Ponte emilio, today called ponte rotto, is the oldest roman stone bridge in rome, italy. Ponte rotto rome 2019 all you need to know before you. The first stone bridge in rome was the pons aemilius, built in 179 b. The emains seen today are all that is left of the structure, rebuilt in the late 1st century bc by augustus. Its members held the highest offices of the state, from the early decades of the republic to imperial times. In 1598 rome had one of its worst floods in history and three arches and two piers were swept away. A24, a23 the first stone bridge of rome is pons aemilius, downstream from insula tiberina, originally built in 179 b. It was an economically and strategically important bridge in the era of the roman empire and was the site of the famous battle of the milvian bridge.
Pons aemilius ponte rotto has a few boasts, it is the oldest bridge, the first stone bridge and supposedly the longest at around 150 metres, built in ancient rome. I was unaware of these citations when i published my book in 2000, but. Titus livius livy, the history of rome, book 40, chapter 51. It is also called the ponte rotto broken bridge and was originally erected during the 3rd century bc. Of course, it is true that roman history would hardly need to be rewritten if this. Pons sublicius would have stood far from the pons aemilius. Of course, it is true that roman history would hardly need to be rewritten if this location turned out to be incorrect. It is an arch bridge from 2nd century bc, and nowadays only a small art of it is still standing, near the uncharming ponte palatino. Media in category ancient roman bridges in rome the following 3 files are in this category, out of 3 total. To avoid potential data charges from your carrier, we recommend making sure your device is connected to a wifi network before downloading.
A survey art in ancient egypt from predynastic times to the graecoroman period. The ponte rotto has a rich history of rebuilding and reconstruction, and has been witness to major events in roman history. It was an economically and strategically important bridge in the era of the roman empire and was the. Build a visit to this as a part of the attractions near here it rates stopping to look and reading about the history. It was the first stone bridge across the tiber river, begun in 179 bc, to replace a wooden bridge.
Translated by john dryden almost all agree that the aemilii were one of the ancient and patrician houses in rome. David hicks scrapbooks by ashley hicks, hardcover barnes. This is the profile page of darius arya on ancient history encyclopedia. The bridge was originally made of wood, then in 179bc it was reconstructed with a mix of. The gens aemilia, originally written aimilia, was one of the greatest patrician families at rome. On the island, which was probably connected with both banks by bridges, stood the temples of aesculapius 291 and faunus 194. Gordon, professor of art history at trinity college, hartford, recently described the structure in an article published in the wall street journal. Consul in 182 and 168 bc, he devoted much of the intervening period.
This aemilius had a daughter named aemilia, who was married to scipio the great, and a son paulus, who is the subject of my present history. To learn about the construction of the pons aemilius, more famously known as the ponte rotto, you can check out this detailed article by the wall street journal. The pons aemilius, today called ponte rotto, is the oldest roman stone bridge in. As the cocles story suggests, early rome may have needed a bridge that. Lucius aemilius paullus macedonicus, roman general whose victory over the macedonians at pydna ended the third macedonian war 171168 bc. Pons aemilius, or ponte rotto broken bridge as it is often referred to, is known to be the oldest stone bridge in roman history, originally providing access across the tiber river, connecting trastevere and the forum boarium, a cattle market in its day. The aemilii were almost certainly one of the gentes maiores, the most important of the. I know that the text will be basically the same, but i would hate to lose some of what makes this book so valuable because i read an outdated translation. The gens was of great antiquity, and claimed descent from numa pompilius, the second king of rome. Hide browse bar your current position in the text is marked in blue. Three arches were still standing in the renaissance and. Ponte rotto, originally known as pons aemilius is romes oldest, albeit defunct, stone bridge.
