Ara Pacis, Rome, Italy - SpottingHistory

The Ara Pacis Augustae ('Altar of Augustan Peace') is an altar in Rome dedicated to Pax, the Roman goddess of Peace. The monument was commissioned by the Roman Senate on July 4, 13 BC to honor the return of Augustus to Rome after three years in Hispania and Gaul and consecrated on January 30, 9 BC. Originally located on the northern outskirts of Rome, a Roman mile from the boundary of the pomerium on the west side of the Via Flaminia, the Ara Pacis stood in the northeastern corner of the Campus Martius, the former flood plain of the Tiber River and gradually became buried under 4 metres of silt deposits. It was reassembled in its current location, now the Museum of the Ara Pacis, in 1938.

The altar reflects the Augustan vision of Roman civil religion. The lower register of its frieze depicts vegetal work meant to communicate the abundance and prosperity of the Roman Peace, while the monument as a whole serves a civic ritual function whilst simultaneously operating as propaganda for Augustus and his regime, easing notions of autocracy and dynastic succession that might otherwise be unpalatable to traditional Roman culture.

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User Reviews

Martin Trawinski (4 months ago)
The museum makes space for the altar inside, but the building itself seems in poor condition and is not an architectural masterpiece by Richard Meier as other buildings are. The controversy around it seems well deserved - but you can see most of the exhibition from the outside, which is a big plus. Good to walk past by!

Parveen Sikand (4 months ago)
The exhibition on Greek & Roman Theatre was very informative & very well put together. The museum on the upper level is very dramatic where a modern building houses Augustus Caesar's altar to peace.

random User (8 months ago)
Took a trip here on a Sunday just as it opened, quite a few areas explore. May take 30 mins to an hour if you go at a fairly slow pace. Fantastic preservation shown here. Fairly well air conditioned and cooler on the lower level if you fancy a chill out on the bench. Toilets on the lower floor with lift and stair access. Was able to buy tickets to the museum on the door.

Luis (9 months ago)
The Ara Pacis Museum in Rome is centered around the meticulously preserved Ara Pacis, an ancient altar dedicated to Pax, the Roman goddess of peace. This archaeological treasure, encased within a modern glass and white marble structure, provides a profound connection to Rome's imperial past, illustrating the city’s enduring reverence for art and history. #AraPacis #RomanHistory #MuseumVisit #AncientRome #ArtAndCulture

D Kovacova (2 years ago)
Absolutely stunning (even though it's facing the wrong direction after moving and reassembly). Love the glass wall facing the Mausoleum, which gives the altar a lot more context. Info boards give a lot of information. Staff are great at being present while tucked away from visitors' cameras. I was here on a day when entry was free and I was very surprised that the place wasn't too busy as so many people in comments are moaning about the entry fee

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