Gladiator tomb discovered by archeologists

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BRIESCIA

RUINS OF ROMAN FORUM

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                                                               Brixia

 



Brixia is the Latin name of the modern city of Brescia in Northern Italy.

Its location was first settled in the 7th century BC by a tribe of Gauls (themselves part of the Celts), which were the inhabitants of this part of Italy before the Roman conquest (see also Gallia Cisalpina).

The name of the tribe was Cœnomani, and the name of the city comes from their language.
It is most likely related to a root meaning "hill" although the correct etymology is uncertain.




History


The small village of the beginning was already a sizable town when the Romans defeated the Italian Gauls in the 3rd century BC and annexed their territory, although, after their fashion, letting them
keep most of their traditions and customs.

The Gauls of Brescia became then a reliable ally, which gained them already in the first century BC.
the status of Roman citizens and their city the title of municipium.

This meant that the people of Brescia were entitled to a degree of self-administration and that the
city was the seat of local Roman authorities (which held their office in the local Curia).




Remains


The most important archaeological findings of Roman times are the Capitolium temple complex and
the two domus that can be visited in the Museum of Santa Giulia. These domus, incidentally, are
among the best preserved in Northern Italy and let us glimpse into a distant world that can other-
wise be seen only in places like Pompeii.



Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brixia"

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Different mythological versions of the foundation of Brescia exist: one assigns it to Hercules, while another attributes it to Altilia ("the other Ilium") by a fugitive from the siege of Troy.

According to a further one, the founder was the king of the Ligures Cidnus, who had invaded the
Padan Plain in the late Bronze Age. Other scholars attribute the foundation to the Etruscans.

Invaded by the Gauls Cenomani, allied of the Insubri, in the 4th century BC, it became their capital;
the city became Roman in 225 BC, when the Cenomani submitted to Virginia.

During the Carthaginian Wars Brixia was usually allied of the Romans: in 202 BC it was part of a Celt confederation against them, but, after a secret agreement, changed side and attacked by surprise
the Insubri, destroying them.

Subsequently the city and the tribe entered peacefully in the Roman world as a faithful allied, maintaining a certain administrative freedom.

In 89 BC it was recognized as civitas ("city") and in 41 BC received the Roman citizenship.

Augustus founded a civil (not a military) colony here in 27 BC, and he and Tiberius constructed an aqueduct to supply it.

The Roman Brixia had at least three temples, an aqueduct, an amphitheater, a forum with a further temple built under Vespasianus, and some baths.

When Constantine advanced against Maxentius in 312, an engagement took place at Brescia in which the enemy was forced to retreat as far as Verona.

In 402 the city was ravaged by the Visigoths of Alaric I. During the invasion of the Huns under Attila, the city was again besieged and sacked (452) while, some forty years later, it was one of the first conquests of the Goth general Theoderic the Great in his war against Odoacer.


From
wikipedia

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In the Capitolium Temple of Brescia, recently opened to the public, it is possible to have a look to some
Roman Inscriptions from Vespasiano’s Era.

Their importance is due to their popular origins: in fact near Brescia, there are the second most important marble quarries in Italy, that’s why in Brescia almost everyone could afford a tombstone or a tablet, so the shape of the letters used by the middle class was similar to the one of the official letters, except for some different particulars.

The Capitolium Temple will be opened until the 5th of may 2008 and the entrance is free: that’s a good opportunity to visit a place which is third only to Rome and Aquileia for the number of Roman Lapidary Inscriptions.

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BRESCIA - ROMAN
WINGED VICTORY


                                                       

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