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Photo: MM, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Archaeological site
Athenaeum
Ancient building in Rome; a school (ludus) founded by the Emperor Hadrian in Rome, for the promotion of literary and scientific studies (ingenuarum artium)
- Within the UNESCO World Heritage Site “Historic Centre of Rome, the Properties of the Holy See in that City Enjoying Extraterritorial Rights and San Paolo Fuori le Mura”
At a glance
- Type
- Archaeological site
- Protection
- Italian national heritage
- Coordinates
- 41°53′45″ N, 12°28′60″ E
- Address
- Piazza della Madonna di Loreto, 00187 Roma RM
History and description
The Athenaeum was a school (ludus) founded by the Emperor Hadrian for the promotion of literary and scientific studies (ingenuarum artium). The name "Athenaeum" came from the city of Athens, which was still regarded as the seat of intellectual refinement. The Athenaeum was situated near the Capitoline Hill: its site was discovered in 2009 during excavation for the construction of the Rome Metro C Line (Venezia station), in the middle of what is now Piazza Venezia.
A staff of professors, for the various branches of study, was regularly engaged. Under Theodosius II, for example, there were three orators, ten grammarians, five sophists, one philosopher, two lawyers, or jurisconsults. Besides the instruction given by these magistri, poets, orators, and critics were accustomed to recite their compositions there, and these prelections were sometimes honoured with the presence of the emperors themselves. There were other places, as the Ulpian Library, where such recitations were made; sometimes also a room was hired, and made into an auditorium.
The Athenaeum seems to have continued in high repute till the sixth century.
Legacy
After the moving of the capital city to Mediolanum and Constantinople similar schools were opened also in these cities, as well as in the other main cities of the Empire, like Carthage.
In the modern period, the term Athenaeum is widely used in various countries for schools, libraries, museums, cultural centers, performance halls and theatres, periodicals, clubs and societies – all aspiring to fulfill a cultural function similar to that of the ancient Roman school.
Text from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Full article: «Athenaeum».
Photos
Getting there
Roma TerminiTrain, nearest
1.7 km as the crow flies
AthenaeumPiazza della Madonna di Loreto, 00187 Roma RM
Aeroporto di Roma-Ciampino14.1 km
Distances are as the crow flies, not walking or driving.
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Nearby
See on the mapMore archaeological sites in Lazio
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- Free 1st Sunday
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Frequently asked questions
Where is Athenaeum?
Athenaeum is in Rome, in the province of Roma (Lazio), Italy. Address: Piazza della Madonna di Loreto, 00187 Roma RM. GPS coordinates: 41.89591, 12.48326.
What else is there to see near Athenaeum?
Nearby you’ll find: Trajan's Column (100 m away), Palazzo Valentini (100 m away), Atrium Libertatis (100 m away).
Sources and licences
Text. Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Data. Wikidata (CC0); opening hours and contacts OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
Photos. Wikimedia Commons, author and licence on every image.
Credits for the 7 photos
- AthenaeumMadonnaLoreto-AulaCentraleGradoni — MM, CC BY-SA 4.0
- AthenaeumMadonnaLoreto-CorridoioCuneo — MM, CC BY-SA 4.0
- AthenaeumMadonnaLoreto-MuroFondoPiazzale — MM, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Hadrians Athenaeum (arts centre) in Piazza Venezia, Rome (02-2013) (9101088319) — Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0
- The Athenaeum of Hadrian, built in 123 AD, located in Piazza Venezia, Rome (20443213693) — Carole Raddato from FRANKFURT, Germany, CC BY-SA 2.0
- Athenæum - Rome (IT62) - 2021-08-25 - 1 — Chabe01, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Piazza della Madonna di Loreto - Santa Maria di Loreto - panoramio — Mister No, CC BY 3.0
Updated 28 October 2026. All sources and licences