Editing Domitian (section)

===Building program===
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 | footer      = "Gate of Domitian and [[Trajan]]" at the northern entrance of the [[Dendera Temple complex|Temple of Hathor]], and Domitian as Pharaoh on the same gate, in [[Dendera]], [[Egypt]].<ref>{{cite book |editor-last=Bard |editor1-first=Kathryn A. |editor1-link=Kathryn A. Bard |title=Encyclopedia of the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt |date=2005 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-134-66525-9 |pages=252–254 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=AWSGAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA252 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Bard |first1=Kathryn A. |title=An Introduction to the Archaeology of Ancient Egypt |date=2015 |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |isbn=978-0-470-67336-2 |page=325 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ovU1BgAAQBAJ&pg=PA325 |language=en}}</ref>
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At the time of Domitian's accession the city was still suffering from the damage caused by the civil war of 69 and the fire in 80.<ref name = jones-79/> Much more than a renovation project, Domitian's building program was intended to be the crowning achievement of an Empire-wide cultural renaissance. Around fifty structures were erected, restored or completed, achievements second only to those of Augustus.<ref name=jones-79>Jones (1992), p. 79</ref> Among the most important new structures were the [[Stadium of Domitian]] (today occupied by the [[Piazza Navona]]) and the neighbouring [[Odeon of Domitian]], Rome's first permanent venues for Greek-style athletics and artistic competitions which he reintroduced with the [[Capitoline Games]].<ref>{{cite book | first=Leland M. | last=Roth | year=1993 | title=Understanding Architecture: Its Elements, History and Meaning | edition=First | publisher=Westview Press | location=Boulder, CO | isbn=0-06-430158-3 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/understandingarc00roth/page/233 233] | url=https://archive.org/details/understandingarc00roth/page/233 }}</ref>

The most important building Domitian restored was the [[Temple of Jupiter Optimus Maximus]] on the Capitoline Hill, said to have been covered with a [[gilding|gilded]] roof:

{{blockquote|"Even the gilding alone of this temple’s roof, costing more than 12,000 talents, is beyond the means of the richest private citizen in Rome today."<ref>Plutarch, Publicola, 15.1-3</ref>}}

His expansive and sumptuous palace on the Palatine Hill known as the [[Flavian Palace]] was designed by Domitian's master architect [[Rabirius (architect)|Rabirius]].<ref>Jones (1992), pp. 84–88</ref>

Among buildings he completed were the [[Temple of Vespasian and Titus]], the [[Arch of Titus]] and the [[Colosseum]], to which he added a fourth level and finished the interior seating area.<ref name=jones-93/>

In Egypt too, Domitian was active in constructing buildings and decorating them. He appears, together with [[Trajan]], in offering scenes on the propylon of the [[Dendera Temple complex|Temple of Hathor]] at [[Dendera]]. His [[cartouche]] also appears in the column shafts of the Temple of [[Khnum]] at [[Esna]].<ref name="PAS">"Trajan was, in fact, quite active in Egypt. Separate scenes of Domitian and Trajan making offerings to the gods appear on reliefs on the propylon of the Temple of Hathor at Dendera. There are cartouches of Domitian and Trajan on the column shafts of the Temple of Knum at Esna, and on the exterior a frieze text mentions Domitian, Trajan, and Hadrian"  {{cite book |last1=Stadter |first1=Philip A. |last2=Stockt |first2=L. Van der |title=Sage and Emperor: Plutarch, Greek Intellectuals, and Roman Power in the Time of Trajan (98–117 A.D.) |date=2002 |publisher=Leuven University Press |isbn=978-90-5867-239-1 |page=75 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jJjiYdxHmPMC&pg=PA75 |language=en}}</ref><ref>[[:File:Esna Tempel 36.jpg|Domitian relief in Esna]]</ref>

==== Palaces and villas====

For his personal use, he was active in constructing many monumental buildings, including the [[Villa of Domitian]], a vast and sumptuous palace situated 20&nbsp;km outside Rome in the Alban Hills. In Rome itself, he built the sumptuous [[Palace of Domitian]] on the [[Palatine Hill]].<ref>Plutarch, Publicola, 15.1-3</ref> 

{{blockquote|"...if anyone who is amazed at the costliness of the Capitol had seen a single colonnade in the palace of Domitian.....he would have been moved to say to Domitian: ''Tis not pious, nor nobly ambitious that thou art; thou art diseased; thy mania is to build; like the famous Midas, thou desirest that every thing become gold and stone at thy touch.''"<ref>Plutarch, Publicola, 15.1-3</ref>}}

Seven other villa-palaces are linked with Domitian at [[Tusculum]], [[Antium]], [[Villa of Domitian (Sabaudia)|Sabaudia]], [[Imperial Villa of Vicarello|Vicarello]], [[Caieta (city)|Caieta]], [[Terracina]]<ref>Martial V 1</ref> and [[Baiae]].<ref>Martial IV 30</ref> Only those at Sabaudia and Vicarello have been positively identified.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Darwall-Smith |first=Robin |date=1994 |title=Albanum and the villas of Domitian |url=http://dx.doi.org/10.3406/palla.1994.1315 |journal=Pallas |volume=40 |issue=1 |pages=145–165 |doi=10.3406/palla.1994.1315 |issn=0031-0387}}</ref>