Ettore Roesler Franz and Bygone Rome

Rome's Jewish ghetto was a favourite subject for Roesler Franz, to which he dedicated several paintings. This page takes into consideration two views featuring the Porch of Octavia. In roman times, it was a covered colonnade built for public utility, next to the no longer existing Flaminius Stadium. Rectangular in shape, it measured approximately 120 x 130 m (or feet), and each of its four sides had a double row of columns. It had been first built in the 2nd century BC, then altered in the 1st century AD by emperor Octavianus Augustus, who had named the porch by dedicating it to his sister Octavia; finally, it was rebuilt around year 200 by Septimius Severus and Caracalla. What today is called Porch of Octavia [1], though, is only one of the entrances of the original structure, with a few surviving columns, i.e. the only parts now extant (picture on the right).

Rome's Jewish ghetto was a favourite subject for Roesler Franz, to which he dedicated several paintings. This page takes into consideration two views featuring the Porch of Octavia.

In roman times, it was a covered colonnade built for public utility, next to the no longer existing Flaminius Stadium. Rectangular in shape, it measured approximately 120 x 130 m (or feet), and each of its four sides had a double row of columns. It had been first built in the 2nd century BC, then altered in the 1st century AD by emperor Octavianus Augustus, who had named the porch by dedicating it to his sister Octavia; finally, it was rebuilt around year 200 by Septimius Severus and Caracalla. What today is called Porch of Octavia [1], though, is only one of the entrances of the original structure, with a few surviving columns, i.e. the only parts now extant (picture on the right).

	These remains stand on one corner of Rome's old Jewish ghetto, a real enclosure with huge doors watched over by wardens, where up to 1870 all Jews had to dwell, having the faculty of leaving the small district only during daytime. The ghetto's boundary ran along via del Portico d'Ottavia [2], the street seen beyond the arch in both paintings, where the slums dwelt in by the Jewish families are still clearly visible. Since the ghetto had been established, in 1555, these houses had been built one on top of the other, so to exploit the little space available, and often rested over preexisting medieval structures. On the opposite side of the ghetto, the river Tiber acted as natural boundary for the enclosure. Since ancient times, below the porch a fish market [3] had always been held, a tradition that lasted up to the early 1900s.

These remains stand on one corner of Rome's old Jewish ghetto, a real enclosure with huge doors watched over by wardens, where up to 1870 all Jews had to dwell, having the faculty of leaving the small district only during daytime. The ghetto's boundary ran along via del Portico d'Ottavia [2], the street seen beyond the arch in both paintings, where the slums dwelt in by the Jewish families are still clearly visible. Since the ghetto had been established, in 1555, these houses had been built one on top of the other, so to exploit the little space available, and often rested over preexisting medieval structures. On the opposite side of the ghetto, the river Tiber acted as natural boundary for the enclosure.

Since ancient times, below the porch a fish market [3] had always been held, a tradition that lasted up to the early 1900s.

When the doors of the ghetto were finally opened, in 1870, most of the old buildings were replaced with newer and more comfortable ones. The whole western side of via del Portico d'Ottavia [4] was taken down, and a few old roman columns, previously conceiled by the slums, were found near the porch. On the eastern side of the street [5], instead, some 15th-16th century buildings of artistic and historical interest, that belonged to non-Jewish families, were freed from buttresses, props, etc. that had been added in time, and throughoutly restored.

When the doors of the ghetto were finally opened, in 1870, most of the old buildings were replaced with newer and more comfortable ones. The whole western side of via del Portico d'Ottavia [4] was taken down, and a few old roman columns, previously conceiled by the slums, were found near the porch.

On the eastern side of the street [5], instead, some 15th-16th century buildings of artistic and historical interest, that belonged to non-Jewish families, were freed from buttresses, props, etc. that had been added in time, and throughoutly restored.

Also the ground level changed. Along the street, it is more or less the same as the one seen in Roesler Franz's paintings. But in recent times an excavation has been carried out below the Porch of Octavia, in order to unearth the base of the roman structure and the original paving, almost 2 metres (6 ft) below the present one.