The Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace) is one of the most significant monuments of Ancient Roman art and architecture. Built between 13 and 9 BCE, it was commissioned by the Roman Senate to honor Emperor Augustus's successful return from campaigns in Hispania and Gaul.

The altar was originally located in the Campus Martius, where it was positioned to cast a shadow on Augustus's obelisk on his birthday - an example of Roman architectural symbolism. It consists of a nearly square marble enclosure containing the actual sacrificial altar, decorated with intricate relief sculptures both inside and out.

The monument's iconographic program is rich in symbolism, featuring:

• The "Roma" panel showing the goddess Roma seated on a pile of weapons
• Processional friezes depicting the imperial family, priests, and officials
• Elaborate floral friezes with acanthus scrolls, representing abundance and prosperity
• Mythological scenes including the famous panel of Tellus/Terra Mater (Mother Earth)
• Panels showing Aeneas sacrificing and the she-wolf with Romulus and Remus

After Rome's decline, the altar was gradually buried by flooding from the Tiber River. During the Renaissance, scattered pieces were rediscovered, but the full excavation didn't occur until 1937-1938 under Mussolini's regime. The dictator saw the monument as a symbol of Roman glory and had it reconstructed near the Mausoleum of Augustus.

This website is not affiliated with the museum, but was started due to my fascination of the Ara Pacis and its new home.

What's new on Ara Pacis Museum:

Experience The New Rome

In Rome Travel Tips:
Here is a great new video highlighting many of the projects that were going on over the last several years to prepare Rome for the Jubilee (including the things that are not done).... read more.

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History of The Ara Pacis Museum

In Reference:
This article discusses the history of the museum - not the altar itself: The First Museum The decision to place the Ara Pacis on the Lungotevere, next to Augustus's mausoleum, was taken in 1937 by Benito Mussolini, who chose this solution from amongst several proposed by a commission chaired by the Education Minister Bottai. Initially the idea was to cover the altar with a sort of arcade, to embe... read more.

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What was the Ara Pacis used for?

In Reference:
The Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace) was a monumental structure commissioned by the Roman Senate in 13 BCE to celebrate the victorious return of Emperor Augustus from his campaigns in Hispania and Gaul. It served a dual purpose for Augustus and his regime: civic ritual and propaganda. It helped to ease notions of autocracy and dynastic succession that might otherwise be unpalatable to ... read more.

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Roma Pass

In Rome Travel Tips:
The Roma Pass is a tourist card designed to provide easier access to Rome's cultural and transportation services. It typically comes in two durations - 48 or 72 hours from first use. Key benefits include free access to select museums and archaeological sites (usually one site for the 48-hour pass and two sites for the 72-hour pass), plus discounted entry to many additional attractions afterward... read more.

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History of the Ara Pacis Altar Video

In Photos, Video, Audio:
From the Khan Academy series. Ara Pacis Augustae (Altar of Augustan Peace), 13-9 B.C.E. Speakers: Dr. Beth Harris & Dr. Steven Zucker. Created by Beth Harris and Steven Zucker. This is a really good explanation video of the Ara Pacis and how it was used in its time and then "rediscovered". It should not be lost on us, the contemporary viewer, that the Ara Pacis was left to ruin because it was... read more.

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Rome ZTL Map

In Rome Travel Tips:
If you plan on driving in Rome (I would recommend that tourists avoid the very center and the areas around the Vatican in most cases!) you have to be cognizant of the Rome ZTL. The map below should help: ... read more.

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ROMA Pass COVID-19 Updates

In Reference:
Very useful and up to date PDF available from the ROMA Pass website - if you have a pass (or are planning to get one) you should refer to this to see what the current situation at each location is due to COVID-19. It has details on mask guidelines, reservation suggestions (even with the pass), etc. Last updated on the 15th of September. For the Ara Pacis Museum the current suggestion is "Reserv... read more.

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Ara Pacis Museum on a Map

In Reference:
The Ara Pacis Museum is in a kind of tucked away location, but this map should help you find it when in Rome! ... read more.

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Josef Koudelka. Radici

In Exhibits:
January 1 to April 11, 2021 (planned) The dates indicated may be subject to change. An exhibition dedicated to the great photographer of the Magnum Photos agency who offers his photographic and artistic interpretation of some of the most important archaeological sites of Roman and Greek culture with the aim of restoring their authentic beauty. The Vestiges project, in which the great photograp... read more.

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GENESIS Photographs by Sebastião Salgado

In Exhibits:
A photographic journey across the five continents to document with fascinating black and white images, the rare beauty of our most important, unique and precious heritage: our planet. Promoted by Roma Capitale, Assessorato alle Politiche Culturali e Centro Storico - Sovrintendenza Capitolina and the Chamber of Commerce of Rome under the patronage of the Ministry for the Environment, Land and Sea,... read more.

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