Lapidario Tergestino (Tergestino Lapidary), Trieste

The Trieste collection of antique stones, the Tergestino Lapidary, is maintained in the San Giusto Castle compound in the basement of the Lalio Bastion. The lapidary is, in effect, a memory bank of ancient Trieste.

The exposition has 130 massive stones from the capitol, sacred buildings, the theatre, and the necropolis. Room A holds the more notable honorary stones. There are plaques from the city gates on the construction of the walls, towers, and the equestrian statue of Lucius Fabius Severus, a senator of Rome.

Moving along to Room B, one finds imperial writings and records of instructions for the erection of public city buildings. Alongside are materials taken from the civil Basilica, which archeological remains are still visible on the open square at the foot of the castle.

Room C has sepulchral monuments divided by types, including stele, mounted figures, urns, and sarcophagi in memory of the ancient deceased. Descending in Room D, one gets to examine 1st-century mosaics taken from the luxurious Villa Marittima uncovered along the coast in the Barcola section of Trieste.

During the excavation of the Roman Theatre, a series of statues were uncovered representing Venus, Bacchus, Apollo, Minerva, and the cult of Hygieia (goddess of health) and Aesculapius (god of medicine). The Capitoline Temple yielded a pyramidal spire with sides showing depictions of the Capitoline Triad of Jupiter, Juno, and Minerva.