The Museum of Roman Civilisation has a distinctive character within the vast and varied landscape of Rome’s museums. Indeed, the material it holds consists mostly of reproductions.
In the Museum’s 59 sections, every aspect of ancient Roman civilisation: an impressive collection of casts taken from originals held in museums all over the world, some now destroyed or damaged, and of scale models reconstructing monuments scattered throughout the territory of the Roman Empire.
The Museum of Roman Civilisation, opened in 1955, illustrates in its 59 sections every aspect of ancient Roman civilisation with an impressive collection of casts taken from originals held in museums all over the world, some now destroyed or damaged, and of scale models reconstructing monuments scattered throughout the territory of the Roman Empire.
The original core of the collections dates back to the archaeological exhibition organised in 1911 as part of the celebrations for the fiftieth anniversary of the unification of Italy. The interest of the material gathered led the organisers to put it on permanent display.
The first 14 sections outline a historical overview of Rome from its origins to the 6th century AD. Of particular note is the pronaos of the Temple of Augustus at Ancyra (modern Ankara), bearing the text of the spiritual testament of the emperor Augustus. The remaining 45 sections are devoted to aspects of public, religious, economic, military and also private life. Symbols of the museum known all over the world are the large scale model reconstructing Rome in the age of the emperor Constantine, and the casts of Trajan’s Column commissioned by Napoleon III.
The value and fascination of this great museum lie in its being the only museum in the world to tell the story of ancient Roman civilisation in its entirety, in the documentary value of the casts taken from originals, and in its ability to show in their original form many great works that are currently split up among different museums.