One of four scenes depicting the life of the child M. Cornelius Statius, shown here, scroll in hand, presumably reciting poetry or practising some other oratorical skill in front of his father.

This touching marble sculpture is actually part of Cornelius' sarcophagus (stone coffin).

Dating from c.150-160 AD; originally found in Ostia, near Rome; now in the Louvre, Paris.

Alternative view.

See the complete sarcophaugus.

As told by the Roman historian Suetonius in his Lives of the Caesars.

This imaginary portrait of the Roman poet Ovid, painted c.1500, is on the ceiling of the cathedral in Orvieto, Italy.

As shown on p.85 of CLC Unit 4.

A straightforward English translation of Ovid's tale of the Flood as told in Book 1 of his Metamorphoses.
This translation doesn't quite match the lines in versus Ovidiani on p.74 of CLC Bk.V since our textbook version has been adapted by omitting and re-sequencing some lines� although not altering any words!

Here is Ovid's original Latin verse; our textbook version uses the following sequence of lines: 262, 264, 266, 269, 274-5, 283-5, 291-296, 304, 307-8, 299-300.)

A straightforward English translation of Ovid's tale of the Flood as told in Book 1 of his Metamorphoses.
This translation doesn't quite match the lines in versus Ovidiani on pp.89-90 of CLC Unit 4 since our textbook version has been adapted by omitting and re-sequencing some lines‚ although not altering any words!

Here is Ovid's original Latin verse; our textbook version uses the following sequence of lines: 253-255, 260-262, 264, 266, 269, 274-5, 283-5, 291-296, 304, 307-8, 299-300.)

One of the main roads in the city of Rome which lead out from the Roman Forum in a north-easterly direction towards the Esquiline Gate. Probably, only the first section of the road, from the Forum and through the Subura district was known as the Argiletum; its continuation towards the Esquiline Gate (in the republican period city wall) was generally known as the 'clivus suburanus' or Suburban Slope as it climbed the Esquiline Hill.

The lower "Forum" part of the Argiletum - here marked by green dashes - was absorbed into a new imperial forum in the 90's AD when the Forum of Nerva, later known as the Forum Transitorium, was built over it.

The Argiletum, as the main thoroughfare of the Suburb and like the surrounding district, was undoubtedly busy, noisy, dirty and wet, and ancient authors tell of booksellers, cobblers and linen-makers - although there is no proof in the oft-repeated claim that it was the centre of the book trade.

A simple map showing the location of the Argiletum in relation to the other roads and monuments of Rome.

The beginning/end of the road known as the Argiletum as it leaves/enters the Roman Forum running between the Senate House on the left and the Basilica Aemilia on the right. A sad pair of gates blocks further entry along this once famous, busy street.

An aerial photo of this part of the street.

A large chunk of the southern end of the Argiletum was transformed into a forum by Domitian who didn't live to see it finished and was thus named after his successor, Nerva, in AD 97; later on, it became known as the Forum Transitorium ("Transition" or "Corridor Forum").

Unusually narrow, it followed the course of the Argiletum, running between the Forum of Augustus on one side and the Forum of Vespasian on the other. There was a Temple of Minerva at its north-east end.

Modern aerial view of the ruins of the Forum of Nerva and the modern street following the Argiletum. Unlabelled version.

Via Leonina follows a part of the course of the ancient Argiletum and gives a good impression of how the Roman street must once have looked with high houses crowding the narrow street.

An informative webpage with background into the life and ideals of the Roman educator Quintilian, as well as the history and content of Institutio Oratoria.

Titus and Publius are following Quintilian's guidelines (Instiutio Oratoria I.9.2) when they paraphrase Ovid's tale of the Flood.

The text of Quintilian's only surviving work Institutio Oratoria ("The Education of an Orator") published around AD 95.

In the Museum of Roman Civilization, Rome.

Updated with the results of the latest excavations.

Great, clear plan of the imperial fora.

CGI video from Rome Reborn project. At the 4:15 minute mark you fly out of the Roman Forum and enter the Forum of Julius Caesar, then into the Forum of Augustus, then over the Forum of Nerva (aka Forum Transitorium) ad into the Forum of Vespasian.

The "official" website, but it doesn't live up to its promise: wordy, dull and with many dead links!

Lovely drawing of how Rome and the Palatine would have looked in prehistoric times, before Rome's traditional founding in 753 BC - without any buildings! The Roman Forum would be built in the narrow, wooded valley between the Palatine and the Esquiline.

Unlabelled version.

The Palatine, outlined, is dominated by the palaces built by successive emperors.

Simple map showing the Palatine and the other 6 main hills of Rome.

Another map of the hills, this time with a few of the main buildings from c.125 AD also shown.

Aerial view of Rome showing Domitian's Palace, outlined, on the Palatine Hill rising above the Circus Maximus.

Note how the palace was set in the midst of other buildings on the Palatine.

View of the facade fronting the paved "Area Palatina".
Built 81-92 AD, designed by Rabirius, one of the few Roman architects we know by name.

View of rear facade which overlooks the Circus Maximus.
Built 81-92 AD, designed by Rabirius, one of the few Roman architects we know by name.

Reconstruction of the throne room (aula), octagonal court & dining-room (triclinium) as shown on p.38-39.

This alternate version shows the throne room with a vaulted, concrete roof instead of a ridged, wooden one - archaeologists are still undecided on how it was roofed!

Today's ruins...

Marble, tessellated flooring (opus sectile) in the apse for the Emperor's table in the dining-room.