bursts on our sight. It was built by Pius VII. in 1815, on the
foundations of the Pons Milvius, "which the elder Scaurus is said to
have built" (Marcellinus, xxvii. iii. 9), and near which Constantine
defeated Maxentius, October 27th, 312, a victory so graphically
depicted by Raphael on the Vatican walls. "Maxentius endeavouring to
cross the bridge of boats constructed for the use of his army, a
little below the Ponte Molle, was thrown by his frightened horse into
the waters, and eaten up by the quicksands on account of the weight of
his cuirass. Constantine had great difficulty in finding his corpse"
(Aurelius Victor).
_Crossing the bridge, the road_ _Via Flaminia_, _to the right, leads
us to_ PRIMA PORTA, the SAXA RUBRA of the ancient Romans, the first
halting-place from Rome. _On the right, above the Osteria_, was
situated the Veientina