God's Gold (20 page)

One highlight of the triumph was the passage through Rome's theaters for maximum effect, including the Theater of Marcellus. At this time, sacrifices would have been offered at the Temple of Apollo Medicus Sosianus, marked by three columns, where enemy armor was burned to destroy its power.

The medieval Church of Saint Nicholas literally sits on three Roman temples (
columns at left
), where sacrifices were offered by Vespasian in AD 71. The temples were dedicated to the gods Spes, Janus, and Juno Sospita (Hope, Beginnings, and Savior).

The arcades of the mighty Triumphal Gate, the Porta Triumphalis, Rome, which was opened only for triumphs. By closing the gate immediately afterward, the power of the Roman conqueror was locked inside for the benefit of the city.

The Circus Maximus, Rome, with the royal palace on the Palatine Hill in the background. In AD 80, Titus built a second triumphal arch here to celebrate victory over Israel.

The Arch of Titus, built AD 80–81, shows Titus parading along the Triumphal Way in AD 71, alongside the goddess Roma. A winged Victory holds a wreath over the general's head.

In AD 75, Vespasian put the Temple treasure of Jerusalem on public display at the heart of his new Temple of Peace in Rome. The exotic marble floor of its main hall has just been excavated.

In AD 211, the emperor
Septimius Severus decorated
one of the Temple of
Peace's walls with a giant
marble map of Rome. This
wall survives today as the
facade of the Church of
Saints Cosmos and Damian
(see holes at left used to peg
the map together)
.

Reconstruction
of Vespasian's
Temple of
Peace precinct.
( © E-Spaces
and UNESCO,
2000)

In AD 455, the
Vandals looted
Rome and relocated
Jerusalem's
Temple treasure
to the palace
in their capital,
Carthage, in
modern Tunisia,
which afforded
majestic views
of the great port.

The Arian Vandals earned
their barbarian reputation
in Carthage for religious
atrocities against the local
Catholic community.
The Circular Monument,
dominated by the
modern President's Palace,
witnessed particularly evil
attacks in AD 439.

A plan by Father P. Lapeyre of Punic tombs
(left)
and the rectangular palatial structure
exposed in 1933
(at right angles)
. This marks the spot of the Vandal palace, where the
Temple treasure of Jerusalem was displayed from AD 455 to 533.
(From Revue
Africaine 1934, pl. 2)

The Vandal palace on
Byrsa Hill, Carthage
(right),
looking south
toward pier supports
for a garden terrace
and beyond down to
the port.