![]() ![]() The villa was built and modified in four stages, the earliest of Republican date, the latest of the time of Constantine the Great. The vault above the fresco was covered with stucco reliefs of which only a few remains survive. Except for works of terracing-the gardens are currently being excavated-, all that can be seen today are three vaulted subterranean rooms, from the largest of which the fine fresco decor of an illusionistic garden view, where all the plants and trees flower and fruit at once, was removed to Rome it has recently been reinstalled in the Palazzo Massimo, following cleaning and restoration. ![]() The villa occupied the height dominating the view down the Tiber valley to Rome some of the walling that retained its terraces may still be seen (Piperno). The magisterial Augustus is a marble copy of a bronze statue that celebrated the return in 20 BC of the military standards captured by the Parthians in 53 BC after the defeat of Crassus at Carrhae: a rich iconography plays out in the low reliefs that decorate his cuirass. In 1863–1834, a marble krater carved in refined low relief was discovered at the site and in 1867 one of the most famous marble statue of Augustus, the Augustus of Prima Porta, which is now in the Vatican ( Braccio Nuovo), was discovered here. The famous statue of Augustus from Prima Porta The villa's site was rediscovered and explored as early as 1596, but it was not recognized as that of Livia until the nineteenth century. It was named and famous for its breed of white chickens and for its laurel grove ( Pliny's Natural History 15.136f), which were given auspiciously omened origins by Suetonius. Nearby, the villa of Livia Drusilla called Ad Gallinas Albas was probably part of Livia's dowry brought to the Julio-Claudian dynasty.
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