Aquileia Nostra 83/84 (2012/2013)

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.

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 paper aims to collect and sort all the data about the late ancient burials found in Aquileia, scattered in the literature, trying to unify them with the new evidences carried out from an introductory screening of the Archives of the Archaeological National Museum of Aquileia. lt has emerged a rather structured ensemble, with particular regard to the ritual issue in which , along with the so-called late cremation burials (dated at the 3rd_4th ceiltury AD), coexist different burials relevant to a non explicit religious sphere. Above all, a Christian necropolis it has been reconstructed, in which the funerary inscriptions, including the titulus of Vincetius, can be associated for the first time to bricked graves and ritual elements. This is the burial set discovered in 1887-1888 in the "braida della pila", an area located east of the port, close to a disused housing complex. Currently, the necropolis core doesn't seem gravitating. around any religious building.

This contribution presents an outline of previous studies about African res slip ware finds in Aquileia: scarcity of published stratigraphic excavations prevents from attempting a statistic-based synthesis. We afford the analysis of about one hundred, mostly out of context, vessels, preserved in the Museum's depositories: they entered the collection in old times and testify for an early interest towards this ware, whose origin had not been recognized yet. The catalogue comprises 24 forms and several decorations, ranging from A to E productions, in a span-time from the 2nct to the 7th centuries.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Some aquileian evidence of particular symbolism has been collected that witnesses the representation of Christ and of the Christian message through "real" figurations attested in the classical repertoire in which the research was focused on "the invisible in the visible." Starting from the oldest figurations, it could belong to the Christian cornmunity severa} stones adorned with the motif cited by Clement of Alexandria (Predagogus, III, Xl), such as fishes, the acrostic ICHTHYS, the anchor, fishermen and the most explicit composition fish I anchor cross ("fish and cross" group). After the 313 AD, two specific motifs prevail andare represented by the Good Shepherd and the Chrismon, which from the 4th to the 6th century also appear as ornaments on person and on spoons which were used not only at meal times, but also for the eucharistic celebrations. Because of its relevant significance, the Chrismon frequently appears on tombstones found in the various cemeteries in the city. Moreover the Constantine motif is widely used and with greater visibility on ornaments and furnishings in the basilicas and churches in Aquileia. A first example of this is represented by the Bishop Teodoro's mosaic inscription, situated in the south wing of the sacred complex he built.

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

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.