Antiquities from Capitoline Museum

Aesculapias. You can see the staff with the serpent and the outline of the head of Aesculapias on the sculpted prow of a ship on Tiber Island. The head of the bull or ram, seen sticking out the side is a battering ram on the ship. This is from around 300 BC and maybe earlier.

Aesculapias. Greek god of curing. His serpent entwined staff became the symbol for the medical profession. There is an altar to him on Tiber Island and his image was carved in the stone on the island about 200-300 BC and can still be seen (see above). Since the altar was built, the island has always been a place for curing. It was Rome's leper colony and even today there is a hospital.

Septimius Severus' son Caracalla. He killed his brother, thousands of Alexandrians, and thousands of Romans. He finished the baths of caracalla, granted citizenship to all residents of the empire (so he could tax them), and generally created a mess. He did not, however, persecute christians as he had a British nanny who was a christian.

Agrippina, circa 55 AD, see below for identity check. (there is a 190 year gap between her and the next guy, that's why they have different hairdoo's !)

Septimius Severus, 3rd C AD Emperor. Empire was at its maximum after he defeated Parthia (Iraq). Empire approximately the size of 48 US states.

After him the chaos began.

Machiavelli, " He who will carefully examine the actions of this man will find him a most valiant lion and a most cunning fox; He will find him feared and respected by every one, and not hated by the army; and it need not be wondered at that he, a new man, was able to hold the empire so well, because his supreme renown always protected him from that hatred which people might have conceived against him for his violence . . . he knew well how to counterfeit the fox and the lion, which nature, as I said above, it is necessary for a prince to imitate.

Peridot in Roman gold. 1 c. BC

Salvi Andare, Salvi Tornare. Threshold piece made for soldier departing for military service. Safe going, Safe return.

1st C. BC Italian terracotta statues on "loan" from British Museum

First Century mosaic

Agrippina, Wife of Claudius, and Mother of Nero by another man. Nero had her killed for meddling.

Part of the architrave of the Temple of Vespasian. Sacrificial instruments denote temple as a place of animal sacrifice. Three columns of the temple stand. Intricately sculpted parts are stored in Tabularium (this is a photo of the actual architrave which is approximately 10-14 feet tall). Vespasian succeeded Nero and was considered "the man from Judeah" who prophets said would save mankind because he was Roman general in Judeah at time of intense turmoil in middle east. He was a much loved emperor who rebuilt Rome and restored order after 45 years of Julian Claudian rule. His son, Titus was responsible for Massada.