Capitolium of Brixia

The inscription on the front of Capitolium of Brixia attests to the fact that it was built in 73 CE, under the Emperor Vespasiano. Buried in Middle Ages by the landslides of the Cidneo Hill, its remains were discovered with the excavations of 1823-26 when the three cells were rebuilt by Rodolfo Vantini. The remains of the temple are extremely grandiose, with six Corinthian columns under which are the remains of the oldest, holy Roman building in the Padana plain area. These are emphasized by the staircase and the high base on which they rest. The three rooms of the temple hold a Roman museum where, together with epigraphs, are mosaics and Roman statues from the Brescian area. In particular in the central room is a notable mosaic on the floor with masks and scenes from a play, and a bilingual inscription in Latin and Etruscan. From the cavity in the central room and the left room, one reaches the Civic Museum of the Roman Era that holds statues, bronzes, ceramics, vases, glass and coins. among the most famous pieces is a large, bronze statue from the 1st Century CE, a Roman work with a Hellenistic influence that has been perfectly preserved as well as a statue of a prisoner in golden bronze. A fourth room on the extreme right leads to the remains of the Roman theater, which has been partially covered by Renaissance and modern buildings.