The Porta Maggiore Basilica is an underground basilica discovered in 1917 near Porta Maggiore in Rome . It is dated to the first century BC. It is believed to have been the meeting place of the neo-Pythagoreans , and is the only historical site that has been associated with the neo-Pythagorean movement. This school of mystical Hellenistic philosophy preached asceticism and was based on the works of Pythagoras and Plato . It was a precursor to the basilicas built during the Christian period, centuries later. It was opened to small groups of visitors in April 2015.
16-895: It is 12 m (40 ft) below the street level. The underground chamber was discovered accidentally in 1917 during the construction of a railway line from Rome to Cassino. An underground passage caved in, revealing the hidden chamber. The structure is thought to have been constructed by the Statilius family. The then head of the family, Titus Statilius Taurus , was accused by the Senate for what Tacitus in his Annals called "addiction to magical superstitions". He protested his innocence but eventually committed suicide in 53 CE. The basilica has three naves lined by six rock pillars and an apse. They are decorated with stucco images of centaurs, griffins and satyrs. Classical heroes such as Achilles, Orpheus, Paris and Hercules are also represented. Originally
32-532: A few clues about his life. One is that it supplies Sisenna with the title of pontiff , not only indicating he was a member of the prestigious college of pontiffs ; another is that it indicates he or his family owned estates in Regio X Venetia et Histria of Italia . Tombstones for other freedmen suggest he owned estates near Aquileia . The historian Velleius Paterculus not only mentions him alive in AD 30, but as owning
48-509: Is attested as a tresviri monetalis , but died before he could accede to the consulate; his mother has not been identified. Sisenna was also the younger brother of Titus Statilius Taurus . The name of his wife has also failed to come down to us, but he is known to have children, who include Cornelia Tauri f. the wife of the consul Titus Axius . The tombstone of one of his freedmen , found in Istria , belonging to modern Croatia , provides us
64-457: Is known of this Taurus is that he was a monetalis and died before reaching consular age. Titus Statilius Taurus (III) was consul in 11 AD. He was the second son of Titus Statilius Taurus (I) perhaps by Cornelia Sisenna. He may have been the full-brother or half-brother of Titus Statilius Taurus (II) and possibly Statilia, and was probably the full-brother Sisenna Statilius Taurus and Statilia L. Pisonis. This Taurus married Valeria, daughter of
80-428: Is uncertain whether all these children were by the same woman. The eldest son, also named Titus Statilius Taurus (II), was a monetalis , but did not reach consular years. A second son, also named Titus Statilius Taurus (III), was consul in 11 AD. A third son was named Sisenna Statilius Taurus consul in 16 AD. It seems certain that Taurus had at least one daughter, Statilia L. Pisonis, who married Lucius Calpurnius Piso
96-564: The Augur (consul in 1 BC). A second may be the Statilia who died at the age of 99 in the reign of Claudius , although she may have been a sister to this Taurus. Titus Statilius Taurus (II) was the eldest son of Titus Statilius Taurus (I), possibly by Cornelia Sisenna or an unknown woman. He was either the full-brother or half-brother of Titus Statilius Taurus (III), Sisenna Statilius Taurus, Statilia L. Pisonis and possibly Statilia. All that
112-558: The basilica was entered through a long downhill entrance from the Prenestina Street, and through a vestibule. The basilica underwent several years of restoration work. In 1951, a concrete shell was constructed that enclosed the entire basilica. Air purifiers from IQAir in Switzerland have been installed to combat radon gas . The 40ft-long basilica is now opened to visitors. The visiting groups are kept small because of
128-456: The direction of Julia Agrippina , and despite his apparent innocence, he committed suicide as a result of these accusations. Sisenna Statilius Taurus Sisenna Statilius Taurus was a Roman senator . He was consul for the year AD 16 with Lucius Scribonius Libo as his colleague. Most of our information about Sisenna comes from inscriptions. Sisenna was the grandson of Titus Statilius Taurus , consul in 37 BC and 26 BC. His father
144-425: The fragility of the monument. The temperature and humidity must be kept within a narrow range. It is open during 2nd and 4th Sunday of every month, and the tour must be prearranged. [REDACTED] Media related to Porta Maggiore underground basilica at Wikimedia Commons Titus Statilius Taurus Titus Statilius Taurus was the name of a line of Roman senators . The first known and most important of these
160-489: The senator Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus , and fathered three children by her: two consular sons, Titus Statilius Taurus (IV) and Titus Statilius Taurus Corvinus , and a daughter, Statilia Messallina, who was the mother to the Empress Statilia Messalina . Titus Statilius Taurus (IV) was the eldest son of Titus Statilius Taurus (III) by Valeria, daughter of Marcus Valerius Messalla Corvinus . He
176-553: The troops stationed there. When war with Marcus Antonius and Cleopatra broke out, Taurus chose Octavian's side and in the Battle of Actium , he was in command of Octavian's land force. Antony's land forces surrendered to him rather than fight him. This greatly accelerated the victory of Caesar Octavian. After the death of Antonius, Taurus was sent in 29 BC to Spain where he defeated the Cantabrians , Vaccaei and Astures . He
SECTION 10
#1732765315773192-461: The unofficial emperor. Statilius Taurus' amphitheatre was completed in 29 BC, opening with a number of gladiatorial contests. These were received with so much acclaim that the people's assembly accorded Taurus the right to name a praetor every year. Taurus is said to have maintained a private bodyguard of German slaves in Rome. Taurus seems to had three sons and possibly two daughters, though it
208-529: Was a Roman general and two-time consul prominent during the Triumviral and Augustan periods. The other men who bore this name were his descendants. Titus Statilius Taurus (I) was a general and twice consul during the Triumviral and Augustan periods. This Taurus was a novus homo ("new man" or " self-made man ") from the region of Lucania . Initially a partisan of Marcus Antonius , by whom he
224-413: Was brother to Titus Statilius Taurus Corvinus (consul 45 AD). This Taurus served as consul in 44 AD and later, proconsul of Africa from 51 to 53 AD. A wealthy man, he laid out the celebrated Taurian Gardens . He was accused by Tarquitius Priscus, a former subordinate during his tenure as Proconsul of Africa, of "a few acts of extortion, but particularly ... [of] magical and superstitious practices" at
240-550: Was chosen as suffect consul in 37 BC, he subsequently was sent by Antonius with a fleet to aid Octavian in his war against Sextus Pompeius . After Pompey was driven from Sicily , Taurus crossed the sea to the province of Africa , which he secured without any difficulty and for which he was awarded a triumph in 34 BC. He returned to Rome, where he began work on the city's first permanent amphitheatre . In 34 BC, he accompanied Octavian on campaign to Dalmatia , and after Octavian's return to Rome, Taurus remained in command of
256-435: Was later made consul ordinarius for the year 26 BC alongside Augustus, as Octavian was now known. In 16 BC, when Augustus left Italy for Gaul , he left Taurus in Rome as praefectus urbi . Until the second consulship of Tiberius in 7 BC, Statilius Taurus was the last man to hold multiple consulships. It appears Augustus was experimenting with a "share the honors" program before he consolidated enough power to rule as
#772227