In his early manhood, which fell at a time when rome was flourishing with illustrious characters, he was distinguished for not attaching himself to the studies usual with the young men of mark of that age. The pons aemilius dates back to the 3rd century bc built for the via aurelia to likely replace a wooden bridge that was in its place. Lucius aemilius paullus, largely responsible for the inclusion of greece in the growing empire of the republic, was one of the crucial figures in romes conquest of the mediterranean. In almost any plans of the ancient city it is located next to the pons aemilius, although no bridge is depicted on the fragments of the severan marble plan correspond ing to that area. The oldest stone bridge in rome, the pons aemilius was. Romes first stone bridge across the tiber, built by the censor m. Marcus aemilius laepidus and marcus fulvius nobilior. Aemilius paulus by plutarch classical wisdom weekly. According to titus livius, there existed a bridge in the same location as the pons aemilius in 192 bc. Pons fabricius in the back and pons aemilius on the left the pons aemilius italian. The bridge was made as part of the via aurelia road to etruria. Click anywhere in the line to jump to another position. It was an economically and strategically important bridge in the era of the roman empire and was the site of the famous battle of the milv. Consul in 182 and 168 bc, he devoted much of the intervening period to securing greece for rome, and is said to have taken.
This is the oldest stone bridge in rome before this wooden bridges spanned the tiber, once called the pons aemilius, which connected forum boarium with trastevere. Paulluss father, a consul of the same name, had been killed fighting the carthaginians at cannae in 216. It once spanned the tiber, connecting the forum boarium with trastevere. The tiber was bridged by the old wooden pons sublicius, south of the island. He is best known for many panoramas of cities in spain that. It was the scene of many dramatic events, including horatius cocles heroic defense of the city against the etruscan king porsenna ca. Three arches were still standing in the renaissance and plans were made to reconstruct the lost arches. The pons aurelius or antoninus 63 tentative as the reconstruction of the history of the pons agrippae must be, even more can be said about it. Pons milvius or pons mulvius is a bridge over the tiber in northern rome, italy. The bridge is another architectural masterpiece of the romans as it tells of their mastery of concrete. The pons aemilius was the first stone bridge across the tiber river at rome. Though rebuilt and much restored in later times, one remaining span locally known as ponte rotto, displays a sturdy vault of travertine faced concrete. Pons sublicius the first and most famous bridge of ancient rome, it was located just south of the pons aemilius and linked the area around the forum boarium and porta trigemina to transtiberim.
Praetor in 191 and consul in 182, paullus campaigned. The pons aemilius ponte emilio, now called the ponte rotto broken bridge, is the oldest surviving bridge in rome. David hicks scrapbooks is an incredible peak into an icons process and accomplishments. The bridge is now called the broken bridge but is the oldest roman stone bridge left in the city. The internet classics archive aemilius paulus by plutarch. The oldest piers of the bridge were probably laid when the via aurelia was constructed in the mid2nd century bc. Current consensus lies with platner that this is the pons aemilius, but opinions have differed. In almost any plans of the ancient city it is located next to the pons aemilius. Prehistoric europe, egypt, near east, aegean, greece apple books, 2014. Preceded by a wooden version, it was rebuilt in stone in the 2nd century bc.
Filippo coarelli suggests that an older pons aemilius, built on the same. Ponte rotto rome 2020 all you need to know before you. The pons aemilius is located immediately downstream from tiber island. Conqueror of greece, first published in 1988, aims to construct an accurate picture of the soldier and politician by scrutiny of the main sources livy, plutarch and polybius the last of whom worked under the direct patronage of paullus. The pons aemilius now known as the ponte rotto, dating to the era of augustus r. Tempio di esculapio ruins of the ancient sanctuary of the deity considered to be a patron of medicine. Sometime during the high roman empire, another bridge appeared a mere 160 meters downstream from the site of the pons agrippae. Ponte emilio, today called ponte rotto picturesque remains of the first stone bridge over the tiber on the territory of rome. The bridges original name was the pons aemilius the emilian bridge, after one of the two men who built it, aemilius lepidus emilio lepido, leader of the roman senate and pontifex. Pons aemiliusponte rotto has a few boasts, it is the oldest bridge, the first stone bridge and supposedly the longest at. Aemilius paullus gaius popilius laenas sent to alexandria genthius forms an alliance with perseus genthius joins perseus difficulty of explaining the intrigues of perseus and eumenes reasons to suspect intrigue between eumenes and perseus eumenes intrigues with perseus struggle between eumenes and perseus the avarice of perseus rhodes decides to seek peace turbulent assembly at. Built in the second century bc to replace its wooden predecessor, ponte rotto, meaning the broken bridge is indeed missing most of its original structure. The story of rome pons aemilius travel diaries make. The ponte rotto is the modern name for a small surviving section that stands isolated in the middle of the river just south of the tiber island.