| What makes it historical? |
The renowned architect, Rabirius, built this grand palace atop Palatine Hill in three parts. The Domus Flavia was the lavish public reception area for Domitian and subsequent Roman emperors until the 600s AD. The private part of the palace was known as Domus Augustana, and when the emperors got tired of being indoors, they could wander through the third part, a sunken garden once mistaken for a hippodrome or stadium! The full palace was completed around 92 AD!
Domitian himself was the son of Vespasian, who commissioned the Colosseum, and brother of Titus. His main accomplishments were a major building program throughout Rome, military campaigns in Britain and Scotland, and revaluing Roman currency! He was relatively popular with the common folks during his 15-year reign, but he did not make a lot of friends in the Senate, whose powers he shrank. He was assassinated by his own Praetorian Guard in 96 AD, and without an heir, he was succeeded by Nerva, a court official picked and voted on by the Senate! |
