A short walk from Rome’s Termini Station takes you to one of the great gates in the mighty Aurelian Walls that surround the historic center, the Porta Maggiore. Confusingly, this gate was built long before the Aurelian Walls were constructed.
Also known as the Porta Prenestina, the gate was built in 52 C.E. by Emperor Claudius for two very different purposes. It was built to be a monumental structure supporting two great aqueducts — the Aqua Claudia and the Aqua Anio Novus — at the point where they crossed two ancient roads, Via Labicana and Via Praenestina. Like a triumphal arch, the structure also served to glorify the contributions of the emperor, and both the aqueducts and roads would have been a very visible part of the emperor’s accomplishments. Moreover, crossroads had a special importance in Ancient Rome, making this a particularly important spot on which to celebrate the emperor.
Two centuries later, in 272 C.E., Rome was not as stable as it had been under Claudius. Instead, Emperor Aurelian ordered the construction of walls around the city, which still stand today (the city having long before outgrown the Servian Walls). The Aurelian Walls had to be constructed quickly, so in many spots they incorporated pre-existing structures, including the Porta Maggiore.
The monument is made of travertine, and has two arches with Corinthian half-columns. There are inscriptions by Claudius, as well as some Flavian emperors who did later repair work on it.
On one side of the Porta Maggiore is a real oddity, a late Republican tomb that is like nothing else in Rome. The tomb is for a man, Eurysaces, and his wife Atistia. Likely Greek, Eurysaces was a very successful man — and he wanted the world to know it. It is also likely he had once been a slave, having been owned by a man named Marcus Vergilius. That would have made his full name Marcus Vergilius Eurysaces.
Judging by his tomb, Eurysaces became a very wealthy man by, of all things… baking. He was a baker and very proud of it. The strange circular indentations decorating the tomb seem to represent the bowls used to mix the bread in Eurysaces’ large bakery, or perhaps were similar to containers used to measure the grain. There are also panels clearly showing the process of making and then selling bread.
There are several inscriptions on the tomb, one of which reads, “est hoc monimentum Margei Vergilei Eurysacis pistoris,” which means “this is the tomb of Marcus Vergilius Eurysaces, baker.” You can still see some of the words today.
The spot where the Porta Maggiore stands is still the junction of several major roads, so it is part of Rome’s transportation system. There is a tram stop just off to one side of the gate.
The tram goes right by the baker’s tomb so many Romans see it every day. Considering how proud Eurysaces was of his tomb, I think he’d like that.
The Spanish Steps Apartment on Via della Mercede 