Erected in 13BC by the senate, the Ara Pacis (or altar of Augustan Peace) was set up to commemorate Augustus' victorious return from Spain and Gaul and the pacification of the western Provinces. Fragments of the decoration were stored in vaious museums, galleries and villas around Rome and were identified in the 19th century as belonging to the same monument. The discovery of buried remains north of the Pantheon in 1903 led to the extraction of large surviving parts of the altar and a fair idea of the shape and dimensions allowing reconstruction. The Ara Pacis (mostly reconstruction) now stands in a dedicated museum next to the Mausoleum of Augustus. The museum was a millennium project that stands as a glass, steel and marble monstrosity next to the ancient buildings of the campus martius. The altar occupies only a small space in the centre, and a museum of the campus martius exists at one end of the lower floor. The rest of the building is given over to displays and shows that have nothing to do with Roman history.
Access: Museum Of The Ara Pacis, Via di Ripetta.
The baths of Agrippa were the first of the great public bath houses to be constructed in the city. Built in 25BC by Augustus' right-hand man, the baths were originally his private bathing establishment, though he donated them to the Roman people at his death. The baths actually constituted a part of a large complex built by Agrippa that included the Pantheon, a monumental pool and a nymphaeum. The baths were destroyed by fire in 80AD and were subsequently rebuilt by Domitian. The baths suvived in use throughout the life of the Western Empire, with occasional repairs. Small parts of the ruinous walls at the rear of the Pantheon were connected with the baths, but the main fragment is in a street just north of the Corso Vittorio Emanuele II. One huge brick exedra survives there, largely lost among the housing. The fragments are not hard to track down, but probably not worth the visit for any but the more die-hard fan.
Access: Via dell'Arco della Ciambella - Freely open.
This monumental column was erected between 176 and 193 AD to commemorate Marcus Aurelius' victory over the Marcomanni in 175 AD. The column owes its survival to its donation by the Pope to the Benedictines. Although it has suffered natural damage, it was repaired in the 16th century and a statue of Saint Paul added to the top. It was at this time that the reliefs of the huge pedestal were chiselled off and the damaged parts of the base faced with marble probably taken from the Septizodium. Much like the Column of Trajan (of which this is a descendant), the structure containes a spiral staircase of 200 stairs. Also, as with its twin, this column is decorated with a spiral relief showing scenes of the military campaigns of the Emperor. The quality of carving here is somewhat inferior to that of Trajan's column and so the column receives a great deal less attention than its counterpart.
Access: Piazza Colonna. External viewing only. Free.
Dedicated in 13 BC, the theatre here was constructed by Lucius Cornelius Balbus. The theatre was only part of Balbus' complex however. extending behind it was a large portico. Though the theatre itself remains buried, on the Via delle Botteghe Oscure lies the Crypta Balbi (part of the national museum). This complex of rooms and walls visible below ground level is slightly disappointing. Little remains of architectural value and the remains are confused and unimpressive. However, as part of the museum, a large display is set up containing fragments of sculpture and relief from the ruins and with diagrams and details of the entire structure.
Access: Crypta Balbi, Via delle Botteghe Oscure
In the Piazza Largo Argentina stand the remains of five temples of the Republican period. Unearthed during demolition of a city block in the time of Mussolini, they remain well below street level and serve also as a cat sanctuary (so common in Rome). The temples are of varying dates from at least the early 3rd century BC and stand in a line. Little is known in details, but for the circular temple in the centre that was constructed by Quintus Lutatius Catulus after the victorious battle of Vercellae in 101BC and dedicated to Good Fortune. The temples survive remarkably, including numerous columns with even fragments of mosaic and wall painting. Behind one of the temples can be seen the only surviving visible fragment of the theatre of Pompey, the scene of the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44BC. Access to the site is problematic. Though some guides will tell you that this site is open at certain times, I have never found it to be open. A cat sanctuary exists in the sunken area and cats can often be seen among the ruins. The entire site can be viewed from the piazza surrounding it and is interesting enough to make a deliberate side-trip.
Access: Largo di Torre Argentina. Freely viewable from all sides at all times.
The Piazza Navona, while containing no visible ancient masonry, preserves perfectly the shape of the circus built by Domitian for athletic contests. With the correct permissions it is possible to gain access to some of the basements of the buildings around the Piazza where fragments of the cavea still exist. The circus has been used for gladiatorial contests as well as athletics, particularly after the Colosseum was damaged by fire in 217 AD. It is the site of several Christian martyrdoms. Also known as the circus of Alexander, the structure was restored by Alexander Severus.
Access: Piazza Navona. Free access at all times. Some ruins visible within the Banca di Roma at the curved end of the Piazza (see image below)
The one remaining fragment of a massive statue, the Pie de Marmo is a sandaled foot on a plinth of impressive size. There is no way to know of whom this statue was or whether it originally stood in a temple. It is intriguing, though not worth a detour to most visitors.
Access: Via del Pie de Marmo. Freely visible.
In the Via delle Botteghe Oscure stand the forlorn ruins of a temple with two re-erected columns. Little of the actual temple has been excavated (only what is visible in the photo) and no evidence has yet been found to link the structure to any particular deity. It stands on the opposite side of the street to the Crypta Balbi and is usually overlooked. It is perhaps not worth a detour, but is easily accessible and many visitors to ancient Rome will be visiting the Piazza Largo Argentina and the Crypta Balbi and will likely be walking past this anyway.
Access: Via delle Botteghe Oscure. Freely visible at all times
Incorporated into the walls of a banking institution is the remaining side of the Temple of the Deified Hadrian. Following Hadrian's death and deification, Antoninus Pius had this temple contructed in his memory in 145 AD. The rest of the temple has vanished, though some fragments of its surreounding portico remain buried beneath the square. When it stood complete, the temple bore reliefs representing the Provinces of the Empire, 36 in all, sixteen of which have survived. Unfortunately non are in their original position being instead in collections in Rome and Naples. The wall and its columns are an impressive and unexpected sight and merit a detour through the square.
Access: Piazza di Pietra. Freely visible at all times.
