ParadiseLost

#9. PART 2
[ROSTRA] Ok now, look at the front of the Rostra. On the extreme right see that ugly section of brickwork, in your mind make that section disappear. It's a late extension (405AD) to the Rostra. Now what you have is a nice looking wall but is not original, it's a 1904 reconstruction by the Archaeologist Boni.  But notice the between the nice-looking wall and that ugly 405AD brick-section there a section of large worn ugly stone blocks with holes in them.   Those Tufa blocks are original to this Rostra, they were originally faced in beautiful marble and those holes were for mounting the bronze ramming prows (called rostra) of captured enemy ships. They were very likely the ones from the original Comitium Rostra, no reason that I've read that they shouldn't be.
  But what you see is *not* the Rostra that Marc Antony delivered his famous speech from at Julius Caesar's funeral, and yes all those tourguides you'll overhear are wrong.
There are 2 Rostras built into that structure, this one was built over the original to extend it.
  The 1st is in the back and it was built by Julius Caesar. It is just as long width-wise (left-to-right) but very narrow (front-to-back). It was like this )) and was basically a long curved soapbox for one man to address the crowd from. If he wanted to honor someone or a group they would have to stand in a line shoulder-to-shoulder.   It was curved because the original Comitium Rostra was curved; and narrow because it was just a speaking platform to address the Senate in the Comitium or turn around and address the people in the Forum by one man usually.   So it was a practical working pulpit. Caesar keep its design symbolic to their past and being a military man keep it simplistic, meaning; give the speech, issue the decree, etc and move on.   Augustus extended this Rostra foward into the Forum by 10m turning it into a stage ))X]. Now the dignitaries, VIP's, Senators, Generals, etc could all be seated on the Rostra and now they could stage elaborate ceremonies for the crowds, just like today .   I'm going to start at the Augustus Rostra because you're standing in front of it , then go to the side for the later extension, side entrance and then the Caesar Rostra.
  So that is where it all happened starting with Emperor Augustus and all the famous Emperors afterwards stood upon that Rostra and addressed the crowds (Tiberius, Claudius, Caligula, Nero, Trajan, Hadrain, Commodius, etc).
  So countless boring historical ceremonies took place there...Nero had temporary steps put in so some King could walk up from the Forum, so-and-so had his funeral there, etc, etc.   But let's be honest; sex, murder, assassination, etc is what makes the best stories .    Augustus was a 'family-values' Emperor; marriage and children vs adultery, prostitution, birth control, abortion, etc.   But he liked his discreet affairs on the side with young women esp virgins later in his life, well as Mel Brooks said in his movie "It's good to be the King" .   Now his daughter Julia he used as a political pawn to secure a successor to the throne (marry this man, he dies... then marry this one {future Emperor Tiberius btw}).
  Julia is a princess, the Emperor's daughter, she could have countless discreet affairs but instead she becomes an open, out-of-the-closet, card-carrying Nymphomaniac (not that there is anything wrong with that&nbsp.
  She meets her lovers right-by that tree (the tree marks an ancient location-more on it later) you see in front of the Rostra, right-out in the open for everyone to see. And many of these men are her father's political enemies and even his supporters.   Once asked why she had so many affairs she answered "When the boat is full, it's the best time to pick-up more passengers" .
  She is 37 in 2BC and it is claimed that she held a night time orgy in the Roman Forum using this Rostra.   Augustus totally feed-up exiles Julia to an island and has some of her lovers executed, one of them was Marc Antony's son (Iullus Antonius). So it seems that father and son *might* have both had a performance on this Rostra .   Ok back to the actual Rostra. This diagram will give you an idea of what I mean.
http://www.mcah.columbia.edu/dbcours...stra2_0816.jpg The top drawing shows the Augustus Rostra.  The bottom diagram shows it's plan.
You can see it's rectangular and where the word ROSTRA is is the front facing the Forum. To the right you can see the 470AD extension and above that an opening for the ~203AD entrance to the mid-Rostra stairs, both we will get to later.
This is a better archaeological blueprint of the Rostra [ http://tinyurl.com/ynkc8g Fig. 30 'Plan Of The Rostra'] The curved section labeled 'Hemicyclivm' is the Caesar Rostra and just above it on the right near the 'Vmbilicvs' some curved blocks. Those blocks are what remains today of the original Caesar Rostra's stairs. Upon which Julius Caesar walked on and his coffin (bier) was carried-up and Marc Antony accended to deliver his famous speech.
  And above the word 'Rostra' is the Augustus Rostra, if the floor was intact this would look like 1 structure rather than 2 seperate ones which it really is.
 
  Many reconstruction drawings show Augustus' Rostra replacing the curved steps of Caesar's Rostra.
  I don't believe there is any proof that these curved steps were ever built over with straight steps. I think they were just incorporated into the extended Augustus' Rostra.
  Mainly because the area would have been filled in with concrete to make it straight and stepped and then marble slabs would have been added to make the actual beautiful looking steps. Ok back to the front of the Rostra. The white marble along the base is original, it was slotted so the bottom row of marble facing slabs could be supported/fitted.   And on top there are a few pieces of the white marble cornice remaining and you can see a slot on top of this cornice which would support a short safety fence that was on top of the Rostra. It would also keep people from being pushed off if things got hot and heavy .   A fence was on the sides and the front but in the middle of the front there was an open space so that the crowd could see the speaker from head to toe.
  This front fence has been shown on engravings like this ####__#### so I'm inclined to believe if those 2 large marble reliefs we saw in the Curia were on the Rostra perhaps they were on the sides like shown in that website drawing above?
Augustus had statues erected on his Rostra, 1 of himself, 2 of Julius Caesar, 1 of Sulla and 1 of Pompey, some of them were equestrian (my guess would be 1 of him and 1 of Caesar?). And the later Emperors put themselves up there too.
  It is also believed that during the reign of Antoninus Pius (138-161AD) when he restored the Rostra after a fire, a columned roof was added to the Rostra to protect those on the platform from the sun and rain. Also during the reign of Diocletian (284AD) a roof was built, I assume it was a rebuild perhaps after the Fire of Carinus.     And traditionally and almost always shown in reconstruction drawings are 5 tall columns (remember the columns behind the custodian shack) with statues on top mounted on the Rostra.   It's doubtful but we'll get into it behind the Rostra later.   Ok now look at the ugly brick section on the right end of the Rostra.

ParadiseLost

#9. PART 3
That is called the ROSTRA VANDALICA which is the modern name for this section.   It just extends the front facade of the Rostra 3-4m for some reason. I've wondered if it was perhaps to screen those using the later addition stairs cut into the side of the Rostra? It would give those VIPs privacy while waiting in the wings before making their grand entrance up on the Rostra? And also perhaps to keep the crowd from being distracted from the speaker by the coming and goings on those entering and exiting the Rostra, like a stage's side-curtains?   I haven't come across any explainations for this extension that seems to serve no purpose.
 
 It's believed this extension is from ~470AD when the 'Urban Prefect of Rome' 'Junius Valentinus' (455-76AD) did a Rostra restoration in brick masonry.
  The partial single-line inscription on the marble rectangular blocks on top is by Valentinus celebrating a naval victory over the Vandals under the reign of Emperors Leo and Anthemius in ~470AD.   Also note the top of these inscribed blocks is grooved, that is for the balustrade (rail fence).
  
I think they are grasping at straws here with this 'naval victory' inscription.
  The Vandals have been kicking their butt all over, in 455 Rome surrendered and the Vandals plundered the city for 2 weeks along with grabbing a Empress and her 2 daughters as booty (no pun intended ).   And the short-reigning Emperor Petronius Maximus is stoned to death by a Roman mob outside the city while trying to flee (the Empress & daughters are from the Emperor he had killed when he took over).   Actually it was a well ordered plundering under the terms of surrender, no raping, burning, torture or murder, just plunder and a few wealthy hostages taken for ransom.
  So the Vandals got a bad rep in history, Vandals=vandalism, vandal, vandalize.
In 468 the East and West Roman Empires come together and launch the most expensive fleet & army in history up to that point to attack the Vandals.
  The fleet splits and in Sardinia they sink 340 out of 500 Vandal ships and win this battle. I wonder if that is the one they are celebrating with this inscription?
  They might have won the battle but they didn't win the war. Near Carthage the Romans get their sterns handed to them . The Vandals sink over half their fleet, the Romans retreat. Neither is a victor, this expedition cost the Empire bundles of money and 8yrs later in 476AD the Western Roman Empire falls. The Vandals are also on the downswing after this war and in 533 they are finally finished when their last King is captured.
Ok now, walk over to the leftside of 'Arch of Septimius Severus' and look into the middle of the Rostra's substructure.   In the reign of Septimius Severus the Rostra was rebuilt with some changes because of the erection of this arch (203AD). In order to make a direct approach to the speaker's platform from this side, a triangular section was cut out of the northern half of the Rostra with steps leading up to the top of the Rostra.
[ http://tinyurl.com/ynkc8g Fig. 33 ]
  So in that section in front of you the Rostra's sidewall was broken away making a little courtyard-like area which was believed to be shut off from the public by a simple gate.   I assume this made it easier to enter and exit the Rostra vs going thru the arch and around to the back of the Rostra plus VIP's could wait there probably seated in the shade rather than waiting behind the Rostra on the street until called upon for some ceremony.   Also seeing the Rostra is now like a stage any minor comings and goings would be less distracting during a speech plus alot easier to coordinate & communicate the event's going-ons unseen by the crowds.
  Ok now, still looking straight into the Rostra's substructure make everything to the left disappear.
[ http://tinyurl.com/ynkc8g Fig. 30 ]
  The curved wall on the right are the remains of the original Rostra built by Julius Caesar. The curve was done to copy the original Rostra that was in the Comitium, remember the large circular arena-like structure mentioned earlier.
  On the end closest to you, you can see the marble base that fronted this curved wall and the remains of 4 marble slabs that lined or faced the ugly concrete core.
  On the top you can see the remains of the marble cornice that ran along the top (best viewed from the backside of this Rostra).   Also later when you are behind the Rostra you will see the remains of the long curved steps that lead to the narrow top (speaking area) of this Rostra.
  Picture youself standing in the Forum looking at this Rostra. With Julius Caesar standing on top addressing the cheering crowds.   But on March 18, 44BC his body will be carried up the backstairs on a bier (a richly decorated open coffin) and placed in the middle of the Rostra. Marc Antony steps-up to the edge of the Rostra and addresses the crowd. He has written a eulogy for his close friend, Julius Caesar. [Cassius Dio said it ended with these words]  
 "Of what avail, O Caesar, was your humanity, of what avail your inviolability, of what avail the laws?   Nay, though you enacted many laws that men might not be killed by their personal foes, yet now mercilessly you yourself were slain by your Friends!   And now, the victim of assassination, you lie dead in the Forum through which you often led the Triumph crowned; wounded to death, you have been cast down upon the Rostra from which you often addressed the People.   Woe for the blood-bespattered locks of gray, alas the rent (cut) robe, which you assumed (a purple robe, the regal color), it seems, only that you might be slain in it!"  
 Antony then grabs and holds up Caesar's bloodsoaked robe to the crowd so they see the all the cuts made by the assassins knives.   The crowd goes crazy, his bier is taken from the Rostra and brought to the other end of the Forum. Shops are looted of tables, chairs and they are piled-up. His body is placed on top and it is set afire.   This is a very honorable cremation because it is within the city walls and in the Forum, which was not allowed then and was only done for the ancient Kings of Rome.
  Social unrest follows and then civil war, the great orator Cicero is caught by Marc Antony's troops while trying to escape Italy in 43BC. His head and hands are chopped-off and brought back to Rome where they are publicly displayed on this Rostra.
  Marc Antony and Cicero are bitter enemies and Cicero has personally attacked Antony in many public and Senate speeches esp about his drinking and womanizing.
    Later Marc Antony's wife goes up to Cicero's head and pulls his tongue out past his lips and then runs a large hatpin thru it and leaves it in place, symbolicly rendering him unable to speak.   Definitely a "Stand by your man" type of woman.

