The Source of Giuturna is located a few steps from the Temple of the Dioscuri at the Roman Forum. Small marble pieces that are able to help us to discover something more about the ancient roman religion.

First of all Giuturna was the personification of the natural source that, from the slopes of the Palatine Hill, used to flow through the area of the Forum. This was the heart of ancient Rome. Imagine the importance that such a source could have: pure water, from the place where the city was founded, that flows until the center of the social and political life. Usually the Romans used to personify, making them sacred, natural elements such as sources, forests, rivers, and so on. And this is a good example. Not only that, because the Source of Giuturna is linked to numerous myths and traditions, related to different periods of the Roman age, being also completely different, but having relationships with numerous characters that have made the history of Rome.

In one of these legends tells about the Dioscuri (the twins Castor and Pollux, Jupiter's sons), who watered right here after the decisive help given to the Romans in the course of the important battle of Lake Regillo of the beginning of the fifth century b.C. Their two fantastic horses followed the example of their knights, restorating from the fatigues but happy to have helped Rome, and they went up in heaven, with the divine Father. So it is easy to understand how the ancient Romans used to build temples in symbolic area, where there could be relationships between different architectonical elements, as happens in this case with connection between this source and the Temple of the Dioscuri (if you want to know more about them click here). But there is another tradition that describes us about the exact moment in which the history of Rome changed permanently!

We are in the 337 a.D., when the the emperor was Costantine. A serious epidemic was claiming many victims, and not even the roman priests were able to find the key of the problem to improve the situation. It seemed that the Gods had abandoned the city. They tried everything, almost getting to sacrifice young people, making sacrificed rituals, even to escape to the incredible and destructive epidemic. One night Constantine, that was close to death due to the same fevers of the disease, had a dream: the two patron saints of Rome, St Peter and St Paul, appeared to the emperor telling him that if he wanted to help his people he nedded to find a holy man by the name of Sylvester. He was a hermit, and Constantine spend a lot of time to find him. Once he was introduced to the court, Sylvester brought Costantine to the Source of Giuturna, causing it to dip three times in the sacred source, baptizing him. And once the religious ceremony ended, according to the tradition, the epidemic ceased. A symbol of change, a new beginning for Constantine and the history of Rome itself, which veered decisively towards christianity, and to abandon polytheism. Not only that, because after this event there is another story, having always Sylvester as the main character, that is related to the Source of Giuturna.

In fact, it seems that in an underground chamber located under the sourcea huge dragon took up residence. Sylvester was called to resolve the matter, with the help of Christ and God. According to the story the holy man, coming just few steps away from the dragon, saying, "Jesus Christ was born from a virgin, crucified and buried. He is risen and he is seated at the right hand of the Father; a day will come to judge the living and the dead: thou, Satan, waiting for His coming in the pit". He then tied the head of the dragon with a thread taken from his robe, and the monster acquietò, and remaining for ever in the depths of the earth. Can you see how many strange stories exist in the culture of Rome?