The Long History of the Basilica Iulia. A Digital Approach to Archaeological, Architectural, and Legacy Data
Zum nächsten Vortrag in der Reihe Bauforschung im Wiegandhaus begrüßen wir Tommaso Ismaelli. Er spricht zum Thema „The Long History of the Basilica Iulia. A Digital Approach to Archaeological, Architectural, and Legacy Data".
The Basilica Iulia, one of the largest monuments of the Roman Forum, has been the focus of a multidisciplinary research project since 2015, conducted by the CNR - Institute of Heritage Science, Sapienza University of Rome, and the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum. Combining archaeological and architectural investigation with the systematic reassessment of archival documentation and applying new digital tools, the project aims to reconstruct the monument’s long biography.
The lecture will present ongoing research focusing on three interconnected themes. The first concerns the extensive restoration of the Basilica carried out by Pietro Rosa between 1871 and 1873. The combined analysis of the surviving structures, historical drawings and photographs reveals how these interventions significantly reshaped the appearance of the monument.
The second theme addresses the architectural history of the Roman Basilica, with particular emphasis on the reconstruction following the fire of AD 283. Analysis of construction techniques, marble provenance, workmanship traces, and reused architectural elements reveals the scale of the Tetrarchic rebuilding and its transformation of the Augustan monument.
Finally, the lecture will discuss the project’s evolving digital methodology. The integration of legacy data, archaeological records and architectural survey within a single digital environment provides a new framework for managing a complex and heterogeneous dataset and for critically reconstructing the successive phases of the Basilica.
Tommaso Ismaelli is a Classical archaeologist and Research Director at the CNR-ISPC (Institute of Heritage Science). His research focuses primarily on the archaeology of architecture in the Greek and Roman worlds, from the Archaic period to Late Antiquity. A significant part of his work is devoted to the public architecture of Asia Minor, drawing on his long-term involvement in archaeological missions at Hierapolis, Teos, and Tripolis ad Maeandrum. Since 2015, he has coordinated the “Basilica Iulia” project, conducted by the CNR-ISPC in cooperation with the Archaeological Park of the Colosseum and Sapienza University of Rome.
Der Vortrag findet um 18:00 Uhr c.t. im Gartensaal des Wiegandhauses (Eingang Peter-Lenné-Str. 28) statt.
Der Vortrag wird parallel per Zoom übertragen. Zur Teilnahme am Zoom-Meeting können Sie sich hier registrieren.