After the death of Alexander Severus, A.D. 235, we have little or no
history of buildings upon the Palatine, and there are no remains the
construction of which shows a later date. Indeed the emperors reigned
but a short time down to Diocletian, except Gallienus, who, we know,
had a palace and gardens on the Esquiline. Fifty years after Alexander
Severus died a great blow was struck at the grandeur of Rome; for the
colleagues in empire, Diocletian and Maximian, made new capitals at
Milan and Nicomedia, and thus divided the seat of power and empire. In
A.D. 302, eighteen years after his declaration, Diocletian came to
Rome for the first time, to celebrate his triumph, making a short stay
of two months. The year 312 witnessed a great change. On October 28
the great Constantine, the first Christian emperor, and a Briton, made
his entry into the imperial city, which for years had ceased to give
rulers to the empire, and was now to be the seat of government no
longer. Constantine did not make a long stay in the city; and, after
he had secured his power, removed in 330 the capital of the empire to
Byzantium, which was named Constantinople, to decorate which Rome was
stripped of statues, marbles, and works of art. In 356 Constantius
visited Rome, which had been abandoned by her rulers and denied the
splendours of the imperial court. "After his entry he retired into the
imperial palace, where he enjoyed the luxury he had wished for." "He
quitted Rome on the thirtieth day after his entry (29th May)"
(Marcellinus). The same historian informs us that, "on the night of
the 18th of March 362, the Temple of Apollo, on the Palatine, was
burned down." Theodosius, in 394, entered Rome in triumph. Honorius,
his son, in 403 celebrated the grandest triumph since that of
Diocletian, one hundred years before. Indeed, during this long period
but four emperors had paid flying visits only to their ancient
capital, and the Palace of the Cæsars was falling into decay, as
Claudian, the last of the Roman poets, sings. Honorius for a short
time revived the glories and memories of the past; the curule chairs
once more surrounded the rostra, and their emperor's voice was once
more heard by the _plebs_, whilst they gazed with awe at the lictors
with their gilt fasces. After Honorius's departure, Alaric, and the
barbarians that were with him, in 410, "took Rome itself, which they
pillaged, burning the greatest part of the magnificent structures and
other admirable works of art it contained" (Socrates, "E. H." v. 10).
In 417 Honorius again entered Rome in triumph, and endeavoured to
restore the city, and invited fugitives from all parts to people it.
This benefactor of the city was buried near the supposed remains of S.
Peter in the Vatican basilica. In 425 Valentinian III., whilst still a
boy, received the imperial purple in the ancient Palace of the Cæsars,
at the hands of an ambassador of Theodosius; and, although Ravenna was
the seat of his government, he frequently visited Rome and inhabited
the imperial palace. During one of these visits, in 454, Aetius, the
general, fell in the imperial palace, stabbed by the hand of the
licentious emperor, who drew his sword for the first time to kill the
general who had saved his empire. In the following year, March 27, he
was himself assassinated in the Campus Martius during a review; and
Petronius Maximus was declared emperor, but was in his turn soon after
murdered. The third day thereafter, Genseric and his Vandals entered
Rome, and plundered it of everything they could carry off, from the
seven-branched candlestick to the common utensils of Cæsar's Palace,
which they completely stripped. Avitus, a Gaul, the successor of
Petronius, visited Rome for a short time, and was murdered on his
return to Auvergne. After the throne had been vacant for ten months,
Majorianus was made emperor by Ricimer, 457. He published an edict
from Ravenna against destroying the ancient monuments of Rome and
using the materials for building. Severus Libius was his successor,
and he was poisoned within the walls of the Palatine, August 465.
Anthemius entered Rome in a triumphal procession in April 467, and
revived the Lupercalia games; he was put to death in the palace by
Ricimer, who captured Rome, July 11, 472. From 472 to 476 there were
four emperors, the last of whom, Romulus Augustus, abdicated in
presence of the senate, who proclaimed the extinction of the Western
Empire.
[Illustration: ARCH OF TITUS, BEFORE RECENT EXCAVATIONS.]
In A.D. 500 King Theodoric paid a visit of six months to Rome. After
addressing the people from the Rostra ad Palmam, which stands at the
head of the Forum, he took up his residence at the Palace of the
Cæsars, and appointed officers to take care of the ancient monuments.
After his death, Athalaric and his mother governed till the former's
death in 534. Theodatus, his successor, was murdered on the Flaminian
Way, as he was retreating before Belisarius, the general of the
Eastern emperor Justinian, who fixed his quarters at the Pincian
Palace. In 549 Totila captured the city, and resided in the Palace of
the Cæsars, exhibiting games in the Circus Maximus for the last time.
During the winter of 552-553 Narses, the Eastern general, took Rome,
and resided there, Rome being again united to the Eastern Empire,
governed by an exarch, who generally resided at Ravenna. The history
of the Palatine is a blank till the time of Heraclius I. Though not
present himself, a coronation ceremony was held with great pomp in the
Palace of the Cæsars, 610. A great event for Rome took place in 663.
Then, for the last time, she received within her walls her emperor,
Constans II., who contemplated again making her the capital of the
empire. He was received by Pope Vitalianus at the Porta Appia with a
procession of priests with tapers, banners, and crosses,--a curious
contrast with former usages. Constans was the last emperor who resided
in the Palace of the Cæsars, which was even then in a dilapidated
condition; and his time seems to have been occupied with church
ceremonies. His visit lasted twelve days, when he carried off what
plunder he could, besides the gilt bronze tiles of the roof of the
Pantheon. A blank again occurs till Justinian II., in 709, created the
first Duke of Rome, who was afterwards elected by Pope and people, and
resided in the Palace of the Cæsars. For many years the power of the
Church of Rome had been increasing, and in 772 Pope Adrian I. threw
off the nominal sovereignty of the Eastern Empire, and, calling upon
Charlemagne to free him from the Lombard kings, he entered Rome on
Saturday, April 2, Easter eve. Charlemagne confirmed Pepin's gifts to
the Holy See. He again visited it, and on Christmas day A.D. 800 Pope
Leo III. crowned him emperor in S. Peter's, with the title of Emperor
of the Romans. From thence commenced the Holy Roman Empire.
* * * * *
_Leaving the Palatine, we turn to the right, and by the
newly-excavated Vicus Vestæ, on the north side of the hill, reach_