ParadiseLost

#9. PART 4
STATUE & COLUMN BASE
Ok, backtrack and walk back over to that tall marble inscribed pedestal base I mentioned earlier, the one in line with the Pozzi Rituali between the Custodian Shack and the Rostra (it will be on your right inside the fenced Forum Sq.).
  It is actually an earlier period equestrian statue base (on the leftside are the sockets for the horse's feet) set on it's end atop a travertine block. Rome has been declining economically for years and reusing earlier materials for bldgs and monuments is common.   The 15 line inscription says it was set-up by the City Prefect-Pisidius Romulus in 405AD by the Senate and People of Rome to celebrate the 'fidelity and valor of the most devoted troops' in battle against the Goths won under the command of General ////////////.... his name is chiselled-off (Damnatio Memoriae) 3 years later after he was executed.     And as you can see the 5th and 6th line from the bottom is etched off. The name was Flavius Stilicho and it was on the 5th line, I *assume* his title(s) were on the 6th line.   The inscription celebrates the defeat of the Goths (the Visigoths & Ostrogoths are Goths but different tribes). But I get different info; either in the 402 or 403AD defeat at Pollentia (Pollenza) of either Alaric Visigoths or Radagaisus Ostrogoths or both.   This the only surviving monument of several that were set-up in the Forum praising the armys of the co-ruling Emperors Arcadius & Honorius (brothers) but their victories are short lived. And that etched-off name *might* be the reason for it and a big shove towards the 'Fall of the Roman Empire'. Flavius Stilicho was born ~359AD to a Vandal father and a Roman mother in Germany. He is brought-up as an Arian which is a Christian sect in Germany slightly different than Roman Christianity (and early Roman Christians don't like diversity).
  He's made a General after negotiating a peace treaty with the Persians by Emperor Theodosius (Honorius & Arcadius father). The Emperor sees him as a great general who would make a powerful ally and has him marry his niece and adopted daughter now a princess for a blood tie. And before Theodosius' death in 394 he appoints Stilicho as guardian to his son Honorius who becomes Emperor at 6.
Stilicho has fought in battle with Alaric and his Visigoths when they were allies (~392AD). So he knows the man, his troops and his tactics.   Rome and Alaric are now enemies and Stilicho defeats Alaric 3 times (397, 2x in 402/403). Stilicho has also defeated Ostrogoths, Vandals and quelled an African revolt as General.   But he has enemies within the Palace and rumors are started. Plus being a half barbarian Vandal, a Christian Arian and a sucessful and powerful General doesn't help during somewhat of a peace.   He is accused of secretly forming an alliance with Alaric and other Barbarians, that he plans to make his son (Eucherius) Emperor and early in his career had ordered the murder his enemy who was the 'Praetorian Prefect' Rufinus (btw this guy deserved to get whacked).   His Palace enemies pull-off a well planned reverse coup d' etat. Stilicho retires to Ravenna where he is arrested.   He is tried but doesn't defend himself against the charges. Either he knows there is only going to be one possible verdict in a kangaroo court so why bother, pride and honor to accept his fate for the good of Rome (no in-fighting) or perhaps he was guilty and did want to make his son Emperor. In 408 he is executed on the orders of Emperor Honorius.
His only son is also executed in Rome and his mother (Stilicho's princess wife) Serena will follow in 2yrs accused of being in league with Alaric during the seige of Rome (remember Serena for later).   Shortly after Stilicho's execution an anti-barbarian witch-hunt sweeps Italy.
  The wives and children of barbarian troops who are auxiliaries in the Roman Army are murdered by the locals.   30,000 barbarian troops desert and join Alaric and his Visigoths for safety and revenge.   Alaric marches on Rome and for 2yrs there is an on 'again-off again' seige of Rome.
  Finally on Aug 24, 410 someone opens the Gate (some believe on Serena's orders?) and for the first time in 800yrs Rome is sacked and burned for 3 days.   Atop this pedestal are sockets for the statue feet of a Stilicho statue, the statue faced the Arch of Septimius Severus. We have to assume his statue was either taken-down and replaced or had the head changed or maybe in this budget no-frills Empire they just said it was of someone else like another General from now on?   Anyway this statue faced the first arriving Visigoths as they stormed into the Forum.
  3 days later the Forum bldgs around this statue lay in burnt-out ruins within a pillaged Rome.
  And the only General who had 3 times defeated this invading King and his army had been executed 2yrs before and his name chiselled off this monument.
  It's easy and very possible to believe that Alaric himself looked upon this monument which listed the Goths earlier defeat at the hands of his old ally and adversary Stilicho.
What would have been his thoughts?
Happy, that he didn't have to face Stilicho again in battle? Hurt pride, that he didn't have the chance to defeat him honorably in battle at least once?
  Or the sadness of a soldier's code of honor, where his old and respected adversary was cast aside in dishonor by his own people?   Also I wonder what did the Romans think afterwards as their city lay in ruins? Perhaps; "Stilicho could have saved us!"? Ok now, walk back towards the Arch to marble column base (square with reliefs and the round column base on top) on your left . It's called the 'Decennalia Base' and was a marble base that once supported a honorary column with a statue on top. It's 1 of a set of 5 that were on top of the Rostra (son not in its original location).   In 303AD Emperor Diocletian visited Rome for the 1st time, he ruled the eastern Empire and 'Maximian I' ruled the western Empire. This was the 20th anniversary (Vicennalia) of their reign and the 10th anniversary (Decennalia) of the Tetrarchy (a 4-Emperor system). 2 Augusti (supreme rulers) Emperors, 1 in the East and 1 in the West and under each of them a Caesar (younger, vice-ruler) Emperor who would step-in with the retirement or death of their Emperor, so no power-vacuum which often leads to civil war. It worked fine under Diocletian's reign but didn't last afterwards.   4 of these 36RF/10.6m/35ft high columns had one of the Emperors atop it but the center one was 40RF/11.8m/39ft high with a statue of Jupiter atop it. I mentioned earlier the remains of these columns are behind the Custodian Shack, they are Rose-Pink Aswan Granite.   Decennalia is a celebration started by Augustus in 17BC where every 10yrs the Emperor celebrates his rule with Games, Circus', sacrifices, bloodsports and festivals.
  This lone Decennalia base was found in 1547 near the Curia and set-up here on a brick foundation in modern times. The brick foundation is built on a base of an unknown equestrian statue. The base doesn't align with the Rostra but is aligned with the Via Sacra and the Arch of Septimius Severus, it probably held a bronze equestrian statue of Severus or some later Emperor. The equestrian statue base on the otherside of the Via Sacra in front of the Arch was dedicated to Constantius II in 352-3AD.
  The FRONT SIDE relief on the base shows; 2 winged Victories holding up a shield on which is written 'CAESARUM DECENNALIA FELICITER' (Happy 10th Anniversary of the Caesars). Also people in captivity (POW's?) and booty (war trophies?).
The other 3 sides represent vows for another happy decade. The RIGHT SIDE relief shows; 'Suovetaurilia' an animal sacrifice to the Gods of a boar, ram and bull. And they will be lead to sacrifice in that traditional order only. The attendent on the left is carrying the axe for the sacrifice, the toga clad man on the right is leading them.   Farmers also do this type of sacrifice at a agricultural festival ever May. The farmer's family washes, dresses in white with olive wreaths and leads these animals around their fields 3 times and then sacrifices them. The animals entrails are then examined for omens, the entrails and bones are wrapped-up and burned on an altar to the Gods. The meat is cooked and everyone eats very well at the festival. Except if you had sex the night before, you are then considered impure and can't join in. And of course the day before would be the day the wife would decide to strut around the hut with her new sexy hi-heeled sandals, a short low cut tunic and her new leather strophium (a leather band bra) .
The LEFT SIDE relief shows; A procession of toga clad Senators celebrating this Decennalia. In the background you can see 4 military standards (flags) being carried.
The REAR SIDE cannot be seen as the Forum is fenced-off and of course it's the best side . It shows a Caesar Emperor at a sacrificial altar offering a libation while being crowned by a little winged Victory, behind him the toga clad Genius (spirit) of the Senate. Around him are the Gods Mars, Sol Invictus (Sun God) and a seated Roma also a toga clad bearded Augustus Emperor, priest with pointed headgear and an attendant.   [You can see it with binoculars though.]

