Horti romani

Horticulture had a clear cultural role in the Roman world. Introducing new plants from far away regions or developing new fruit varieties became part of the competitive display in which the upper classes engaged. Ancient texts tell of prominent figures, such as L. Lucullus and Cn. Pompeius, introducing into Italy new fruit trees, personally engaging in grafting, and creating lavish suburban gardens.

HORTI AGRIPPINAE

The Horti of Agrippina, cited by Philo Alessandrino and Seneca as lying in the northern part of the Janiculum and in the plain of the Vaticanum, were the large villa built by the mother of the emperor Nero. The entire area of ​​the Ager Vaticanus was occupied by burial areas and large villas, which largely ended up in the imperial properties of Augustus, such as the Horti di Agrippina, between the Vatican basilica, the slopes of the Janiculum and the Tiber. Among the buildings of the Gardens of Agrippina, the sources recall that under the Janiculum, the gardens of Agrippina, located at the level of the Vatican, enjoyed the Tiber up close and bordered it with a large terrace and a beautiful portico located right on the bank of the blonde river . The imperial villa was later indicated by medieval texts as Palatium Neronis, with its large Vatican circus (circus Cai et Neronis) which extended where St. Peter's Basilica now stands. The structures found under the hospital of S. Spirito were also part of the Horti, including a large exedra open towards the river, and the large domus recently found near the Gianicolense tunnel, at the southern end of the Horti. In the past, a marble basin with sculpted marine scenes from the 1st century AD was found in this area, and the most recent excavations near the eastern entrance of the tunnel have brought to light environments with frescoes of architectural, floral and bird motifs.

HORTI SALLUSTIANI

Built by the Latin historian and senator of the Roman republic Gaius Sallust Crispus in the 1st century BC, during his reign in Africa Nova, the gardens of Sallust covered a vast area north-west of Rome, which under Augustus became Regio VI, between the Quirinale, the Viminale and the Campus Martius, acquiring the area previously belonging to Caesar. The park surrounding it was extensive and rich in splendid statues. In it, there was even a circus so large that it was considered to hold games there when floods made the Circus Maximus unusable. The Horti had several buildings scattered throughout the enormous park, including baths and the temple of Venus. In 20 AD, the gardens, which had become part of imperial property, were the favored retreat of many emperors, to the extent that they could rival palaces in their wealth and beauty. At the heart of the park was a narrow valley, now completely buried due to nineteenth-century construction, enclosed on one side by a grand residential building consisting of three floors. The remains of this building, dating back to the early 2nd century AD, are visible in today's Piazza Sallustio.

HORTI LUCULLIANI

It was Lucullus who set the trend, with the construction of his gardens on the Pincian Hill. Lucius Licinius Lucullus, a highly skilled Roman general under Sulla from 117-56 BC, later consul, a friend of Cicero but an enemy of Pompey, invented the model of the "pleasure garden" when he abandoned public life, disgusted after his rival "Pompey deprived him of the credit he had acquired with the conquests of Rome in the East." It stood at the point where the Aqua Virgo emerged from the underground conduit to cross the Campus Martius on arches: these were the Gardens of Lucullus, which around 60 BC occupied the area where today stand the Spanish Steps and the Ss. Trinità dei Monti with its splendid staircase. One of the great features of the Lucullan villa was a monumental staircase that connected the different levels of the hill to a gigantic semicircular nymphaeum. It is also believed that in this garden the first plant of cherries, that Lucullus brought to Rome from Asia, was planted.

