Tucked in the hills of central Sicily lies yet another UNESCO World Heritage site…a summer hunting lodge built in the 3rd century that probably belonged to a very important official in the Roman Empire.
The Villa Romana del Casale covers a large area of baths, housing, and administrative offices. In the 12th century, the villa was covered by a mudslide, which kept it buried for 800 years…and probably preserved it and saved it from looting.
The villa is built around a large central courtyard, called the peristyle. The size of the peristyle and the number of rooms off it indicate this was a large villa, owned by someone of considerable prestige in the Empire. How archeologists surmised the owner was Marcus Aurelius Maximianus, co-emperor with the more famous Diocletian is a detective story loaded with clues.
There was a room dedicated to worship of the owner’s favorite god…in this case Apollo. Clue number one.
The largest room in the villa was used to receive visitors and administer affairs of state. The far end of the room, under the cupola, was slightly raised…indicating a place where someone of very high status would sit and hold court.
The floor mosaics at this villa are considered “the most exceptional Roman mosaics in the world.” They cover 37,500 square feet. There are other fragments of great mosaics in museums, but these are considered the best and most complete still in their original location.
This mosaic, from the entryway to the peristyle, provides another clue to the status of its owner. The crown on the head of the owner and the olive branch he’s holding indicate a person of high official status rather than a very wealthy merchant.
The artist who designed and supervised execution of these mosaics is unknown. However, his style indicates he likely came from North Africa. Among all the surviving Roman mosaics, these are the most complex and subtly colored.
During this period of the Roman Empire the mosaics on the floor provided clues to what each room was used for and who was likely to use them. For instance, floors with patterned mosaics, like the one pictured here, were used by servants…while floors with pictures were used by the owners of the villa.
In the the master’s private office, the theme is heroic. In this mosaic, Odysseus is escaping the sirens on his ten-year journey home.
The floor of the master bedroom contained a scene of lovemaking surrounded by portraits of pretty young maidens, a third century version of pin-ups.
First, the men make a sacrifice to Diana, the goddess of the hunt.
Two of the hunters look (unsuccessfully) for birds hidden in a tree.
Meanwhile, another bags a rabbit.
In this scene one of the hunters has been gored by a Cinghiale (wild boar) while dogs corner the animal and his partner spears it.
Finally, having killed the boar, they bring him back to the villa for a feast.
But the piece d’ resistance comes in the room called the “Chamber of the Ten Maidens.”
It shows bikini-clad young women working out, practicing for athletic events.
The joke is that the bikini is not really a modern invention at all. However, what is unique about this set of mosaics is the inference that women as well as men participated in ancient sports…
...that the women who did it were of high social status…
…and that there were formal competitions, even for women, that awarded honors to the winners.
Thank you so much for continuing to chronicle your trip Carol. Are you going to turn this into a book when you return? I hope so.
ReplyDeleteBob Yanak asked me to tell Roger that he has a contract position he'd like to consider him for when you return. You are returning, aren't you? Some day?
IN the meantime, while at my desk at HySecurity, I get to live your vagabond adventure in virtual reality. Thank you. Richard
Carol and Roger and Gail and Morris (?):
ReplyDeleteWomen in sports! Bikinis! Lovemaking in detail! Fabulous living through mosaics!
Brenna