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Porta Asinaria - Wikipedia

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Porta Asinaria

External facade of the Porta Asinaria.

Porta Asinaria is located in Rome

Porta Asinaria

Porta Asinaria

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LocationRome
Coordinates41°53′8.4768″N 12°30′31.2552″E / 41.885688000°N 12.508682000°E
History
Founded271–275 AD
Facade from within the city walls

The Porta Asinaria is a gate in the Aurelian Walls of Rome.[1] Dominated by two protruding tower blocks and associated guard rooms, it was built between 271 and 275 AD, at the same time as the Wall itself. Unlike most of the other gates, it was not rebuilt or fortified by Honorius or restored by Theodoric.[2]

It is through this gate that East Roman troops under General Belisarius entered the city in 536, reclaiming the city for the Byzantine Empire from the Ostrogoths.

By the 16th century it had become overwhelmed by traffic. A new breach in the walls was made nearby to create the Porta San Giovanni. At this point, the Porta Asinaria was closed to traffic.

  • Mauro Quercioli, Le mura e le porte di Roma. Newton Compton Ed., Rome, 1982
  • Laura G. Cozzi, Le porte di Roma. F.Spinosi Ed., Rome, 1968
  • Lucentini, M. The Rome Guide. Interlink books.

This article contains text from Platner and Ashby's A Topographical Dictionary of Ancient Rome, a text now in the public domain.