Identification The structure depicted in this fragment was perhaps a small neighborhood temple or sanctuary. Unlike the monumental temples in the center of Rome which were emphasized on the Marble Plan with recessed outlines, this one is crudely drawn, suggesting it was a minor, less important structure. Its unusual architecture, unique on the Plan, may also indicate it was a funerary monument, designed according to the taste of the deceased, similar to the funerary monument to Ser. Sulpicius Galba in fr. 24c. The large, open space that surrounds the building perhaps represents a temple precinct, framed by porticoes, but the sloppy rendering of the structure makes it more likely that it was situated in a simple courtyard, or in an open piazza or field. A final interpretation is that the building was a platform structure, situated along the banks of the Tiber, similar to the feature in fr. 32i, which has been associated with the headquarters of those in charge of upkeeping the banks of the river. If this identification is correct, the blank area that was removed represented the Tiber.

Significance The crude rendering of this monument is strikingly different from that of monumental temples and buildings on the Plan. This not only demonstrates that different engravers worked on the Marble Plan, but also that artistic emphasis was placed on the important, well-known monuments.

Text by Tina Najbjerg