DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.68272#0073
VILLA MEDICI, ROME.
55
was well chosen by Lucullus, by Domitian, and by Sallust, for their pleasure gardens. A votive
tablet discovered in 1868 proves that the site of the villa formed part of the gardens of the
Acilii Glabriones, a family conspicuous in Roman history from the time of the battle of
Thermopylae. Two members of the family, Maximus Acilius and Priscilla, embraced
Christianity about a.d. 152, and were buried in the Catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria.
In the gardens of Lucullus
avenues of carefully cut
ilexes, bay and cypress over-
shadowed fountains and
were grouped round temples,
shrines and porticoes gar-
landed with roses and jas-
mine. There stood that
marvellous Hall of Apollo
wherein Lucullus once
feasted Cicero and Pompey
at a cost of fifty thousand
drachmae. Near by Messa-
lina took desperate refuge,
and heard the garden gates
behind her being broken
down by the centurion
Euodus, bent on making an
end of her. Here on the
site of the gardens of Sallust,
the millionaire historian, the
statue of the dying Gaul
was found.
On the eastern side the
villa garden is built upon
the actual walls of Rome,
those walls of Aurelian
which were stormed at this
very point by the Goths. A
gate was opened by traitors,
and the villa of Sallust was
given over to fire and sword,
its flaming towers providing
a light to guide the con-
querors to the first sack of
Rome. On the south the
ground slopes down by gentle
degrees in gardens and ter-
races. It adjoins that to
which, long ages ago, the
old senator Pincius gave
his name, gardens which
68.—ROMAN MARBLE RELIEF BUILT INTO THE WALLS OF THE
VILLA MEDICI.
are still the favourite promenade of'the Romans. From the height of the eastern wall we look
down on those slopes where Alaric marshalled his army of Goths, and where on a later day
was pitched the camp of Belisarius and his Byzantine host. Procopius says, “ The greater
(1) Entrance to villa. (5) Grotto under same. (9) City walls.
(2) Open vestibule. (6) Pavilion on the wall of the city. (10) Vineyards. Now a road down to the Borghese Gardens.
(3) Grand gallery of antiques. (7) Sloping carriage way. (11) Slope down to Piazza di Spagna.
(4) Terrace. (8) Great terrace with view over Rome. (12) Bosquet des Jardins.
(See plan on -page 54.)
55
was well chosen by Lucullus, by Domitian, and by Sallust, for their pleasure gardens. A votive
tablet discovered in 1868 proves that the site of the villa formed part of the gardens of the
Acilii Glabriones, a family conspicuous in Roman history from the time of the battle of
Thermopylae. Two members of the family, Maximus Acilius and Priscilla, embraced
Christianity about a.d. 152, and were buried in the Catacomb of Priscilla on the Via Salaria.
In the gardens of Lucullus
avenues of carefully cut
ilexes, bay and cypress over-
shadowed fountains and
were grouped round temples,
shrines and porticoes gar-
landed with roses and jas-
mine. There stood that
marvellous Hall of Apollo
wherein Lucullus once
feasted Cicero and Pompey
at a cost of fifty thousand
drachmae. Near by Messa-
lina took desperate refuge,
and heard the garden gates
behind her being broken
down by the centurion
Euodus, bent on making an
end of her. Here on the
site of the gardens of Sallust,
the millionaire historian, the
statue of the dying Gaul
was found.
On the eastern side the
villa garden is built upon
the actual walls of Rome,
those walls of Aurelian
which were stormed at this
very point by the Goths. A
gate was opened by traitors,
and the villa of Sallust was
given over to fire and sword,
its flaming towers providing
a light to guide the con-
querors to the first sack of
Rome. On the south the
ground slopes down by gentle
degrees in gardens and ter-
races. It adjoins that to
which, long ages ago, the
old senator Pincius gave
his name, gardens which
68.—ROMAN MARBLE RELIEF BUILT INTO THE WALLS OF THE
VILLA MEDICI.
are still the favourite promenade of'the Romans. From the height of the eastern wall we look
down on those slopes where Alaric marshalled his army of Goths, and where on a later day
was pitched the camp of Belisarius and his Byzantine host. Procopius says, “ The greater
(1) Entrance to villa. (5) Grotto under same. (9) City walls.
(2) Open vestibule. (6) Pavilion on the wall of the city. (10) Vineyards. Now a road down to the Borghese Gardens.
(3) Grand gallery of antiques. (7) Sloping carriage way. (11) Slope down to Piazza di Spagna.
(4) Terrace. (8) Great terrace with view over Rome. (12) Bosquet des Jardins.
(See plan on -page 54.)