Page:Biblical Libraries (Richardson).djvu/282

 of Roman libraries as known through archaeology through the Roman period.

The library was discovered in 1901 and is described by M. Cagnat. It was not recognized as a library at first, but, later, inscriptions were discovered which showed that it was a library and due to a bequest by a certain Julius Quintianus Flavius Rogatianus who left 400,000 sesterces for the purpose of a library under public administration. It contains an apse-reading room, with the usual inset niches behind a colonnade and a large niche in the middle of the apse with columns in front which apparently held a large statue of Minerva. Adjoining on both sides of the portico in front are rooms for storage or other purposes. Entering from the street a staircase leads into a court nearly 40 feet square, surrounded by a colonnade with four columns on each side and six columns on the front. In front is the library, the