Back Milliarium Aureum Byelorussian Милиариум Ауреум Bulgarian Miliarium Aureum German Miliario de oro Spanish Milliaire d'or French Miliario aureo Italian 黄金の里程標 Japanese Miliarium Aureum Latin Milliarium Aureum Dutch Milliarium Aureum NB
 The probable position of the Milliarium Aureum in the Forum Romanum | |
  Milliarium Aureum Shown within Rome | |
| Location | Regio VIII Forum Romanum |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 41°53′33″N 12°29′04″E / 41.89250°N 12.48444°E |
| Type | Milestone with gilded bronze finishing |
| History | |
| Builder | Emperor Augustus |
| Founded | Inauguration 20 BCE |
The Milliarium Aureum (Classical Latin: [miːllɪˈaːrɪ.ũː ˈau̯rɛ.ũː]; Italian: Miliario Aureo), or the "Golden Milestone," was a monument, probably of marble or gilded bronze, erected by the Emperor Augustus near the Temple of Saturn in the central Forum of Ancient Rome. All roads were considered to begin at this monument and all distances in the Roman Empire were measured relative to it.[1] On it perhaps were listed all the major cities in the empire and distances to them,[2] though the monument's precise location and inscription has remained a matter of debate among historians.
According to the 19th century ecclesiastical historian Philip Schaff,[3] the phrase "all roads lead to Rome" is a reference to the Milliarium Aureum—the specific point to which all roads were said to lead. A marble structure speculated to be the base of the milestone is present in the Roman Forum.
- ^ Cassius Dio 54.8.4; Plutarch, Galba 24.7; Pliny, Naturalis Historia 3.66; Tacitus, Historiae 1.27; Suetonius, Otho 6.2.
- ^ No direct ancient evidence seems to support this interpretation: Z. Mari, 'Miliarium Aureum', in E. M. Steinby (ed.) Lexicon Topographicum Urbis Romae (1996) vol. 3, pp. 250-251 (Italian). ISBN 88-7140-096-8; 'Miliarium Aureum,' in L. Haselberger (ed.) Mapping Augustan Rome p. 167.
- ^ Schaff, P. (1867/1886). Ante-nicene fathers: The Apostolic fathers, Justin Martyr, Irenaeus [Roberts, A. & Donaldson, J, Eds]. [Electronic reprint] Grand Rapids, MI, USA: CCEL. 1886, v.1 p. 1