Curiosities of ancient Rome (Reconstructions)

Reconstruction of the image of Antinous, emperor Hadrian’s lover. The visualization was made based on a bust from the Prado National Museum in Madrid (Spain).

Reconstruction of the Roman colony Colonia Marciana Ulpia Traiana Thamugadi (now Timgad, Algeria) in antiquity and a site shown today.

Reconstruction of Ratae Corieltauvorum, a Roman city in Britain, in the place where is now located English Leicester.

Daniel Voshart made amazing reconstructions of the images of Roman emperors – from Octavian Augustus to Numerian. As he says, for his work he used numerous surviving sculptures and coins of emperors as well as ancient texts, trying to create the most credible and meaningful portraits.

During the reign of the Flavian dynasty (69-96 CE), the hairstyle, which was styled with artificial hair to create real towers of curls, was extremely popular among the Roman female aristocracy. Such a sophisticated hairstyle required the attention of a special slave trained in the preparation of such unique compositions – the so-called ornatrix.

Visualization of a drawbridge built by the ancient Romans in the 1st century BCE in Arelate (currently Arles, France). The bridge was over the Rhone and was largely made up of boats side by side. The bridge was part of an important route connecting Italy with Spain.

Reconstruction of the murmillo’s helmet (gladiator type), on which scenes of the siege of Troy are visible. The helmet was made of bronze and the object was made by Sabatino de Angelis. The reproduction is currently in the Naples Museum.

The “Associated Architects Studio” has created an amazing reconstruction of the ancient port city of Ostia Antica and the great port of Rome – Portus. Portus was created during the reign of Emperor Claudius (41-54 CE), however, the visualization shows the internal hexagonal pool of the port, which was built during Trajan, at the beginning of the 2nd century CE.

Reconstruction of the temple of Fortuna Primigenia (present-day Palestrina, about 40 km east of Rome) and how this once powerful complex looks today.

Reconstruction of a Roman house from the ancient city of Aquincum (now Budapest, Hungary) – the then capital of the province of Pannonia Inferior. It is believed that emperor Marcus Aurelius wrote in this city at least half of his “Meditations”.