Chieti - Roman memories (original) (raw)

Ancient Chieti (Teate) (women of Sulmona by E. Lear)

You may wish to see an introductory page to this section or a page on the town first.

## Evidence of the Roman amphitheatre at Civitella, the former citadel. It was discovered in 1982 on the highest and westernmost point of the ancient town (see a list of Roman amphitheatres which are shown in this website)

TEATE MARRUCINORUM. An ancient city under the capital of a province, situated on the right bank of the Pescara river ca. 15 km from the sea. The city spreads over a hill, set between the parallel valleys of the Pescara and Alento rivers, which makes up the W edge of the pliocene terrace that was spread between the Maiella chain and the Adriatic. Teate's pre-Roman origins can be reconstructed at a cult area evidenced by a very ancient sacred well. (..) Under the influence of Rome, the site, which bordered the Via Valeria on both sides, had the traditional urban plan. The district of Civitella still preserves intact the square grid plan with its NW-SE orientation. (..) In the Roman organization, Teate had a municipal constitution. Quattuorviri are known, as are aediles, a curator muneris publici, and members of the college of the seviri augustales. With the Augustan division of Italy, Teate became part of Regio IV, Sabina et Samnium, and was enrolled in the tribus Arniense. The Princeton Encyclopedia of Classical Sites - 1978 The Via Valeria which derived its appellation from the Valerian family was a continuation of the Via Tiburtina which led from Rome to Tibur, now Tivoli. At this last place the Via Valeria commenced, and extended to Corfinium and Teate, through Alba Fucens and Marruvium.

## Roman temples one of which was turned into a church. It is named after the Dioscuri (Castor and Pollux), based on fragments of terracotta statues which were found inside

Theate, or Teate, at a more remote era, was considered the capital of the small but not unimportant tribe of the Marrucini, who sought the alliance of the Roman republic in its early successes, and remained its useful and faithful allies until the Social War, when they took part with all the other nations on this shore of the Adriatic, and shared their downfall. Among the relics of the ancient city the most remarkable are the vestiges of a theatre of considerable dimensions, those of a large public edifice, some remains of a temple of Hercules, and one of Diana Trivia; a few arches, a gateway, and a fine pavement of mosaic, found in the year 1640, representing the contest of Hercules and Achelous, (a river god who turned himself into a bull to fight Hercules), and described as one of the most perfect specimens of that species of labour ever discovered (see a mosaic depicting this subject which decorated the palace of Nero at Anzio). To these must be added numerous inscriptions. Keppel Richard Craven - Excursions in the Abruzzi and northern provinces of Naples - 1838 At the N end of Civitella, two series of temples mark the adjacent sides of the forum. At the SE end of the forum, the Via Valeria crossed and on the opposite side, set into the hill, a series of three temples rose on a prominence. Two temples are identical, while the smallest was apparently constructed at a later date. Because of the characteristic refacing in dichrome opus reticulatum, the two identical temples may be thought to be of the same date as the theatre. In the construction of the temples, the oldest structures, already mentioned, were enclosed and they preserved the sacred well. Princeton Encyclopedia Small temples standing on a common platform can be seen in Rome (e.g. at Foro Olitorio and Largo Argentina) and in provincial towns (e.g. at Ostia, Sufetula and Pola).

## Roman theatre: outer ring

The native antiquaries of Chieti have endeavoured to dignify it by a Greek origin; founding their hypothesis on an error in some of the editions of Strabo, in which it is called Tegeate, and considering this appellation as bestowed upon it by a colony from the Arcadian Tegea. It is, however, more probable that it was (like most others located in these regions) a Samnite or Oscan population; and, in addition to the many objections which naturally present themselves to the former assertion, it is to be remarked that no monument of any kind has ever been found within the present range of the provinces of Abruzzo bearing an inscription or letters in the Greek dialect. (..) The fragments of antiquity abovementioned it is almost needless to add, are all of Roman style and execution. Craven

## Roman theatre: "cavea", seating section in "opus caementicium"

Along the slopes, in the direction of Pescara, spreads the cavea of the theatre, with a diameter of 80 m. It is now supposed that a considerable section of this area was destroyed by the landslides that have occurred from antiquity onward. Princeton Encyclopedia The Roman towns of Abruzzo were rather minor ones, yet they had theatres and amphitheatres, e.g. at Amiternum, Alba Fucens, Marruvium and Interamnia Praetutium (Teramo).

