A bridge in Rome connecting
Tiber Island, or
Insula Tiberina, with the left bank of the
Tiber, near the
Campus Martius and the
Theater of Marcellus. The Pons Fabricius was originally built of wood in 192 B.C. It was rebuilt with stone in 62 B.C. by
Lucius Fabricius, the
curator viarum, or man responsible for Rome’s roads.
The bridge is 62
meters in length, with two 24.5 meter arches that connect at a central
pier, and span to abutments on the shorelines. Its central support is constructed of
tufa and
peperino blocks, and the pier has the added feature of a flood hole. Much of the exterior is covered with
travertine, along with some odd bricks, which were likely added in 23 B.C. when the bridge was repaired after a
flood. The bridge remains functional, and is possibly the best-preserved bridge in
Rome.
Two memorial inscriptions are engraved on the bridge, stating that the work was fully satisfactory. These inscriptions indicative of the
wisdom of roman construction management, as contractors were guarantors of the solidity of the work for 40 years. Only on the 41st year did they get back their initial investment, called
caution money. The inscriptions read:
L.FABRICIUS C. F. CURATOR VIARUM FACIUNDUM COERAVIT EIDEMQUE PROBAVEIT
Lucio Fabrizio, Responsible of the Roads, supervised the execution of the job "the things that had to be made" and approved them
M. LOLLIUS M. F. Q. LEPIDUS M. FORMER F. CONSULES SENATUS CONSULTO PROBAVERUNT
consuls Marco Lollio, Marco descendant, and Quinto Lepido, Manlio descendant, approved the bridge for ordinance of the Senate
The second inscription probably indicates the aforementioned restoration due to the flood of 23
B.C.
During the
Middle Ages the Pons Fabricius was called "Pons Judaeorum" for the
Jewish community which occupied the nearby area known as
Ghetto. It is now called "Ponte Fabricio" or "Ponte dei Quattro Capi", which translates to "Four Heads Bridge". The latter name coming from the four-faced pilaster, or
hermae, that were added to the east end of the bridge by Pope
Sixtus V. Legend has it that four architects were hired by the Pope to renovate the bridge, but their incessant quarrelling goaded him to the point that
he had their heads detached from their bodies and mounted on the object of their disagreement.