ParadiseLost

#10. THE ARCH OF SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS (PART 1)
Ok, the 'Arch of Septimius Severus' ya really can't miss this baby in the Forum, it's huge.
  It's 1 of 3 intact remaining arches in Rome, the others are the Arch of Constantine and the Arch of Titus which had a major reconstruction.
  Now this particular arch is definitely a 'male thing' that only we can understand and appreciate .
  It's the early 3C AD (203AD) and no one has ever put an arch here because there is no reason too and just no room for it!   No military Triumphs will pass this way as far as we know because it will have steps vs. a street leading up to and thru it. Plus it's not on the traditional route.
  It's in a *very crowded corner* of the Forum with temples, statues, etc and near the base of the Capitoline Hill so you must sharp turn left or right or climb stairs if going straight. Plus the Niger Lapis is directly in front of its approach and the south end invades into the Forum Sq.
  So it's really way out of place but if a woman was going to put an arch here she would put a nice neat and practical single arch.   Because a single arch would prefectly match the single Arch of Tiberius on the otherside of the Forum, so you would have a set of matching arches on each side of the Square with the Rostra in the middle.
  But Septimius is 'The Man' and he can get whatever he wants and he wants to show everyone that he has the biggest...uhhh...ARCH in town.   So with some major rearranging they squeeze in this huge triple arch which is even bigger that the triple arched 'Arch of Augustus' cater/kitty-cornered from this arch in the Forum.
[BEST TO START WITH WHO WAS SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS] Lucius Septimius Severus (146-211AD) was a Roman general and later Emperor 193-211. Born in Libya, made Senator by Emperor Marcus Aurelius in 172, Consul in 190, made Commander of Legions in Pannonia (Austria, Hungary, Yugoslavia area) by Emperor Commodus in 191, Commodus is assassinated in 192.
  In 193 Septimius and three other boys all declare themselves Emperor that year.
  Two are killed on the Palatine in the Imperial Palace. The 1st by his own soldiers (spear throw to the chest, his head is paraded thru the Forum and streets). The 2nd is deserted by everyone and left all alone in the Palace, a single soldier sent by the Senate kills him (Severus has a hand in this).
  The last emperor-wannabe is in the east supported by the Parthian Empire (Iran and surrounding areas).
  Severus goes over, finally defeats and kills him and then kicks some Parthian butt for supporting him.
  This was the 1st PARTHIAN CAMPAIGN.
  197 the Roman Governor in Britain revolts and declares himself Emperor. Severus goes over to Gaul where they battle and he wins.   The Parthians take advantage of this infighting and revolt. Severus goes on another PARTHIAN CAMPAIGN in 197-199 and wins. These 2 major (sometimes the last one is listed as 2 seperate campaigns, so 3 total) Parthian Campaigns are what is shown on the 4 Relief panels on both sides of the Arch.
  Severus finally gets back to Rome in 202.  
 The Arch is built in 203 and the inscription is dedicated to Emperor Septimius Severus and his 2 sons Caracalla and Geta for basically "restoring the Republic and expanding the dominion of the Roman People".   Oddly for some reason Severus doesn't have a military Triumph (parade) for these wars?
  Severus' reign is a military dictatorship but he is loved by his troops and fairly well liked by the Roman people (after Commodus that is pretty easy.
  The Senate hates him but if you kill a few dozen Senators and replace them with your cronies that problem just tends to take care of itself.   In 211 while on campaign in Britain Septimius Severus dies in York. He tells his 2 sons from his death bed to "get along with each other" and "to pay and treat his soldiers well and to hell with everyone else".
Right after dad dies the brothers are at each others throats, both trying to kill the other for total control of the Empire. And when back in Rome they even split the Palatine Palace in half by walling it up the middle.   Their poor mother tries everything to make them get along but it's no use.
  They were going to split the Empire in half but mom talks them out of it, knowing it would only lead to a civil war between them for total control.
Later Caracalla sents a message to Geta to meet at mom's apartment so they can make peace between them. Geta shows up but Caracalla has men hidden nearby and they stab him (or he did it himself).   Her youngest son is murdered before her eyes by her eldest son and as she cradles Geta in her arms he slowly bleeds to death.        
 Caracalla then has all traces of his brother existance removed. It's called a 'Damnatio Memoriae' and that person's statues are torn down, all inscriptions are erased, etc as if they never existed.   Caracalla went even further by killing ~20,000 people who sided with Geta no matter how remotely, like military men, friends, freedmen, servants, etc .   He even killed the musicians, actors and chariot team his brother just liked!   But what 'comes around, goes around' and 6yrs later Caracalla is assassinated.
The mastermind of the plot is the Commander of the Praetorian Guard named Macrinus. But they need a patsy to take the blame (JFK conspiracy buffs take note .  
  Julius Martialis is an officer in the Imperial Bodyguard who is recruited to their cause.   
  Later on a overland journey when Caracalla goes to relieve himself in private away from his bodyguards, he is killed by Martialis.     Suddenly everyone is in surprised shock at this event..yea right! "Oh my Gods...Martialis has killed the Emperor!" And the Emperor's Mounted Bodyguard quickly kill the 'Lone Assassin' Martialis.  
 Marcinus becomes Emperor but only for a short time (~1yr), he's defeated in a civil war, captured and executed. Caracalla was 29 at his death and his ashes are sent back to Rome where they were laid to rest in the Mausoleum of Hadrian. He was deified in AD 218.  This all leads us to the inscription at the top of the arch where we will start.
  [THE INSCRIPTION]
Ok step back so you can see the inscription on the top of the arch, the same inscription is also on the backside.
This arch's inscription has the most famous Roman 'Damnatio Memoriae' that survives.
The inscription was once written in gilded bronze letters (long gone) which were inset into the stone, so today you can still read it because of these carved letter insets.
The 4th line from the top used to say 'P. Septimio Getae Noilissimo) Caesari' or basically 'Most Noble Caesar Geta'.   They know this because even though those carved inset letters were erased and new inset letters were added the original holes for those bronze letters remained. So by eliminating the new letter holes they could figure out what letter the old holes held. Caracalla replaced it with 'Optimus Fortissimisque Principibus' translated as 'excellent and strongest princes' meaning himself.
    Also 'ET' was removed from the end of 3rd line, 'et' means 'and', it was the 'and' between the long titles of Caracalla ET Geta.   It was replaced with P P which means 'Pater Patriae' or 'Father of the Fatherland'.
  So Geta was erased and additional titles were added to fill-in the space.     The entire inscription basically reads; To the Emperor Septimius Severus, Son of Marcus. (the following are titles) Pius, Pertinax, Pater Patriae, Parthicus Arabicus, Parthicus Adiabenicus, Pontifex Maximus.   Having held the Tribunician power 11 times, acclaimed Emperor 11 times, Consul 3 times, Proconsul. And Emperor Marcus Aurelius (Caracalla), Son of Lucius. Antoninus, Augustus Pius, Felix.
Having held the auspicious Tribunician power 6 times, Consul, Proconsul, Pater Patriae. Excellent and Strongest Princes for having restored the State and enlarged the Empire of the Roman people, by their visible strengths at home and abroad, the Senate and People of Rome (built this; shown as SPQR).

ParadiseLost

#10. PART 2
[THE FOUR RELIEF PANELS]
Ok there are 4 panels each one is over the smaller side arches on both sides of the Arch.
  They show the Parthian Campaigns and are meant to be read bottom to top, each panel has 2 or 3 scenes.
    The panels are meant to be read in chronoloical order, you start at the left panel on the Forum side and move counter-clockwise around the Arch (so the 1st is Forum-side/left panel, 2nd Forum-side/right panel, 3rd Capitoline Hill-side/left panel, 4th Capitoline/right panel).
1ST PANEL: 3 scenes (remember start at the bottom) in a badly preserved state of the 1st Parthian Campaign.
Bottom: scene is the Roman Army leaving their camp.
Center: battle scene, Romans vs Parthians.
Top: On the right the Parthian King fleeing on horseback. On the left
Severus addressing his victorious troops. 2ND PANEL: Is the 2nd Parthian Campaign. Bottom: (leftside) A Roman attack on the city of Edessa with a 'Battering ram'; (rightside) City throws open its Gates, sends out dignitaries bearing standards to surrender. Middle: (left) Severus and entourage addresses the army; (rightside) King Abgar and entourage surrenders to Severus. Top: (right) War Council in fortified Roman Camp; (left) Severus in charge heading out into enemy territory. [CAPITOLINE HILL SIDE; LEFT PANEL]
3RD PANEL:
Bottom: Attack on Seleucia by the Tigris River and the Parthians
escaping on horseback.
Top: Parthians surrendering to the Emperor and Severus entering the
conquered city.
4TH PANEL:
Bottom: Attack and fall of Ctesiphon the Parthian capitol city.
Battering ram siege tower on left, King Vologese escaping on foot on the extreme right.
Top: Severus addressing his victorious troops in front of the captured
city.
[A QUICK RUNDOWN ON THE LESSER RELIEFS]
The large middle arched passageway's keystone is Mars the God of War. On each side of Mars are reliefs of Victory (looks like an angel) carrying Trophies with a personification of each of the 4 Seasons at the feet of each of the 4 Victorys.
    On each of the side passageways the keystone is of lesser Gods, one is probably Hercules.
  On each side of these lesser God keystones are figures of River Gods. Above these is a narrow band relief showing a Triumphial Procession
with captives and war booty.
Also there are 4 free-standing columns and their bases on each side of the Arch.
  The bases are in good shape because they were buried for centuries when the Forum's groundlevel rose.
  The reliefs on the bases show Roman
soldiers escorting their Parthan POWs.
  Look for signs of wearing (esp on the Capitoline side) of these bases and the lower section of the columns. This damage was caused by Medieval to Early-Modern Times wheeled traffic going thru the passageways.
  By Medieval Times the Forum's groundlevel had risen so that the passageways were now level with the ground (steps are buried).   By 1750 the groundlevel has completely blocked the side passageways except for curving arch part at the top --^--. So covering the bases and ~25% of the column.
[THE ARCH]
  Is built on a Travertine foundation and has a Travertine core, the arch is faced with banded grey/white Proconnesian marble. And actually the worst damage to this arch is from the original builders who had to cut corners with the marble. By ignoring the marble's horizonal grain things happened like columns split vertically, chunks of reliefs and projecting pieces fell off, etc.
  But luckily the Arch was saved from being stripped like other bldgs & monuments because the left (southern) half in the Middle Ages was the property of a nearby church.
  And the right half became part of a 12C fortification (Brachis Family), its fortress tower was attached to the back rightside of the Arch and was still standing in the 16C. Also if you look on the side of the arch (north end) at the top there is a big hole in the attic section. I wonder? if this section was hacked-out to provide a window for defending (archers) this Medieval Arch/Fort? Or just a hacked-out doorway to a long gone fortification bldg attached? Or did that section just fall-out?
Ok lets go back in time to when this Arch was just completed. A common misconception is that these bldgs and monuments were all white marble like in the movies.
  But things like reliefs, marble statues, parts of bldgs, etc were painted in bright colors.
  So picture all the reliefs like a painting. Now on top of the Arch there was a large bronze chariot drawn by 6 horses in which rode Severus being crowned by Victory.   Also riding alongside him in the chariot were statues of Caracalla & Geta and we can safely assume that later Geta disappeared.
  There were foot-soldiers walking alongside the chariot and a horse-mounted cavalryman statue in each corner of the Arch. BTW is is also possible that all these statues were made of Silver!     Now on the 4 corners of the 'Inscription Panel' there are square pillar-columns, there were adorned with bronze ornaments possibly some type of war trophies.
 There were also bronze ornaments (trophies & garlands) around the plain surfaces of the inscription panel. Also picture the bronze lettering still in place.
  There are steps leading up to the Arch from the street, these steps are the width of the Arch.
  Now for some unknown reason ~4C these steps were removed and the area in front of the Arch was lowered ~8ft.   New steps were put in which now reached to below the 3 passageways groundlevel. To compensate for this steps were cut into the Arch's foundation. You can see these new steps in each of the 2 side passageways
  This lowering of the area in front of the Arch caused the exposure of the Arch's Travertine foundation which was then faced in marble. If you look at the very lower left corner of the Arch you will see a piece of this marble facing still in place.
  Also if you look just to the left of the Niger Lapis (Black Stone) you will see 3 steps that lead up from the Comitium to the road that lead up to the Arch. I've always wondered if these steps were original from the time of the Comitium paving-over or were added later when the road and steps were made leading up to the Arch (either the 1st or 2nd road/steps)?
Later on when behind the Rostra area look at the southside of the arch, you will see a doorway ~5m up. It was put high-up to keep people out and you would need a ladder to get to it. Inside there is a staircase that leads up to a doorway that allowed access to a walkway around the outside inscription area. You can see this doorway in the middle of the inscription on the backside of the Arch.
  Another door lead up to the roof of the Arch. This was a maintenance access mainly for the cleaning and occasional repairing of the statues and inscriptions. Alot of bronze up there for the slaves to keep shiny.
  Now walk up into the Arch, access is only allowed thru the middle passageway.
  Again try and picture these passageways richly painted and perhaps adorned with small or leafed bronze ornaments.   Long after Rome fell a sculptor or stonemason set up shop in this middle passageway and he etched profiles on the walls (I couldn't find them, probably very faded and higher-up). But you will see quite a bit of 20thC graffiti etched into the walls . Also sometype of business stalls were set-up in the side arches and used up to the early 1800's. You will also see holes that line-up ~3m up in the passageways, these would have been to add a 2nd floor (wooden) in the Arch.   The left passageway has 3 ancient games etched on the floor (more on these later)
  When in the middle passageway look at the left side of the doorway that goes into the left passageway there is a 'hole game' there (holes bored into the stone like ::::: ). Later walkout of the middle passageway and look into that same left passageway, there is a 'hole game' on the rightside of the doorway and a faded 'circle game' (size of a pizza) on the pavement.

