Gardens of Lucullus

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The Gardens of Lucullus (Horti Lucullani or Luculliani) were the first luxury gardens in ancient Rome . They were made by Lucius Licinius Lucullus around 60 BC. On the Pincio in the north of the city of Rome. In order to compensate for the differences in height, terraces and stairs were created. The middle terrace is said to have been particularly splendid with its walkways and tree-lined avenues. Only a few archaeological remains can be ascribed to the villa complex. Its center was probably near the later church of Santa Trinità dei Monti .

Decimus Valerius Asiaticus , a later owner of the gardens of Lucullus, fell victim to the intrigues of Messalina in AD 47, among other things because the empress wanted to take possession of this magnificent green area. A year later she herself died in these gardens. The gardens remained in the imperial possession.

literature

  • Gert Kaster: The gardens of Lucullus. Development and importance of the Pincio Hill development in Rome . Dissertation TU Munich 1974.
  • Samuel Ball Platner , Thomas Ashby : Horti Luculliani . In: A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome . Oxford University Press, London 1929, pp. 268f. ( online )

Remarks

  1. ^ Filippo Coarelli : Rome. An archaeological guide . Zabern, Mainz 2000, ISBN 3-8053-2685-8 , p. 255.
  2. ↑ Tacitus , Annals 11, 1 ; Cassius Dio 60, 27, 2; 60, 29, 6a; 60, 31, 5.
  3. ↑ Tacitus, Annals 11, 32 and 11, 37 .
  4. ↑ Plutarch , Lucullus 39, 2 ( English translation ).

Coordinates: 41 ° 54 '23.4 "  N , 12 ° 29' 0.2"  E