Aquileia Nostra 83/84 (2012/2013)

The period between Tetrarchy and the first decades of the 51h century was the final phase in a long history of sculptural portraiture production in the round and in relief from Aquileia. The aim of this paper is to provide a synthesis of the subject, from which it will be shown that, also in this Northem Adriatic town, one can note the same divergence between imperial and private portraiture that is documented for this period in other areas of the Empire, as well as the gradual disappearance of individual representation.

The so called 'Great Baths' were one of the largest and most sumptuous public buildings of Aquileia in Costantinian age, but today are almost unrecognizable by reason of a long history of radical transformations. Investigated several times on the part of the locai Superintendency during the 20th century, since 2002 they are systematically excavated by an archaeological mission of the University of Udine. The recent stratigraphic diggings have allowed us to know the complex history of the building, from its construction to the reuse of its ruins in the early Middle Acfes and, after the collapses and a long period of neglect, to the systematic despoliation probably carried out in the 13r -14th century. On the basis of excavation data and of the most recent interpretations, this paper describes the hypothetical layout of the Baths and division of their rooms, and also the characteristics of their construction and adornment. Furthermore, the latest studies on some classes of materials allowed us to discuss the chronological phases of the impressive thermal complex, which was operative at least until the middle of the 5th century A.D.

In the abbey of Maguzzano (Brescia), there is an unpublished milestone with the names of Crispus, Licinianus Licinius Iunior and Constantine Il, which was originally located along the road Mediolano-Aquileiam, that from the fourth century was one of the main links between West and East. The elements of the text indicate a chronological collocation between 1 March 317 and 19 September 324. Near the abbey, also, is still in situa milestone without inscriptions, belonging to the same road.

In the external galleries of the Museum of Aquileia was exposed in 2013 an African amphora dating back to IV-V centuries. It shows on the neck a singular rectangular stamp without any inscription: a Christogram is flanked by two stylized palm branches. This kind of drawings could be compared with contemporary seal rings. Meaning and function of this stamp can't be interpreted with certainty: it could be a warranty on the weight and quality of the content or a religious symbol affixed with propitiatory and protective function.

The study of negative pictures in the Archive of the National Museum of Aquileia concerning excavations and restaurations of the archaeological remains of Fondo CAL allowed the reconstruction of several mosaic floors belonging to a large late antique domus of 3000 square meters. The geometrica! and the figurai patterns we were ab le to reconstruct show indeed clear connections with other relevant complexes of Aquileia that can be dated to the constantinian time a the Basilica Teodoriana meglio aule teodoriane and above all the so-called Grandi Terme. It has been possible therefore to hypothesise that these mosaics were producted by a locai workshop that flourished in the city after the great construction of the big thermal complex and that after that experience operated in the main private buildings of the city during Late Antiquity. Moreover, the virtual replacement of the mosaics has lead the reconstruction of the pian of the house. It was characterized by a policentric ratio that showed the contemporary presence of several reception halls, as the famous Buon Pastore hall, that were linked by corridors and were alternated with open courtyards.

Panegyric 7 (6) in honour of Maximianus and Constantine, which was presented in the summer of 307 upon Constantine's assumption of the imperial title by Maximianus and his contemporaneous marriage to Maximianus' daughter Fausta, depicts the first meeting of the young Constantine with the then 5-year-old Fausta (about 295) as it was portrayed by a painting at the imperial palace in Aquileia. On that occasion, he accepted a parade helmet from the princess as an "engagement present". The purpose of the propaganda speech is to emphasize the politica! and familial relationship between the two emperors. Panegyrics 12 (9) of 313 and 4 (10) of 321 (Nazarius) cover Aquileia's conduct upon Constantine's war in northern Italy in the summer of 312. Just like severa! other cities, Aquileia initially opted against Constantine, however, following his victories it offered to surrender and at the same time asked for mercy. Its conduct not only induced the emperor to grant a pardon to Aquileia but also to reward it. Constantine's contacts with Aquileia are also highlighted by the following: the synod of Arles in the summer of 314 that was called by the emperor and attended also by Bishop Theodore of Aquileia who presented himself in the minutes as a bishop from Dalmatia (!). This province was under the authority of Licinius, bis ally who was soon to become his worst competitor. In the later years, Constantine visited Aquileia on several occasions during his journeys and issued some important laws there.

This paper proposes some reflections on the continuity and the transformation of the genre of "garden painting", recognized, in a late declination, in the fragments of the southern church of Aquileia's Basilica. From the famous example of Villa di Livia, in Prima Porta, realized in the Augustan age, garden paintings direct to a fortune always more documented, in the course of the I Century A.D., by a considerable number of Vesuvian testimonials, while horti picti's persistence in middle and the late imperial period evolves in more abstract forms bound in ornamental intents, like demonstrate the few pieces surviving discovered in the Empire's provinces. Aquileia's Basilica fragments adjust to the dissipated texture of figurative inheritances dissolved in late antique "synthetism", that proposes, at the beginning of the IV century A.D., an iconographic scheme still aligned with canon topoi of the genre.

This paper deals with the epigraphic culture of Aquileia during the first half of the fourth century and especially with the so-called civic inscriptions, i.e. building and honorific inscriptions which were presented to a broader public. The paper focuses on the epigraphic equipment of the forum at the beginning of late antiquity, on the urban expansion under Constantine and the inscriptions connected with this development, on the growing importance of milestones for imperial representation and on funerary epigraphy as well as on the new world of Christian inscriptions in Aquileia. The second part consists of a detailed catalogue of those inscriptions from Aquileia and its territory which are directly connected to Constantine and his sons.

