Roma - Spolia

It is estimated, that Rome had a population between 1.0 and 1.5 million in its heydays. But the city impoverished and depopulated. It was sacked by the Visigoths (410) and looted by the Vandals (455). When the Roman Empire finally collapsed - Rome was a sea of debris.

Around 1000 Rome may have had a population of 20.000. To use building materials gleaned from the ruins was very common, so spolia a very often seen built into the facades of medieval houses. I saw this carvings in the former "Ghetto of Rome" that actually existed upto 1870.