The Pyramid of Cestius is a Roman-era pyramid located in Rome, Italy, near Porta San Paolo and the Protestant Cemetery. It was built as a tomb for Gaius Cestius and stands at a crossroads between two ancient roads, the Via Ostiense which ran west towards the Tiber and the modern Via Marmorata. It is today one of the best preserved ancient buildings in Rome.
It was built between 18 and 12 BC, it is in concrete, with a brick curtain and a covering of Carrara marble slabs; it is 36.40 meters high with a square base of about 30 meters on each side and rises on a concrete platform.
How quickly was the Pyramid of Cestius built and why this rush?
The pyramid was built in just 330 days, perhaps even less. In fact, Gaius Cestius expressly ordered in his will that the heirs raise the pyramidal tomb within this period, under penalty of losing the rich inheritance, as recalled by the inscription carved on the eastern side of the monument: opus absolutum ex testamento diebus CCCXXX, arbitratu (L. ) Bridges P. f. Cla (udia tribu), Melae heredis et Pothi l (iberti). The heirs hastened to carry out the testamentary disposition, so much so that, it seems, they had completed the construction of the pyramid a few days in advance.
Piramide is also the name of the Rome Metro station which is located in the immediate vicinity, useful for reaching this place of visit comfortably.
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