Page:Dictionary of Greek and Roman Geography Volume II.djvu/735

  ROMA (‘, Strab. Ptol. et alii: Eth. Romanus), the chief town of Italy, and long the mistress of the ancient world. CONTENTS.

Situation

Climate

Part I. — History or The City.

I. Traditions respecting the foundation of Rome

II. The city of Romulus

Pomoerium

Gates of the Palatine city

III. Progress of the city till the building of the walls of Servius Tullius

Legend of Tarpeia — Porta Janualis, and Temple of Janus

Regions of Servius

Septimontium

IV. Progress of the city till the time of Augustus

Regions of Augustus.

His municipal regulations

Augustan Rome

V. History of the city till the building of the walls of Aurelian

Fire under Nero

Changes under subsequent Emperors

VI. Decline and Fall of the city

Rome in the time of Constantius II.

The Barbarians at Rome

Rome under the Popes

VII. Population of Rome

Part II. — Torocrarny.

I. Walls and gates of Servius Tullius

Survey under Vespasian, and circumference of the city

False and doubtful gates

Transtiberine wall

II. Walls and gates of Aurelian and Honorius

III. The Capitol

IV. The Forum and its environs

The Sacra Via

Vicus Jugarius aud Vieus Tuscus

The Comitium

The Forum under the Kings

during the Republic

under the Empire

V. The imperial Fora

VI. The Palatine, Velia, and Nova Via

VII. The Aventine

VIII. The Velabrum, Forum Boarium, and Circus Maximus

IX. The Caelian hill

X. The district S. of the Caelian

XI. The Esquiline and its neighbourhood

XII. The Vininal, Quirinal, and Pincian hills

XIII. The Campus Martius, Circus Flaminius, and Via Lata

XIV. The Transtiberine district

XV. Circi, Theatres, and Amphitheatres

XVI. Baths

XVII. Bridges

XVIII. Aqueducts

Sources and Literature of Roman Topography

Situation.

Rome was seated on the Tiber, and principally on its left bank, at a distance of about 15 miles from its mouth. The observatory of the Collegio Romano, which is situated in the ancient Campus Martius, lies in 41° 53’ 52” N. lat., and 12° 28’ 40” Jong. E. of Greenwich.

Rome lies in the vast plain now called the Campagna, which extends in a south-easterly direction about 90 miles from Cape Linaro, a little S. of Civita Vecchia, to the Cireacan promontory; whilst its breadth is determined by the mountains on the NE. and by the Mediterranean on the SW., in which direction it does not exceed about 27 miles in its greatest extent. Looking from any of, the heights of Rome towards the E., the horizon is bounded from the N. almost to the S. by

a nearly continuous chain of mountains, at a distance varying from about 10 to 20 miles. This side offers a prospect of great natural beauty, which, to the lover of antiquity, is still further enhanced by the many objects of classical interest which it presents. In the extreme north, at a distance of about 20 miles, lies the round and isolated mass of Soracte. Then follows the picturesque chain of the Sabine Apennines, in which the peaked and lofty summit of Lucretilis, now Monte Gennaro, forms a striking feature. A few miles farther S., at the spot where the Anio precipitates its waters through the chain, lies Tibur, embosomed in its grey and sombre groves of olives. More southward still, and seated on the last declivities of the Sabine mountains, is the “frigidum Praeneste,” celebrated for its Sortes and its temple of Fortune (Cic. Div. ii. 41), and, like the neighbouring Tibur, one of the favourite resorts of Horace. (Od. iii. 4.) A plain of 4 or 5 miles in breadth now intervenes, after which the horizon is again intercepted by the noble form of Mons Albanus (Monte Cavo), which closes the line of mountains towards the S. This mass is clearly of yolcanic origin, and totally unconnected with the Apennines, The mountain awakens many historical recollections. Its summit was crowned by the temple of Jupiter Latiaris, the common sanctuary and meeting place of the Latin cities, conspicuous from the surrounding plain, and even visible to the mariner. Beneath lay Alba Longa with its lake; at its southern foot Lanuvium, and on its northern declivity Tusculum, consecrated by the genius and philosophy of Cicero. To the S. and SW. of Mons Albanus there is nothing to obstruct the view over the undulating plain till it sinks into the sea; but on the W.and NW. the prospect is bounded to a very narrow compass by the superior elevation of Mons Janiculus and Mons Vaticanus.

The plain marked out by these natural boundaries is intersected by two considerable rivers, the Tiber and the Anio, The former, at first and afterwards Tiberis or Tibris (Liv. i. 3 ; iii, 5. s. 9; Virg. Aen. viii. 330, &c.), entering the plain between Soracte and the Sabine chain before described, bends its yellow course to the S. At a distance of about 3 miles from Rome, it receives the Anio flowing from the eastward, and then with increased volume passes through the city and discharges itself into the sea at Ostia. The course of the Tiber marked the limits of Etruria: the angular territory between it and the Anio is attributed to the Sabines; whilst on the southern side the line of the Anio and of the Tiber formed the boundary of Latium.

The Campagna of Rome consists of undulating ridges, from which scanty harvests are gathered; but the chief use to which it is applied is the pasturing of vast herds of cattle. These, with the picturesque herdsmen, mounted on small and half wild horses and armed with long poles or lances, are almost the only objects that break the monotony of a scene where scarce a tree is visible, and where even the solitary houses are scattered at wide intervals. Yet anciently the Campagna must have presented a very different aspect. Even within sight of Rome it was thickly studded with cities at first as florishing as herself; and in those times, when “every rood of ground maintained its man,” it must have presented an appearance of rich cultivation.

Such is the nature of the country in the immediate neighbourhood of Rome, The celebrated group of