ParadiseLost

#11. REAR ARCH & ROSTRA SITES (PART 1)
Ok walk thru the Arch and turn around and look up at the same inscription.
  In the center of the inscription is an opening like a doorway. I *believe* this was a maintenance access for the cleaning and repair of the bronze inscriptions, if so it was probably more like a removable hatch that could be taken out in one piece. There is also a doorway on the South end of the Arch and the North end has a large irregular hole (original doorway made larger to connecting Medieval bldg?)  Or were these doorways cut thru on this level when this arch was part of the Medieval fortress and church?
Ok while you are in this area (with your back to the arch) the 'Mamertine Prison' (Carcer Tullianum) is 45deg to the right ~40m away but it is above you on the modern ground level and out of sight.   If you wish to visit it take the stairs on the right up to the 1st exit on the right. A bldg is in front of you (it's a church), walk around the rightside of it to the front and there is the Prison entrance (donation expected).  
 Also to the right of this bldg ~40m away is a street like the Via Sacra called the 'Clivus Argentarius' (The Bankers' Rise).   It originally entered the Forum near the Comitium. This is almost certainly the street that Julius Caesar took after leaving his home in the Forum and over to the Curia Pompey where he was assassinated. ~3hrs later 3 slaves carried his bloodied body home in a litter, in all likelyhood following this same route. This is also the street the prisoners and slaves took out of the Forum at the end of a Trimphal Parade.
  MAMERTINE PRISON OR CARCER OR TULLIANUM It is very doubtful that St. Peter and Paul were ever held in this prison. But it is an fairly important ancient site. The lower level dates back to at least the 3C BC, some say earlier. It was a 'death row' for *very important* Roman citizens and foreign leaders. If a Leader/General was brought back as a POW in one of Triumphal Parades that is where he ended up (like Jugurtha and Vercingetorix - In HBO's Rome that is who Caesar brought back in his Triumph and had sadly killed). They would either be strangled there or brought down to the Comitium and publicly executed also some might be thrown off the Tarpeian Rock (cliff on the Capitoline Hill). If they were killed in the prison their body was brought up by rope thru a hole and thrown down the stairs that lead to the Forum for public viewing. Sometimes the bodies were left for days, later they would be dragged by meathooks to the Tiber River and thrown in.   The modern stairs basically follow the same path as an ancient staircase that lead from the Forum to the middle of the Capitoline Hill (the Arx). A lower flight of stairs (Forum to prison) was called the 'Scalae Gemoniae' (Gemonian Stairs) or as Pliny called them "The stairs of sighs" (or wailing).
  A couple of stories about these stairs, the first is for the dog lovers and very sad. [Pliny] During the reign of Tiberius the dead bodies of Titius Sabinus and his servants were thrown down these stairs after their execution. The corpse of one of these men was watched over day and night by his faithful dog. At one point the dog even went off and stole some bread. When the dog returned it tried to force the bread into his dead master's mouth. Later when their bodies were dragged to the Tiber River and thrown in, the dog jumped in and tried to drag his master's body to shore.
  The man who condemned these men was later flung down these same stairs on Tiberius' orders. His name was Sejanus and he was a bad dude. He killed his own wife and was the lover of Tiberius' only son's wife. And together Sejanus and Tiberius' daughter-in-law poisoned Tiberius' son. All part of Sejanus' plan to become Emperor with this evil black widow by his side.  
 And there was even a Emperor killed on these steps. After Nero's death Rome was in a civil war and had four emperors in ~18 months. Called 'The year of the Four Emperors' (68-69AD) which ended with Vespasian and beginning the Flavian Era. The 3rd of these 4 short-term Emperors was named Vitellius. It his youth he was Emperor Tiberius' favorite boy, his nickname was 'Spintria' (sphincter artist. He had the reputation for being a yes-man and a great hedonist. He was a familiar face around the Palace during the reigns of Caligula, Claudius and Nero.   Let's see Tiberius was possibly smothered by Caligula, Caligula was killed by his guards, Claudius was poisoned by Nero and Nero was forced to commit suicide, you might think he wouldn't want the damn job.   He's declaried Emperor in January, finally gets to Rome in mid-July and by mid-Dec the city is surrounded by the opposing army.   Everyones deserts him, his palace is empty. He stuffs some gold coins in a moneybelt, grabs his dog (yea he really does and flees. But not far, he hides in a gatekeepers house.   But he is discovered and captured, a noose is put around his neck and he is lead thru the Forum half naked in torn garments. The guards are beating him and the citizens are throwing dung and mud at him and calling him vile names. He is forced to watch as his statues are pulled down.   He is finally brought to these Stairs and slowly tortured to death to the delight of the cheering crowd standing in the Forum. He is finally beheaded and his body is dragged by a meathook to the Tiber River.   This same crowd had also cheered him when he became Emperor only a few months before.  
 Ok now, still standing behind the Arch of Septimius Severus look to the left, see that very low metal roof. It's covering the ALTAR OF SATURN.   This was an outdoor altar dedicated to Saturn and now stands in front of the Temple of Saturn (the one with 6 columns).    The altar was cut into the exposed bedrock and also constructed with some Cappellaccio (local poor quality Grey Tufa, possibility mined from the Palatine, Capitoline or Quirinal Hill-Rome's 1st building blocks).    It's dated to at least to the 6th Century BC but very likely it's earlier. So it pre-dates the Temple of Saturn which was 1st built in 497BC.
  I believe it is earlier from what I have read. IMO I don't see why it can't even be dated it to Romulus' time. It's just a very simple altar cut-out of a large rock that happens exist there, nothing fancy or requiring great engineering skills?
  Who knows perhaps even before the altar was cut into this rock it was used for animal sacrifices?
  Lets just say when the Romans and the Sabines 1st made their alliance and chose this area as a meeting place (Comitium) they like all good Pagans needed to make an animal sacrifice and then have the Priests read the entrails to see what the Gods had to say about it (favorable or unfavorable).
  So that morning they grab some unlucky Ram out in the fields and bring him to this area.
  So they look around for an easy place to do it rather than fumbling around on the ground with an angry Ram. After all they've got to hold it down, slit its throat and then gut it to get the entrails and/or liver out.
  A big flat rock would be a nice makeshift cutting-table/altar plus being at a slightly higher elevation everyone could see and then the Priest could easily make his announcement to the crowd.   Or perhaps using this rock for sacrifices even predates the 'Founding of Rome'?   And then one day they decide to upscale this natural altar and take a hammer and chisel to the rock and make what we see today?     Of course I don't know, no one does , it's just an odd and unique
site and you have to wonder, Why?
Does it have a history? Or did they just have a big ugly rock that they couldn't move in their new Comitium and decide to make something out of it ?  
 The original altar was larger but later bldgs and the road encroached upon it and it was probably partially destroyed and finally just covered over. Because after the Temple of Saturn was built a new altar was very likely built on the stairs, as was traditionally done. Altars were outside usually on the steps of temples, this kept the inside of the temple free of the sacrificed animal's blood (unhygienic, flies, maggots, stinky). Plus the people could easily view the ceremony on the steps.
 
   Todays remains are ~4m x ~3m and this section was covered by a thin layer of painted cement.
  And if look closely you can still suprisingly see some faded red paint and cement on the rock!
  The altar surface was cut by (draining) channels and in front is a Tufa slab drain, so this section was very likely the actual sacrificial altar part (animals only, no cool stories about unluckly virgins ).   It also shows signs of having been damaged and repaired. It's just a slab of rock, so I'd assume the damage was man-made (why and by whom I wonder...invaders, civil unrest?)
  On the surface of this rock are small round and square cuttings which some say are meant to resemble the early cremation tombs in the Forum?  
   It is the oldest site in the Roman Forum that you can actually see, others are long buried or have been rebuilt over.   At the time of the founding of Rome (753BC) this rock and area was ~5m higher than the Forum Square before it.   It's said that the Kings and Magistrates used to address the crowds from this area, if so it was the Forum's 1st speaking platform. And there are some historical/mythical hints that this location might have been used in Romulus' time.   If true, imagine while you are standing there looking into the Forum of ancient KIngs addressing the crowds below. Perhaps even Romulus himself firing-up his people to go to war and conquer a neighboring tribe, expanding a fledgling Empire by just a few more hills and valleys.   Perhaps even making a animal sacrifice to the Gods on that rock beside you?