HORTI MAECENATIS

The Horti Maecenatis were built between 42 and 35 b.C. by Maecenas, friend and advisor to Emperor Augustus. He hosted poets and artists, giving them protection. The gardens were located on the Esquilin Hill, where there used to be an ancient Necropolis; in honor of this, some tombstones were put in an area of the garden. Maecenas was the first to reclaim the land on this hill. The only ruins left today of the Villa are those of the Auditorium, discoverd in 1874, which still contains paintings from the Augustan era. It was used as a private banqueting hall attached to the residential quarters. Amongst the ruins of the gardens, a lot of statues were found, testifying to the refined collector taste of Maecenas. Besides the statues, there were also termal baths, which reportedly were the first ones ever built inside the city walls. Maecenas left the horti to Augustus in his will, so the gardens became imperial property. Years later Tiberius resided there, then Nero included them in his Domus Transitoria. Legends has it that Nero watched the city of Rome burn from a tower located inside this very graden. The Horti Maecenatis were discovered in 1874 by Rodolfo Lanciani.

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HORTI LICINIANI

During the Imperial era, the Esquiline was a luxurious residential area featuring opulent villas belonging to emperors and prominent figures. These residences, like Gallienus's Licinian Gardens, were renowned for their vast parks and magnificent structures, often compared to the homes of the gods. Gallienus even planned a colossal statue of himself as the Sun God in the heart of his gardens, but the project was deemed excessive even by the standards of the time. The area was also known for its baths and pools frequented by emperors and courtiers. During the construction of a new building at the intersection of Statuto and San Vito streets, ten oil lamps were recovered, mostly fragmented and of common types. Of particular interest are three of them: one with a relief of Medusa's head and the mark L CAEC SAE; another with the head of Mercury and the mark BlCKCji-; and finally, a third one depicting a bearded and armored warrior, marked LO RE NT.

Livia's Villa, Prima Porta

CYDONIA OBLONGA

PICEA ABIES

PUNICA GRANATUM

PINUS NIGRA

ANIMALS

In Livia's Villa there are about 69 species of animals. Animals provide movement to the garden. The fishes are swimming in the pond. In the pictures, we can see a crustacean and an octopus, while on the right, a cuttlefish.

The food and economy were greatly impacted by the consumption of fish, which was previously rare and restricted to coastal areas. We can consider fish farming a real status symbol or a way to show your wealth. Fish farming tanks came in two varieties: fresh water (piscinae dulces) and saltwater (piscinae salsae or maritimae).

BIRDS

In the southwestern part of the villa, the side spaces have solid warm colours. On the two side walls, there are painted real and fantastic animals and human figures, above them birds fly in the centre of the painting.

Peacocks

In this floral mosaic, there are two bird near a bowl, filled with water, and a man, looking at them. It’s made of stone and glass tesserae (the former are used for the blue colour). Now it’s possible to visit in Museo Barracco, Rome.

ROSEHIP, ROSA CANINA

Legend has it that the God Bacchus, unrequitedly in love with a Nymph, tried to reach her while she was running away, causing her to stumble into a bush and fall. For this reason he decided to thank the bush by transforming it into a Rose: thus, delicate flowers of a pink color like the cheeks of the Nymph appeared.

Following the Signature theory, Pliny the Elder claimed that the Rose, thanks to its thorns similar to dog fangs, could be the right remedy against rabies, reporting of a Roman soldier bitten by a dog and healed thanks to the intake of a root decoction. The name comes from the greek word 'κυνός', which means dog. In fact, in England is called also 'Rose Dog' and in French 'Rosier de chiens'.

