Tiber Island

The Romans believed in ancient times that the Isola Tiberina was formed after the expulsion in 509 BC of the Tarquinians, the family members of Tarquinius Superbus, the last Etruscan king of Rome known for his cruelty. The islet was supposed to have emerged at the spot where the people then threw the grain supplies into the Tiber. In 293 BC, a serious plague epidemic ravaged Rome. The Sibylline books, a collection of ancient Roman oracles that were consulted, stated that Aesculapius, the god of medicine, needed to be brought over from Epidaurus. When they attempted to leave with the statue of the god, he coiled around the mast in the form of a snake. At the height of Isola Tiberina, the snake swam from the ship to the island. Therefore, a temple for Aesculapius was built at that site. The current church of San Bartolomeo stands precisely on the spot of the old temple, of which nothing remains.

The left bank of the Tiber is connected to Isola Tiberina by the Pons Fabricius. This bridge was built in 62 BC by Lucius Fabricius. The right bank of the Tiber is connected to the island by the Pons Cestius. This bridge was first built in 46 BC. It was completely rebuilt in the 19th century.

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