ParadiseLost

#11. PART 2
UMBILICUS URBIS ROMAE AND MUNDUS
Well ya can't miss it, it's that ugly brick circular structure next to the Arch and directly in front of the Altar of Saturn and signposted 'Umbilicus Urbis Romae'.  
  It is actually 2 seperate but interconnected sites, one above the other.
  The 'Ubilicus Urbis Romae' is the brick structure you can see which are the remains of the 'symbolic centre' or navel/bellybutton (umbilicus) of the City of Rome and the entire Roman Empire. Just like the Omphalos in Delphi was the ancient navel/center of the World in its' heyday.
  Below that brick structure is the MUNDUS which is a hole in the ground (said to be a deep cleft in the ground) which connects (gateway) the living World above to the underworld of the dead (like ghosts & spirits; "inhabited by infernal beings and the shades of the dead&quot.   Now the original Mundus started as a trench according to Plutarch. "Romulus buried Remus together with his foster-fathers in the Remonia and then set himself to building his city. After summoning from Tuscany (Etruscan) men who prescribed all the details in accordance with certain sacred ordinances and writings, and taught them to him as in religious rite. A circular trench was dug around what is now the Comitium and in this were deposited the first-fruits of all things the use of which was sanctioned by custom as good and by nature as necessary. And finally every man brought a small portion of the soil of his native land and these were cast in among the first-fruits and mingled with them. They call this trench as they do the Heavens by the name of "Mundus." Then, taking this as a centre, they marked out the city in a circle round it. And the founder (Romulus) having shod a plough with a brazen ploughshare and having yoked to it a bull and a cow, himself drove it".   Ok it's a cool ritual the 1st time it's done but must get kind-of old after a while.
  *Perhaps*? it's later decided to have a symbolic Mundus to throw-in the 1st fruits and some hometown dirt.   And a really great spot for it (if this is the original location?) would be on this higher ground natural speaking platform right, a really good spot to do this kind-of religious ritual before the people. And it just happens to be in front of the Altar of Saturn?   And then over the centuries its original meaning and function are lost and it becomes a gateway to the Underworld?   Anyway in our timeline that is what this Mundus is, a gateway to the Underworld.
  And 3 times a year (Aug24, Oct5, Nov8) the Lapis Manalis (stone lid) is removed and thru this opening in the ground and out thru that small doorway you see the denizens of the Underworld are let out to roam freely about the living World above.
And on these 3 days among other things there can be no battles or military operations, ships can't weigh anchor, no judgements, no public meetings, no marriages and if *you* are in Rome on those dates...No Sex is allowed either ("Not tonight Dear it's one of the Nefasti Dies (unlucky days)" .
Ok this reconstructed UMBILICUS URBIS ROMAE is from the Septimius Severus era (~200AD) but the original probably dates to the 2C-BC.   The construction of the Arch of Septimius Severus encroached on the ancient Umbilicus, which was reconstructed to give space to the arch. Fragments of the older monument were used in the new one (they're the marble remains).
  Some info claims that Severus moved the Umbilicus here to make way for his Arch but I don't think so.
Ok you be the judge of this. This monument *is physically* incorporated into the rear corner steps of the Caesar's Rostra built ~260yrs earlier.   A short time later Augustus puts the 'Miliarium Aureum' at the opposite end of the steps which balances it out architecturally o=====o.   I think there would have been some kind of major public and religious outcry over moving it, so loud that it would probably would have survived in writing today. It's not like just moving a building or statue it is after all an ancient gateway to the Underworld and the ancient center of the Roman Empire.
I think the Arch of Severus just encroached a bit on the original Umbilicus and it was rebuilt but still in it's original location. Or perhaps it just needed a facelift and got one to compliment Severus' Arch?
Now this Umbilicus has a cylindrical concrete core that was brick faced and built in 3 stacked sections. Its base is ~4.6m and the top is ~3m and it was faced in either white or colored marble.   The top perhaps held either a statue of column.
  Still standing wherever you are look at the back of the Rostra, that is the
REAR SECTION OF THE CEASAR ROSTRA.
As you already know this is the original Julius Caesar Rostra and then Augustus enlarged it. So let's just stick to JC's small Rostra. You can see the remains of the marble steps on the leftside that once covered the entire back and the curve of this staircase. Not much room on top as you can see, as I said before this was more of a speaker's platform like the original in the Comitium. Also that cornice work has been placed on top in modern times, it was once mounted in front.   Picture Caesar's open coffin carried up and placed in the middle and then Marc Antony climbing the stairs and giving his famous speech. And of course all of the other Emperors walking up those steps to speak to the crowds from the Augustus Rostra.   
  Behind the Rostra they found in the 19C excavations 5 bases for columns.
  These were also excavated again in 1959.   It's a fact that 5 columns with statues on top were put up by Emperor Diocletian 303AD.
  The columns were between 30-35ft and the middle one was the tallest with a Jupiter statue on top.
  But who knows perhaps there were column/statues there before? And his just happened to be recorded in history perhaps replacements after the 283 Fire? It wouldn't be the 1st time a later Emperor gets credit unintentionally for something built earlier.   But anyway, these 5 column/statues are always shown as being mounted *on* the Rostra in modern reconstruction drawings.
  But it is very doubtful.
  1st off the weight would be too much for the Rostra floor (base, 10m column & statue).
  2nd they found 5 bases right there.
  3rd a relief on the Arch of Constantine really seems to show the column/statues behind the Rostra.
   These column bases are still buried beneath the street paving you are walking on. BTW those paving stones are modern, they were put in in 2005.
MILLIARIUM AUREUM
Now walk to the other end of the Rostra 0=====x, so at one end was the Umbilicus o= and at this end was the MILLIARIUM AUREUM =x (sometimes spelled with 1 L).
As you walk by the flowing modern water spigot, take a drink, the water is fine. This water comes from the springs in the very same area that the Aqueduct Marcia once ran its 91km course to supply Rome.   The water from this aqueduct was said to be the coldest and the best tasting of all the aqueduct waters in ancient times.   Oh yea, the key to drinking from this spigot is to block the water flow with your finger. There is a small hole on the top of the spigot that will now send water squirting out and up like a regular drinking fountain. Ok now at this end of the Rostra there is no 'Milliarium Aureum' to be found?   But turn around and look at the Temple of Saturn.   Across the street that you are standing on there is a fence and on the grass just behind the fence on stone rubble there is a large slightly curved marble fragment.
  With a marble plaque below it saying 'Millairivm Avrevm'. The 2nd 'Millairivm Avrevm' fragment is just to the left of it (1m) and is a short round marble column stump with alot of holes in it. (marble shaft; 1.42m long & 1.17m diameter, two sides left rough and traces of bronze facing(?). The other piece is a section of a circular marble plinth decorated with palmettes=palm leaves).   This according to ancient writers descriptions is roughly its exact location (these pieces were found nearby and placed there).
    Milliarium Aureum means 'Golden Milestone'. Romans placed simple 'Stone Milestones' on their roads every 'Roman Mile' to mark distances just like we sometimes do today on our highways.   'Golden' was because it was covered in bronze.  Engraved on this Golden Milestone were the major cities in the Empire and their distances from Rome (some say on bronze plaques).   But this Golden Milestone was just symbolic and a fancy showpiece. See the real starting points (or zero) for measuring the road distances began at whatever of the 37 Servian Wall City Gates a road actually left Rome from.   Think of those old war movies or MASH (movie & tv series) where the soldiers for fun put-up a wooden post with arrow signs =====> reading 'CHIGAGO 6287mi'.
Emperor Augustus erected this monument in 20 B.C. when he became the 'Cura Viarum' or Superintendent the Roman road system. Above is what guidebooks and guides will say about this site and of course throw-in the "All Roads Lead To Rome" phrase.   But this is probably more closer to the truth. The location you see today is very likely roughly where it was moved to decades later when the 'Schola Xantha' was built at this end of the Rostra.
  Its original location when erected by Augustus was very probably at the end of the Rostra o=====x.
  In 1959, H. Kähler found a round concrete base at this end of the Rostra.
  This was very likely a base for a single column-like structure.   The 2 pieces we see today labeled 'Millairivm Avrevm' were found in this general area (exact location not recorded I believe) in an 1830's excavation before a road was built.   And *believed* then to be part of the Golden Milestone.   That large section with the palm leaves is far too big to be part of a column-like monument unless it was *huge*.   It's something that would be placed *on top* of a structure or bldg. And guess what? Its diameter is exactly the same as the top of the Umbilicus at the other end of the Rostra! And that is very likely exactly what it was.
  The column section of the Golden Milestone is probably iffy also. It's believed that the Golden Milestone was is the actual rectangular [] shape of a milestone and not a circular O column. Which makes alot of sense when you think about, it is a milestone after all.   Who knows *perhaps* that column section was on top of the Umbilicus also?   It's believed it had either a statue or column on top?   And there is no proof that the Golden Milestone had any MASH-like signs or engravings on it listing a city and its distance from Rome.   One hint from Cassius Dio is that the Golden Milestone just listed the name of the Road and the 'Curatores Viarum' or the man appointed by the Emperor in charge of its upkeep.
This is a good vantage point for 'The year of the Four Emperors' (68-69AD).
  You see General Otho met his Praetorian conspirators at the Milliarium Aureum when he betrayed (with good reason) Emperor Galba and was sprirted away to their barracks.
  Emperor Galba was later attacked and killed within 50m of you (more later) and Otho became Emperor.
  He lasted 3 months and when defeat was imminent by General Vitellius he honorably stabs himself in the chest.  
 Vitellius becomes Emperor but has General Vespasian troops marching on Rome.   Vespasian's son Domitian (later Emperor) is hiding on the Capitoline Hill and later sneaks away disguised right by were you are standing.   Vitellius is later murdered on the stairs behind the Arch of Septimius Severus as I mentioned earlier.   And General Vespasian becomes Emperor and builds the Flavian Amphitheatre (Colosseum).

stuart2611

Ten years ago in Rome, Walks of Rome gave an excellent tour of the Forum. My daughter recorded it and I listen to it once in a while. It made the area come alive. But, it was nothing like what Walter has done here. Lucky me, I'm back in Rome next month. I will be delighted to have a printout of this tour with me. Thank you for this wonderful tour.

mcnyc

Walt, love your posts as always. Will definitely keep this on file for a future trip to Rome, and to your favorite place (and mine), the Roman Forum.

LCBoniti

I love your perspective, Walter! I'm going back through my pictures to compare them with this latest edition (since I'm not going to Rome this year ).

shey

bookmarking!

UnderTheStars

bookmarking

starwhite2

It is now April 14, 2007. Anyone want to meet in Rome with me in late October and do Walter's walking tour?

Starwhite2

P.S. Walter, do you have a recommendation for a reasonably priced hotel near all these great places?

nfldbeothuk

bookmarking...delightedly..wonderful links

cnuck_becky

bookmarking!!

ParadiseLost

#12.1 TABULARIUM
Ok now, why don't you walk back over to behind the Rostra and have a seat with your back to the Rostra and Forum.
  I'm labeling the next 5 sites #12.1, 2, 3, 4, 5 because you can do them while sitting there and relaxing .
 In front of you is a large multi-storied building. It has a groundlevel (basement) with 6 windows, a 1st Floor with 3
large arched openings.
 Now those 2 levels are ancient but built over the 1st floor is a modern looking structure consisting of 3 shorter floors.
  I will call that entire 3-floored section the 2nd Floor as it is not original to the bldg but this bldg did have a 2nd floor in ancient times.
 *Today* they call this ancient bldg the 'Tabularium' which literally means 'a place usually a room or cupboard for storing 'Tabula' (writing tablets). In this case it's a building.
 But they really don't know what the ancient Romans actually called this building or are they a 100% certain as to what purpose it actually served.
  The modern name is based on an inscription that was *seen* in the 15C in the basement (now lost but the inscription was recorded).  It said that the "Consul of 78BC Quintus Lutatius Catulus (General/Dictator Sulla's Lieutenant) commissioned the building of a Substructio (basement) and a Tabularium (very likely meaning an upper floor or floors)".
 Remember this inscription was just *seen* in the basement which strongly hints that it was just *found* there (originally mounted elsewhere but over the centuries ended up here?).
  Because no Roman would ever mount their dedication plaque in a basement where it couldn't be seen by their peers and the common people!
  Anything like this was always good personal PR and bragging was very much expected.
 The Inscription's date and the date of this bldg are very close plus a basement and an upper floor(s) fits the bill.
  A 2nd inscription to him was found in the Forum in 1845 but doesn't really connect him to this *exact* bldg.
This inscription can be seen on the rightside (N) of this bldg facing the Via di San Pietro in Carcere.
  It's a keystone over a doorway: [Q · Lu]tativs · Q · f · Q · n · C[atulus Consul] · cos · [de · s]en · sent · faciundu[m · coeravit ·] eidemque · prob[avit].
  So it's the popular opinion that this bldg was a 'Public Records Office' which also housed some government offices. Even though there is no record of any such bldg existing.
  So we'll just follow the herd on this .
  The Tabularium was commissioned by Consul Q. Lutatius Catulus and designed by the architect Cornelius in 78BC.
  It stored public records like deeds, laws, treaties, Senate Decrees, etc and also housed gov't offices.
 The upper half is the Palazzo Senatorio where today Rome's City Council meets and the Mayor has his office.
 In the 11C a fortress was built atop the Tabularium and the Senate probably starting meeting here ~1150AD.
  Later in the 13C a palace fortress with 4 towers was built, these towers also strengthen this ancient structure.
 The tower you see on the right has Pope Bonifatius IX 'Coat of Arms'
(1398) on the tower.
 In the 16C Michelangelo removed the ancient 2nd floor and built the upper floors we see today.
 
