Libraries of Rome

The first known Roman Library was a history of the Roman Republic in 80 volumes, kept in 120 BCE by the Pontifex Maximus.
Between 27 BCE-14 CE Augustus founded what would later become the Seven Public Libraries in Rome.

In 449 BCE, The Twelve Tables of Roman Law, written on Tablets of Ivory, went on public display in the Forum Romanum.
The Temple of Moneta on the Capitoline Hill, held the ‘Libri Magistratum’ (Books of the Magistrates) which was a record of all the Magistrates and their achievements, recorded on Linen.
In 120 BCE, the Pontifex Maximus held the ‘Annales Pontificum’ in his Residence, the first known Library, a history of the Roman Republic in 80 volumes.
The first Libraries were private collections by victorious Roman Generals who brought back Libraries from Greece and Asia Minor as the spoils of War.
1. In 168 BCE General Paulus Aemilius brought back the Library of King Perseus of Macedonia.
2. In 86 BCE Sulla having conquered Athens, brought back the Library of Appellicon of Teos, which held part of the Library of Aristotle. It was inherited by his son Faustus, where Cicero visited the collection in 55 BCE.
3. In 63 BCE, Lucius Lucullus brought back the Library of the King of Pontus after his defeat in the Eastern Wars.
4. In 36 BCE, it is thought that Mark Anthony gave Queen Cleopatra VII the Library of Pergamum as a wedding present. According to Plutarch, the Library consisted of 200,000 volumes written on Parchment, which was added to the Great Library of Alexandria.

Julius Caesar planned to found Public Libraries in Rome but was assassinated before he could get started, and instead it was Augustus who encouraged and founded the first Public Libraries.
The Public Libraries in Rome were modelled on the Great Library of Pergamum.

- In 39 BCE, the First Public Library to be built in Rome was located in the Atrium Liberatatis.
- It was Founded by Asinius Pollio, and had separate wings for Greek and Latin Works, as did all subsequent Roman Libraries.
- Pollio held Public Readings, where authors read their own Works. Here Virgil read his Aeneid and came to the attention of Augustus.

- In 33 BCE Augustus built a Library, which was located in the Portico of Octavia in the Campus Martius.

- Known as the Library of Augustus.
- In 28 BCE Augustus built a second Library, located in the Temple of Apollo on the Palatine Hill.
- This was built to commemorate the Battle of Actium.

- Tiberius built a Library in the Palace of Tiberius.
- Tiberius created the position of Procurator Bibliothecarum, Director of all the Libraries, as part of the Cursus Honorum.

- Founded by Vespasian in 75 CE, using the treasure from the Temple of Jerusalem.

- Founded by Trajan in the Forum of Trajan, this was the most famous Library in Rome. Later Diocletian moved this library and attached it to the Baths of Diocletian.

- Severus Alexander (222-235 CE) founded a Library in the Pantheon which was organised by Sextus Julius Africanus in c.224 CE.

Public Libraries suffered from censorship, starting with Augustus‘ ban on Ovid, and later Diocletian‘s ban on Christian Works during the Diocletianic Persecution.
Private Libraries however, remained unaffected.

The Library of Augustus was located in the Temple of Apollo Palatinus, Rome