 Names of parts of the Palace | |
   Palace of Domitian Shown within Augustan Rome | |
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| Coordinates | 41°53′19.54″N12°29′11.08″E / 41.8887611°N 12.4864111°E /41.8887611; 12.4864111 |
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ThePalace of Domitian was built as Roman emperorDomitian's official residence in 81–87 AD and was used as such by subsequent emperors.[1] Its remains sit atop and dominatePalatine Hill inRome, alongside other palaces.
The Palace is a massive structure separated today into three areas. In the past, these partitions allowed business and political matters to have separation from private life while their close proximity allowed them to be conducted in parallel if required. The modern names used for these areas are:
Not all of the palace can be seen as portions lie under more recent buildings, much like a significant portion of the remains of Ancient Rome.
The palace was one of Domitian's many architectural projects including renovation of theCircus Maximus, renovation of thePantheon, and three temples deifying his family members: thetemple of Vespasian and Titus, thePorticus Diuorum, and theTemple of the gens Flavia.[3]
The palace was designed by the architectRabirius. It was built on top of earlier buildings, notablyNero'sDomus Transitoria and theRepublicanHouse of the Griffins, significant remains of which have been discovered.
UnderSeptimius Severus a large extension was added along the southwestern slope of the hill overlooking the Circus Maximus, but otherwise the bulk of the Palace as constructed under Domitian remained remarkably intact for the remainder of the Empire. The Palace functioned as the official residence of the Roman Emperors until thefall of the Western Roman Empire in the 5th century AD.
The palace was renovated underTheodoric the Great (r.493-526) the Ostrogothic King of Italy in the 6th century[4] using the receipts from a specially levied tax.[5]
The Domus Flavia is the public wing of the Palace.
The Domus Augustana was believed to be the private wing of the palace.
The so-called "Hippodrome" or "Stadium" of Domitian (160 x 48 m) extends over the entire eastern side of the Domus Augustana. It has the appearance of a RomanCircus but is too small to accommodatechariots. In reality, it was a large and elaborate sunken garden,[6] similar to the earlier one at theRoman Villa of Pliny "in Tuscis", and most of the statuary in the nearby Palatine museum comes from the Stadium.[7] Domitian enjoyed this form of garden as shown by the one he also built at hiscountry villa in the Alban Hills. It may have been used as a private riding school which must have been present in the private villas of the time, according to Pliny the Younger; in theActs of the Martyrs, aHippodromus Palatii is mentioned concerningSaint Sebastian, which must certainly have been this.
On the eastern side was a large semi-circularexedra on three levels, decorated with sculptures and fountains, commanding views of the garden below. Abelvedere sat atop its concrete dome.Around the perimeter ran a two-story portico upheld by slender columns veneered in expensive coloured marble. The lower level feature a sheltered promenade adorned with an elaborate stuccoed roof vault.[8]
The stadium was the last section of the palace to be built; proceeding the completion of the first two parts (completed: 92 AD). The stadium's construction replaced older buildings dating from theRoman Republic toNero.
Brick stamps show thatHadrian reinforced the structure of the porticos. In theSeveran era the exedra was reduced to a quarter circle externally when the adjacent Severan Baths were built. The small oval enclosure in the southern end dates to the time of Theodoric (early 6th c.) when it was perhaps used as a private amphitheatre (certainly not as a training ground for gladiators, as this type of show was abolished since the time ofHonorius).
The complex was discovered and excavated in the 18th century which was soon followed by looting which irreparably compromised the state of the building.
Media related toPalace of Domitian at Wikimedia Commons
| Preceded by House of Augustus | Landmarks of Rome Palace of Domitian | Succeeded by Villa Gordiani |