Updated floristic biodiversity of Roman iconography.

Relatively little research has been carried out in the field of iconography in ancient Roman sculpture and painting. Therefore, we have compiled a botanical database to define the qualitative and quantitative aspects of botanical elements found in archaeological structures, and to name taxa cited in ancient literary sources which are of uncertain identification. This includes data set of about 420 art works and 3,000 related images based on information found in ancient writers and new discoveries, which have emerged from the research process. 202 taxa of plants (78 families, 159 genera, and 168 species) have been identified to date, and the main characteristics of their floristic elements and their degree of rarity are reported. Acanthus mollis, Vitis vinifera, Phoenix dactylifera, Punica granatum, Ficus carica, Laurus nobilis, and Hedera helix proved to be the species represented most frequently, due to their strong association with mythological and religious symbolism. The database contains 97 (47.8 %) new or very recently identified species, representing almost half of the information currently available in academic literature; a large proportion of species represented in the artworks (70.0 %) seems to occur with very low frequency. A number of doubtful exotic taxa attributed to Pompeian gardens in some previous iconographic studies have probably been confused with native species. The database confirms the wide variety of botanical elements and their frequent recurrence in ancient Roman decorations. The ancients' extensive knowledge of their natural surroundings is also confirmed, suggesting the need for a more wide-reaching cataloguing of archaeological structures

Trevi. Una capitale allo specchio. Ediz. italiana e inglese

This volume sets out to offer, through an analysis of the Trevi district and some neighbouring areas, a guide to interpretation of the transformations in Rome and the process of modernisation of the city in the contemporary age, with special attention given to the period between 1870 and the 1930s, when some of the most emblematic innovations, those that came to define the identity of the new capital of a united Italy, took place. This work includes all the documentation presented on the occasion of the exhibition: “Trevi. Reflections of a capital city”. It is also enhanced by the inclusion of several other images both in colour and in black and white that were not presented in the exhibition itself. We thank the various Roman, national and international cultural institutions, whose scientific cooperation has made this project possible

Biodiversità ed emergenze floristiche nelle aree archeologiche romane

Biodiversity and floristic emergencies in Roman archaeological areas – The flora of the main Roman archaeological sites results particularly rich in species, counting 672 taxa, that corresponds to over 50% of Rome’s spontaneous flora. Many species are very interesting, as new for the city (Damasonium alisma subsp. alisma, Echium parviflorum, Neatostema apulum, Orobanche picridis, Arenaria serpyllifolia, Gnaphalium luteo-album, G. sylvaticum, Oenanthe silaifolia var. media, Poa trivialis subsp. sylvicola, Cuscuta planiflora, Romulea columnae subsp. columnae, Stellaria cupaniana, Trifolium striatum subsp. tenuiflorum), or very rare in the urban area (Polygonum aviculare, Antirrhinum siculum, Myagrum perfoliatum, Urtica pilulifera etc.) or in Latial region (Parietaria lusitanica subsp. lusitanica, Trachelium caeruleum subsp. caeruleum, Artemisia annua). Some of these moreover belong to the Red Regional List of IUCN or result as protected species in Latium. These data underline as Roman archaeological areas represent important refuge sites for floristic entities that in other urban areas loose their habitat. The biological spectrum shows the prevalence of therophytes (45%), followed by hemicriptophytes (29.3%), in accordance to the pedo-climatic characteristics and the use and the type of management adopted in these areas. Chorological analysis confirms the important role played by the climate, in the dominance of Mediterranean species (40,7%), and by human impact, in the high number of widely-distributed species (33.8%), above all in the central archaeological sites. Anyway the exotic component results low (8.3%), underling the importance of these areas in urban ecosystem for the conservation of native spontaneous flora

Analisi ecologica della flora nell’area archeologica centrale di Roma in relazione all’uso antropico del sito

Studio ecologico della flora dell'area archeologica centrale di Rom

Orchids in the Roman iconography: Evidence for the first representations.

Orchids have fascinated humans since ancient times. Not only the particular morphology of their flowers and hypogean organs, but also their reproductive biology have inspired myths, legends and popular traditions in many cultures, all around the world. Despite these facts, their representations on ancient artefacts have never been described in the scientific literature. No clear data exist for Eastern culture, and in Western countries, the first certain representations of orchids in art date back to the XV-XVI century CE. This paper documents different identifications of orchids on Roman monuments changing the common belief that these plants first appeared in art more recently. Floral elements of Cephalanthera spp., Spiranthes spiralis (L.) Chevall, of Orchis tridentata Scop., and of other orchids were observed in different architectonical elements (cornices and ceilings) throughout the Roman period, and in the external frieze of the Ara Pacis monument (I century CE). These representations seem to refer to a symbolism of fertility and sexuality, and their absence in medieval time can be explained only considering religion influences. © 2012 Elsevier Masson SA