Date of Award

4-28-2023

Document Type

Honors Project

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Department

Classics, Philosophy, and Religion

Department Chair or Program Director

Romero, Joseph

First Advisor

Houghtalin, Liane

Second Advisor

Romero, Joseph

Third Advisor

Pitts, Angela

Major or Concentration

Classics

Abstract

The Curia Julia has one of the most fascinating histories out of all the buildings in Rome. Julius Caesar began its construction in 44 BCE in the Forum Romanum as the meeting place for the Roman Senate, and it continued to serve as such until the eventual fall of the Roman Empire. Today, the building stands almost completely intact, a feat that is not common for other structures of the same period. The reason why it has remained standing for so many centuries is due to its history of use: it was transformed into a church in the 7th century where its appearance was altered, and in the 1930s it was completely restored to its appearance from the era of the Roman Empire. These restorations completely removed all traces of the Medieval and Renaissance periods, and instead restored the Curia to what it would have looked like under the emperor Diocletian, who repaired the Curia after a fire. However, the story of the Curia moving into today’s world offers some complications in preservation. Rising automobile emissions and air pollution threaten the materials the Curia is constructed from, so this thesis will examine these construction materials in order to determine the best ways to preserve the Curia Julia for future generations to come.

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