Coscienza del Tempo e Antichità: la Nascita del Concetto di Monumento nella Roma Comunale del XIII e XIV secolo

The aim of this essay is to depict the relationship between Roman society and antiquity between the 13th and 14th centuries, so as to investigate the proto-Humanistic impulses that were present at the time of the Commune of Rome. This research examines the concept of time, attempting to focus on how the past is perceived and the wish to ideally link past and present. The socio-political changes and cultural renewal that were inextricably linked to a sense of political autonomy contributed to the creation of a new identity that drew its inspiration from ancient values. Thus, the aim is to reconstruct, even if only partially, the way ancient materials were evaluated, analysing both documents and buildings, in order to understand the hidden meaning behind the reuse, conservation and the destruction of ancient buildings.