 The original Tabularium was trapezoidal and over 3000sq/m and it roughly follows the present day building's shape.
 It was a pretty impressive bldg overlooking the Forum but that was short lived.
  The Temple of Concord always blocked part of it on the rightside and more later-on when the temple was enlarged. And ~150yrs later the Temple of Vespasian & Titus was built directly in front of it blocking it even more.
  Ok lets start at the BASEMENT LEVEL;
  There was once something here (in the center to center-left) before the Tabularium was built but we don't know what that bldg was.
 This basement has 6 small windows and rooms with a corridor running its length. Access was by an internal staircase at the Northern end.
  The basement is made-up of that wall you see on your side and on the inner-side it was cut into the tufa rock of the Capitoline Hill.  The Wall is made of Tufa blocks of stone 2RF x 2RF x 4RomanFeet. The stones are laid with 1 row long _____ and the next row short ------ and is called Opus Quadratum. They are also cemented together with a thin layer of cement.
  If you look to the right end section of that Wall you will notice the blocks aren't finished smooth but left rough cut.  That is because the Temple of Concord of which only the base foundation and some fragments survive blocked that section from view.
 It's not known what the basement rooms were used for but they were later used as a prison right up until the 19thC.  And at some point in later history salt (a state monopoly) was stored in this bldg which caused some corrosion to the interior.
 FIRST FLOOR; This floor has 3 large arched windows. Originally that whole floor facing you was made-up of 11 arched
windows, they were covered-over in the Middle Ages when this was made into a fortress (~100yrs ago only 1 window was open).  You can see this cover-up to the sides of the left and the middle arched windows.
 This floor was actually just a higher level pedestrian gallery/passageway connecting the 2 higher peaks of the Capitoline Hill o====o and not used for any functions of the Tabularium behind, above or below it.
  The half columns you see beside the arched windows are Doric, their capitals and architrave are white Travertine limestone with a Doric frieze of metopes and triglyphs.
 
 SECOND FLOOR; In the 16C Michelangelo took out the ancient 2nd floor and built the upper level bldg we see today.
  The 2nd floor was either a late 1C AD restoration of the original or was an addition.
  Fragments found in the area show the 2nd floor was Corinthian entirely in Travertine and dated to the Flavian Era (late 1C).
 Its height would have been to just below the 2nd row of modern windows we see today.
  And it was an open gallery with arched windows just like the 1st floor.
  If it is not a Monday you will see tourists in the 3 arched windows on the 1st Floor.
  You can visit that floor from either of the 2 museums on the Capitoline Hill.
  Here are the directions and info;
Go to
http://en.museicapitolini.org/percor...ale/tabularium and scroll down to the plan/map of the Tabularium.
 #1 is a modern basement corridor that connects the 2 museums (Palazzo Nuovo & Palazzo dei Conservatori).
 This corridor is also a mini-museum with bathrooms and a wheelchair stair lift. But sadly to get into the Tabularium section there are stairs.
 #2: At the top (or bottom) of the stairs leading up from this museum-corridor is the colossal marble statue of Veiovis found in the Temple of Veiovis which very likely was the cult statue that was worshipped in the Temple.
  This Temple is shown on the map in the center as a rectangle of dotted lines -----.
  This marble statue very likely replaced the original 300yr old cult statue that was made of cypress wood and possibly was destroyed in the Major 80AD Fire.
  VE-JOVIS; JOVIS is Jupiter and VE is a prefix that means Negative or Diminutive Value.
  So in the beginning he was sort-of an Anti-Jupiter, later he left the 'Dark Side of the Force' and just became a 'Young Jupiter'.
  The temple was vowed in 196BC but by who is unknown and dedicated in 192BC.
  Originally it was a typical rectangular temple but when the Tabularium was built it was rebuilt sideways for space-saving and enclosed by the Tabularium on 2 sides.
  In the late 1stC AD brick piers were added to the cella walls probably to support a concrete roof (original was likely wooden).
  Now on the right-hand side of the corridor at the top of the stairs is a little walk-in nook.
  Behind the glass you can see the rear portion of the high travertine marble pedestal of the Temple of Veiovis and beyond the remains of the large tufa-stone Tabularium wall which was indented to allow for the presence of the temple.
  At the end of this #2 corridor leading to #3 on the right-hand side is a section of the entablature from the nearby Temple of Vespasian and Titus.
 This entablature shows sacrifical instruments and dates to the original Temple (80-85AD).
#3 Is the section with the 3 large arched windows overlooking the Forum with great photo ops.
  Now as soon as you enter this long gallery look to the left and up.
  That large marble fragment (1stC AD) is a architrave from the Temple of Concord which is right below that 1st arched window (the Temple Vespasian/Titus was just to the right of it).
 Also above you is the best example of the pavilion vaults that made-up the roof of this long gallery.
 
 Remember this gallery was made-up of 11 arched windows not just the 3 you see today.
  The archways were walled-up in the Middle Ages when this was turned into a fort.
  And right up until recent times only one archway was open (I think it might be the 1st one?).
 In the middle of this gallery if you see a small plexiglass section that covers an air vent for a basement water main (late 1st C).
  #4 Is halfway down the gallery and is a large high open room where you can look into the basement.
  The partial floor paving you see is from the Republican Era (pre-44BC). Other floor remains are from a bldg that predates the Tabularium also
that metal grate covers a cistern that was lined in Opus Signinum.

 Also in 1 of the 3 rooms is a mosaic floor (white background with irregular chips of colored marble) that is the oldest in Rome (2nd half of 2C BC).
  And you can see 1 of the 6 windows of the basement level.

ParadiseLost

#12.2 TEMPLE OF CONCORD
Ok now still sitting behind the Rostra. Look to the right and below the Tabularium's 3rd window also in front of the Tower and beneath the modern staircase.
There you'll see an ugly raised platform made of concrete and rubble (opus caementicium) with a few marble fraqments lying around.
 That is what remains of the Temple of Concord aka Concordia, Concordia Augusta.
  Concord basically means harmony, agreement.
  Concordia is a Roman goddess taken from the Greek goddess Harmonia.
 This Concordia Temple originally was for agreement, understanding and martial harmony.
 Later (10AD) when it was rebuilt and became the Temple of Concordia Augusta it was for harmony in the Imperial family.
  If you are a fan of HBO's Rome you might recall in the 2nd season when Vorenus calls the heads of the criminal gangs together for a meeting.
 Priests arrive with a Concordia statue to ensure peace & harmony at this meeting, later Vorenus smashes the Goddess' statue.
  Traditionally the 1st temple was built in 367 BC by M. Furius Camillus
  This temple celebrated the Licinian Laws which after ~100yr power struggle between the Patricians (aristocracy) and the Plebeians (common people).
  These Laws gave debt, land and work reform to the poor Plebeians plus a single voice in the government.
Many modern historians are sceptical that this 367BC temple was ever built.
 And believe that in 218BC Praetor Lucius Manlius actually built the 1st Temple of Concord here.  
 In 211 B.C. the statue of Victory on its roof was struck down by lightning.  
 That temple was completely restored in 121BC by Consul Lucius Opimius. It is still a conventional rectangular temple 41m x 30m.
 This restoration followed the murder of the Tribute of the Plebians Gaius Gracchus.
  There was basically a major political mob civil war going on between the Plebians and a Patrician faction.
 The Plebs lost (3000 executed without trial) and the Senate (Patricians) ordered this Temple restoration to show everyone everything was just A-OK and couldn't be better...Plebs aren't happy, this new restored temple is just spitting in their faces.
  And for an added kick in the toga; At the same time as this restoration Consul Opimius also builds the Basilica Opimia next to it (on the otherside of the modern stairs beneath the present day ground level).
  Opimius promised any man who brought him Gracchus' head the same weight in gold.
  Gracchus with the help of his slave killed himself before capture just on the otherside of the Tiber.
  Then some guy just chops off his head and later pours lead in it and cashes it in.
  A decade earlier in the Forum his older brother Tiberius was killed in a political street fight along with 300 others.
 The Roman Senate also meets here on occasion (since 121BC) and Cicero made his fourth Catiline Speech and possibly another earlier Catiline Speech inside.
  On March 15, 44BC after Brutus and his boys killed Julius Caesar they barricaded themselves in the Temple of Jupiter on the Capitoline Hill.
  Later in the day they came down and assembled in the portico of the Temple of Concord to address the crowd in the Roman Forum to explain why they killed Caesar.
  History claims either they did have their say and Brutus spoke or they were forced back to the Capitoline by an angry mob.
  Cicero although not a conspirator was on their side and supposedly with them there.
  I assume they chose this temple for its symbolic meaning (harmony, agreement, etc).
  OK what we see today is from 10AD restoration.
  But much of this concrete core belongs to the 121BC reconstruction and is probably the oldest known concrete in the city.
  The only surviving parts are the podium and the threshold of the door of the cella (2 huge slabs of pink-grey Chian Marble) and a fragment of the entablature in the Tabularium (look up into the window above and you can see it) also 2 column bases and a Corinthian capital are in the Forum Museum but sadly not on display.
  Also in the podium are two chambers which may have been storerooms for treasure (common in temples).
 If you look beneath the window you'll notice the Tabularium's foundation stones are rough-cut compared to the rest of that level.
  That is because when the Tabularium was built it butted against this 121BC temple so these stones were unseen and no need to finish-cut them.
  And as you can see that earlier temple was narrower than this 10AD rebuilding.
  In 10AD Tiberius (not Emperor yet) with his spoils of war from Germany. And in his name and that of his dead brother Drusus rebuilts, enlarges and dedicates this as the 'Temple of Concordia Augusta' on Jan 16, 10AD.
  Now to enlarged this temple within this limited space it's flipped sideways to make it bigger, meaning it's alot wider than it is deep (45m
x 24m).
  I want you to picture this temple using this coin image and the scant remains that you see www.uark.edu/ua/metis2/zanker/zanker_fig6.jpg
  You'll notice the actual temple foundation remains are in 3 sections.   The lowest is the stairs = that lead up to the columned porch +, this
porch like the stairs is narrower than the actual temple [].  So we have []+= but what we see is the porch + and the stairs = right alongside that modern staircase so the upper [] or right section section of the temple is actually beneath those modern stairs.
Now look at the coin photo;
At the peak are embracing 3 figures, most likely the Goddess Concordia flanked by 2 other female deities who were either PAX (peace) & SALUS (health) or SECURITAS (security) & FORTUNA (good fortune).
  On each side are statues of Tiberius and his brother holding spears and on each side of them statues carrying the war booty (armor & trophies).
  This was PR for Tiberius saying "I personally built this with the booty from my victorious German war".
  And at each end a statue of Victory. 
 The statues on the staircase are of Hercules representing security in the Empire and of Mercury prosperity in the Empire.
 Inside the temple you can see the seated statue of the Goddess Concordia.
  The blank pediment in real life would have had sculptures within.
  Also on the temple's threshold inlaid in bronze was Mercury's Wand (caduceus) which was an emblem of peace.
  Tiberius in reality made this now beautiful temple into a museum/temple. Inside were some of the greatest works of art of the time (mostly Greek sculpture and panel paintings) along with other ancient treasures.
  The greatest treasure within was the sardonyx (onyx/gem) signet (a seal ring) that was thrown into the sea by the pirate-ruler 'Polycrates of Samos' (~540BC) as an offering to Fortune.
  Only to have it returned (rejected) later in the belly of a fish and dooming the tyrant.
It was given to the temple by Livia Augustus' wife and was kept in a golden horn.
  Emperor Augustus also gave the temple 4 elephants carved in Obsidian (black volcanic glass).
  It's believed the last rebuilding of this temple was after the 284AD Fire.

