Giallo Antico Research Paper

Giallo antico, literally meaning 'ancient yellow' due to the yellow colouring of the marble, was the name used to refer to the marble by the scalpellini, who re-used the ancient marble to adorn churches and Renaissance structures, such as the Lateran Basilica. The yellow stone was used throughout ancient Rome in decorative buildings as wall revetments, flooring, and columns. Pliny the Elder, writing in the 70s CE, refers to giallo antico as marmor Numidicum (Numidian marble), indicating its origin in the Roman province of Numidia. It was quarried in the hills of ancient Simitthus, modern Chemtou in northwest Tunisia. The quarries were found along the Djebel Chemtou hill range on three peaks: Stadtberg, Gelber Berg and Templberg. Initially
Giallo antico was first quarried by the local kings of Numidia in the late second century BCE and it was used for the first time in ca. 138 BCE in the sanctuary of Messinissa, on the Tempelberg peak. As an ally of Rome, Massinissa had fought in the Punic Wars against the Carthaginians and united the Numidian tribes under one kingdom. Micipsa of Numidia, the son and successor of Massinissa, built a royal shrine made of the local yellow stone at Simitthus for his father, after his death in 148 BCE. The architectural fragments from the Numidian altar display Hellenistic style 'arms reliefs' in a pale yellow giallo antico. The monument and its reliefs symbolized Massinissa's victory and the foundation of the Numidian Kingdom. Since the initial quarrying which was commenced by the King of Numidia, giallo antico developed a royal association, as the quarries were thought to have been property of the Numidian kings, before becoming Roman
Propertius, writing in ca. 30-16 BCE , describes the 'golden' porticoes of Apollo on the Palatine with its 'Punic columns' (Prop. 2.31). The Temple of Apollo on the Palatine was dedicated in 28 BCE by Augustus and had a connecting portico of the Danaids. The golden colour described in the literature adds to the visual perception and association of the stone with Apollo and the sun in this context. The Temple of Apollo Sosianus in the Forum Boarium, dates to around the same time, between 32 and 28 BCE. Remains of giallo antico columns were found that are from the cella, and excavations have also uncovered opus sectile floors, which features giallo antico, in conjunction with pavonazzetto, africano, portasanta and cipollino. In the Basilica Aemilia, there is a preserved Augustan dated floor, which includes giallo antico in a multi-coloured marble pattern. Giallo antico was not restricted only to columns and slabs but in the Basilica Aemilia, perhaps from the construction of 22 CE, fragments from statues of Parthian prisoners made from giallo antico were found, which would have decorated the attic area. In Rome today, one of the most important and magnificent ancient buildings is the Pantheon in Rome, which is still adorned by many of the ancient marbles and is an example of Roman architectural genius. The Pantheon, built by Hadrian in 125 CE, has (eight) fluted monolithic columns (in front of the