A Tourist in Rome - Triumphal Portico di Monte Caprino
Location: | 41.89105, 12.48079 Across the street (Via del Teatro di Marcello) from San Nicola in Carcere |
Metro: | Colosseo or Circo Massimo and Bus #160, or see it on my To the Forum Boarium and Beyond Walking Tour instead |
Time: | about 10 minutes |
Cost: | Free |
Hours: | Viewable at any time |
The Triumphal Portico di Monte Caprino exists today as several large arches at a busy intersection, with a few scattered remants on either side. The demolition of some medieval houses led to the discovery that they had been built making use of a very old Roman portico; it is located at the foot of Monte Caprino, the southern peak of Campidoglio. Some archaeologists believe the portico to be Portico Triumphalis, a sort of arch of the 1st century BC on the path followed by the triumphal processions. This portion of the Servian Wall was characterized by a roofed arcade, up to this gate. The materials and styles of this gate are characteristic of the first century BC. This might be the Portico Minucia referred to in ancient texts. The main part of the portico, which is obvious when you look across the street from the church of San Nicola in Carcere is shown in the 1st photo below, and that view is looking at what I'll call the "front" of the monument. Closer views from this angle are in the 2nd and 3rd photos below, the view slightly to the left is shown in the 4th photo below, the view straight on to the left side is shown in the 5th photo below, and the view from the right, clearly showing that this was an arcade between two walls of arches, is in the 6th photo below.
Other fragments of the arcade are visible to the left (uphill) of these large arches across from the church, toward the Theatre of Marcellus (1st and 2nd photos below). A few fragments are also visible across the street in the corner of the Sacred Area of San Omobono (3rd photo below).
The view from behind the portico is shown in the 1st photo below. When I turned around 180 degrees from the point where I took that 1st photo from, I could see more columns heading up the hill toward the Tarpeian Rock, as in the 2nd photo below. Walking beyond those columns and facing back toward the portico yields the view in the 3rd photo below. It looks like maybe there was a T-shape involved here, with the base of the T coming from the Tarpeian Rock along the street named Vico Jugario, and the crossbar of the T going right and left along Via del Teatro di Marcello. Looking up from the front of the portico yields the view in the 4th photo below.
See also: