Palatine Hill

• 1. Etymological Origins And Namesakes

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  The name Palatine Hill derives from the Latin noun palātum, meaning palate. Ennius used this word once to describe heaven. It may connect with an Etruscan term for sky known as falad. Livy claimed the hill took its name from Arcadian settlers from Pallantium. These settlers named their home after Pallas, son of Lycaon. The hill's name became the root for modern words like palace and palatine. Greek speakers adopted παλάτιον while Spanish speakers chose palacio. English gained paladin to refer to distinguished knights under Charlemagne. A 16th-century adjective palatine signified authority invested by a king. Later usage shifted toward the German Palatinate region. The office of count palatine originated in Merovingian times.

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• 2. Mythological Foundations Of Rome

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  Roman mythology places the Lupercal cave on the Palatine Hill. Romulus and Remus were found there by the she-wolf Lupa. Adult Romulus chose this specific location to found the city. He murdered his brother Remus on these slopes. This ritualistic murder formed part of Roman identity. The myth established the origins of the Pomerium boundary. Hercules defeated Cacus on the southeast corner of the hill. His club struck so hard it formed a cleft. A staircase bearing the name of Cacus was constructed there later. Virgil recounted how Evander founded an ancient city near the Tiber river. Greeks from Pallantium arrived about sixty years before the Trojan War. Some writers claimed the town was named after Pallas, son of Heracles. Dionysius of Halicarnassus recorded that Romans believed their city merged with Greek heroes.

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• 3. Bronze Age Settlements And Excavations

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  Excavations show people lived in the area since the 10th century BC. Digging performed in 1907 unearthed huts used for funerary purposes between the 9th and 7th centuries BC. Another excavation in 1948 revealed similar Bronze Age artifacts. Augustus declared this site the original town of Rome during his reign. Modern archaeology identified evidence predating Rome's founding. Intensive digs began in the 18th century and culminated in the late 19th century. Discoveries continued sporadically throughout the 20th century until today. In 2006 archaeologists announced finding the Palatine House. This structure appears to be the birthplace of Augustus. The two-story house features frescoed walls and mosaic flooring. It overlooks the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine. Three shops opened onto the Via Sacra on its ground floor. In 2007 researchers claimed discovery of the Lupercal cave beneath the Domus Livia. They found a 16-metre-deep cavity encrusted with mosaics and seashells. Many experts denied this identification as the Lupercal.

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• 4. Republican Residences And Imperial Transformation

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  Many affluent Romans of the Republican period had residences there. The Republic ended in 44 BC before imperial times arrived. Augustus built his palace there starting from 27 BC. The hill gradually became exclusive domain for emperors. Ruins of palaces from Tiberius remain visible today. Tiberius ruled from 14 AD to 37 AD. Domitian constructed another palace between 81 AD and 96 AD. Nero's Domus Transitoria was destroyed by the Great Fire of Rome in AD 64. He replaced it with the larger Domus Aurea by AD 69. Domitian's Palace eventually rose over the earlier Domus Aurea. From the 16th century, the Farnese family owned the hill. Their gardens still partially preserve remains above the Domus Tiberiana. Charles Mills purchased the Villa Mattei around 1830. He turned it into an elaborate neo-Gothic villa. This building later converted into a convent at the end of the 19th century. Partial demolition occurred from 1928 to allow excavations.

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• 5. Architectural Monuments And Ruins

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  The Palace of Domitian dominates the site today. It was rebuilt largely during Domitian's reign over earlier buildings. Severan Dynasty emperors made significant additions notably the Domus Severiana. The House of Livia sits near the Temple of Magna Mater. Frescoes make this building notable despite attribution based only on lead pipe names. Augustus also built a temple dedicated to Apollo here. The Septizodium stands as another surviving structure. The Temple of Cybele occupies part of the complex. A section of corridor and fragments under the Hill were found in 2006. These describe a very ancient aristocratic house with atrium layout. The location holds significance due to proximity to Curiae Veteres shrine. Varro and Festus recorded details about these early shrines. Tacitus Annales 12.24 mentions related historical context. The Great Fire of Rome destroyed Nero's palace but allowed new construction.

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• 6. Modern Preservation And Museum Status

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  The site now functions mainly as a large open-air museum. The Palatine Museum houses many finds from excavations here. It also displays artifacts from other ancient Italian sites. Discoveries continued sporadically throughout the 20th century until present time. Excavations performed in 1907 and again in 1948 unearthed huts believed used for funerary purposes. The surviving part of the Villa Mattei building contains the museum installation. Modern archaeology has identified evidence of Bronze Age settlement predating Rome's founding. Archaeologists announced discovery of the Palatine House in 2006. This structure appears built around an atrium with frescoed walls. Mosaic flooring covers parts of the ground floor. Three shops opened onto the Via Sacra during Republican times. The location remains significant due to potential proximity to earliest shrine of curies. Many experts denied identification of the Lupercal cave found beneath Domus Livia. They believe grotto is actually nymphaeum or underground triclinium from Neronian times.