ParadiseLost

#12.3 TEMPLE OF VESPASIAN AND TITUS
  Still sitting there behind the Rostra see the 3 tall standing columns in front of you.
 Those are the remains of a Temple built there following the death of Emperor Vespasian in 79AD that was to be dedicated to him alone.
 HIs eldest son Titus became Emperor upon his death and started this Temple but died 26 months later (81AD).
 Domitian who was the younger son and brother to Titus now (sadly) becomes Emperor.
 He completes the Temple and dedicates it to both his Father and Brother.
Even though it was dedicated to both of them the Architrave on the front only mentioned Vespasian
 [DIVO · VESPASIANO · AVGVSTO· S·P·Q·R·] Divine Vespasian Augustus (from) 'The Senate and the People of Rome'.
 That section is long gone but was copied in Medieval Times (7-8thC).      
 This Temple was 33m long and 22m wide and had to be squeezed in lengthwise into this small space between the Tabularium and the Clivus Capitolinus which is the ancient street you see before you running uphill to the Capitoline Hill.
  Because of this limited space they have to adjust the front steps.  Most temple steps go up to a columned porch but these steps go up to the porch and then in-between the columns, if not they would have been much too steep.
  But like most of this temple they are long gone except for a small section of stairs between the 2 front columns.
  What remains today is the core of the podium (foundation) with a bit of Peperino lining, a couple of Travertine fragments from the Cella Wall and in the back of the temple is part of a pedestal that once held the statues of Vespasian and Titus.
  But the best survivor of this temple are the three tall standing white marble Corinthian columns (14.2m) with an inscribed section of the Architrave and a decorated section of the Entablature still in place on top, all from the original temple.
  This ARCHITRAVE has only 1 incomplete word on it which is ESTITUER and if you put an R in front of it it means RESTORED.
   In the early 200's AD a 2nd line was added to the original Vespasian dedication inscription
[IMPP · CAESS · SEVERVS · ET · ANTONINVS · PII · FELIC · AVGG · RESTITVER]
  Basically Emperor Septimius Severus and Caracalla (his son) restored (this).
  It didn't seem to be a major restoration and I find it odd that there was plenty of room for a 2nd line inscription on the architrave but Domitian never added his brother Titus to it?  Dad always liked Titus the best and never really groomed Domitian to become Emperor, he had always assumed Titus and his heirs would carry-on their dynasty.
  Brother rivalry perhaps? Or maybe he figured when he died they could add him and his brother to the inscription and dedicate the Temple to the 3 of them?
  But that never happened, when Domitian was assassinated all his statues were pulled down and anything inscribed to him was erased.  
 On the side of the Architrave is an ENTABLATURE with a nice frieze showing an adorned Bull skull (some say Ox) and implements of Sacrifice (jug/amphora, knife, axe, plate, aspergillum {stick with a ball on top for sprinkling a liquid- water? blood?}, spiked helmet and the start of a 2nd Bull skull).
  A small 2 story concrete and brick vaulted marble-lined Shrine (gone today) was built on the rightside and attached to this Temple.  Marks of it's vault can still be seen on the Tabularium wall and 'Temple Vespasian' roughworked remains (unseen- blocked by this shrine so just left rough) were also excavated there. It's believed it was a Shrine dedicated to Emperor Titus.
  Also a restored Cornice fragment from the Temple Vespasian is in the Tabularium, nearby the piece from the Temple of Concord that you can see in the Tabularium's far right window.
  The walls inside the Cella were covered with oriental marbles with marble columns around it.
  The outside of the Temple was faced in white marble.
  I believe nothing major was in this space before because nothing is mentioned AFAIK.
  But there was a staircase leading from here thru the Tabularium to atop the Capitoline Hill.
  This staircase predates the Tabularium so perhaps this area was always open to provide access to the Capitoline Hill via these stairs?
  With the building of this Temple the Tabularium is now almost completely blocked from view from the Forum.
  In 1811 the podium and remaining stairs were restored by Giuseppe Valadier and in that same period French archaeologists took down the columns and architrave/entablature and restored and secured them in place.
  VESPASIAN was a General who took over as Emperor after defeating Vitellius in the 'Year of the Four Emperors' Civil Wars.
 He was a decent Emperor to the people and is mainly remembered as the builder of the Flavian Amphitheatre (Colosseum).
 He was from a very modest background compared to the earlier Emperors.
  His father was a tax-collector of Equestrian rank (a Knight) and his mother the same social status.
 
 Vespasian and his brother both became Senators which moved the family's status up a few notches.
  But *very unlikely* high enough to ever become Emperor but having a victorious army helped him get over that little speedbump.
 He always kept his soldier's rough sense of humor even to his dying day.
 Titus once complained about his father's public 'Urinal Tax' and Vespasian held a coin under his son's nose and said "Does it smell bad"?
 His final joke was on his deathbed with his last words "O Dear, I think I'm turning into a God".
  Emperors were often deified (made into Gods) after their deaths.     
 What I find interesting and wonder about is.
  This ancient outdoor staircase that lead from the Forum to the Asylum on the Capitoline Hill.
  The Asylum was a low point between the two higher crests at each end of the hill.
  These stairs became an internal corridor when the Tabularium was built over them but allowed no access to the interior of the Tabularium.
 At the end of Vitellius' reign forces loyal to Vespasian are marching on Rome.
  In Rome is Vespasian's elder brother Sabinus who is the City Prefect and Vespasian's younger (~18) son Domitian.
 Vitellius is leaving them alone (they have an agreement) but some people are trying to get Sabinus to seize power in the name of his brother.
  But he's contend to wait it out.
  The Vitellius' army in Rome is basically now just a unruly mob. Sabinus and some of these soldiers have a minor confrontation with
them.
 Sabinus and his out-numbered followers including Domitian decide to hole-up in 'Temple of Jupiter' on the 'easy to defend' Capitoline Hill (this is also where Julius Caesar's assassins went after his murder for the same reason).
 The mob-army marches up the Clivus Capitolinus but is repelled by Sabinus' forces who are throwing stones and roof tiles at them from a porticus above that lined the rightside of the street.
 Sabinus' men have uprooted statues and all kinds of stuff to barricade the gates.
  Later the mob-army attack at different points at the same time.
  One of the points were these stairs.
  It's the most direct access to the Hill and was the most violent of those attacks.
  And they finally broke thru.  
 The Temple of Jupiter is burned down and Sabinus is taken prisoner. He is later stabbed, hacked and beheaded, and his body is displayed on
the 'Gemonian Stairs' (to your right and mentioned earlier).
 Domitian hids in the Temple caretaker's shack and later with the help of a Freedman dresses as a priest and escapes by leaving with a group of priests.
  Now when the 'Temple of Vespasian and Titus' is built that staircase is blocked-off by the Temple's construction.  I just wonder if there is a connection (symbolic or practical) between that Battle, that staircase and this Temple's location which blocked that staircase off forever?
  TITUS was a good commander of his Legions, very intelligent and talented.
  He was also a lawyer and good administrator under his father's reign.
 But also a bit of a 'party animal' with a fondness for catamites and eunuchs.
  The Senate and Roman people were afraid that he would become a 2nd Nero if he ever became Emperor.
 But when he became Emperor he turned out just fine for his short term (2yrs, 2 months).
  He dealt with the Vesuvius eruption (79) and the major 80AD Fire of Rome quite well.
  Besides his still standing Arch he is most remembered today for the burning of the 'Temple of Jerusalem' and his very brutal conquest of Judea.
 
 While on campaign in Judea he met a Jewish Princess named Berenice who was the daughter of King Herod Agrippa I.  And they began a love affair.
 She moves to Rome in 75AD where they live openly in the Palace on the Palatine Hill.
  Titus has been divorced for years and she is for all intent and purposes his wife or at least viewed that way by the Romans.  
 Later with Titus' accession to the Throne this isn't a good thing. Remember Titus has a bad rep at this time (2nd Nero!) and the mood in
Rome is anti-semitic and xenophopia.
  Plus she would have been thought of as a 2nd Cleopatra (and you see where that got Marc Antony).
 Titus has no choice, the Senate and the People would never stand for this union, so he must send her away.
  Suetonius wrote that their parting was very painful for both of them.
 They never saw each other again ;(.

 Shortly later in his life as Titus lay dying he looks up into the Heavens and says;
"...there is no act of my life of which I have cause to repent, save one only".
 He never revealed his secret repentance.

Titus gave up Love to rule an Empire and now among millions of subjects he is dying alone.
And has but one regret?

ParadiseLost

#12.4 PORTICO OF THE DEI CONSENTES
  Ok now still sitting behind the Rostra, ya might have to stand-up to see it or just take that uphill street ~40m to the Portico structure on the right (on the leftside of the Temple of Vespasian & Titus).
  They don't know much about it or what it was actually called in ancient times so the archaeologists have named it the 'Portico of the Dei Consentes' (aka 'Porticus Deorum Consentium') for the Counsellor Gods & Goddess' that were displayed here in the form of 12 gilted bronze statues (From here on I am just going to write Gods/ess for Gods & Goddess').
 These Gods/ess were the Roman version of the 12 Athenian Gods/ess and were paired-off 1 Male God to 1 Female Goddess (Jupiter-Juno, Neptune-Minerva, Apollo-Diana, Mars-Venus, Vulcan-Vesta, Mercury-Ceres).
 Basically what you see today is from the 1C-AD rebuild and later restorations.
  This 'rebuild' was very likely by Vespasian's boys because it *seems* that when they built dad's temple it cut into this area so they had too shorten-up this Portico.
 This Cult of Gods/ess was likely introduced to the Romans in the Late 3C-BC, around the time of Hannibal's 2nd Punic War.
 In 174BC according to Livy a Portico once ran from the Temple of Saturn (the one with 8 columns next to you) over to the Senaculum (now beneath that present-day church you see on the otherside of the Arch of Septimius Severus).
 This portico really dressed-up this end of the Forum serving as a nice backdrop.
[Begin Guessing]
  From what *I* gather they think that this Portico perhaps originally held the 12 Gods/ess statues spaced along its length?  Now when they built (121BC) the Temple of Concord and the Basilica Opimia it would have very likely cut-off that section.  But it was possibly still intact up to the Temple of Concord.
 So the Vespasian boys would have had to remove that section of portico in order to build the Temple of Vespasian.  
  So now they only have a short section of the original portico left on the side of the Temple but still have 12 Gods/ess to house.  So it seems that the boys rebuilt this Portico section to house the 12 within this now very limited space. And at this point it's more like a Shrine rather than a functional everyday Portico which is basically a covered walkway.
 Now if a run-of-the-mill Portico was in the way of their Temple they would have just demolished it without a thought.  But if it was a Portico that housed Gods/ess even if its time had past as a functioning walkway the superstitious Romans aren't about to kick 12 Major Gods/ess to the street and incur their wraith.
 So *it seems* that the Vesasians built this shrine-like Portico who's only function was to house these Gods & Goddess'?
 So what you have is just a short dog-legged __/ section of a portico, one source called this new structure "...ungainly makeshift". [End Guessing]
  This area was 1st excavated in 1547 but that was just to strip the marble-facing on the brick walls of the lower rooms.
 In 1832-35 this area was archaeologically excavated and in 1858 the Portico and the rooms were reconstructed.
 The large capitals of Travertine laying on the ground in front of the Portico are believed to have once been part of the outside upper floor of the Tabularium.
 Also in the original 19C excavation they said that fragments of the 'Arch of Tiberius' were also found there?
  If so I'd be inclined to believe that the Arch was cannabalized to make a later (Medieval?) structure in this location?
  Ok let's start with the ROOMS and leave the colonnade for last.
 Now beneath this structure facing the leftside of the Temple of Vespasian/Titus are 6 brick-faced concrete rooms.
 And above them behind the colonnade are 7 brick-faced concrete rooms.
  These rooms were small, dark and windowless and we can only guess at their purpose.
 Let's start with the 6 BASEMENT ROOMS;
  They seem to be small office spaces and Cicero has mentioned the "Clerks of the Clivius Capitolinus" so that's a possibly for them.   Another source suggests they were shops of some kind.
 The 7 ROOMS BEHIND THE COLONNADE;
  6 rooms are intact but the 7th on the right is missing its roof, its rightside and part of the front.
 Some sources believe there were more rooms (where Vespasian's Temple now is), probably 12 with 1 for each God/ess?
 It's possible that the statues were displayed within the rooms but that seems very odd and irregular to have them out of sight & hidden?
 A guess? Perhaps they were just individual shrines to each God/ess with the statues in front of them?
 
