{"id":9577,"date":"2022-01-27T18:06:17","date_gmt":"2022-01-27T18:06:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/palatine-hill-rome\/"},"modified":"2024-09-11T13:04:18","modified_gmt":"2024-09-11T13:04:18","slug":"palatine-hill-rome","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.ulysses.travel\/en\/palatine-hill-rome\/","title":{"rendered":"The Palatine Hill in Rome"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Just steps away from the Roman Forum and the Colosseum, the Palatine Hill is one of the most iconic ancient sites in Rome. Considered the birthplace of the city, this legendary hill is definitely worth a visit!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Follow the guide!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

\u26a0\ufe0f Heads Up! <\/strong>The Palatine Hill is one of Rome\u2019s must-see tourist spots. To avoid wasting precious time in line, it\u2019s best to book your visit in advance: skip-the-line tickets<\/a> or a guided tour (available in several languages).<\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
\n

Insider<\/strong> Tips<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

Top tip:<\/strong> Free guided city tour<\/a> (in English)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Accommodations:<\/strong> all our tips recommendations <\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Plan your stay:<\/strong> the complete guide to Rome<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Visiting Rome with children:<\/strong> all our tips<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n
<\/div>\n\n\n\n

The Palatine Hill in a Nutshell<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A Brief Geography Lesson<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Located just steps from the Colosseum and the Roman Forum, the Palatine Hill is the most central of Rome\u2019s seven hills (the others being Aventine, Caelian, Capitoline, Esquiline, Quirinal, and Viminal).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Rising about 50 meters \/165 ft above sea level, Palatine Hill has two summits: Germal (51 m) and Palatual (51.2 m).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Palatine in Legend<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

According to legend, it was at the foot of the Palatine Hill that the she-wolf discovered the twins Romulus and Remus before taking them to the Lupercal cave (which, incidentally, was discovered by archaeologists in 2007).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The image of the she-wolf nursing the twins remains an emblem of the city. You will find a beautiful statue of the scene in the Capitoline Museums<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As adults, the twins decide to found a city but disagree on its location: Romulus wants to build it on Palatine Hill, while Remus prefers Aventine Hill. To resolve their dispute, they turn to the augurs who designate Romulus as the founder and king of the new city.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Romulus then outlines the limits of his new city with a plow. Jealous, Remus provokes his brother by crossing the line he has just drawn on the ground. Out of vengeance and fear of sharing power, Romulus kills his brother… and Rome is born.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Moral of the story: if you like happy endings, Roman mythology might not be for you! <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\ud83e\uddd0 Fun fact \ud83e\uddd0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

In ancient Rome, the image of the she-wolf was often associated with prostitution. A brothel was called a “lupanar<\/em>” in Latin (“lupus” meaning “wolf” in Latin). Some experts suggest that the she-wolf who took in Romulus and Remus might actually have been… a prostitute. <\/p>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A Brief History of the Palatine Hill<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If legend holds that Rome was founded on the Palatine Hill, history seems to confirm it!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Palatine Hill in Antiquity<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

It appears that this famous hill was indeed occupied as early as the 10th<\/sup> century BC. Archaeologists have also discovered hut remains dating back to the 8th<\/sup> century BC and two cisterns from the 7th<\/sup> century BC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the Roman Republic (510 BC to 27 BC), the Palatine Hill became the “posh” neighborhood of ancient Rome. Wealthy Roman citizens\u2014including Cicero and Mark Antony\u2014built their residences there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During the imperial era (starting in 27 BC), emperors also took over the Palatine Hill to build their palaces, such as the Domus Tiberiana<\/em> (built by Tiberius) and the Domus Augustana<\/em> (built by Domitian).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to period sources, by the mid-4th<\/sup> century AD, the Palatine Hill was home to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n