The Palatine Hill, which is the centremost of the seven hills of Rome, is one of the most ancient parts of the city; it has been called "the first nucleus of the Roman Empire". The site is now mainly
View of the Palatine Hill from across the Circus Maximus
Palatine Hill from the Colosseum
Massive retaining walls extended the area on the Palatine available for the Imperial building complex.
Augustus, also known as Octavian, was the founder of the Roman Empire and the first Roman emperor from 27 BC until his death in AD 14. The reign of Augustus initiated an imperial cult and an era of im
Palatine Hill
…the Palatine Museum houses many finds from the excavations here and from other ancient Italian sites. Imperial palaces were built there, starting with Augustus. Before imperial times the hill was mostly occupied by the houses of the rich. The hill originally had two summits separated by a depression: the higher…
The Augustus of Prima Porta
An idealized Roman sculpted portrait of Octavius as a teenager, possibly produced posthumously or when he was much older, now located in the Vatican Museums
The Death of Caesar by Vincenzo Camuccini, 1805, Galleria Nazionale d'Arte Moderna, Rome
Bust of Octavian, c. 30 BC. Capitoline Museums, Rome