite block was turned upside-down on the inscription, the basement removed and the cover in pieces broken, it was possible to study the original
fashion of this monument.
