At the moment, you can’t see the largest, most detailed handÂmade modÂel of ImpeÂrÂiÂal Rome for yourÂself. That’s because the Museo delÂla CiviltĂ Romana, the instiÂtuÂtion that housÂes it, has been closed for renÂoÂvaÂtions since 2014. But you can get a guidÂed tour of “Il PlasÂtiÂco,” as this grand Rome-in-miniaÂture is known, through the new Ancient Rome Live video above. “The archaeÂolÂoÂgist and archiÂtect ItaÂlo GisÂmonÂdi creÂatÂed this amazÂing modÂel,” explains host DarÂius Arya, preÂviÂousÂly feaÂtured here on Open CulÂture for his tour of PomÂpeii. WorkÂing at a 1:250 scale, GisÂmonÂdi built most of Il PlasÂtiÂco between 1933 and 1937, with latÂer expanÂsions after its instalÂlaÂtion in the Museo delÂla CiviltĂ Romana.
ArchaeÂolÂoÂgists and othÂer scholÂars have, of course, learned more about the EterÂnal City over the past nine decades, knowlÂedge reflectÂed in regÂuÂlarÂly updatÂed digÂiÂtal modÂels like Rome Reborn. But none have showed GisÂmondi’s dedÂiÂcaÂtion to painstakÂing manÂuÂal labor, which allowed him to craft pracÂtiÂcalÂly every then-known archiÂtecÂturÂal and infraÂstrucÂturÂal feaÂture withÂin the walls of Rome in the ConÂstanÂtinÂian age, from 306 to 337 AD.
Arya points out recÂogÂnizÂable landÂmarks like the ColosÂseÂum, the Forum, and the PyraÂmid of CesÂtius as well as bridges, rivÂer forÂtiÂfiÂcaÂtions, aqueÂducts, and even landÂscapÂing details down to the levÂel of indiÂvidÂual trees.
Even when the camÂera zooms way in, GisÂmondi’s Rome looks pracÂtiÂcalÂly habÂitÂable (and indeed, it may appeal to some viewÂers more than do the modÂern EuroÂpean cities that are its descenÂdants). It’s no wonÂder that RidÂley Scott, a direcÂtor famousÂly senÂsiÂtive to visuÂal impact, would use the modÂel in GladÂiÂaÂtor. And while a video tour like Arya’s proÂvides a closÂer-up view of many secÂtions of Il PlasÂtiÂco than one can get in perÂson, the only way to fulÂly appreÂciÂate the sheer scale of the achieveÂment is to behold its physÂiÂcal realÂiÂty. LuckÂiÂly, you should be able to do just that next year, when the Museo delÂla CiviltĂ Romana is schedÂuled to reopen at long last. But then, no more could Rome be built in a day than its museÂum could be renÂoÂvatÂed in a mere decade.
RelatÂed conÂtent:
Rome Reborn: A New 3D VirÂtuÂal ModÂel Lets You Fly Over the Great MonÂuÂments of Ancient Rome
Based in Seoul, ColÂin Marshall writes and broadÂcasts on cities, lanÂguage, and culÂture. His projects include the SubÂstack newsletÂter Books on Cities, the book The StateÂless City: a Walk through 21st-CenÂtuÂry Los AngeÂles and the video series The City in CinÂeÂma. FolÂlow him on TwitÂter at @colinmarshall or on FaceÂbook.