Milliarium Aureum

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Remainder of the base of the Milliarium Aureum, Roman Forum
Depiction of the Milliarium Aureum (around 1637)
Animation of the Roman roads

The Milliarium Aureum ( Golden milestone ) was a gilded column of bronze . It was built by order of Augustus in 20 BC Chr. On the eastern corner of the Rostra in the Roman Forum in Rome created (Cass. Dio 54,8,4).

Originally, the names of the capitals of the provinces of the Roman Empire and their respective distances from Rome were on the column . This pillar was intended to remind people of the size of the empire and the central nature of the forum. It was considered the ideal center of the empire, from which the most important Roman roads started. Only remnants of the base have been preserved. The total distances were 76,000 km. The emperor also had the task of building roads; he was the curator viarum . Because of this pillar, the saying “All roads lead to Rome” was born.

The Milion in Constantinople fulfilled a similar function for the Eastern Roman Empire .

literature

  • Ernst Nash: Milliarium aureum . In: ders .: Bildlexikon zur Topographie des Ancient Rome , 2 (1962), p. 64 f.
  • Z. Mari: Milliarium aureum . In: Lexicon topographicum urbis Romae 3 (1996), p. 250 f.
  • Milliarium Aureum . In: Samuel Ball Platner , Thomas Ashby : A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome . Oxford University Press, London 1929, p. 342 ( online at LacusCurtius).

Web links

Wiktionary: All roads lead to Rome  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

Coordinates: 41 ° 53 ′ 33.3 "  N , 12 ° 29 ′ 4.1"  E