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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsArcheologist Spends Over 35 Years Building Enormous Scale Model of Ancient Rome
Amazing to think how people lived back then. The city must have been spectacular!
Tucked in the residential Roman neighborhood of EUR, a sprawling 1:250 scale model displays the glory of ancient Rome. Known as the Plastico di Roma Imperiale, the plaster model was commissioned by Mussolini in 1933 and depicts Rome in the 4th century AD at the time of Constantine I. It now sits in the Museum of Roman Civilization, a museum opened in the 1930s to demonstrate the history of ancient Rome.
The plaster model is a masterpiece created by archaeologist Italo Gismondi, who worked on the piece throughout his life. The initial core of the scale model, which was partially based on Rodolfo Lancianis 1901 map Forma Urbis, was completed for a large exhibition celebrating the 2,000th anniversary of the death of Augustus. In the 1950s, it was installed permanently in the Museum of Roman Civilization, with Gismondi continuing to expand the model up until 1971.
Now considered one of the most important references for how ancient Rome looked, Gismondi used precise maps for known monuments like the Pantheon and Colosseum. The residential housing, as well as other sites without archeological remains, were created using models that were representative of ancient construction. Ironically, though Mussolini commissioned the model, the lack of references was actually his fault, as he ordered that many of Romes ancient houses be razed to make way for large thoroughfares such as the via dei Fori Imperiali, which leads to the Colosseum.
More:
https://mymodernmet.com/scale-model-ancient-rome/?fbclid=IwAR2vjFL-aZyaFA1Ky5HqVJriT2CiA_nUKF7OX80csml1XheqJ5YWTiJaQX8
True Dough
(17,304 posts)You could almost tell what it was by looking at it.
That model of Rome is a masterpiece!
smirkymonkey
(63,221 posts)I would love to see it up close. What a masterpiece!
Demovictory9
(32,456 posts)exboyfil
(17,863 posts)on a free introductory rate.
The two Gregory Aldrete Rome courses.
Some things to think about in ancient Rome.
No central sanitation system. Usually chamber pots emptied into the street
The Roman baths sound great until you realize that the recommend course of action for things like skin disease is a public bath. An extensive of the whole "medicine" thing as well as personal hygiene
Slaves wore dog collars which always reminded you of them
No Columbus exchange foods
The brutality of the colliseum
You are right about the monuments being spectacular.
muriel_volestrangler
(101,316 posts)exboyfil
(17,863 posts)You are right about a definite step forward with the public sewer. The residences were supposed to use public septic pits that led to the sewers. They weren't going to carry the chamber pot down eight stories so out the window it went.
Mr.Bill
(24,289 posts)Drahthaardogs
(6,843 posts)My people had flashing toilets while yours were still fighting over the deer hide.
UTUSN
(70,691 posts)Quixote1818
(28,936 posts)unc70
(6,114 posts)First time since 1975. Have been a lot in the north (Florence, Siena, Venice, ...) since then, but not Rome or further south.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)Emperors refused even to visit the city and the center of the empire was Byzantium/Constantinople. The height of Rome as a city was during the reign of Hadrian and Trajan and through most of the Antonine dynasty which was two centuries earlier give or take. Emperors around the time of Constantine thought of the city of Rome as a dilapidating cesspool.
Quixote1818
(28,936 posts)Don't know about the decline part though but they did the video at the same time as this model. Also at the time of Constantine.
defacto7
(13,485 posts)But in general, Rome was a mess in the 3rd century. Diocletian did more for the restoration of the empire than anyone since Trajan and he refused to go there until late in life. On his first visit which was supposed to last several months he basically turned right around and left because the place was so wretched. (the short version). Constantine spent almost no time there. Milan was the seat of the empire until Constantine changed it to Byzantium. The city of Rome was basically considered unimportant from the early 3ed century onward.
There are many ways to look at history. One way is romantic and another is pragmatic. They both have their place.
certainot
(9,090 posts)Quixote1818
(28,936 posts)With art by Raphael on the walls.