ANTICO/PRESENTE X, 2008
Festival of the Ancient World
Rimini and its area
12, 13, 14, 15 June 2008
Rimini is not only a popular resort area on the Adriatic coast, but it is also a very ancient town with over 2000 years of history behind.
Located in central Italy, on the Adriatic Sea, at the mouth of the Ariminus River and at the end of the Padana plain, Rimini and its area have been inhabited since a very long time.
The Romans founded here the colony of Ariminum around 268 b.C., in an area that had previously been an Etruscan harbour of the Kings of Verucchio, then inhabited by the Umbrians, the Greeks (who probably came from Egina) and the Gauls.
During the Roman Empire Rimini was an outpost of strategic importance as well as a road junction and meeting-point for trade, connecting northern Italy (through Via Aemilia that led to Piacenza and the Via Popilia), southern Italy (through the Via Flaminia that led to Rome), the western region of Tuscany and eastern, Greece and Illyria.
There are outstanding monuments testifying the city's history and worth visit: for example the recently restored Porta Montanara, the ancient city gate whose origins go back to the Silla period, or the Arch of Augustusthat is very well preserved. Built in 27 b.C. at the end of the Via Flaminia that led to Rome, it is is one of the most famous and most ancient Roman Arches in the world.
Other important sights are the Tiberius Bridgeover the Marecchia River, that was built in Istria stone under the Emperor Augustus in 14 and was completed under Tiberius in 21 a.C. The bridge still connects the city centre to Borgo San Giuliano and leads to the consular roads Via Emilia and Via Popilia that lead north. The ruins of theAmphitheatre, which dates from the second century and whose arena measured 73 x 44 meters, not far from the greatest Roman amphitheatres: the edifice could house up to 12,000 spectators.
Rimini has an invaluable patrimony of archaeological artefacts and a very rich collection of ancient masterpieces. Since May 2003 it is possible to visit the first room of the Archaeological Department of the Municipal Museum, that in the near future will consist of 40 rooms. In this section you can find traces of the Imperial period in Rimini between II and III century. The main attraction of the Museum is the archaeological site the “surgeon’sdomus” in Ferrari square, with the extraordinary surgical instruments and the precious furniture.
But not only Rimini is rich in art and history: in the surroundings don’t miss to visit the Archaeological Museum in Verucchio, that preserves incredible artefacts from the region’s pre-Etruscan necropolises and 400 Villanovan tombs, or the many Antiquists in Cattolica, Riccione, Mondaini, etc.
Besides this Etruscan, Greek and Roman heritage, Rimini has also an important anthropological collection that is hosted by the Museum named Museo degli Sguardi (Musée des Regards) which was inaugurated at the end of 2005 under the supervision and direction of Marc Augè. This Museum contains an important and rich collection of pre-Columbian American treasures.
In this context, the town of Rimini has been promoting since 1999 an event under the title Antico/Presentewhich is dedicated to many topics related with the classical tradition such as archaeology, mythology, arts, philosophy, religion, science, and particularly literature and poetry. Many important and world famous writers and artists have come to Rimini to attend this review, as for example Umberto Eco and the Nobel Prize Derek Walcott.
In the last three years, Antico/Presente has been developed into The Ancient World Festival, which is scheduled on June, (last edition took place from 14thto 17thJune).
On this occasion, for a long week end, Rimini and its area (Cattolica, Mondaino, Montefiore Conca, San Mauro Pascoli, Verucchio, and also the Republic of San Marino and the town of San Leo) offer many opportunities to discover and appreciate the ancient cultures (not only the Greek and the Roman culture, but also the Eastern and the pre-Columbian American Cultures): poetry readings, lectures, meetings, readings, seminars, performances, sightseeing tours to the archaeological sites, guided tours to the several museums and monuments (even on boat, cruising the Marecchia River in order to admire the Tiberius Bridge), and also exhibitions, films and many other cultural events that normally touch a wide audience (professional people, teachers, students, but also visitors, onlookers and tourists).
Children and families can also have fun touring Rimini during the Festival, as children can play like the Romans did or take part to one of the many workshops that are dedicated, for example, to painting or cooking or even learn Latin.
During the last edition, one of the most curious and successful event of the Festival was the performance of a Roman military camp, dating back to the first century, where people could see how the Roman life was like on that period. Some actors played the role of the soldiers and visitors could ask them questions about the legionary’s daily life.
Another performance who enjoyed the audience was an ancient trial in a Roman court.
In conclusion, Antico/Presente, The Ancient World Festival is a good opportunity to plunge into the ancient culture and explore different approaches of the classical treasures and masterpieces also from a contemporary point of view.
If you attend the Festival of Rimini, you will discover that our ancestors were so far and different from us.
The Ancient World Festival is an event promoted and organized by the Cultural Department of the Municipality of Rimini and by the Province of Rimini, under the Patronage of the President of the Italian Republic. The festival is ideated and directed by the Rimini Municipal Library ad Museums.
