L'angolo sud-occidentale del Palatino tra Augusto e Caligola
In: Bullettino della Commissione Archeologica Comunale di Roma: 120, 2020
DOI: 10.48255/1004
The paper presents a topographical study of the northwestern slopes of the Palatine hill in the period between Augustus and Caligula. The analysis of the discoveries that occurred in this area, starting from the Boni excavations in the early Twentieth century, made it possible to recognize the installation of a number of monumental buildings, whose planimetric and functional reconstruction is proposed. The earliest structure is a large altar with a precint that the author proposes to recognize as the ara Numinis Augusti, built by the Emperor Tiberius between 4 and the 9 CE. The fragments of a relief studied by A. De Cristofaro in the precedent paper could belong to this monument. A vast building compound lies close to the altar on the opposite side of a road, which has recently been identified as the infima Nova via. This compound was set up under the reign of Caligola and consisted of a porticus with a sacellum, a tetrastylus in the middle, a monumental swimming pool, and an access ramp to the top of the Palatine. These structures can be identified as the Domus Gai, mentioned by ancient sources, ans seem to belong to a sanctuary dedicated by the emperor to himself.