The Torch
Fall Edition
Rome Reconstructed : A Brief History of Il Plastico di Roma Imperiale BY CARTER RIODAN SECRETARY
I think we ’ ve all wondered what it would be like to walk the streets of Rome , to see the Roman forum in its ancient grandeur and see the city how an ancient Roman would have . Unfortunately that ’ s not possible , but we can get surprisingly close . In 1976 Italian archeologist Italo Gismondi finished his life ’ s work : a plaster model of Imperial Rome , known in Italian as Il Plastico di Roma Imperiale . The model was originally commissioned in 1933 by the dictator Benito Mussolini for the anniversary of the birth of Augustus , though it wouldn ’ t be complete until after Mussolini ’ s death . Somewhat ironically , the construction of the model was hampered by Mussolini ’ s demolition of many historic houses throughout Rome to make way for the construction of roads . Without the destruction , many buildings that could otherwise have been included in the model were destroyed . The core of the model was complete by 1950 , though it expanded until 1976 , eventually measuring an impressive 55 by 55 feet at a scale of 250 to 1 . The model has since become renowned for its accuracy and level of detail , especially in areas such as the Capitoline Hill , where the buildings are carefully detailed . It ’ s detail is so highly-regarded that shots of it have been used in films , including the well known film from 2000 , Gladiator . This model is also now accessible to the public , you can visit it at the Museum of Roman Civilization in Rome . But if you don ’ t want to go all the way to Italy to see it , you can walk around the model using Google street view . So check out this impressive model and see a glimpse into the what ancient romans would have seen .
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