In his famous villa letters (Epist. 2.17, 5.6 and 9.7), Pliny the Younger does not provide a consistent presentation of the layout and architectural structure of these sites, nor does he offer a clear and straightforward itinerary through the buildings. Instead, his gaze through windows, doors and columns traces paths within long sequences of topographical and functional units, highlighting key environmental features of each space. The colonnaded walkways (porticus and cryptoporticus) represent the main connecting elements between the different parts of the site, emphasising either continuity or differences in their appearance and use. This contribution explores the role of colonnaded walkways in the literary construction of Pliny’s villas. In light of these observations, it focuses on two works published by Karl Lehmann-Hartleben in 1936 (an archaeological commentary on Pliny’s Lettere scelte and the Baugeschichtliche Untersuchungen am Stadtrand von Pompeji, dedicated to the so-called ‘panoramic villas’ on the southwestern slopes of Pompeii), that allow us to frame the role of Pliny’s correspondence in the history of archaeological research and the understanding of Roman domestic buildings.
L’esperienza del paesaggio nelle ville di Plinio il Giovane
Anna Anguissola
2024-01-01
Abstract
In his famous villa letters (Epist. 2.17, 5.6 and 9.7), Pliny the Younger does not provide a consistent presentation of the layout and architectural structure of these sites, nor does he offer a clear and straightforward itinerary through the buildings. Instead, his gaze through windows, doors and columns traces paths within long sequences of topographical and functional units, highlighting key environmental features of each space. The colonnaded walkways (porticus and cryptoporticus) represent the main connecting elements between the different parts of the site, emphasising either continuity or differences in their appearance and use. This contribution explores the role of colonnaded walkways in the literary construction of Pliny’s villas. In light of these observations, it focuses on two works published by Karl Lehmann-Hartleben in 1936 (an archaeological commentary on Pliny’s Lettere scelte and the Baugeschichtliche Untersuchungen am Stadtrand von Pompeji, dedicated to the so-called ‘panoramic villas’ on the southwestern slopes of Pompeii), that allow us to frame the role of Pliny’s correspondence in the history of archaeological research and the understanding of Roman domestic buildings.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
