Trajan is a leading figure in the promotion of the shared values of fairness and justice that underlie the current principles of European integration. He had the reputation of optimus princeps, bearer of a message of integration and unity. He was close to the women of his family that were heavily involved in solving social issues, emerging as a precursor of the values of gender equality. His legendary work as a legislator, administrator and conqueror to achieve justice and grandeur, brought Rome to its maximum development. The Trajan Baths are the first example of the Roman imperial thermal complexes, characterized by a monumental and innovative architecture, and they were built to give back to the people part of the wealth generated by the military campaigns. They became a model for other baths across Europe, incarnating concepts of wellbeing, aggregation and unification of the different cultures. Since then, thermal Baths have been a place for the people’s wellbeing, health and socialization. The creation of "pleasant places" with a strong connection “between the work of man and nature” is still a primary objective of contemporary European societies. The Trajan Baths were designed and built in 109 AD by the famous architect Apollodoro of Damascus, which combined here his Greek-oriental background with the Roman tradition. The Baths extended over an area of about six hectares on the Colle Oppio, stretched south towards the Colosseum. With the fall of the Roman Empire at the end of the V century, the ransacking and abandonment that followed, the area has gone into oblivion and has experienced a progressive rural transformation. The first project of a Park on Colle Oppio (De Vico 1928-30) dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. The project aims to recreate the original coherence of the architectural layout of the Trajan Baths and recover the environmental value of the park. It aims to communicate its role as a space for socialization and its value for the European society and culture, via different disseminating activities.

Trajan is a leading figure in the promotion of the shared values of fairness and justice that underlie the current principles of European integration. He was the first emperor that was not from Rome (as he was born in Italica, Spain). He had the reputation of optimus princeps, bearer of a message of integration and unity, but also of a fair man and being the most "Christian" among the pagans (Dante, Paradiso XX). He was close to the women of his family that were heavily involved in solving social issues, emerging as a precursor of the values of gender equality that had not been yet achieved. His legendary work as a legislator, administrator and conqueror to achieve justice and grandeur, brought Rome to its maximum development. The Trajan Baths are the first example of the Roman imperial thermal complexes, characterized by a monumental and innovative architecture. The Trajan Baths became, over time, a model for other baths across Europe incarnating concepts of wellbeing, aggregation and unification of the different cultures in Europe. These were built to give back to the people part of the wealth generated by the military campaigns. Later, this model was an inspiration for the construction of the Baths of Caracalla and Diocletian in Rome and, then, other thermal baths in the areas influenced by the Roman culture across Europe. Since then, thermal Baths have been a place for the people’s wellbeing, health and socialization. The creation of "pleasant places" with a strong connection “between the work of man and nature” is still a primary objective of contemporary European societies. The Trajan Baths were designed and built in 109 AD by the famous architect Apollodoro of Damascus. Apollodoro combined here his Greek-oriental background with the Roman tradition. He designed a grand layout characterized by large porches and green areas. The Baths extended over an area of about six hectares on the Colle Oppio, stretched south towards the Colosseum, on the edge of the populated neighborhoods of Esquilino and Suburra, bordering the modest Titus Baths, obtained by a partial rehabilitation of the Domus Aurea of Nero. With the fall of the Roman Empire at the end of the V century, the ransacking and abandonment that followed, the area has gone into oblivion and has experienced a progressive rural transformation. Some of the engravings of the period show Colle Oppio on the margins of residential settlements with fragmentations in various private and monastic properties (Convent of San Pietro in Vincoli), used as gardens, orchards and vineyards. The first project of a Park on Colle Oppio (De Vico 1928-30) dates back to the beginning of the 20th century. This project was realized in the lower part of the hill, with the creation of "monumental terraces on via Labicana and the Colosseum", with monumental fountains, paths and flowerbeds with plants of the classical tradition: stone pines, laurels, myrtles, cypresses, date-palms and a vast rose garden. In the upper part, there were not supposed to be trees, and a wide flat area was destined to recreate the thermal complex. The project aims to enhance the archaeological-historical heritage of the site along with its monumental, historical and ideological values, but also its connection to the figure of Trajan, and the environmental value of the park. We will highlight its role as a space for socialization and its significance for the European society and culture, including communication activities, using current digital technologies. Visibility and Communication activities. Digital technologies will allow effective communication of symbols and myths of nature in the classical world during the visit of the park. The characteristics of the place and its role in the European history and culture will be provided on a website. The philosophy underlying the model of the thermal complex will be highlighted along with an explanation of the natural world in the ancient European society, where people shared a symbolic interpretation of nature. These ideas are linked to concepts suggested in the book The Augustus Botanical Code by Giulia Caneva (Dep. Science, Univ. Roma Tre, Roma), that won in 2011 the Grand Prix of the European Community for Cultural Heritage - Europa Nostra. Such ideas were also developed together with Michele Rak (SFP- Inst. for thehistory of philosophical andscientific thought in modern age (CNR) (Naples-Milan) and VMP - Virtual Museum of Photography (by The European Community) and with Antonio Pugliano (Dept Architecture, Univ. Roma Tre, Roma) Contact details: Giulia Caneva, Dep. Sciences, Univ. Roma Tre Viale Marconi 446, 00146, Roma, Italy Tel:+393397920071 Email: giulia.caneva@uniroma3.it

The Trajan Baths were built considering architectural, landscape and wellbeing models that were spread throughout Europe. These models were based on the idea that thermal complexes should be associated with a park with architectural elements and plant heritage. The same structure was shared by other European spas according to the ESPA 'Roman Thermal Spas Of Europe', a project co-funded by the EU (15 partners, 10 EU countries). They represent a model of sharing wellbeing: the people could refresh their body and mind in a built space immersed in nature. Moreover, the area of the Trajan Baths in Rome is also within a context with historical-cultural value for the EU 1) the Domus Aurea, rediscovered by the artists of the school of Raffaello who developed the grotesque style, the most widespread decorative model in Europe since the Renaissance, 3) the Basilica of San Clemente with the relics of San Cirillo, 3) the church of San Pietro in Vincoli with the chains of Saint Peter. The Trajan Baths are at the centre of the hub of Medieval Churches of Rome – Santi Quattro, San Clemente, San Pietro in Vincoli, San Martino ai Monti, Santa Prassede – that have been over the century’s key locations for meetings and agreements the development of several European countries. Indeed, the history of Rome has always been closely entwined with the evolution of the European culture, and the Roman Empire has been a centrepiece of the construction of the modern Europe. Thermal structures, as the outstanding Trajan Baths, have played a key role in the European history and culture. The site’s European dimension is also emphasized by millions of European visitors.