Il Plastico di Roma Imperiale

Il Plastico di Roma Imperiale, literally meaning "the model of imperial Rome", is a large-scale model of ancient Rome, representing the historic city as it was during the early 4th century CE under Emperor Constantine I. Created between 1933 CE and 1937 CE by archaeologist Italo Gismondi, the model is one of the most detailed reconstructions of Imperial Rome ever made. Built at a 1:250 scale, it serves as a fundamental tool for the study of Rome's historic urban topography, capturing the architectural and infrastructural grandeur of the ancient city at its peak.

Overview

Commissioned during the Fascist regime for the Mostra Augustea della Romanità (Augustan Exhibition of Romanità, see notes) in 1937 CE, the model was intended to celebrate Rome's imperial past and reinforce its symbolic importance. Italo Gismondi based his design on Forma Urbis Romae, a 3rd-century CE marble map of Rome, and supplemented it with archaeological findings and historical records. Over the decades, the model has undergone modifications and additions, refining its accuracy. Today, it is housed in the Museum of Roman Civilization (Museo della Civiltà Romana) in the EUR district of Rome and remains an essential reference for scholars and historians analyzing the city’s historical layout. It represents the archaeological and historical knowledge available in the early-mid twentieth century CE regarding the ancient city of Rome around the time of Constantine the Great (circa mid-fourth century CE).

Structure

circa 1933 CE-1937 CE

Comprising of 150 sections, Il Plastico di Roma Imperiale, is meticulously crafted in plaster, featuring an extensive representation of the city’s streets, buildings, and public spaces. The level of detail includes individual houses, temples, bath complexes, and even minor topographical features such as hills and riverbanks. The model is positioned horizontally, allowing a comprehensive bird’s-eye view of Rome’s urban structure. It provides a sense of the density of Rome’s architecture and the spatial relationships between its key monuments. Notably, the Tiber River, essential to Rome’s infrastructure and economy, is prominently depicted, meandering through the heart of the city. The model also incorporates several later additions and refinements based on ongoing archaeological discoveries, ensuring its continued relevance as an educational and research tool. It depicts all 14 regions of ancient Rome.

Notable Depictions

The Capitoline Hill
The political and religious heart of Rome, the Capitoline Hill is depicted with its major temples, including the Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus, the most important religious site in the city. The hill also housed administrative buildings and was a key focal point for public life in Rome. Its strategic location and monumental architecture underscored its significance in both civic and religious contexts.

Campus Martius
This section includes the Pantheon, the Baths of Agrippa, and the grandiose complex of the Stadium of Domitian (later transformed into Piazza Navona), Theater of Pompei, and Theater of Marcellus.

Fori Imperiali
Surrounding the Roman Forum, the Imperial Fora include the Forum of Caesar, the Forum of Augustus, and Trajan’s Forum, with its famous Column and Basilica Ulpia.

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Notes

• The Augustan Exhibition of Romanità (Mostra Augustea della Romanità), held in Rome from 1937 to 1938 CE, was a large-scale exhibition designed to glorify ancient Rome as a model for Fascist Italy. Organized during Benito Mussolini's regime, the exhibition sought to establish a direct ideological link between Augustus' rule and Mussolini's leadership, reinforcing the concept of Romanità—the idea of Rome's enduring greatness. The exhibition utilized spatial design and historical narrative to create a ritualized experience, presenting Augustus and Mussolini as parallel figures who shaped their respective eras. It featured artifacts, models, and reconstructions that framed the Roman past as a justification for Fascist policies. The exhibition also emphasized the cult of Il Duce, demonstrating how Fascism appropriated history to bolster national identity and legitimacy.

See Also

• Pergamon Museum
• Palatine Museum (Museo Palatino)
• Vatican Museums
• Roman Forum (Foro Romano)
• List of the Imperial Forums
• National Archaeological Museum of Athens
• Museum of the Forma Urbis Romae
• Terra Sancta Archaeological Museum of Jerusalem
• Acropolis Museum of Athens
• Ephesus Archaeological Museum
• National Museum of Egyptian Civilization

References

• Cinzia Dal Maso, Roma Plastico Imperiale, Il SOLE 24 ORE (13-05-2007, pg. 49).
• Roth, Leland M. (1993). Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History and Meaning (First ed.). Boulder, CO: Westview Press. ISBN 0-06-430158-3.
• Andrea Carandini (2017). Atlas of Ancient Rome. Princeton University Press.
• Rodolfo Lanciani (1897). The Ruins and Excavations of Ancient Rome. Houghton Mifflin. p. 312.
• Filippo Coarelli (2014). Rome & Environs: An Archaeological Guide. University of California Press.
• A.M. Colini, "Italo Gismondi "Cultore di Roma"", in Studi Romani, n. 2, XXII, aprile-giugno 1974, pp. 149ff.
• Fritz Heichelheim, Cedric Veo, Allan Ward(1984);A History of the Roman People; Prentice-Hall; Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey.
• Martin G. Conde, Rome. Model's of Ancient Rome for the Area of the Imperial Fora: Giuseppe Marcelliani (1905–1906); Paul Bigot (1906–1911, 1942); Italo Gismondi / Pierino Di Carlo (1933–1937, & later revisions).
• J. E. Packer and J. Burge, "Templum Divi Traiani Parthici et Plotinae: a debate with R. Meneghini," Journal of Roman Archaeology (January 2003).
• Samuel B. Platner & Thomas Ashby (1929). "A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome". Oxford University Press.
• La Regina, Adriano, ed. (2007) [2004]. Archaeological Guide to Rome. Richard Sadleir (trans.) (New update ed.). Electa. p. 188.
• Packer, James (1997). Trajan's Forum: A Study of the Monuments. University of California Press.
• F. Fedora (a cura di), Ricostruire l' antico prima virtuale Italo Gismondi Un architetto per l' archeologia (1887–1974). Rome 2007.