This paper focuses on the coin production of Roman mint of Aquileia during the age of Constantine I, i.e. on the various gold, silver and bronze issues struck in the different stages from 306 to 337 AD, and little later. Some new attributions and some unpublished coins are presented. The article considers also some important aspects of monetary portraiture and iconography in the generai framework of the Constantinian propaganda.

Even if Aquileia had already undergone major changes during the tetrachic age, it seems appropriate to speak of a « great constantinian Aquileia ». We now ha ve a number of clues that allow to speak of a planned expansion in the western part of the city in Constantinian time, where major public works were carried out including the baths, the circus and perhaps the imperial palace. Moreover in the southem part of the city we have the early start of an extended area allocated to buildings of the christian religion. In this regard it is likely that the choice of this site was due to the need to have a large and homogeneous space.

A recent analysis of unpublished documents stored in the archives of the National Archaeological Museum of Aquileia has allowed us to acquire new historical and topographic data related to the suburbium of Aquileia during the Roman imperial late age. A first set of information concerns some operations put in place between the fourth and fifth century in order to counter the effects of the progressive hydrogeologic precariousness of this land: there are documentations related to different set of anphoras located in particular in the suburban area between the Natissa's river and the Canal of Amphora. Additional significant evidences of great interest shed light the methods of processing and utilization of the suburban' segment of the Aquileia-Tergeste road, after the well known stages of development of the monumental necropolis. The cross-reading between the reliefs and the manuscripts with "explanation of the excavations" written by Giacomo Pozzar between the 1891 and the 1897 clarifies some aspects related to the destruction and abandonment of this ancient road and to its own restoration, on an axis slightly shifted, in this area which is vital for the communications and the troops' movements.

The existence of a palatium at Aquileia during Late Antiquity is confirmed by a panegyric delivered at Treviri in 307 A.D., but the place where it was located is still unknown. According to la test research, the remains of this building - whether it be a real imperial palace or simply a temporary residence of the emperor - should be sought in the vicinity of the Circus, as the numerous sources regarding the topographical locations of these two structures in imperial cities suggest. Urban analysis and the discovery of sculptural works of significant quality found to the east of the Circus not only appear to confirm this hypothesis but also to indicate this area as the likely location of the imperial residence.

Since the Constantinian age, private houses in Aquileia show a growing trend for changing and renewing their architectural forms: the model of house gets closer to models characterized by a stronger architectonic and decorative magnificence. As to the architectonic aspect, this new request for magnificence leads to enhance the spaces , through the realization of ampie reception rooms and of apsed halls. In other cases, such a renewal is appreciable solely on domestic decorations, consisting exclusively in the refurbishment of the former pavements in accordance with the decorative taste of the period. These transformations are to be interpreted as a consequence of the new leading role of Aquileia, over the Late Antiquity, at a political and strategie level and, also, of the establishment of a wealthy patronage, with a strong interest in promote their self-presentation and enhance his status.

Late antique marble sculpture in Aquileia, copious but generally poorly preserved, offers a number of interesting casestudies, like those this paper deals with. Ludovico Rebaudo examines a fourth century, less than-natural young male head, long since hold for a free-standing portrait of Constantine the Great. He shows as it is actually a relief-head, possibly belonging to a monumental historical relief and representing a Genius Augusti or Genius Populi Romani, both very popular in Constantine's propagandist imagerie, especially on coins. Katharina Zanier takes into account the wellknown relief with the so-called magistrate's procession retracing old and new interpretive hypotheses of this piece, key document of the fourth century sculpture in Aquileia, being so rich in suggestions and at the same time so reluctant to provide ascertainable evidences .

In the great amount of inscriptions carne to light in Aquileia, it is not easy to recognize those produced by the Christians of the age of Constantine to the absence of stylistic characteristic, signs of identity or consular date that attaches securely on

The early Christian Episcopal complex of Aquileia, built in the age of Constantine, is the best preserved in the West. The review of the data of the excavations and new observations on the structures stili visible allow a new proposal of original plant. The existing buildings have profoundly inftuenced the architectural form of the episcopal complex, in particular with regard to the main halls of worship. News emerge especially for the organization of the internal spaces between the main churches. Some evidence allow usto describe the system of entrance to the complex, with a corridor overlooked, north and south, the construction. Despite little evidence available, is proposed a new hypothesis planimetrie of these environments and those close to them that allow the passage of the main churches. A new classification can also be formulated for the baptismal buildings: a quadrangular baptistery, with a circular pool, around which you have other spaces including a heated environment in front the entrance.

Quantity and importance of late antique mythological sculpture in Aquileia has few parallels in Italy. The most important evidence is a group of marble tondi depicting busts of gods, found mostly in an area of the city where there was a luxurious suburban villa, identified by some scholars with the imperial palace. The tondi are work of sculptors from Asia Minor; they possibly belong to two different groups of different quality, and were intended as decoration for large audience halls. Some other sculptures should be dated in the same period: a statuette of dancing Maenad, a marble artifact of disputed function - probably a monopodium-mdepicting Orpheus surrounded by animals, a helmeted female head representing perhaps the Goddess Rome, and finally the famous relief of Mithras slaying the bull now in the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, previously dated to the second century A.D.