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FIRST ITINERARY THE CAPITOLINE HILL, THE ROMAN FORUM, THE PALATINE HILL, THE COLOSSEUM AND THE BASILICA OF ST. JOHN IN LATERAN |
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Arco di Costantino |
Now that the visit to the Palatine is finished, let us cross again the
shaded avenues of the Orti Farnesiani and go towards the Via Triumphalis, now
Via San Gregorio, towards the Colosseum across the green peaks of the hill, in
the pine-filled air. First, however, let's take a look at the imposing
structures of the Palazzo of Septimius Severus, which give us an exact idea of
the grandeur of Roman constructions in the Palatine and Roman Forums, even if
there is no longer any trace of the Settizonio, demolished by Sixtus V in the
16th century, with its seven stories and seven orders of columns topped by the
colossal residence of the Caesar, giving those entering Rome by the Appian Way a
glance of grandeur truly unique in the world. Countless parades marched in glory
along the Via Triumphalis and hundreds of defeated kings walked it by foot,
dominated by the triumphant chariots of the victors. The glorious triumphant
arch erected in 315 in honour of Constantine is also the triumphant arch of the
new Rome. It was erected by the Senate and People of Rome to celebrate the
victory of Constantine over Maxentius at the Ponte Milvio, the entrance to Rome
for the "liberators" in that time. Liberatori Urbis is engraved in
cubic letters above one of the internal bas-reliefs of the arch. According to
tradition, before the battle, a cross appeared in the sky before Constantine,
surrounded by words written with letters in fire: in hoc signo vinces. This was
adopted by Constantine in his insignia, to be guarded by the best of the army.
Composed of fragments from monuments of earlier times from the era of Trajan to
that of Marcus Aurelius and Domitian, it is no less one of the most perfect
triumphant arches for its proportions and for the harmony of its lines. Not far
from the arch indicated on the pavement are the outlines of where the Meta
Sudans stood, a gigantic cone-shaped fountain topped by a bronze sphere, from
which water fell like rain, as well as where the Colossus of Nero stood, a guilt
bronze statue 30 metres in height, erected by Nero after the fire of Rome. It
represented Nero with his head surrounded by rays, symbolizing the sun. On the
other side of the Domus Aurea, another statue of the same proportions was to
have symbolized the moon.
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