{"id":4334,"date":"2016-10-28T11:41:31","date_gmt":"2016-10-28T11:41:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.visionpubl.com\/en\/?p=4334"},"modified":"2016-10-28T17:10:04","modified_gmt":"2016-10-28T17:10:04","slug":"domus-aurea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.visionpubl.com\/en\/cities\/domus-aurea\/","title":{"rendered":"Domus Aurea"},"content":{"rendered":"

In 64 AD most of the centre of Rome was destroyed<\/strong> in an enormous fire which started in the area of the Circus Maximus<\/strong> and reached the top of the Esquiline<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

While the story blaming Nero<\/strong> for the fire gained currency as a result of the emperor’s already bad reputation, the destruction wrought by the disaster certainly made it easier to construct the most extensive domus<\/em> ever built<\/strong>, awarded the epithet aurea<\/em><\/strong> for the magnificence of its decoration<\/strong> and the opulence of its buildings<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The architects engaged for the building of the palace, Severus and Celer<\/strong>, decided to adopt the format of a country villa right in the center of Rome:\u00a0 the buildings covered a vast area extending from the Palatine<\/strong> to the Oppian<\/strong>, at the foot of the Celian<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The decoration of the interiors made use of all kinds of precious materials<\/strong>: gold and ivory<\/strong> were everywhere, and the flowers in the paintings were set with precious stones<\/strong>. The ceilings of the banqueting halls were fitted with sliding panels of ivory, so that flowers and perfumes could be scattered onto the diners from above.<\/p>\n

The pictorial decoration<\/strong>, entrusted to the painter Fabullus<\/strong>, was in an opulent, magnificent style<\/strong>, depicting figures framed in geometric patterns which were endlessly enriched by the motifs of plants and imaginary creatures.<\/p>\n

It is the Oppian Hill sector<\/strong> of this imposing residence that we know best. Built on platforms overlooking the valley in which the Colosseum<\/strong> was later to rise, it was divided into three main blocks.<\/p>\n


\nPhoto credits by Cristiano64<\/a> under CC-BY-SA license.<\/p>\n

The two lateral ones were based on the traditional nucleus of the peristyle villa<\/strong>, their rooms distributed around a porticoed garden<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The central block, separated from the others by large pentagonal gardens<\/strong>, was, on the other hand, built around an octagonal hall<\/strong>, the vault of which was supported by octagonal pillars<\/strong>, with a circular light-well in the center.<\/p>\n

The sides of the onoctag gave onto rectangular rooms<\/strong>, which all looked back towards the center of the hall, where a statue was probably placed, lit to striking effect from the light<\/strong> well above.<\/p>\n

This was certainly one of the banqueting halls of the domus<\/em><\/strong>, perhaps the main one which – Suetonius<\/strong> recounts – rotated continuously on its own axis, like the earth<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

After Nero’s death in 68 AD<\/strong>, the emperors who succeeded him returned large parts of the Domus Aurea<\/strong> to the city. Thus, on top of Nero’s palace<\/strong>, rose public monuments like the Colosseum<\/strong> and all the buildings connected with it (eg the gladiators’ barracks, their hospital and the depot for the stage equipment used during the spectacles), the public baths built by Titus<\/strong> and also the state mint (Moneta)<\/em><\/strong>.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

\n
\"\"<\/div>\n

Do you want to know more about the history of Rome?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Check out our guidebook to Rome<\/a>, with detailed history and Past & Present images of the Pantheon<\/strong>, the Colosseum<\/strong>, Trajan’s Market<\/strong> and all the greatest historical and archaeological sites of the eternal city.<\/p>\n

Check out our Rome Guide Book now<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

How to get to the Domus Aurea<\/h2>\n

The Domus Area is located here:<\/p>\n