The city of Rome was founded (B.C. 753) bj' Romulus and Remus, grandsons of Numitor, and sons of Rhea Syl- via, to whom, as the originators of the city, mythology ascribed a divine parentage. At first the city had three gates, according to a sacred usage. Founded on the Palatine Hill, it was extended, by degrees, so as to take in six other hills, at the foot of which ran deep valleys that in early times were in part overflowed with water, while the hill-sides were covered with trees. In the course of the many years during which Rome was ac- quiring to herself the empire of the world, the city un- derwent great, numerous, and important changes. Uii-
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der its first kings it must have presented a very diflforent as- pect from what it did after it had been beautified by Tar- qui:^. The destruction of the city by the (Jauls (A.U.C. 365) caused a thorough alteration in it; nor could the troubled times which ensued have been favorable to its being Avell re- stored. It was not till riches and artistic skill came into the city on the conquest of Philip of Macedon and Antiochus of Syria (A.U.C. 565) that there arose in Rome large, handsome stone houses. The capture of Corinth conduced much to the adorning of the city, many fine specimens of art being trans- ferred thence to the abode of the conquerors. As the power of Rome extended over the
world, and her chief citizens went into the colonies to enrich themselves, so did the masterpieces of Grecian art flow towards the capital, together with some of the taste and skill to whicli they owed their birth. Au- gustus, however, it was who did most for embellishing the capital of the world, though there may be some sac- rifice of truth in the pointed saying that he found Rome built of brick and left it marble. Subsequent emperors followed his example, till the place became the greatest repository of architectural, pictorial, and sculptural skill that the world has ever seen — a result to which even Nero's incendiarism indirectly conduced, as affording an occasion for the city's being rebuilt under the higher scientific influences of the times. The site occupied by modern Rome is not precisely the same as that which was at any period covered by the ancient city : the change of locality being towards the north-west, the citv has partially retired from the celebrated hills. About two thirds of the area within the walls (traced bv Aurelian) are now desolate, consisting of ruins, gar- dens, and fields, with some churches, convents, and other scattered habitations. Originally the city was four miles in circumference. In the time of Pliny the walls were nearly twenty miles in circuit; now they are from fourteen to fifteen miles around. Its original gates, three in number, had increased in the time of the elder Pliny to thirty-seven. Modern Rome has sixteen gates, some of which are, however, built up. Thirty-one great roads centred in Rome, which, issu- ing from the Forum, traversed Ital\% ran through the provinces, and were terminated only by the boundary of the empire. As a starting-point, a gilt pillar (Mil- liarium Aureum) was set up by Augustus in the mid- dle of the Forum. Tliis curious monument, from which distances were reckoned, was discovered in 1823. Eight principal bridges led over the Tiber ; of these three are still relics. The four districts into which Rome was divided in early times, Augustus increased to fourteen. Large open spaces were set apart in the city, called Campi, for assemblies of the people and martial exer- cises, as well as for games. Of nineteen which are men- tioned, the Campus Martius was the principal. It was near the Tiber, whence it was called 'I'iberinus. The epithet "Martins" was derived from the plain being consecrated to Mars, the god of war. In the later ages it was surrounded by several magnificent structures, and porticos were erected, under which, in bad weather, the citizens could go through their usual exercises. It was also adorned witli statues and arches. The name of Fo- rum was given to places where the people assembled for the transaction of business. The Fora were of two kinds — fora !;e««/irt, " markets;" ^/"orrt civilia, "law-courts," etc. Until the time of Julius Casar there was but one of the latter kind, termed by way of distinction Forum
Remains of the Forum at Rome.
Romanum, or simply Forum. It lay between the Cap- itoline and Palatine Hills; it was eight hundred feet wide, and adorned on all sides with porticos, shops, and other edifices, on the erection of which large sums had been expended, and the appearance of which was very- imposing, especially as it was much enhanced by nu- merous statues. In the centre of the Forum was the plain called the Curtian Lake, where Curtius is said to have cast himself into a chasm or gulf, which closed on him, and so he saved his country. On one side were the elevated seats, or sur/yestiis, a sort of pulpit from which magistrates and orators addressed the people — usually called rostra, because adorned with the beaks of ships which had been taken in a sea-fight from the inhabitants of Antium. Near by was the part of the Forum called the Comitiuin, where were held the as- semblies of the people called Comitia Curiata. The celebrated temple bearing the name of Capitol (of which there remain only a few vestiges) stood on the Capi- toline Hill, the highest of the seven ; it was square in form, each side extending about two hundred feet, and the ascent to it was by a flight of one hundred steps. It was one of the oldest, largest, and grandest edifices in the city. Founded by Tarquinius Priscus, it was several times enlarged and embellished. Its gates were of brass, and it was adorned with costly gildings ; whence it is termed "golden" and "glittering," avrea,fulgens. It enclosed three structures, the Temple of Jupiter Cap- itolinns in the centre, the Temple of Minerva on the right, and the Temple of Juno on the left. The Capitol also comprehended some minor temples or chapels, and the Casa Romuli, or cottage of Romulus, covered with straw. Near the ascent to the Capitol was the asylum. We also mention the Basilicie, since some of them Avere afterwards turned to the purposes of Christian worship. They were originally buildings of great splendor, being appropriated to meetings of the senate, and to judicial purposes. Here counsellors received their clients, and bankers transacted their business. The earliest church- es, bearing the name of Basilica;, were erected under Constantine. He gave his own palace on the Ccelian Hill as a site for a Christian temple. Next in antiq- uity was the Church of St. Peter, on the Vatican Hill, built A.D. 324, on the site and with the ruins of temples consecrated to Apollo and jNIars. It stood about twelve centuries, at the end of which it was superseded by the modern church bearing the same name. The Circi were buildings oblong in shape, used for public games, races, and beast-fights. The Theatra were edifices de- signed for dramatic exhibitions; the Amphitheatra (double theatres, buildings in an oval form) served for gladiatorial shows and the fighting of wild animals. That which was erected by the emperor Titus, and of which there still exists a splendid ruin, was called the