Alternate Representations of the Facade

One reconstructed version of the upper-level is based solely upon Delbrueck's hypothetical reconstruction, as depicted in Table III of his book. There is no evidence for the upper level treatment and the corresponding aediculae roofing elements. The Scientific Committee noted Delbrueck's tendencies for injecting Construction and ornamental techniques from the eastern empire into his reconstructions in the west. Hence, two versions of this hypothetical level were created, one with the aediculae and one without.

 (Level of certainty: low)

Alternate Representations of the Facade

The Forum-facing retaining wall. Two versions of the Tabularium model were constructed, one with ashlar texturing and one with stucco. Architect Dean Abernathy's digital image of peperino was used for the ashlar version, though this texture was manipulated in the hope of making it conform more closely to the appearance of the actual building materials, a peperino for exposed surfaces and a red tufa for interior spaces (p. XIV of the Italian translation of Hellenistiche Bauten). In average approximation to Delbrueck's measurements, individual blocks in the model were scaled at .59 m x 1.18 m. Their placement matches Delbrueck's drawing in regard to window and door openings (as they do in the gallery level above). The second, stucco-textured model reflects Delbrueck's argument that most of the visible surfaces of the Tabularium were coated in a stucco of pale yellow color (XV). For the application of this, he claims two periods, the first dating to the building's construction, the second from the time of Domitian (p. XV). The lower doorway was left unblocked in the model, its jambs textured with travertine. Pentelic marble—the only use of it on the building—serves as this entryway's threshold (XIV, XVII). The model attempts to recreate its appearance.

 (Level of certainty: high)

Building Internal Connecting Elements

First, there is little evidence for the corridor's ceiling height or form, though it must have been a barrel-vault. A barrel-vault for the corridor intersects with the barrels of the individual cells. Delbrueck seems to represent an equal springing point for both corridor and cell vaults, and therefore a lower crown for the narrower corridor, and the higher cell vaults in this reconstruction run all the way through to the corridor's back wall. Therefore, the intersection between cell and corridor vaults does not result in a pure cross-vault. Delbrueck is unclear on this detail. Second, the corridor floor rises from southwest to northeast. Though incline in the model floor was built in the digital model, this rise is not based on any real measurements: Delbrueck's drawings are incomplete in this respect. Third, Delbrueck's plan seems to indicate a strange jump in the corridor wall heights between the second and third cells, moving from the southwest. This gives a similar jump in vault height, which has been included in the model. Fourth, the threshold of the doorway that lies to the southwest (and is suspended over the Forum ground level) rests at a higher level than the corridor floor. Stairs were placed here to connect the two levels, though none are indicated in Delbrueck's plan. Finally, two runs of stairways, not visible in Delbrueck's plan, were inserted into the ramping corridor that provides access from the east.

 (Level of certainty: medium)

Building a Hypothetical Second Level

The arched and vaulted gallery and adjoining spaces. A standard size was used for each of this area's 11 bays based, one, on the most complete measurements that Delbrueck gives—for the third bay from the northeast—and, two, on the modular dimension of the building blocks (1.18 x .59 m) used in the retaining wall below. The large "bookend" pilasters at the gallery's corners and the arches behind them which gave access to the gallery from the Tabularium's sides are based solely on Delbrueck's hypothetical reconstruction. He suggests a stairway to link the gallery floor with the ground level outside the Tabularium's southwest face, which was designed into the digital model. The barrel vaults behind the bookend pilasters that link the side entries with the gallery were also designed by the lead modeler.

Three unresolved issues in particular exist for this middle level. First, the Forum-side facade of the most southwesterly bay in the extant building (and in Delbrueck's drawings) is irregular. Ashlar coursing extends up from the substructure façade resulting in only a partial-height engaged column (see the principal elevation drawing). Delbrueck suggests the existence of an earlier building in front of this part of the Tabularium (XVIII). The model does not include this irregular bay. Second, of the three rooms that are in Delbrueck's plan directly behind the southwesterly bays of the gallery, only the two endmost have been modeled. The ceiling of the innermost bay would have been seriously compromised by the run of stairs leading to a third level. Finally, the two large interior rooms in Delbrueck's plan, drawn with no points of access from the surrounding spaces, were not modeled in the model.

 (Level of certainty: medium)

Reconstructing Stairways

The monumental staircase. The lower run of this, leading to the Temple of Veiovis, has been modeled as specified in Delbrueck. The incline and vault height of the upper run, which must have accessed a third story or roof, is also based on Delbrueck. All other details for this upper stretch, such as the design of stair treads and the upper doorway, are hypothetical and not derived from him. There is no evidence for the appearance of the doorway that led out to the Temple of Veiovis. A generic staircase was modeled.

 (Level of certainty: medium)

Sources for Reconstruction

The corridor with windows. The measurements used here correspond as closely as possible to Delbrueck's. This means that the scale of each window-cell unit is unique.

 (Level of certainty: medium)

Sources for Reconstruction

Given the scarcity of recent, detailed documentation, UCLA's virtual reality reconstruction of the Tabularium has relied almost entirely on Richard Delbrueck's 1907 publication (republished in 1979), Hellenistiche Bauten in Latium. Delbrueck's study simultaneously recorded the extant Tabularium—as it was known in his time—with measured drawings while hypothetically reconstructing many of its non-extant or conjectured parts.

 (Level of certainty: high)