Caelian Hill

The Caelian Hill (Latin mons Caelius, Italian Celio ) is one of the famous seven hills of Rome. It is located east of the Palatine and south of the Esquiline. The height is 50 m, the surface area of ​​approximately 2 km × 500 m.

The Caelius corresponded approximately to the Rome II Augustan region that bore the name Caelimontium. He lay partially outside the sacred city limits, the pomerium. Over the hill was a road to the Porta Caelimontana and parallel to several water pipes.

History

Originally, the hill was also called Querquetulanus mons after standing there oaks. The name Caelius reportedly went back to Caele ( Caelius ) Vibenna, an Etruscan Vulci from the time of King Servius Tullius.

On or at Caelius there were several sanctuaries, so the grove of Camenae, the Temple of Minerva Capta, of Hercules Victor and a place of worship of Diana.

The Caelius was known for his very high land prices and its affluent residents in the Imperial period after a fire in the year 27. This impression is, however, faded today. The only extant here noteworthy buildings from antiquity are the Baths of Caracalla.

In imperial times, a large temple for the deified Emperor Claudius and a number of military camps were built on the Caelian Hill.