Rome set to celebrate Augustus' 2000th anniversary

Newly restored sites open to public for first time ever

(ANSA) - Rome, August 5 - A schedule of special events was announced on Tuesday to mark the 2,000th anniversary on August 19 of the death of Augustus, the first emperor of Rome who ruled for 41 years from 27 BC until his death in 14 AD. Culture Minister Dario Francheschini and Rome Archeology Superintendent Mariarosaria Barbera presented the schedule of events, including exhibitions of artifacts that be open to the public for the first time ever. On the Palatine Hill, where Augustus made his home and which became the seat of imperial power during his reign, the Palatine Museum will unveil a restored ground floor with a new annex, as well as an upper floor outfitted with new multimedia equipment and a movie on the life of Augustus and his reign.

In the House of Augustus, all of the rooms that have been excavated thus far will be on display to the public for the first time. Visits are by reservation and open to small groups only, to preserve the site. Reservations can be made beginning on August 25 for the opening date, September 18. Also on the Palatine, the House of Livia, built for Augustus's beloved third wife and trusted adviser Livia Drusilla, has been restored and equipped with an elevator allowing access to the disabled. As well, recently restored elaborate frescoes on the walls of the triclinium, an underground dining area, will be on display to the public for the first time ever.

Beginning on October 1, visitors to the Roman Forum will be able to walk the ancient way leading from the Vico Jugario to the Basilica Giulia, an area which was closed to the public in the 1980s in order to restore its original topography. At the Diocletian Baths, one of four complexes that make up the system of the National Roman Museums, the restored swimming pool complex as well as an adjacent hall housing architectural fragments from the baths themselves, will open to the public from September 24. Missing from the celebrations will be the Mausoleum of Augustus, which is perhaps the most famous of the great emperor's monuments.

Begun in 23 AD upon the emperor's return from a military campaign in Egypt, the mausoleum ended up housing many of Augustus' relatives. The monument is off limits pending restoration, the original four-million-euro budget for which has been halved. "I imagine the city is coming up with a new, more restricted restoration plan," Barbera commented.