The Galleria degli Uffizi in Florence is one of the oldest and most famous art museums in the world. In addition to Renaissance masterpieces including works from Botticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci, the Uffizi houses one of the world’s most important collections of ancient Roman and Greek statues. The Medicis' interest in ancient art started… Continue reading The Nerva-Antonines in Florence
Built in 1974 over the remains of a Roman villa, the Romano-Germanic Museum in Cologne houses an extensive collection of Roman artefacts from the Roman settlement of Colonia Claudia Ara Agrippinensium (named after Agrippina the Younger, born in Cologne), the capital of the Imperial Province of Germania Inferior. The museum houses the largest collection of… Continue reading The Nerva-Antonines in Cologne
About halfway along today’s via del Corso, once called via Lata, a large arch of Roman age spanned the street up to the mid 17th century. It was earlier known as the Arcus Hadriani, but in the 16th century, the arch was renamed Arco di Portogallo (Arch of Portugal) because it adjoined the residence of the… Continue reading The Hadrianic reliefs from the Arch of Portugal (Arco di Portogallo), Rome
The Temple of Divus Antoninus and Divus Faustina (Templum Divi Antonini et Divae Faustinae) was built by the emperor Antoninus Pius in A.D. 141 on the north side of the Via Sacra shortly after the death of his wife, the empress Faustina. When Antoninus Pius died in A.D. 161 (on 7th March), the temple was… Continue reading Photoset: The temple of Antoninus and Faustina, Rome
The National Roman Museum Palazzo Massimo alle Terme in Rome houses one of the world's most important collections of Greek and Roman art. On the four floors of the museum, sculptures, frescoes and mosaics, coins and jewels document the evolution of the Roman artistic culture from the late Republican age through Late Antiquity. In the rooms… Continue reading The Nerva-Antonines in Palazzo Massimo alle Terme, Rome
Today we celebrate the anniversary of the accession of Trajan to the imperial throne (28 January 98 AD). As a tribute, here is a selection of images from the Temple of Trajan at Pergamon, an ancient Greek city in Aeolis. The Temple of Trajan (Trajaneum) was one of the most spectacular structures built on the… Continue reading Photoset: The Temple of Trajan on the Upper Acropolis of Pergamon (Turkey)
On this day (13th January) in AD 101, Lucius Aelius Caesar, Hadrian's first intended successor, was born. Aelius, whose birth name was Lucius Ceionius Commodus, came from a powerful senatorial family (the gens Ceionia). His father was consul in 106 and his paternal grandfather was consul in 78. Aelius also served as consul in 136… Continue reading Felicem diem natalem, Luci Aeli!
Lucius Ceionius Commodus, the future Lucius Verus, was born on December 15 in AD 130. He was the son of Lucius Aelius Caesar, Hadrian's first choice as heir, but Lucius' father died when he was only seven years old. Having lost his successor, Hadrian designated Antoninus Pius to be his successor and required him, in… Continue reading Felicem diem natalem, Luci Vere!
The NY Carlsberg Glyptotek in Copenhagen has a spectacular imperial Roman sculpture gallery. Their collection of portraits of the members of the Nerva-Antonine dynasty is particularly impressive. The Nerva–Antonine dynasty was a dynasty of seven Roman Emperors who ruled from 96 AD to 192 AD. These Emperors were Nerva, Trajan, Hadrian, Antoninus Pius, Marcus Aurelius,… Continue reading The Nerva-Antonines in Copenhagen
Annia Galeria Faustina, known as Faustina the Elder, was born on September 21 in about 100. She was the wife of Antoninus Pius, who ruled the Roman empire from A.D. 138 to 161. She probably married Antoninus Pius about A.D. 110 and they had four children, two sons and two daughters. They are believed to have… Continue reading Felix dies natalis Annia Galeria Faustina!