 Some sources think that these were the Clerk Offices while others think that the statues were displayed in pairs in the 6 intact rooms?
 But it's very possible they had some other utilitarian purpose completely unrelated to the Portico or Statues?
 The rear wall of those rooms on the left is actually a very ancient Tufa retaining wall which supported the Clivius Capitolinus (street).  
 The GILDED BRONZE STATUES;
  Most believe were either displayed in-between the columns or on the trapezoidal area that was paved in marble in front of the colonnade.  
 Varro wrote that the statues stood "ad forum" which one source believes meant in that paved area in front of the portico?    IMO if you want to pair the Gods & Goddess' together and make it alot more visually striking, putting the statues in the open with the portico as a backdrop seems to be the better option?
 The PORTICO;
  Well we know it was likely built by the Vespasian boys, so 80'sAD.
 Now there was also a major fire in 80AD that destroyed this area along with a good chunk of Rome.
  Maybe this is all tied-in?
  The original Portico is destroyed and must be rebuilt so why not put dad's Temple in that burned-out space and rebuilt the Gods/ess Portico on a smaller scale next to it?
There were 12 CORINTHIAN COLUMNS made of Carystian/Cipollino green marble from Greece but the 5 columns on the right are a modern restoration (1858) of White Travertine columns.
 The original columns on the left are fluted but the modern replacements on the right are unfluted?
 Also the lower section of the original columns are ornamented with astragals (a beaded decoration).
 One source claims that the original righthand columns were unfluted Carystian marble.
 If so, either there was a reason in the original construction for this difference (perhaps displaying male Gods & female Goddess' on seperate sides?).
 Or it's possible in a later (367AD?) restoration money was tight and another bldg or monument was cannibalized (very common in the Late Empire).
 The original CAPITALS are Corinthian with the sides decorated with reliefs representing trophies.
 The ARCHITRAVE INSCRIPTION is a bit historical, in that this was the last Pagan monument restored in Rome.
 It was restored by 'Vettius Agorius Praetextatus' in 367AD who was the 'Prefect of the City' (Praefectus Urbi) and is recorded in the inscription.
[The inscription reads: deorum cONSENTIUM SACROSANCTA SIMVLACRA CVM OMNI LOci totius adornatioNE CVLTV IN formam antiquam restituto vETTIVS PRAETEXTATVS · V · C · PRAefectus uRBI reposuit CVRANTE LONGEIO . . . . . . . v · c · cONSVLARI]
 Praetextatus, his wife and a group of supporters were intellectuals staunchly fighting-on in support of Paganism which is rapidly dying-out.
 There are 11 surviving inscriptions of Praetextatus and his wife Paulina like this one http://tinyurl.com/2qdt95
 But the most important one was found right here along the Clivus Capitolinus (the street leading-up to the Portico).
 It was his and his wife's long funerary epitaph which was a poem in Iambic Senarii. It was published in 1750.
  The inscription is now in the Capitoline Museum.  
 He was one of the last official opponents of Christianity, although he won't live too see it in 394AD the last Pagan Temple (Vesta-Vestal Virgins) in Rome is closed.
 
 The rooms behind the Portico were also restored by him, who knows perhaps *then* he had to put his Gods & Goddess' inside to protect them from those Christians .

ParadiseLost

#12.5 CLIVUS CAPITOLINUS
The Clivus Capitolinus is a road/street. A Clivus is just a Via (road/street) like in the Via Sacra (Sacred Way
or Sacred Road/Street) except Clivus means a steep road/street.   In this case it is a road that climbs-up the Capitoline Hill, so basically a steep road (Clivus) to the Capitoline Hill (Capitolinus).
 This road starts over in the SW corner of the Roman Forum Sq. So if you are still sitting behind the Rostra facing the Capitoline
Hill; 90deg to your right is the Arch of S. Severus and 90deg to your left is the SW corner of the Forum Sq.
 It's where the 90deg turn in the road is on the leftside of the Temple of Saturn.
 This road runs alongside the leftside of the Temple of Saturn, then turns and cuts across the front of the Temple, then runs uphill along the rightside of the Temple, past the Porticus of the Dei Consentes and up to the Capitoline Hill.
 Originally this road was just a simple dirt path but at the end of the Regal Period (509BC) it was made into a road (unpaved) now suitable for wheeled traffic.
 The original dirt path and later road led to the Arx which was the low point between the 2 higher peaks of the Capitoline Hill O----O.
 The Arx is roughly where the modern Piazza del Campidoglio is today, so this original path/road turned into the Hill just past the Portico Dei Consentes and went to the saddle between the 2 peaks.
 Also a branch was added to the Temple of Jupiter on the left or South peak of the Hill when this dirt path was turned into a road.  This path was the only approach to the Hill until the stairs (mentioned earlier behind the Arch of S. Severus) were built to the Arx.
 It was 1st paved in Lava stones in 174BC and a porticus was erected on the rightside of the road from the Temple of Saturn to the Temple of Jupiter (or very nearby).
 Sections of this original 174BC paving still exist (rightside of Temple) along with sections from Sulla's rule 80's BC (probably leftside of Temple).
 The section in front of the Temple/Saturn is one of the best specimens of Augustan Era (31BC-14AD) paving in Rome.
  Ok let's start at the beginning of this road which is on the leftside of the Temple of Saturn or SW corner of the Forum.
  Sulla (General, Consul, Dictator) in the 80's BC rebuilt this section of road but most importantly the ground below the road.
 A series of small underground arches running the length of that section were built to raise-up that section of road ^--^--^--^ which was then paved over.
 Perhaps the surrounding area's ground level had risen over the centuries and these arches raised the road to the current ground level?  Or perhaps it was to make the incline more gradual and less steep?
  As you can see the road that runs alongside the Forum Sq. also inclines up at the end to met this Clivus. Remember this road carries wheeled traffic also.
 Then the road U-turns in front of the Temple of Saturn and starts up the Hill.  This uphill section is the most interesting.   Now originally it turned just after the Porticus Dei Consentes and I mentioned in that section that the backwalls of those rooms on the left behind the colonade was actually a supporting structure for this road.
 But our road today goes straight and doesn't turn at the Porticus. This I assume either was the original branch-off (doubtful) to the
Temple of Jupiter but more than likely a much later branch.
  The Clivus becomes an important road when the Romans start doing Triumphal Parades which end at the Temple of Jupiter, so the section that goes straight to the Temple becomes the main street.
 So now we have a main ceremonial street with a porticus (covered sidewalk) along the rightside.
  In 190BC Scipio Africanus erects a nice decorative arch at the top of the Clivus.
  Livy says there were nine gilded bronze statues and a pair of horses on top of the Arch. The statues were very likely of Scipio and his family. Also Cicero mentions private homes along the Clivus, both the arch and houses were probably in the Arx section of the Clivus.
 Halfway up the Clivus close to the Temple of Saturn very likely on the left was the Porta Stercoraria.
 This was a closed gate that opened into an alley (Angiportus). Every June 15 the gate was opened for a 'taking out the trash ceremony'
.
 In the Temple of Vesta the Vestal Virgins kept a sacred fire burning 24/7/365.
 The ashes from this sacred fire are stored beneath this Temple. And once a year these sacred ashes (stercus) were removed and taken
thru this gate and over to the Tiber River and dumped in.
  A 'Triumph' or 'Triumphal Parade/March' was awarded to a victorious General or sometimes the Emperor who was just grabbing all the glory of his General's victory.
  The Clivus was the last leg of these military parades.
 The parade would enter the Forum with the General or Emperor in a ceremonial chariot followed by wagon loads of war trophies (gold/silver/gems, money, artworks, anything of value), captured chained leaders (Kings, Rulers, Generals) to be publicly executed and POW's and civilians to either be sold into slavery or killed in the Games for entertainment.
 The captured leaders, POW's and civilians would branch off somewhere in the Forum away from the parade and exit by the Curia.
 But the victorious General or Emperor with his entourage would continue on to the Clivus Capitolinus and up to the Temple of Jupiter.
  There the General or Emperor would sacrifice a snow-white bull to Jupiter to thank and honor him for their victory.
Take Julius Caesar's Triumph where the signs 'veni, vidi, vici' (I came , I saw, I conquered) were carried, it lasted 3 days.
  And later Brutus and his fellow conspirators marched up this Clivus right after they murdered Caesar and barricaded themselves in the Temple of Jupiter.
 Also troops would be stationed here when something was going on in the Forum (speeches, funerals, ceremonies, etc) in case the locals got rowdy.
  Remember the 'Year of the Four Emperors' when the future Emperor Domitian is on the Capitoline Hill under attack and later escapes dressed as a priest after the battle?
 This is from 'Tacitus' who details the battle fought on the Clivus Capitolinus.
"Martialis had scarcely regained the Capitol when the infuriated troops appeared.
  They had no leader, and each man followed his own devices. At a rapid pace, the column galloped past the Forum and the Temples
abutting on it, and charged up the slope opposite as far as the outer gate of the Capitoline Hill.
  At that time, there was a row of *porticoes on the right-hand side of the Clivus Capitolinus* as you go up.
  The defenders got on to the roof of the colonnade and assailed the Vitellians with stones and tiles.
  The enemy for their part were armed only with swords, and thought it would take too long to bring up artillery or missiles.   So they hurled firebrands at a projecting portico, followed the flames as they spread uphill, and would have forced the charred gates of the Capitol, had not Sabinus uprooted the statues with which past generations had adorned the whole area, and so formed an improvised barricade at the actual entrance".