Porta Asinaria
The Porta Asinaria is a gate in the Aurelian Wall in Rome, which was built between 271 and 275 AD . In ancient times, the gate was the starting point for the via Asinaria , a connection to the via Appia and via Ardeatina .
The gate was originally just one of the smaller, towerless gateways in the Aurelian Wall. However, there were two square towers nearby. It was probably only developed into a real gate under Honorius , with two semicircular towers on its sides and an inner gate courtyard. The arched passage was widened and a gun chamber with five arched windows was installed above it. The facade of the gateway itself was clad with travertine . Presumably the gate got its increased importance from the proximity of the Lateran Palace . After the renovation and expansion measures, it was the only gate in Rome that had four towers.
In 546 the Ostrogoths under their leader Totila penetrated the city through the porta Asinaria and devastated it. In 1084 Robert Guiskard used it as a gateway to plunder and burn down the city after the failed attempt to reinstate his liege Gregor VII as Pope. After a considerable increase in terrain, which made its use increasingly impossible, the gate was first temporarily closed in 1408, then finally in 1574 when it was under Gregory XIII. was replaced by the newly built Porta San Giovanni just a few meters away .
literature
- Samuel Ball Platner , Thomas Ashby : A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome. Oxford University Press, London 1929, p. 404 ( online ).
- Filippo Coarelli : Rome. An archaeological guide. Herder, Freiburg (Breisgau) et al. 1981, ISBN 3-451-17247-X , p. 27.
Web links
Coordinates: 41 ° 53 ′ 8.5 " N , 12 ° 30 ′ 31.3" E