Submitted by Mary Harrsch on Wed, 02/10/2010 - 16:22
At the Fall 2009 Membership Meeting of the the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI), Bernard Frischer, Director of the Virtual World Heritage Laboratory at the University of Virginia said his team of "digital humanists" that were responsible for the development of Rome Reborn are turning their attention to UNESCO-listed Hadrian's Villa, also known as Villa Adriana, in Tivoli. In his talk, Beyond Illustration: New Dimensions of 3D Modeling of Cultural Heritage Sites and Monuments (see the video at the bottom of this page), he discusses how 4D virtualisation would increase our knowledge of the ancient world.
Ponte Lucano is an ancient bridge located in Tivoli, Italy. Still in use until only a few years ago, the bridge has a history that stretches back to the 1st century BC. For about 2,000 years, Ponte Lucano served as the road from Tivoli to Rome until the mid-20th century.
Ponte Lucano crossed over the Anio river, and its structure was designed with seven arches. But flooding has threatened to damage the bridge and its historical landscape. Efforts are being made to try and preserve the area.
Submitted by Bija Knowles on Wed, 09/30/2009 - 16:08
An architect and a classical archaeologist have come together to give a new perspective on one of Rome's ancient roads, via Tiburtina. The result is a book just published, Via Tiburtina - Space, Movement and Artefacts in the Urban Landscape, which examines the constantly changing urban space of the road. The project involved six years of studying almost every inch of the ancient road and takes an interdisciplinary look at the road through the ages and from various angles, including its history during antiquity, the Renaissance and up to its continued use today.
The theme of this exhibition is Tivoli: its pivotal role during the Roman Republic as a commercial and diplomatic centre that was a key communication point between the people of Lazio and Sabina. From the peace of 338 BC, when Tivoli became a part of the Roman world, up to the civil wars and the birth of the empire, Tivoli's political power and economic importance grew. It became the location of choice for the Roman elite to built luxurious villas, the biggest of all of course was that of Hadrian. This exhibition displays many works of art and objects that have been lying dormant in the museum stockrooms and archives in Lazio. Most of these have never been displayed in public due to lack of space or resources, but all are of archaeological interest and value. The historic and artistic context of the exhibition will be explained as visitors follow the route around Villa Adriana.
This statue of a faun, sculpted in antique rouge marble, dates from the second century AD, although it based on an original of the late hellenistic period. It comes from Hadrian's Villa in Tivoli and represents the mythological faun associated with Dionysus, god of wine - in fact it has been suggested that the red colour of the marble is also a reference to wine. It belongs to the same artistic school as the Young and Old Centaurs. Found in Villa Adriana, Tivoli, in 1736. Donated by Pope Benedict XIV in 1746.
The site was a network of over 30 buildings, covering an area of over 250 acres, of which much is yet to be excavated. The villa was the greatest example of an Alexandrian garden. The area included palaces, several thermae, theatre, temples, libraries, state rooms and quarters for courtiers, praetorians and slaves.
Many different architectural styles were employed here, mostly Greek and Egyptian and the area has an complex network of underground tunnels which were mostly used to transport servants and goods.
A fascinating structure in the Villa is the Maritime Theatre, which consists of a round portico with a barrel vault supported by pillars. Inside the portico was a ring-shaped pool with a central island, whereby a small Roman house complete with an atrium, a library, a triclinium and small baths had been constructed.
Many stunning artifacts have been unearthed on the grounds, such as marble statues of Antinous, Hadrian's deified lover, and mosaics from the theatre and baths. Many replicas of Greek sculpture have been discovered, as have Egyptian-style interpretations of Roman gods and vice versa. Most have been transferred to Rome for preservation, restoration and showcasing at the Musei Capitolini or the Musei Vaticani.
An architect and a classical 
