The Rupe Tarpea is one of the most significative monuments to the Romanity. On this cliff the Campidoglio is built up. The legend says that during the wars of the Romans against the Sanniti (IV-III centuries BC), a young lady named Tarpea, while Romans were spleeping, opened the city doors to the enemy who could enter undisturbed. When the Romans, made save the city, knew about the betrayal, killed the girl pushing her down from the cliff. From that time, as memory, the cliff was named Tarpea and it was used as punishment for the betrayers of Roma.The cliff is a rare aspect of the morphology of the roman area before the strong urbanization. The Rupe Tarpea itself records the geological evolution of the area: it is constituted by the ignimbrite deposits erupted from the Colli Albani volcano, south of Roma. Erosion processes during quiecenece periods of the volcano and after the end of the volcanic activity, are responsible for the dissection of the ignimbrite plateaus forming the famous seven hills of Roma. For its importance as monument and geosite the Rupe needs to be protected and improved. It has already mentioned in the book "Il paesaggio geologico ed i Geotopi della campagna romana" (Arnoldus- Huyzendveld A. et alii, 1997). We propose its valorizzation trough an itinerary enrich with appropriate posters explaining the geological evolution of the territory and its significance for the hystory of Roma.
Fabbri, M., DE RITA, D. (2004). Rupe Tarpea: History and geology in one of the most important monument of Rome.
Rupe Tarpea: History and geology in one of the most important monument of Rome
DE RITA, Donatella
2004-01-01
Abstract
The Rupe Tarpea is one of the most significative monuments to the Romanity. On this cliff the Campidoglio is built up. The legend says that during the wars of the Romans against the Sanniti (IV-III centuries BC), a young lady named Tarpea, while Romans were spleeping, opened the city doors to the enemy who could enter undisturbed. When the Romans, made save the city, knew about the betrayal, killed the girl pushing her down from the cliff. From that time, as memory, the cliff was named Tarpea and it was used as punishment for the betrayers of Roma.The cliff is a rare aspect of the morphology of the roman area before the strong urbanization. The Rupe Tarpea itself records the geological evolution of the area: it is constituted by the ignimbrite deposits erupted from the Colli Albani volcano, south of Roma. Erosion processes during quiecenece periods of the volcano and after the end of the volcanic activity, are responsible for the dissection of the ignimbrite plateaus forming the famous seven hills of Roma. For its importance as monument and geosite the Rupe needs to be protected and improved. It has already mentioned in the book "Il paesaggio geologico ed i Geotopi della campagna romana" (Arnoldus- Huyzendveld A. et alii, 1997). We propose its valorizzation trough an itinerary enrich with appropriate posters explaining the geological evolution of the territory and its significance for the hystory of Roma.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
