Mount Aventine is one, and the most western, of the Seven Hills of Rome. It is more easily traceable than some of the others, from its proximity to the Tiber, which washes the northern base of the Aventine : above the river, its bold form rises with little change in its relative height, probably, since the days of the glory of Rome. It is divided from the Palatine Hill by the Circus Maximus, and is said to have derived its name from Aventinus, a king of Alba, who was buried here in a laurel-grove. Pliny mentions laurel-groves as existing in his day on the Aventine. There are many classical associations with the Aventine. Cacus, the robber, had his den on the Mount, and was pursued here by Hercules. Remus chose the Aventine for the site of his inauspicious augury. Here the altar of the Elician Jove was erected by Numa. At a later period rose the Temple of Liberty, which had attached to it the first public library of Rome; the Temples of Isis, of Diana, and Juno Regina, and many others. Here lived Ennius, the friend of Scipio Africanus, and here stood the private residence of the Emperor Trajan; but all have passed away. “Of all the ancient and mag nificent buildings which once covered it, not a trace remains—not a stone to mark where they have stood.” The only buildings of modern days are dilapidated churches and half-decayed convents. The principal church now on the Aventine is that of Santa Maria del Priorata. Here a ruined villa belongs to the Branchi family: it was sometimes inhabited by Cardinal Ruffo ; the gardens are good, and in them grow the only palm trees in Rome. The ruins of the pier seen in the view are those of the Pons Sublicius, where Horatius Cocles performed that act of courage and patriotism which has made his name immortal.

The Aventine Hill is one of the seven hills that ancient Rome was built on. It was a strategic point in controlling trade on the River Tiber, and was fully fortified by 1000 AD. The Aventine was traditionally the territory of the plebeians, who had their main temples and sanctuaries there. During much of the Republic as well as the Empire the Aventine was a distinctly lower-class neighborhood. Temples to Diana, Luna, and Juno stood on the hill, as well as Varro's extensive library and the Armilustrium (where arms were ritually purified). The Aventine's plebeian neighborhood was thriving and prosperous, with the Circus Maximus situated at its base (between the Aventine and Palatine). The first public library in Rome was that founded by Asinius Pollio in 25 B.C. from the spoils of his Parthian campaign. It was located within the Atrium Libertatis on the Aventine. The Atrium Libertatus contained the offices of the censors, some at least of their records, and some of the law on bronze tablets. Asinius Pollio's library contained Greek and Latin books, with portrait busts of authors, and seems to have served also as a museum for works of art in general. The Temple of Consus on the Aventine probably was vowed or built by L. Papirius Cursor in 272 B.C. on the occasion of his triumph. (This may be inferred from the fact that Papirius was painted on the walls in the robes of a triumphator.) Consus, the deity of Time who is still sometimes personified as Father Time, was also a protector of the harvest. On December 15th the Temple of Consus, which was located underground on the Aventine, was uncovered and opened to public worship. It is probable that this temple was near that of Vortumnus on the north-west side of the Aventine. Vortumnus was probably worshipped in Rome on the Aventine after being brought to the city after the distruction of Volsinii. At the foot of the Hill on the North side there are the two tiny well preserved Temples of the Forum Boarium dedicated to Hercules and Portunus dating from the 2nd century B.C. The former was dedicated to Hercules Victorus (Hercules of the Victory) near the Porta Trigemina. The latter , although called the Temple of Portunus, was more probably dedicated to Fortuna Virilis. Also on the north side of the hill were the Arch of Janus, dating from the 4th century A.D. and the Arco degli Argentari dedicated to the Emperor Septimius Severus in A.D. 204. The hill is now an elegant residential part of Rome with a wealth of architectural interest. It belongs to the rione of Ripa.

Please note: the terms used in our auctions for engraving, etching, lithograph, plate, photogravure etc. are ALL prints on paper, and NOT blocks of steel or wood or any other material. “ENGRAVINGS”, the term commonly used for these paper prints, were the most common method in the 1700s and 1800s for illustrating old books, and these paper prints or “engravings” were created by the intaglio process of etching the negative of the image into a block of steel, copper, wood etc, and then when inked and pressed onto paper, a print image was created. These prints or engravings were usually inserted into books, although many were also printed and issued as loose stand alone lithographs. They often had a tissue guard or onion skin frontis to protect them from transferring their ink to the opposite page and were usually on much thicker quality woven rag stock paper than the regular prints. So this auction is for an antique paper print(s), probably from an old book, of very high quality and usually on very thick rag stock paper.

A RARE FIND! AND GREAT DECORATION FOR YOUR OFFICE OR DEN WALL.