Audio Guide Rome – The Tiber Island

There is a legend which says that the Tiber Island was formed by the mud which had covered the wheat and grain which belonged to the Tarquinius family and which was thrown into the river by the people of Rome after the fall of the hated tyrant Tarquinius Superbus (510 BC).

The Tiber Island is the result of  alluvial deposits and volcanic rocks.

In Ancient times the Tiber Island was a place of worship of God Aesculapius.

The legend tells that Aesculapius’ snake was brought to Rome from Epidaurus with the intention to fight the plague of the year 293 BC. The snake would jump from the ship and would then indicate the place where to built the temple.

The Tiber Island to honour Aesculapius would take the shape of a ship and the obelisk would stand as the  mainmast.

Quite close to the temple, it is possible to see the hospital which was the first one to be built in Ancient Rome and nowadays it is one of the most important hospitals in Rome.