Prieure de Sion Posted November 2, 2023 · Member Share Posted November 2, 2023 Years ago, I took a spontaneous holiday in Sperlonga (Lazio) and, more by chance than anything else, on a path to a restaurant on the road, I spotted a sign - still a few metres to the Grottoes of Tiberius. Of course, I immediately abandoned my visit to the restaurant and made a detour to the caves and the museum. One thing in advance - I would like to apologise for the poor quality and the terrible filters. I didn't have my own camera with me - and my fellow travellers were using the pictures for Instagram and the like at the time. Let's first get to the beautiful town of Sperlonga, which lies on the coast of Lazio. If you're ever in the area, it's worth spending a few days here. It is an idyllic place, just as you would imagine a place in Italy to be. HOLIDAYS IN SPERLONGA Sperlonga on the Hills... at the coast of Latium... Sperlonga Google Maps Pin: https://maps.app.goo.gl/syG9SJv2zFBEMvbX9 Sperlonga official Website: http://www.comune.sperlonga.lt.it THE GROTTO OF TIBERIUS Google Maps Pin: https://maps.app.goo.gl/vt4YJ4huBfKnjmSj9 The Grottoes of Tiberius are located directly on the main SR213 road on the way from Sperlonga to Gaeta. By the way, allow me to interject. After the Grottoes of Tiberius, I recommend a visit to the town of Gaeta. Gaeta was already cited by Virgil in the Aeneid (journey of Aeneas to Rome). It is the place where, according to legend, Aeneas buried his nurse Caieta. The ancient name Caieta is also said to derive from her. Gaeta developed into a popular health resort with numerous villas. Among others, Marcus Tullius Cicero and Antoninus Pius owned villas here. The tomb of the Roman consul Lucius Munatius Plancus is located on Monte Orlando. But let's go back to the Grottoes of Tiberius. First you go through the attached museum before going down to the grotto in the open air. The forum contains numerous exhibits that were found on the site itself or in the immediate vicinity. 12 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted November 2, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted November 2, 2023 The exhibits are of really great and beautiful quality for such a small museum... This group of statues is the highlight of the museum - more on that later. In real life, this group is even larger. Fantastic antique work by the old masters! 10 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted November 2, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted November 2, 2023 Since the 1st century BC there has been a villa complex on Monte Ciannito, which was inhabited until the late Roman imperial period. Suetonius and Tacitus report in their writings that Emperor Tiberius was once almost the victim of falling stones when he was at a banquet in the enlarged grotto. According to Bernard Andreae, the excavator of the complex, the entire complex was by no means intended to contribute only to the "recreation of the imperial mind". Its main purpose was a "political one, legitimising rule". Why? In the cave, the heroic deeds of a blood ancestor were celebrated (Telegonos, the place from which the emperor came, was the son of Odysseus and Kirke) as well as those of the enabler of Rome, Aeneas. The Julians, to whom Augustus, the adoptive father of Tiberius, and also Tiberius himself belonged, derived from Aeneas. The four groups of figures with scenes from the life of Odysseus were reassembled from 10000 individual pieces and today form one of the most important ensembles of figures that we still possess from ancient times. The figures were arranged in 5 main groups: Odysseus rescues the body of Achilles, Odysseus and Diomedes steal the Palladium, the holy of holies of the city of Troy, the hero fights the sea monster Scylla, which devours his ship and companions, the blinding of Polyphemus, the persuasion of Phyloctet by Odysseus. You can also see these groups in my previous pictures. Leaving the museum into the open air, a path leads down to the sea to the grottoes. Unfortunately, as is so often the case in Italy, one can guess at the beauty that must have been there at the time - but everything that is outdoors unfortunately also decays and is rarely cared for... 5 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted November 2, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted November 2, 2023 (edited) The following statues and groups are said to have been installed in the main niche... You have seen the statues of groups B and C above in my pictures from the museum! Edited November 2, 2023 by Prieure de Sion 7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted November 2, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted November 2, 2023 Emperors and senators have walked between these aisles! Wonderful mosaics - unfortunately unprotected under the open sky. Did Tiberius bathe in this pool? I get goose bumps! And this ancient relic fascinates and shocks at the same time. Which emperor, which senator might have bathed in this tub? Which mistress? Or even an empress? And why the heck is such a specimen standing unprotected in the open air? 10 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prieure de Sion Posted November 2, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted November 2, 2023 When I visited the grottoes, I could picture the "old emperor Tiberius" in his own spa area overlooking the sea. Who used the caves after him? Who all visited the caves? Who was a guest here? Who was an involuntary guest here? In my opinion, a visit is definitely worthwhile! The entrance fee is cheap and - since it is not very well known - it is not overcrowded. You have all the time in the world to visit the exhibits and the area outside at your leisure. So I hope you enjoyed this little insight. Here is a coin of Tiberius - the lecherous old man 😉 ... I look forward to your reactions - feel free to post more coins of Tiberius or whatever comes to your mind! 8 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kali Posted November 2, 2023 · Member Share Posted November 2, 2023 Great photos, thanks for sharing. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
akeady Posted November 2, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted November 2, 2023 1 hour ago, Prieure de Sion said: When I visited the grottoes, I could picture the "old emperor Tiberius" in his own spa area overlooking the sea. Who used the caves after him? Who all visited the caves? Who was a guest here? Who was an involuntary guest here? In my opinion, a visit is definitely worthwhile! The entrance fee is cheap and - since it is not very well known - it is not overcrowded. You have all the time in the world to visit the exhibits and the area outside at your leisure. So I hope you enjoyed this little insight. Here is a coin of Tiberius - the lecherous old man 😉 ... I look forward to your reactions - feel free to post more coins of Tiberius or whatever comes to your mind! Spontaneous trips and detours are the best 🙂 ATB, Aidan. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Octavius Posted November 3, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted November 3, 2023 Beautiful photos brought back neat memories. I had great, great grandparents from Formia , down the road from Gaeta. I visited the area many years ago and it was breathtaking. I particularly remember what was thought to be Cicero's tomb near there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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