The mosaics of the Gladiators
The Borghese Gallery houses a splendid collection of mosaics floorings that depict the ludo gladiators.
Cardinal Scipione Borghese was a patron, unprejudiced and hog, who managed to have a collection of works of art among the richest and most beautiful in the world. In the hunting lodge of the "villa of delights, which built just outside Porta Flaminia, began to collect works by Greek and Roman but also artists closer and contemporaries.
Absolutely beautiful and unique the mosaics floorings that partly originate from the Borghese Estate of Torrenova, but also were bought by the same Cardinal and his heirs.
Most of the mosaics come from estate that Borghese acquired as heirs of Olimpia Aldobrandini – last descendant of this family - who had married Paolo Borghese referred widow an early age. The estate and Castle of Torrenova – so you call today – entered into Borghese heritage in 1683 with the entire collection of artwork of the Aldobrandini.
The Aldobrandini had bought the estate at auction because the property had been confiscated by the Pope to the family Cenci, en fact all the family, including the daughter, famous Beatrice, was guilty of the murder of his father Francis; Aldobrandini transformed the building into a crenellated Castle, but the building stood on a previous Roman building that was almost certainly the suburban villa of Fabius Cilo, friend of Emperor Septimius Severus.
Throughout the area were found remains of Roman age ranging from 4th century BC to the 3rd century CE between these mosaics perhaps the most beautiful was discovered in 1834, and today is the floor of one of the rooms of the Villa Borghese Museum.
The mosaic depicts the aftermath of the battle between Gladiator Astivus, who lies dying on the ground with your foot resting on his broad shield, and Gladiator retiarius Astacius, about to strike the fatal blow with his dagger.
Other mosaics show scenes of animal games, venatio, in which they could engage even the patricians who are recognizable from clothes and caps, very different from those of the Gladiators, in particularly that depicted shows a deer (but there is also an antelope and an ostrich) sent into the arena with the lions. Also in the hunt there are attendants to distract some of the animals and they haven’t weapons and it was happen they died gored or teared.
Strabo tells that Tiberius, despite not loving the ludi, often enjoyed some Javelin launch from the top of the Imperial stage.
For visiting the Museum of Villa Borghese, located inside the Park of Villa Borghese, reservation is required.
by M.L. ©ALL RIGHTS RESERVED (Ed 1.0 - 01/04/2015)