From Archives-L

If anyone wants to see a nice picture of the setting of the remains of the Tabularium, the archives of Ancient Rome, there is a nice one at: http://www.panoramio.com/photo/662379

According to Posner, it came close to functioning like something kind of resembling a modern archives in the late (ancient) Republic, but most of its functions were either decentralized or moved to the palace under the Empire. Anyway, you can see in the middle left portion of the picture behind some trees, which unfortunately obscure the arches which are the main surviving elements. The building was restored (maybe) under the Claudius the historian, naturally. After its as an archives, it still was in the preservation business, for it was used (centuries later) as a warehouse for salt. Sic transit gloria. To date, no record cartons or document cases have been found.

For more information see http://penelope.uchicago.edu/Thayer/E/Gazetteer/Places/Europe/Italy/Lazio/Roma/Rome/_Texts/PLATOP*/Tabularium.html and especially Ernst Posner's Archives in the Ancient World.

Bob Shuster
BGC Archives