The Pyramid of Caius Cestius

Q: Why is the pyramid of Caius Cestius important?

The Pyramid of Cestius is one of the best-preserved buildings from the Imperial Period. It was built around 2000 years ago as a mausoleum for the magistrate and priest Caius Cestius and his family.

Q: What is the pyramid of Caius Cestius made of?

The Pyramid of Cestius is constructed of brick and cement and covered in white marble.

Q: What does Cestius mean?

Cestius refers to male members of the Cestia gens, an ancient Roman family.

Q: Did the Romans build pyramids?

Yes, the Romans did build pyramids, and you can still see one in Rome today. It is called the Pyramid of Caius Cestius.

Q: Who made the Pyramid of Cestius?

The Pyramid of Cestius was built around 2000 years ago as a mausoleum for the magistrate and priest Caius Cestius and his family. It also played an important role in protecting Rome from marauding tribes since it was incorporated into the Aurelian walls as a bastion when Rome grew.

Home / Ancient Roman Sites and Ruins /

207 views

The Pyramid of Caius Cestius is the lone remaining structure from a group of monuments built in Rome around the first century B.C. when the style that emerged following the conquest of Egypt in 31 BC had an impact on tomb building.

Contents

1 FAQ
2 History
3 Interesting Facts
4 Useful Information
- 4.1 How to get

FAQ

Why is the pyramid of Caius Cestius important?

What is the pyramid of Caius Cestius made of?

What does Cestius mean?

Did the Romans build pyramids?

Who made the Pyramid of Cestius?

History

The Pyramid of Caius Cestius

Rome’s sole remaining pyramid is situated on the edge of the Testaccio neighborhood, right across the Piramide train station, next to the city’s Non-Catholic Cemetery.

The 36-meter-tall monument was erected in the first century BC as a tomb for Caius Cestius, a powerful Roman magistrate

Caius Cestius, a Roman politician and member of the priestly college of epuloni, stipulated in his testament that his pyramid-shaped mausoleum should be built in 330 days. Between the years of the introduction of the law against the ostentation of luxury, which prevented the installation of some precious tapestries inside the cell, and that of the death of Agrippa, son-in-law of Augustus, who was listed among the beneficiaries of the bequest, the tomb was constructed along the Via Ostiense. This dates its construction between the years of 18 and 12 BC.

Later, the Pyramid was incorporated into the walls that the emperor Aurelian built between 272 and 279 on his initiative. The structure, which rises 36.40 meters high and has a square base of 29.50 meters on each side, is constructed of a brick curtain and cement work around the perimeter. Its exterior is covered in slabs of Luni marble.

The Pyramid of Caius Cestius in Rome

According to Egyptian tradition, the burial chamber, which is around 23 square meters in size and has a barrel vault, was sealed up at the time of burial. The cinerary urn and a substantial piece of the decoration were lost as a result of the first violation of the tomb, which most likely occurred in the Middle Ages through a tunnel excavated on the northern side.

The walls are frescoed with a decorative pattern of panels, where figures of nymphs alternating with lustrous vases on a light background. Four winged Victories holding crowns and ribbons are depicted above, at the corners of the vault. In the middle, there must have previously been an apotheosis scene depicting the patron of the sepulcher.

The Archaeological Superintendency of Rome completed the restoration of the sepulchral cell in 2001. A subsequent renovation started in 2012 and was finished in 2015.

Interesting Facts

The Pyramid of Cestius in Rome

The Pyramid of Cestius is built into the Aurelian Walls, and an inscription on its white marble façade states that its construction took 330 days.
Yuzo Yagi, a Japanese businessman, donated €2 million toward the monument’s two-year, extensive restoration project, which began in 2013.
In addition to cleaning the exterior, the project included restoring the frescoes painted in the inner chambers of the pyramid whose grounds are nowadays home to a cat sanctuary.
There were other pyramids in Rome besides the Caius Cestius Pyramid. One was along Via Della Conciliazione, while the other was situated where the twin churches of Piazza del Popolo are now. It was considered the Meta Romuli. In 1499, it was demolished by Pope Alexander VI Borgia, on the occasion of the imminent Jubilee. It was in that period that the Pyramid of Cestius was mistakenly identified as the Meta Remi, the tomb of Remo, the twin brother of Romolo.
The inscription on the southeast side of the pyramid reads: “Gaius Cestius Epulo, son of Lucius, of the Poblilian district, praetor, tribune of the people, an official of the public banquets. According to his will, this work was completed in three hundred and thirty days; it was executed by his heirs L. Pontus Mela, son of Publius, of the Claudian district, and his freedman Pothus”

Useful Information

Address: Via Raffaele Persichetti
Timetables: Temporarily closed
Telephone: 06 5743193
Website: www.soprintendenzaspecialeroma.it

How to get

Metro: Line B, Piramide stop
Bus: Lines 23, 75, 280 and 716
Tram: Lines 3, 8

You can also see the Pyramid during a day trip to Antique Ostia or the sea from Rome. See detailed instructions on how to get to Ostia from Rome.

It will be useful for you to read about:

Author: Kate Zusmann

For the last 10 years, I live in the Eternal City. Traveling, exploring new things, writing blogs, and shooting vlogs are my main hobbies, but the thing that I like even more is sharing my experience and thoughts with you! Explore Rome with Us :)