Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/310

 :2:»L) EXPLORATIONS IX KO.ME. iiioiiient supposing that they had been brought there from the catacombs, after resting for awhile in the Government Avarehouses, ^Yhich are overflowing, »Still in the Thernue of Caracalla, on the ^vhl•le, the work is well done, and the results are good ; by clearing away down to the old ]»a'e- ments, the whole arrangements of the chambers are being clearly brought to light, with the baths of every description — hot, cold and tepid, and largo swinnning l)aths. Other large halls have been used for gynniastic exercises onl', with galleries for spectators. Nothing has been done to- wards excavating the subterranean chambers, but this work will follow hereafter. Keither has anything yet been done towards clearing out the subterranean passages, which are very numerous in Rome, and which would be interestiug objects of investigation, Avhich the arclueologists would have carried on if permitted to do so ; but they have never hitherto been able to obtain permission. The great activity of the present Government does certainly afford reason for their wishing to keep the matter in their own hands. Among the recent discoveries in the Forum liomanum is a series of large brick {)cdiments on the eastern side, with fragments of the marble columns that have stood upon them ; they extend nearly from the arch of Septimius Severus to the temj)le of Julius (*ie.sar, on the eastern side of that of Castor and Pollux. These })ediments are of the time of Diocletian, that is of the beginning of the fourth century. They are said to have lieen along the side of the Via Nova, or that branch of it that led to the V^ia Sacra. Another branch is .said to have gone to the west. Near the south end of this line of peiliments, and near the templos, the remains of a fountain wore also found, with a semi-circular basin. These .'irc ([uite distinct from the rcstoralious of bases on the plat- form of the 15asilica Julia, and the paved .street passes between th.-it ])latform ami these j»ediments. The one on which lh(.' eoluuiu of the Emperor I'hocas stands scorns to have been a continuation of them. The discovery of the foimdations and the podium or base- ment of the tcm[)lc of Julius Casar is important, and effec- tually settles a long-disputed question, when only one temple was known on this site, as to nliir/i It was ; some passages of the ancient authors seemed tn imlic.ite that (he temple of Castor and INjllux sto(^d on this site ; others, with ('ipial clear-