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History

The Quince dates back to Greeks and Romans, in fact, for example, Plinio believed it was exported from Crete, in particular from Cidone, from which then took its name ("Mala, quae vocamus cotonea et Greci cydonia ex Creta insula advecta"). The Romans used it to make jams, liqueurs, and as a sweetener, thanks to its honey-like characteristics. The Greeks used it like the Romans and they also believed it was sacred to Aphrodite and a symbol of love and fertility, as it is said in the "Teogonia" of Hesiod, in which the Quince would be the plant with golden apples given by Zeus to Hera. Besides Plinio and Hesiod, Hippocrates considered the quince one of the healthiest and most useful fruits and Plutarch reports that in the law of Solon, in Athens, the young woman, on the entrance to the bridal chamber, had to eat a quince, because it was believed that she would give her husband as many children as chewed seeds. In the Renaissance it was used as an antidote against poisoning, and in popular beliefs it was thought that it drove away evil spirits. And according to the "signature theory", for which the fruits similar to a certain organ served to cure it, the quinces, due to their fluff, were used against baldness. At this time, Mattioli and Durante recommended it as an antidote against poisoning. And other authors believed that it was the quince the "apple" caught by Eve in the earthly paradise and that Adam, for its sour taste, couldn't swallow. In fact, for this reason, all men, his sons, still keep the trace in the throat, commonly called "Adam's apple". Then in the peasant tradition the branches were used to weave the baskets.

15. ATRIUM

the entrance

open courtyard through which it was possible to access the principal room. Usually characterised by an opening in the roof (compluvium) that allowed water to fall into a pool (impluvium) underneeth.

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2. PERISTILIUM

BALENUM or BALNEARIA

Private thermae were usually subterranean or connected to the peristilium. They consisted in:

• the apodyterium, first room where the bather undressed
• the unctuarium, where the bather was oiled before practicing a lot of exercise
• the calidarium (hot room)
• the sudatorium (steam room)
• the tepidarium (warm room)
• the frigidarium (cold room) where there usually was a swimming pool (natatio)

Floors were marble or mosaic and, as a rule, men and women bathed separately. In the Villa Livia were found two piscinae clidae and one natatio.

PINUS NIGRA

PINUS NIGRA (PINO NERO) It is a species of pine widespread in southern and southwestern Europe and western Asia.Its diffusion is thought to have had a significantly decrease as a cosequence of climate change in the Holocene era, this event led to his diffusion from north-western africa all thorough southern europe and Asia Minor.As of today there are know two different types of pinus nigra differentiated by their area of origin,the salzamannii is concentrated from Morocco to Corsica and the pinus nigra subspecies which can be found in northen Italy, in the Balkans all the way to Turkey and Crimea peninsula.

These plants can reach 20-30 meters but there are also specimens that exceed 50 meters. 1 Description: The black pine is a large tree with dark, rough bark (the name can be found its origin from the latin word nigra). Its leaves are needle-like and dark green in color, arranged in groups of two. 2 Use: Black pine wood is used for the production of building lumber, furniture and other wood products. 3 Curiosity: The black pine is one of the pine species most resistant to drought and the lack of nutrients in the soil. It is also known for its ability to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions.

The Quince - Cognassier - Melo Cotogno - Cydonia oblonga

The Quince is a small tree, about 5-8 meters tall, native to Asia and cultivated throughout the Mediterraneo and in China.

It's flowers are white or pink and the bloom is late, while the fruits ripen between September and October, they have a yellowish colour and an irregular shape similar to an apple; the pulp is very hard and sour and for this reason it is consumed only after cooking.

The fruits are widely used in kitchen to produce jams and cakes, really famous are quince jelly and mustard; they are also placed in clostets to perfume the clothes. In medicine, they are utilized as a cough remedy and to keep the skin hydrated. Additionally, in Iran and Afghanistan their boiled seeds are used as a remedy against pneumonia; in Malta boil jam is used against intestinal problems; and in Pakistan and India the quince is used for burns and skin inflammations.

CURIOSITY

The Villa, that belonged to Livia Drusilla, the third wife of Emperor Augustus, was called by Plinius ad Gallinas Albas, due to and extraordinary event: one day an eagle let a white chicken carrying a laurel branch fall over her lap. Augurs suggested breeding the animal and planting the laurel branch and guarding it. According to the legend, a forest grew from that branch.

The atrium was the central room of the domus. It was a rectangular semi covered court sorrounded by the main rooms. It was composed of the compluvium (an opening in the roof through which water could enter) and the impluvium (a small pool where the water was collected).