The first extensive study of an Imperial Roman Garden in the city of Rome

The Horti Lamiani

Bibliographic Data

ID12201094
AuthorsAlessia Masi (0000-0001-9822-9767, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, corresponding author), Cristiano Vignola (0000-0002-7609-0220, Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History), Alessandro Lazzara (0009-0008-8269-9703, Sapienza University of Rome), Claudia Moricca (0000-0001-5288-300X, Sapienza University of Rome), Mirella Serlorenzi (Accademia di Belle Arti di Roma), A F Ferrandes (0000-0001-7356-9060, Sapienza University of Rome)
Year2023
Volume33
Issue1
Pages111-120
Publication date2023-10-11
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueVegetation History and Archaeobotany (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0939-6314 • E-ISSN: 1617-6278
PublisherSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s00334-023-00960-y
OpenAlexW4387540451
LanguageEN
Citations received4
References cited28

This paper presents the first systematic results of integrated plant macrofossil and pollen analyses from the Horti Lamiani (1st-3rd century ce ), an aristocratic residence with a luxury garden which was established on the Esquilino (Esquiline Hill) in Rome during the time of the first Emperor, Caesar Augustus (27 bce -14 ce ) and later became one of the most famous Imperial gardens around the ancient city. Different types of plant remains such as charcoal, seeds and fruits and pollen were recovered from pits and pots in the garden and reflect the presence of plants there. There seem to have been ornamental shrubs which were probably grown as decorative modelled hedges and/or isolated bushes, as well as cultivated trees. Several ornamental flowering plants grew in pots. Although this archaeobotanical assemblage could represent some patches of wild vegetation still growing in the study area at the time of the Imperial garden, it is likely that most of the identified plants were intentionally planted and organised to create a glimpse of the past wild landscape of Rome. They have special characteristics, such as bearing coloured flowers or fruits and offering shade, that made them suitable for embellishing a magnificent garden. Moreover this reflects the Roman desire to control nature, testified by the expansion of luxury gardens during the Imperial period and the spread of decorative horticultural techniques, like the miniaturisation of trees and shaping of trees and shrubs by topiary

Archaeology · Art · Assemblage (archaeology · Biogeosciences · Biology · Botany · Emperor · Geography · Macrofossil · Ornamental plant · Period (music · Pollen · Ancient Mediterranean Archaeology and History · Archaeology and Historical Studies · Classical Antiquity Studies · Ecology

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