Page:Light and truth.djvu/118

116 Romulus was the son of Rhea Silvia—a vestal, and was, together with his twin brother, preserved in his infancy, in a remarkable manner. Being, by the death of his brother, at the age of eighteen years, left sole commander of a band of robbers, he began the foundation of what has since been called, "The Eternal City."

It took the name of its founder, and was built upon the Palatine Hill. The city was almost square and about a mile in circumference, containing 1000 houses, or more properly huts. Even the palace of Romulus was built of reeds and thatched with straw. Having become king, he introduced order and discipline, which gradually improved under Numa [a Sabine,] and several succeeding sovereigns. The circumstances in which this people were placed, naturally gave rise to continual animosities, which were commonly settled by battles, in which they were generally victorious. Romulus divided the people into three tribes; and each tribe into ten companies of a hundred men each, headed by a centurion. He divided the land into three parts; one for the support of government; another for the maintenance of religion— and the third portion was divided among the citizens—two acres each. The Romans sent to Athens for Solon's laws, 454 B.C. The first library was erected at Rome, of books brought from Macedonia, 168 B.C. [Rollin.]

, a province of Asia Minor,. About 175 B.C. it was reduced to a Roman province. The gospel was planted here by Paul, who wrote an epistle to these churches. (Act sxvi.) Dejotarus, for whom Cicero interceded, in an oration still extant, was king of this country. About A.D. 266, it was overrun by the Goths; and afterward became a province of Turkey. It is now called Natolia.

, a place in the south-west of Italy, about fifty miles from Rome, where Paul was met by his Christian friends. (Acts xxviii. 15.) It is now called Fossa Nuova.

, a city of Campania, in Italy; so called from its hot waters, or the multitude of its wells. Its ancient name was Delus Minor. It stood about eight miles from Naples, and was much frequented on account of its