_From the Via Appia, just beyond the "Domine quo Vadis," a lane leads
into the valley of the Caffarella. At the end of the lane, upon the
left_, is a beautiful brick tomb of the time of the Antonines. This is
popularly known as the Temple of the Dio Rediculo. We have raised
objections to this: first, because Pliny ("Nat. Hist.," x. 43) says
the Campus Rediculi was at the second mile on the _right_ of the Via
Appia, whilst this ruin is upon the _left_; and secondly, from its
construction, which shows it to have been a tomb. We have always
considered this as the tomb of Annia Regilla, the wife of Herodes
Atticus, consul A.D. 143. It stands upon his estate, where we know he
erected a sepulchre to his wife, consecrating the surrounding land to
Minerva and Nemesis. He was of Greek origin, and the ornaments are of
Greek design; they are beautifully executed and well preserved,
particularly the zigzag border. This view of ours has been recently
confirmed: in digging up the soil at the base of the tomb, the
following portion of the inscription has been found,--it is cut on a
piece of _rosso-antico_:--
ANNIA REGILLA
HERODIS VXOR
LVMEN DOMVS
CVIVS HAEC
PRAEDIA FVERV
Annia Regilla,
the wife of Herodes,
light of the house,
whose this
estate was
In an inscription in the Louvre she is called "the light of the house,
the lady of the land,"--these estates came to Herodes through
Annia,--and in the newly found inscription she is called light of the
house. Thus they both refer to the same lady whose tomb is here
recognized.
The word _rediculo_ is supposed by some to come from _redeo_, I
return, as applied to the spot where Hannibal turned back from Rome;
but from Pliny we know there was a place called Campus Rediculi, and
that it was to the right of the Via Appia in coming out of the city,
so it could have nothing to do with this field. Pompeius Festus, a
Latin critic of the fourth century, ascribes it to the above meaning,
but he would be no authority. Hannibal's camp was on the road to
Tivoli, and from there he returned. "Hannibal moved his camp forward
to the river Anio, three miles from the city. Posting there his
troops, he himself, with two thousand horsemen, proceeded from the
Colline Gate as far as the Temple of Hercules, riding about, and
taking as near a view as possible of the situation and fortifications
of the city" (Livy, xxvi. 10). "Discouraged by all circumstances, he
moved his camp to the river Tutia, six miles from the city" (_Ibid._,
xi.).
The tomb is built of yellow bricks, with red brick basement,
pilasters, and ornaments: on one side is the pediment of the portico,
which was formed with peperino columns. Over the square doorway is a
decorated niche for the statue. The tomb contained originally two
chambers, but the flooring of the upper one has been destroyed--thus
making one--the vault of which was decorated with stucco ornaments. In
construction it is like the painted tombs on the Via Latina, the
bricks being carefully baked and laid with very little mortar between
them, not unlike the entrance to some of the warehouses at Ostia, and
of the same date--time of Hadrian; for being a tomb, and not cased
with marble, it shows more careful construction than the ordinary
brickwork of the time of that emperor.
Proceeding on our ramble along the Via Appia, _upon the left_ is an
unknown tomb; _on the right_, beyond, another. This is exactly at the
second mile from the Porta Capena. Here was the Campus Rediculi. Was
this the raven's tomb? (See page 18.) The vineyard on the left
contained the Columbaria of Livia, now destroyed. _Beyond_, entrance
to the Catacomb of Prætextatus. _Upon the right_,