Rome reopens House of Vestal Virgins

ANSA ^ | 1/27/11

[markomalley]

After twenty years, Rome has reopened the House of the Vestal Virgins, remains of an ancient Roman palace flanking ruins of the imperial seat of government in the Roman Forum. Major renovations to the structure were inaugurated Thursday with the opening of a new visitors' route through the ruins called Via Nova, which traverses the northwest slope of the Palatine Hill overlooking the Forum and ends at the Atrium Vestae, or ancient palace.

The configuration of Via Nova is believed to date back to urban planning made in the wake of a blaze that razed much of Rome in 64 AD, but may be older. More than 4,000 meters were refurbished along the route, of which the Atrium Vestae occupies 1,568 square meters. Work focused on restoring the structural stability and integrity of the ruins.

The Atrium Vestae was once a 50-room palace built around an elegant, rectangular garden, decorated with statues and two pools. It housed the priestesses of Vesta, goddess of the hearth, who were entrusted with keeping a flame eternally lit in the Temple of Vesta, located next door.

[TheOldLady]

This thread hijack needs more cowbell...

There is nothing on earth that can't be improved with more cowbell. Or more Christopher Walken, mmm, mmm, mmm.

[TheOldLady]

If you’re 10 minutes from the tri-state area, you’re about 45 minutes from me.

[wolfcreek]

one of the best belt-buckle-rubbin songs when I was in HS.

[Salamander]

If I drive 2 1/2 hours to the end of MD, I fall off the edge of the known world and land in Ohio....LOL

[and where the hell are you people all going when you head east every Friday afternoon?!?]

[TheOldLady]

and where the hell are you people all going when you head east every Friday afternoon?!?

Huh? I don't know about any other Buckeyes, but we have a standing date every Friday night right here at home to celebrate our marriage. Champagne, pizza, and a couple of movies. Life is good.

We're about 30 miles into Ohio from the Pennsylvania/West Virginia borders.

[Salamander]

LOL!

BadCo was the “rubbin” thing at my proms.

[Claud]

$&@*%&@(!@_$&$!!!!!!!

One of my college buddies had an old family home in Paw Paw...he took us out there a few times.

Hope the new “clientele” is gone as well...I’d hate to see that place spoiled by self-indulgent effetes.

[wildbill]

Julius Caesar was appointed as the high priest of Jupiter (some say Marius wanted to remove him from the regular course of advancement through the ranks of offices for some reason)and his domicile was in the House of the Vestal Virgins during the time in which he held that office.

Colleen McCulloch wrote a wonderful book “Caesar’s Women” on that period of his life. (no jokes please—although he was a notable womanizer, Caesar never crossed the line with regard to the Virgins as that would have been an unforgiveable offense, meriting death by being thrown from the Tarpeian Rock.)

So today, with the reopening of some of that temple/dormitory of the Vestal Virgins, you will be able to walk through the roooms in which Caesar lived and worked.

Too much for the mind to grasp.

[Salamander]

We’ll ride over and check it out this summer.

I’ll let you know if they’re gone or not.

[SunkenCiv]

Julius Caesar was appointed as the high priest of Jupiter

Of course, they lacked the space travel technology that would have allowed him to get there, but anyway...

;')

There's a brazier used to warm the hands that was found just inside the entrance to Julius' father-in-law's house in Herculanaeum -- a house he visited, and an item he actually (probably) used. Same kind of idea you mentioned. And a few years back someone found the actual "signature" of Cleopatra VII, his lover, in a pile of discarded documents preserved by the aridity in Egypt. Stunning.

[colorado tanker]

[SunkenCiv]

I wonder if they *had* to wear the vests, or if that was optional?

[colorado tanker]