Two Great Exhibitions in Rome

The Via Labicana Augustus, Palazzo Massimo Museum, Rome.

Readers, if you are headed to Rome before February 4, be sure to check out these remarkable temporary exhibitions being offered in Rome.

The first exhibition is a fabulous exhibition of the Emperor Augustus at the Scuderie del Quirinale (site here in English, and a map here), which runs through 9 Feb. 2014. Next year, as you all know, marks the 2000 anniversary of Augustus' death, and this exhibition does the first emperor justice. Featuring the famous marble copy of the clupeus virtutis ("Shield of Valor"), the togate statue of Augustus from the Palazzo Massimo, the Prima Porta Statue, the bronze equestrian statue as well as the bronze bust from Meroe—oh, and another 200 precious items—this exhibition is a must see. At 12 Euros, this is a must see.

The second is an exhibition on Cleopatra at the Chiostro del Bramante in the Campus Martius, not too far south of the Mausoleum of Hadrian and just to the west of the northern curve of the Piazza Navona, which runs until 2 February 2014. Site here. One of the featured items is a rare portrait of the young Cleopatra, ca. 51 BC, when she assumed the throne. The entrance fee is a little pricy at 13 Euro, but really worthwhile. While you're there, get the fiocchetti at Osteria dell'Anima (between Piazza Navona and the Chiostro), which are simply to die for.

Weekly Tidbits

Italian archaeologists excavating in Hierapolis (where the famous "Gates of Hell" are supposedly located) have found a 1.5 meter high statue of Cerberus—adding more weight to this as the location of Plutonium as described in Strabo and others.

The renovations of the Hall of the Philosophers in the Capitoline Museum is completed, a project that was made possible by financial support from (of all places) Azerbaijan, a country with strong economic ties with Italy. The mayor of Rome, Ignazio Marino, hinted at the possibility that Azerbaijan will continue to support renovation to the ancient city, in particular the Imperial Fora. Here is an article in Italian (note slide show).