Neither the position nor the construction of this Rostra answers to
that of the original Suggestum, which took the name of Rostra from
having fixed on it the _six_ bronze beaks of the Antiates' ships. The
original Rostra, shown on a coin of Palikanus, the orator mentioned by
Cicero ("Brutus," lxii.)--see page 42--was a wooden pulpit. Its exact
site we have already identified. The last historical notice that we
have of it is in Spartianus's "Life of Didius Julianus" (iv.), A.D.
193. After saying that the emperor addressed the Senate, he adds, "but
the people expressly in the Rostra before the Curia."
[Illustration]
Under the Empire the Rostra had lost its use, and only served
occasionally for the emperor to address the people from, or for
reading out edicts and proclamations. The western end of the Forum saw
many changes after the fire under Commodus, and was rearranged under
Septimius Severus, who restored the old edifices, retaining the names
of the founders, and erected others (Spartianus, "Severus," xxiii.).
In 203 an arch was erected to Severus and his two sons, and a new
Rostra was made on the south side of this arch. By cutting away a
piece of the slope of the Capitoline Hill, he formed an escarpment 11
feet high, which was faced with a curved brick wall, and cased with
Porta Santa marble, in panels 3 feet 1 inch wide. Between each pair of
panels there is a space 6½ inches wide, from which a piece of marble
jutted out 3½ inches. Only one of these exists. On it there was fixed
a bronze beak, probably made in imitation of the old ones, for in that
day they had no naval foes from whom to capture ships. If there was
one row only, there were eighteen in all; if two rows, thirty-six.
This in itself is sufficient to show the ridiculousness of calling
this the original Rostra, which had six beaks only. The peculiar
marble casing also shows late work. At the north end of this platform
was erected the Umbilicus (E), and on the south end was placed the
Milliarium Aureum (F). From the level space on the top of this
escarpment the orator would speak; whilst at a short distance in his
rear was the street Clivus Argentarius, leading from the Via Sacra to
the Porta Rutuminia. This Rostra was popularly known as the People's
Rostra, because from it they were addressed--"Deinde ad Rostra Populum
convocarunt" (Capitolinus, "Maximus et Balbinus," iii.). The
narrowness of the level space on the top of this Rostra caused great
inconvenience; and as room could not be gained in the rear, it had to
be taken in front, encroaching on the Comitium. Forty-three and a half
feet in front of the curved wall of Porta Santa a straight wall was
built of travertine and tufa, 78 feet long, with side walls from it
back to the extreme ends of the Rostra, and this was cased with
Carrara white marble, the space between the two walls being filled
with earth, thus making a large platform with a square instead of a
curved front. The blocks of tufa and marble were tied together by iron
clamps, of which fragments remain, of a shape not used in the earlier
days, but used now. [Illustration] That the curved wall and the
straight wall are not contemporary is shown by the construction, as
well as by the fact that the curved wall is faced with coloured
marble, which would not have been the case if it had not at one time
been open to the Forum. The curved wall is on a line with the Arch of
Severus; but the tufa wall comes out 25½ feet beyond the arch, and is
not parallel with the curved wall behind it. The tufa and travertine
wall is erected on the travertine pavement of the Comitium.
[Illustration]
We believe these changes on this Rostra were made in the time of
Aurelian (270), after the death of Claudius II., whose statue was
erected on this Rostra. "Illi totius orbis judicio in rostris posita
est columna palmata statua superfixa" (Pollio, "Claudius," iii.). Upon
this Rostra also Aurelian erected a statue of the Genius of the Roman
People. Aurelianus--"Genium Populi Romani in rostra posuit" ("E
Chronicis antiquis excerpta Aurelianus"). The fourth century guides,
"Curiosum Urbis" and "De Regionibus" (in Regio viii.), mention the
Genium Populi Romani, the latter adding "aureum." They both mention
three Rostra in the Forum. The statue of Claudius was not represented
as wearing the Roman toga, but the Greek pallium, from which this
Rostra became known as the Rostra ad Palmam; and this part of the
Forum in later times was called ad Palmam.
Theodoric--"Deinde veniens ingressus urbem venit ad Senatum, et ad
Palmam populo adlocutus" ("Excerpta Valesiana," lxvi.).
"Ligaverunt ei manus a tergo et decollaverunt extra Capitolium et
extrahentes jactaverunt eum juxta arcum triumphi ad Palmam" ("Acta
SS., Mai." vii.).
Ammianus Marcellinus (xvi. x. 13) describes Constantius's visit in 356
to this Rostra: "When he arrived at the Rostra, he gazed with amazed
awe on the Forum, the most renowned monument of ancient power; and
being bewildered with the number of wonders on every side to which he
turned his eyes, having addressed the nobles in the Senate House and
harangued the populace from the Rostra, he retired." This expresses
the feelings of many visitors in our day. The site commands a good
view of the Forum.
[Illustration: RELIEF FROM THE ARCH OF CONSTANTINE REPRESENTING THE
ROSTRA AD PALMAM, ETC.]
The remains of this Rostra are best illustrated by the representation
of it in the relief on the Arch of Constantine; and by no possible
imagination can it be made to agree with the coin of Palikanus.
In the centre is a platform with a straight front, having a lattice
balustrade; on the right is a statue of Claudius II., and on the left
the statue of the Genius of Rome. A group of people stand behind the
railing and surround Constantine, who is addressing the people. Behind
are five Corinthian columns surmounted with statues. The balustrade
stood on the top of the tufa wall, and some of the fallen gray granite
columns still exist. To our right, clear of the Rostra, is the Arch of
Severus, a group of people being in front, looking up to the Rostra.
On the left, in the background, are the Arch of Tiberius, spanning the
Vicus Jugarius, and four of the arches of the Basilica Julia--the
foreground being occupied by a crowd of people facing towards the
Rostra.
The scene here depicted was no doubt that which took place on the
entry of Constantine into Rome: "And with a loud voice and by
inscriptions he made known to all men the salutary standard"
(Eusebius, "Life of Constantine," xl.).
In the relief the head of Constantine is unfortunately missing; but it
seems very appropriate that he should be represented addressing the
Roman people from that Rostra, which was decorated with the statue of
his ancestor Claudius II.
There are no beaks shown on the relief; but along the tufa wall, at
regular intervals of 3 feet 4 inches, are cut grooves 6½ inches wide
and 1½ inch deep: in these grooves are holes which, if they were to
sustain beaks, would give thirty-six for a single row, and seventy-two
for a double row.
We doubt if these grooves and holes were for beaks. They were more
probably for the supports of the marble casing; they do not go
completely through the wall.
Some authorities call these remains on the Clivus the Rostra Vetera,
or the original Rostra. But it does not answer classic description,
and the construction shows it to be of late date. It does not stand
_on_ the Comitium, or _before_ the Curia, nor _under_ the old shops.
Besides, it looks down the Forum; so from here how could Gracchus have
_turned_ from the Senate House and Comitium towards the Forum?