Fragments, spolia and remains. Emotional antiquities in Rome between the Early Modern and Renaissance era

The chapter describes the feeling aroused by the fragment of ancient ruins in Rome, between the end of the Middle Ages and the Early Modern era. The feeling of amusement experienced when coming in contact with ancient fragments was different, and encountering ruins and fragments – or even reusing pieces of architectures, through the so-called spolia – evoked emotions, mainly but not exclusively connected to the idea of common identity and reconnection with the ancient power of the Empire. The first section of the chapter will look at how these responses were influenced by changes in time perception, which resulted in feelings of temporal distance, awe and respect towards the antiquities. However, in this process, negative feelings and disruptive building practices will also be observed to contrast the sheer appreciation of ruins and fragments expressed in literature. After displaying some examples of emotions aroused by the ancient fragments, in the last section, the example of the Septizodium and its dismembering in the sixteenth century will reveal all the complex stages of emotional approaches towards fragments between the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.