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Rome - Fontana della Aqua Felice

City: According to legend Rome was founded by Romulus and Remus, the twin sons of the war god Mars and Rhea Silvia. According to the story this was on 21st April 753BC. The two brothers had a dispute concerning which of them would rule the new city and give it its name. Romulus killed his brother and gave the city his name. Archaeologists give a different account of its foundation. Rome was built initially on seven small hills: Aventine Hill (Aventinus), Caelian Hill (Caelius), Capitoline Hill (Capitolinus), Esquiline Hill (Esquilinus), Palatine Hill (Palatinus), Quirinal Hill (Quirinalis) and Viminal Hill (Viminalis). Populating the area happened in several phases. First small settlements appeared on two of the Hills in the 10th century B.C. In the 7th century B.C. new settlements came, spreading to a third hill, followed by new settlements in the 6th century B.C. The Etruskans invaded these settlements around this time and they united the settlements of the three hills into a city. In the 4th century B.C. the city expanded to the four other hill settlements. Because a wall was built, connecting everything together, a real city developed which grew rapidly. Rome has played important in world history, not least as the capital of the Roman world power. Today there are 2,741,086 people (2009) living in Rome. It is the capital of Italy and also the site where the Vatican can be found.

Object: The Fontana della Aqua Felice, also known as the Moses fountain. The fountain was built by order of Pope Sixtus V. In fact it was a part of a larger project, as it happens, the restoration of the aqueduct Aqua Alexandriana that was renamed after the Pope as Aqua Felice. (The birth name of the pope was Felice Peretti da Montalto). The task for building the impressive fountain was given to the architect who designed his house, Domenico Fontana, in 1585 . This architect produced a design with three elegant arcs. Various other artists were involved in the realisation of the project. The fountain was finished in 1587. On the three arcs there are biblical scenes presented. In middle arc Moses can be seen producing water come from a rock by means of the power of God. He is standing on this rock and the water of the fountain flows under him. On the left Aaron is seen leading the Israelites through the water. Water is also flowing under him. On the right of Moses Joshua is pictured leading his army to the Red Sea. And here too there is water flowing under the statues. Concerning God’s name the statue of Aaron is interesting. In accordance with the instructions which were given to him, on his head gear is a plaque (made of pure gold), on which the words “Holiness belongs JHWH” was engraved (Exodus 28:36).

 

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