PALATINVS MONS
Musa led his young companion south-east of the Arch of Janus to the steep staircase which led to the top of Palatine the Scalae Caci. To their right just as they began to ascend the stairs Musa pointed to a small shrine that symbolised the Lupercal. The young man smiled with glee and desperate to show his moderate knowledge of Rome said, "That must be where Romulus lived". Musa politely corrected him finding it difficult to find the strength to talk,
" No that is where Romulus and Remus were suckled by the she-wolf as babies"
his young friend nodded enthusiastically. When they reached the top of the stairs the young man did not know which way to look first. He was moving his head backwards and forwards so quickly, trying to take in all the magnificence at once, and making Musa dizzy in the process. Musa pointed to his left to a little brown hut that stood in the foreground of the magnificent temples Magna Mater and Victory, he was hoping to focus the young mans attention on one thing before he made him sick! Stood by the hut was an old priest replacing some of the reeds on the roof of the small structure (1). Musa explained, "now that is a replica of the hut where Romulus lived". The simplicity and humbleness of the hut was particularly emphasised by the grandeur of the two temples which stood directly behind it. The contrast was a poignant reminder of what the, now glorious, city once was.
They walked to their right, Musa took a deep breath filling his lungs with the clean hill air. He thought to himself there was a noticeable difference to the stuffy air of the low ground, no wonder the rich preferred the hills. They approached a house of usual aristocratic standards. Despite being an aristocratic home it looked quite diminutive as the early morning sun meant the huge temple to the right of the house covered it in shadows. The house almost looked as if it was attached to the huge structure beside it. As they walked closer to the house they saw that the lead up to the door was flanked with laurel trees. The young man rightly pointed out that this was a symbol of Apollo, they reminded him of his favourite Greek god. Musa informed the young man that the house the laurels led to was that of the Princeps: Caesar Augustus. The young man shook his head in disbelief "is that it !" he exclaimed(2).
“ Yes that is it, that is the house of Caesar, just look at the door posts do you not see the many trophies of his victories and achievements, you surely would not see anyone else with door-posts decorated like that!”(3)“My father visited on many occasions, I have only had the honour once, and that was as a child when I once accompanied my father on a visit”. The young man entreated him to tell him what it was like “it must have been magnificent on the inside!”.
“Well no, actually it was quite basic the atrium had not the usual display of masks(4). It was not purpose built by Caesar either the house once belonged to a politician called Hortentious. Caesar is too concerned with other buildings in Rome to be bothered with his own!" Musa impatiently ushered the young man on who would have been content to study the Princeps door-posts all day.
Musa moved to his right past the understated house of the Princeps to the huge temple that towered at its side. The young man dawdled then ran to catch up. At first he was ore struck, straining his neck to inspect the reliefs of laurel around the top of the temple and the mighty statue of the Helios on its roof. They began to ascend the stairs, Musa's young companion looked amazed at the temples brilliance his excitement was fuelled his questions came thick and fast. Musa ignored his numerous questions as his attention was distracted. His mind was on the chance of catching a glimpse of one of the lovely ladies that often frequented the temples surrounding porticos. He was disappointed perhaps it was a little early for the ladies the sun was not yet hot enough to require the shade (5). His attention returned to his companion, who was by this time tugging on his angustus clavus toga. This attire was unusual for a doctor who were most commonly freedmen. Musa was different because his father had been raised to the rank of eques by Augustus. This was after his father's revolutionary cold baths and portions had saved the Princeps life. At this moment he was finding his companion a little irritating, he appeared to have forgotten that although they were in the same profession they were of different ranks and Musa deserved more respect. His young companion seemed ashamed of himself and shut up. Musa felt guilty and to make up for it decided, despite his terrible hangover from the terrible wine he was given the previous night, he would do his best to introduce the young man to the city.
He began by informing the young man that this, as he has conjectured in his barrage of questions, was in fact a Temple of Apollo but was better known as the temple of Actian Apollo (6). As they reached the top of the stairs there stood the enormous double doors of ivory. Musa explained briefly what the relief’s on them were. One was the attempted sack of Delphi by the Gauls in 279BC. Apollo is seen defending his home and succeeding. The other door depicted the slaughter of Niobe’s children by Apollo after her boasting had insulted his mother Leto (7).
The young man was quite astute despite his low birth and commented on how Augusts was like Apollo as he defended Rome and avenged his father Julius Caesar’s death. The power of the temple was over whelming the young man was silenced by its magnificence and detail. They wandered around the surrounding porticos in silence as he inspected the “giallo antico” statues of the Danaids and their ill-fated bridegrooms. Musa during the silence pondered as he looked at the statues he thought of how Caesar had brought peace to the empire. The temple built after victory over Sextus Pompey in 36BC and was linked so closely with the victory in Actian in 31BC this emphasized to him how that peace was brought by victory. At the end of the portico they came across a statue of Apollo himself with lyre in hand Musa’s angry impatience had passed he felt calm once again. The young man informed Musa that he recognized the statue as he had seen it on a coin. (8) They walked the full length of the surrounding porticos and as they descended the steps Musa informed the young man that the sibylline books were kept inside the temple they were moved from the temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the Capitoline by Augustus. The young man smiled he had taken a great sense of comfort from what he had seen of the city, despite being so far from his home he felt safe in a city that was under the protection of such a man.
FROM THE FORUM BOARIUM HOME TO THE FORUM ROMANUM
(6) See Propertius IV . This poem highlights the two sides of Apollo, aggressor and peace maker. It also connects Augustus closely to Apollo and thus through association his characteristics.
Coins were a very good source of propaganda.