ABSTRACT
In this investigation of the urban, architectural and ceremonial aspects of the pontificate of Julius II, I have argued that the idea of a Golden Age was conceived not simply as a theological or philosophical idea (to further the political and religious agendas of the papacy) but also as an actual possibility that required action. Through the multiple initiatives of Julius II, from the expansion of the Holy See to the transformation of Rome as the altera Jerusalem, this ‘project’ involved the collaborative efforts of artists, architects, humanists, theologians and bankers, whose individual pursuits and interests converged on a single vision of the Julian age.
