Page:Archaeological Journal, Volume 29.djvu/312

 2.jS explokatioxs tn eome. to believe that llicse two upper storeys were originally of wood only, and ^vere burnt in the time of Sylla ; the other three storeys are of the massive stone-work of the time of the kings, and ^vere considered as foundations onl3% and therefore let alone when the upper part ^vas rebuilt. These walls, built of blocks of tufa each of a ton weight, four feet lunir and two feet thick, like the wall of Koniulus on tlic Palatine, are as good a foundation as could be desired. A short description of this important building seems necessary, and it could not have been explained until quite recentl}'. On the lowest storey, nearly level with the Forum, are two doorways only ; these open to staircases, passing behind the storey above, which may be considered as the ground lloor ; the two doorways and a few steps only being at the lower level. The ground floor, then, is the ^I'^rariiini, or public treasury of the kings, and is admirably calculated for the pur- pose ; it is a long narrow passage, the back of which was cut out of the rock, and it is divided into a series of small square chandjcrs, admirably calculated to stow away the square blocks of bronze, which formed the money of Servius Tullius, wIkj reigned soon after the time when this treasury was built. Tills buildin^i- is mentioned bv Tercntius A'airo, as one of those that were considered in his time to have belonged to the city of the Sabines, on the Hill of Saturn, before the union with the Ivomans on the Palatine. Varro wrote ahun- tlrcd years before the Christian era. and his testimou}' there- fore is valuable ; but as he also lived nearly seven hundred years after the ei'ection of the building, it cannot be con- sidered as decisive. It seems niore probable that this great nia.ss of building was erected immediately after the union of the two hills, by enclosing them in one wall to make one city (as recorded by Dionysius). Py mutual consent the Hill of Saturn was maile the ("aj>itl). in fionl of this was an open arcade ov jjor/ifffs, which ix-maiiis, tln-ugli the ai'ches are blocked U]), hut one (»1 whi( h has been opened to show what they were. It has Ik.'cii thought dangerous to open the others, but there is rea.son to believe the lear is !/i'(»undleHs.