## Museo Archeologico Nazionale d'Abruzzo (MANDA): hall of the "Guerriero di Capestrano"

The remaining above ground evidence of Roman Teate is rather limited, yet Chieti deserves a visit by the antiquary because it houses the most important archaeological museum of the region. It was founded in 1959 and Chieti was chosen because of its central location in Abruzzo and its historical background. In 2000 another archaeological museum (Museo della Civitella) was inaugurated near the amphitheatre to display the ancient monuments and works of art which were found at Chieti and its environs. Some of the exhibits of MANDA are shown in pages covering Corfinium, Sulmona, Alba Fucens, Pizzoli, the environs of L'Aquila, Fossa, Amiternum and Carsoli.

## Museo della Civitella: fronts of three temples which were found at Teate; the image used as background for this page shows a marble relief at the museum

These structures may be temple buildings, surely prior to the social war and probably dating to the IIIrd century B.C. Decorative terracotta elements discovered in the vicinity of those structures may be dated to the following century, as well as terracotta materials that come from one or more of the temples on the highest level of the city, the district of Civitella, set at the S end of the settlement and certainly the Arx Marrucina. That is all that remains of the most ancient phase of Teate, still thought to be in the Italic period. Princeton Encyclopedia

## Museo della Civitella: fragments of painted terracotta statues from Tempio dei Dioscuri: Jupiter at the centre between Castor and Pollux and Venus to the right

The Etruscans developed advanced techniques for making large terracotta statues for their temples (e.g. at Veii) and sarcophagi (e.g. at Cerveteri). Some of the oldest temples in Rome had painted terracotta statues of the gods to whom they were dedicated (e.g. a Temple to Mars). The Sabines bordered on the Etruscans and their territory included most of western Abruzzo, so they were in touch with the Marrucini, who might have adopted the practice of making terracotta statues from them. Painted terracotta statues became very popular in Abruzzo during the Renaissance, see a XVIth century dramatic Descent from the Cross.

## Museo della Civitella: other terracotta decorative elements of the temples: (above-left) small head of a god; (above-right) dancers from Tempio dei Dioscuri; (below) small statues (antefixes) portraying Hercules

The decoration of the temples was very often based on mould-made terracotta; in particular the roof tiles running along the eaves of a temple were decorated with antefixes, which often took the form of identical figures or heads, either of humans or mythological creatures. As well as being decorative, architectural terracotta served to shield and protect exposed wooden parts of the building from the elements. The same technique was used for panels with low reliefs, see a reconstructed temple from Alatri with a terracotta decoration.

## Museo della Civitella: reconstructed funerary monument of Lusius Storax (Ist century AD), discovered in 1886 at S. Maria di Calvona in the outskirts of Chieti

Lusius Storax was a very wealthy freedman who was appointed sevir augustalis, i.e. one of the six members of a college in charge of organizing celebrations in honour of the emperors. It was not per se an important position, but it was the highest achievable by a freedman. In the funerary monument Storax built for himself and his two wives he mentioned his former master and his being a sevir. You may wish to see other funerary monuments of sevires in France and Germany.

## Museo della Civitella: reconstructed funerary monument of Lusius Storax: (above) appointment of Storax; (middle) gladiatorial combats; (below) dedicatory inscription

In order to be appointed sevir Storax paid for the construction of the amphitheatre and for the gladiatorial combats which inaugurated it. The scene of the appointment of Storax is very crowded and it includes the musicians who played at the event, the other members of the college and the magistrates of the town. You may wish to see a more dramatic relief depicting gladiatorial combats and musicians in a funerary monument which was found near Lucus Feroniae.

## Museo della Civitella: (left) bronze unguent container (before the Roman conquest); (centre) Cerberus, the three-headed dog which guarded the entrance to the Underworld (one head is missing); (right) Emperor Titus

The bronze container is almost identical to those found at Tarquinia, one of the main Etruscan towns. The statue of Cerberus was found in the Forum of Teate. Cerberus was often depicted with Hercules who dragged the dog to sunlight. He was also depicted with Hades and Serapis and this applies to the statue in the museum because there is evidence of a shrine to Serapis in the Forum. Excavations have led to the discovery of official portraits of Augustus and Titus.

## Museo della Civitella: (left) altar dedicated by Trebius Pharus to his mother Iphis, a follower of Isis; (centre) tombstone of members of the Mamilii family including a freedman; (right) tombstone of Alexander, a young slave of Sextus Maraidus, erected by his mother who mourns his early death (MOrs IMATuRA)