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The Large Palestra (Palestra Grande)

Regio II   Insula 1

This was the largest of all the public spaces reserved for the use of young people. During the age of Augustus the Palaestra was a gymnasium and the sports activities performed in it were intended to serve as a means of propaganda to inculcate the Imperial ideology in the minds of the younger generations.

In compliance with a decree issued by the Emperor, the town's youths were organized into associations called 'collegia iuvenum'.

The palaestra measures 141 metres by 107 metres and is surrounded by a high wall with ten entrance gates. On three sides it is enclosed by colonnades of 48 columns on the longer side and 35 columns on each of the shorter sides. A double row of plane-trees (the plaster casts of whose roots can be seen here) grew all along its sides to provide shade for the sports ground. The gymnasium was completed by a swimming-pool measuring 35 metres by 22 metres situated right in the middle of the palaestra.

The Large Palestra
Portrait
The large Palestra
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