Palatine Hill

October 11, 2018 · by Dano · in Italy

Continuing with our tour, we walked up Palatine Hill to the ruins of several of Romes palaces. Starting to get a little warm, around 70+F and still really humid.

Palatine Hill or Monte Palatino, has been a revered place since the beginning or Roman time. Fable has it that King Amulius ordered Romulus and Remus, twin sons of Mars and heirs to the throne, to be killed. They were set adrift on the Tiber river in a basket but saved by the god, Tiberinus, Father of the River, and deposited at the foot of Palatine Hill. The twins were said to have been found and suckled by a she-wolf as babies, and later raised to be young men by a sheepherder.

As young adults, the twins decided to found their own city but couldn’t settle on which hill, Rome has seven hills, to build this city. An argument ensued and Romulus kills Remus and builds his city on Palatine Hill, the city named, “Rome”. Done with the legend.

View of Forum and Colosseum from Palatine Hill

Hippodrome of Domitian on Palatine Hill

Ever since there has been a Rome, Palatine Hill has been the site of aristocrats and emperors. Building upon building has almost covered the entire hill with palaces, mansions, temples and gardens. Excavations reveal that the hill has been a place of residence from 10^th century BC up to and including the Italian Renaissance period, 17^th century AD.