1. BUILDING IN THE CITY OF ROME UNDER TRAJAN
AND HADRIAN
HADRIAN’S PANTHEON
TRAJAN’S COLUMN

2. THE BUILDING PRGRAMMES OF BOTH TRAJAN AND HADRIAN IN THE CITY OF ROME
Many of Trajan and Hadrian’s predecessors in the office of Princeps had built extensively in the city of Rome (as well as encouraging such activities throughout the empire).
AUGUSTUS found Rome a city of brick and left it a city of marble – a city which was worthy of being the capital of an empire.
NERO had built extensively and is particularly known for “The Golden House” (no longer extant).
VESPASIAN had initiated “the Flavian Amphitheatre” (the ‘Colosseum’).
DOMITIAN was a prolific builder, although very little of his work is left – other than an additional forum quickly renamed to associate it with Nerva.

3. 6. Both TRAJAN and HADRIAN built extensively too and much of their work is still visible and constitutes some of the sites which remain tourist attractions.
7. For some of their work what remains is less visible and what they did can only be reconstructed from limited archaeological excavations.
TRAJAN
His main work comprises:
His FORUM
His COLUMN and the associated LIBRARIES
His MARKET COMPLEX
His HARBOUR

4. Trajan’s Forum Inaugurated in AD 112;
Necessitated the removal of huge quantities of earth from the sides of the Quirinal and Capitoline Hills;
200 m x 120 m – with exedrae on two sides;
North of the great basilica, a smaller piazza with a library on either side (for Greek and Latin texts) – with Trajan’s column between;
To the north of the piazza, the eventual temple of the deified Trajan.

5. THE
IMPERIAL
FORA

7. Additions since Augustus’ Forum:
Temple of Peace (Vespasian)
b) Forum Transitorium (Domitian & Nerva)

9. An aureus of Trajan celebrating his forum.
The FORVM TRAIAN(VM)

10. The
BASILICA
VLPIA

12. The forum
from the great
basilica
The great
basilica

13. The small piazza with the Column and two libraries

14. Trajan’s Column completed in AD 113;
supervising architect (as with the entire forum): Apollodorus of Damascus.
Basics: 30 m (98 ft) tall; consists of 20 marble drums – each weighing 32 tons; the 190 m frieze winds round 23 times; the spiral staircase has 185 stairs – leading to the viewing platform, which originally had a statue of Trajan [replaced by one of St Peter in 1587].

16. Trajan’s Markets
a) built between 107 and 110; b) large complex of shops, warehouses, and offices; c) lower part comprised 2 large halls; d) arched roof with a concrete vault on piers; it let in sunlight but not rain.

20. Trajan’s Baths

21. Detail of central
pool

22. The baths
were started
in 104 and
dedicated
in 109

23. Trajan’s Harbour (Portus)
Trajan contributed significantly to the importation of produce destined for the City of Rome by building a magnificent harbour to complement and replace that of Claudius (completed and celebrated by Nero).
NERO CELEBRATES THE COMPLETION OF THE HARBOUR

25. Coin of TRAJAN celebrating his HARBOUR

27. Features of Trajan’s portus:
a) It involved a massive network of canals.
b) At its entrance was a great lighthouse (the base of which may have now been identified by satellite imaging) which is said to have been visible 20 miles out at sea.
c) It had massive ship sheds which will certainly have made an impression on those arriving.
d) There was also a colossal statue of Trajan (not yet identified).
e) Cargo was unloaded from the ships that arrived on to smaller vessels which went to and up the Tiber to Rome or to a canal which went directly to Rome – shortening the journey. )

28. Sketch of Trajan’s harbour

29. RECONSTRUCTION OF TRAJAN’S HARBOUR

30. Hadrian’s Principal Building Projects in the City
The PANTHEON
His MAUSOLEUM
The TEMPLE OF VENUS AND ROME
The ATHENAEUM
The Pantheon
Rebuilt in AD 126: Agrippa’s original pantheon
had been destroyed by fire in AD 80; it was rebuilt
by Domitian, but destroyed again in AD 110.
Still the world’s largest unre-inforced concrete dome – its 142 ft height is the same as the diameter of its interior circle.

31. The Pantheon - the temple
of all the gods

32. Only the dedication of
Agrippa’s pantheon built
under Augustus survives
M. AGRIPPA L.F.
COS TERTIUM
FECIT

34. The Temple of Venus and Rome

35. VENVS ET ROMA

36. Hadrian’s Mausoleum The mausoleum of Augustus The mausoleum of Hadrian
Hadrian’s mausoleum was built between 130 and 138. It received his ashes, those of Sabina, and those of his first heir, Lucius Caesar.
The mausoleum of
Hadrian

38. THE ATHENAEUM
Built in AD 123 (on the evidence of brick stamps found since and which date the structure 12 years earlier than any previously known evidence) it comprised three great rectangular halls where poets, rhetoricians, and others could read their works to up to 900 audience members.
Excavation of the site was completed (after three years) only in December 2012, the previously unknown structure having come to light below the Piazza Venezia (the huge roundabout in central Rome) during excavations for a station for the new third metro line for Rome.

39. Hadrian’s ATHENAEUM

40. ARTIST’S SKETCH
OF ONE OF THE HALLS
RECENT EXCAVATIONS
(2009 – 2012)