The
Palatine hill was under the Republic only a simple residential area
for high ranking people, Cicero, Mark-Antony, Marcus Agrippa, and of course
Octavian, the future Augustus-Cæsar. Under the Empire, it became richer with
vast palaces that can be simply divided as follows : on the left side of the
picture, the
Palace of Tiberius, in the centre, the
Domus Flavia and the
Domus
Augustana that form together an immense square structure, on the top right the
Stadium and the
Palace of Septimius-Severus. This far view lets better understand
that the palaces of the Palatine had become a colossal structure, where the bulding
were embedded in eachother, giving the illusion that the whole construction had been planned.
was built under Septimius-Severus, who wanted to complete
the magnificent aspect of the palaces. It was called Septizodium because
it represented the seven planets that were then known. No doubt that the
visitors who came to Rome by the Via Appia, have certainly had a grandiose
impression as the Septizodium appeared by the corner of the Imperial Palaces
and the Circus Maximus. Jacques Plassard
suggests a visit in synthetic picture.