Capitoline Hill
The Capitoline Hill was once known as Mons Saturnius, a name dedicated to the god Saturn. Ancient sources connect this identity to a mythological discovery during temple construction. When foundation trenches were dug for the Temple of Jupiter at Tarquin's order, workers found a human skull. The Latin word caput means head, and this find defined the hill's new name. Varro L.L. 5.7.42 records this etymological link between the physical head and the summit itself. Romans viewed the Capitolium as indestructible, adopting it as a symbol of eternity. This belief persisted even when the original structures crumbled over centuries.
In 390 BC, the Senones Gauls raided Rome after the battle of River Allia. The Capitoline Hill remained the only section of the city to evade capture by these barbarians. Roman defenders fortified the slopes to hold back the invaders. Legend states that Marcus Manlius Capitolinus heard the attack through sacred geese of Juno. These birds alerted the guards to the climbing enemy forces. The Vulcanal shrine occupied much of the eastern lower slopes in the 8th century BC. Later kings built the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus on the summit. Construction began under Tarquinius Priscus who ruled from 616 to 579 BC. King Tarquinius Superbus completed the project between 535 and 496 BC. The temple stood nearly as large as the Parthenon when finished in 509 BC.
By the 12th century, the hill served as the center of civic government for Rome. A revolt in 1144 saw citizens rise against papal authority and noble power. A senator took up residence on the Capitoline Hill following this uprising. This new palazzo turned its back on the ancient Forum below. The change marked a shift away from classical orientation toward medieval governance. In the middle of the 14th century, guilds constructed their court of justice on the southern end of the piazza. This building later housed the Conservatori during the 15th century. The church of Santa Maria in Aracoeli stands adjacent to the square today. Its base contains remains of a Roman insula with more than four storeys visible from the street.
Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti created the design for Piazza del Campidoglio between 1536 and 1546. Pope Paul III commissioned the work at the height of his fame. The Farnese Pope wanted to impress Emperor Charles V who arrived in 1538. Michelangelo planned to reorient the civic space away from the Roman Forum entirely. He designed a monumental plaza to address the developing section of the city rather than ancient ruins. An equestrian statue of Marcus Aurelius was placed in the center of the paved oval field. The Cordonata Capitolina ramp system lifted visitors toward the sky like a slow-moving escalator. Work continued faithfully after his death under Tommaso dei Cavalieri's supervision. The Campidoglio was completed in the 17th century except for the paving design which finished three centuries later.
The trapezoidal layout of the piazza creates an enclosed outdoor room open to the sky. Five symmetrical openings allow access into this giant architectural space. A stepped ramp called the cordonata leads up to the high square from below. This wide-ramped stair allowed horse riders to ascend without dismounting. Railings topped by statues of two Egyptian lions in black basalt mark the base. Marble renditions of Castor and Pollux stand at their top. The travertine design set into the paving is perfectly level around its perimeter. Low steps arise and die away into the paving as the slope requires. Charles De Tolnay noted that the center springs slightly like an exposed segment of a gigantic egg buried at the city's heart. Benito Mussolini ordered the paving completed to Michelangelo's design in 1940.
Three palazzi now house the Capitoline Museums on the hilltop. The Palazzo dei Conservatori was built in the Middle Ages for local magistrates named Conservators of Rome. It stands atop a sixth-century BC temple dedicated to Jupiter Maximus Capitolinus. Michelangelo designed a new façade for the dilapidated building incorporating Corinthian pilasters. The Palazzo Nuovo construction began in 1603 and finished in 1654 before opening to the public in 1734. Its facade duplicates that of the Palazzo dei Conservatori using Michelangelo's blueprint from a century earlier. The Palazzo Senatorio houses Roman city hall after conversion by Giovanni Battista Piranesi in the 18th century. Peperino blocks from the Tabularium were reused in the left side of this palazzo. A balustrade punctuated by sculptures capped the composition with massive ancient statues of Castor and Pollux.
Common questions
What is the origin of the name Capitoline Hill?
The Capitoline Hill was originally known as Mons Saturnius before workers found a human skull during temple construction. The Latin word caput means head, and this discovery defined the hill's new name according to Varro L.L. 5.7.42.
How did the Capitoline Hill survive the Senones Gaul raid in 390 BC?
The Capitoline Hill remained the only section of Rome to evade capture by the Senones Gauls after the battle of River Allia. Roman defenders fortified the slopes while sacred geese of Juno alerted guards to climbing enemy forces led by Marcus Manlius Capitolinus.
When was the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus built on the Capitoline Hill?
Construction began under Tarquinius Priscus who ruled from 616 to 579 BC and finished between 535 and 496 BC under King Tarquinius Superbus. The temple stood nearly as large as the Parthenon when completed in 509 BC.
Who designed the Piazza del Campidoglio on the Capitoline Hill?
Renaissance artist Michelangelo Buonarroti created the design for Piazza del Campidoglio between 1536 and 1546 at the commission of Pope Paul III. Work continued after his death under Tommaso dei Cavalieri's supervision until the Campidoglio was completed in the 17th century.
What buildings house the Capitoline Museums today?
Three palazzi now house the Capitoline Museums including the Palazzo dei Conservatori, the Palazzo Nuovo, and the Palazzo Senatorio. The Palazzo dei Conservatori stands atop a sixth-century BC temple dedicated to Jupiter Maximus Capitolinus while the Palazzo Senatorio houses Roman city hall.
All sources
21 references cited across the entry
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- 3bookArchaeological Guide to RomeAdriano La Regina — Electa — 2004
- 5webDefinition of CAPITOL2024-12-17
- 6bookThe HistoriesPublius Tacitus — Penguin — 25 June 2009
- 8harvnbAicher (2004) p. 42–71Aicher — 2004
- 10bookMichelangelo: The Artist, the Man, and His TimesWilliam Wallace — Cambridge University Press — 2010
- 11bookMichelangeloHerbert Von Einem — Methuen and Co. Ltd. — 1973
- 12bookThe Life of MichelangeloCharles H. Morgan — Reynal and Company — 1966
- 13bookBuildings across Time: Third EditionMichael Fazio — McGraw-Hill — 2008
- 14bookSpace, Time and ArchitectureSiegfried Giedion — 1941
- 15bookThe Renaissance in Italy: Architecture • Sculpture • FrescoesHeinrich Decker — Viking Press — 1969
- 16bookBuildings across TimeMichael Fazio — McGraw-Hill — 2008
- 17bookA Topographical Dictionary of Ancient RomeSamuel Ball Platner — Oxford University Press — 1929
- 18bookThe Life of MichelangeloCharles H. Morgan — Reynal and Company — 2008
- 21journalNaming the Capitol and the CapitalGeorge W. Hodgkins — 1960