_Rome_ was built on seven hills,--the Palatine, the Aventine, the
Capitoline, the Esquiline (the largest), the Quirinal, the Viminal, and
the Coelian.
There were various public squares (_forum_ = square or park). Some
were places of resort for public business, and most were adorned with
porticos. The most celebrated square was the _Forum Romanum_, or simply
_The Forum_. There were also the _Forum Caesaris_ and _Forum Trajani_.
Some served as markets; as _Forum Boarium_, the cattle market; _Forum
Suarium_, the hog market, etc.
Temples were numerous. The _Pantheon_ (temple of all the gods), built
by Agrippa and restored by Hadrian, was dedicated to Jupiter. It was
situated outside of the city, in the Campus Martius, and is now used as
a Christian church. The Temple of Apollo Palatinus, built by Augustus,
was on the Palatine Hill. It contained a library, which was founded by
Augustus. The Temple of Aesculapius was on an island in the Tiber; that
of Concordia, on the slope of the Capitoline Hill, was dedicated in
377 B.C., and restored by Tiberius. The Temple of Janus was an arched
passage east of the Forum, the gates of which were open during war. Up
to the time of Ovid the gates had been closed but three times, once in
Numa's reign, again at the close of the battle of Actium. Janus was
one of the oldest Latin divinities, and was represented with a face in
front and another on the back of his head. From him is named the month
of January.
(Illustration: ROME AND ENVIR.)
There were several temples of Jupiter, the most famous of which was that
of Jupiter Optimus, Maximus, or Capitolinus, built during the dynasty of
the Tarquins, and splendidly adorned. (See Chapter V.) There were also
numerous temples of Juno, of Mars, and of other deities.
The COLOSSEUM was the largest building in Rome.
There were three theatres; that of Pompey, of Marcellus, and of Balbus;
and several circuses, the most famous of which was the Circus Maximus.
The BASILICAE were halls of justice (court-houses). The most important
was the Basilica Julia, begun by Caesar and finished by Augustus, which
was situated on the south side of the Forum, and the foundations of
which can still be seen.
The CURIA, or Senate-house, was in the Forum. Each of the thirty curiae
had a place of meeting, called also a curia, where were discussed public
questions pertaining to politics, finance, or religion.
The PUBLIC BATHS were numerous. There were Thermae (hot baths) of Nero,
of Titus, of Trajan, of Caracalla, and of others, ruins of which still
exist.
Pure water was brought into the city from the surrounding hills by
fourteen different aqueducts, all of which were well built, and three of
which are still in use. The first aqueduct (Aqua Appia) was built about
313 B.C., by Appius Claudius.
SEWERS intersected Rome in all directions, and some were of immense
size. The CLOACA MAXIMA, built by Tarquin, was the largest, and is still
in use. Its innermost arch has a diameter of fourteen feet.
There are said to have been twenty TRIUMPHAL ARCHES, of which five now
remain, 1. The ARCH OF DRUSUS, on the Appian Way, erected in honor of
Claudius Drusus. 2. The ARCH OF TITUS, at the foot of the Palatine Hill,
built by Titus to commemorate his conquest of Judaea, The bas-reliefs
on this arch represent the spoils taken from the temple at Jerusalem,
carried in triumphal procession. 3. The ARCH OF SEPTIMIUS SEVERUS, built
by the Senate in 207 A. D., at the end of the Via Sacra, in honor of
the Emperor and his two sons for their conquest of the Parthians and
Arabians. 4. The ARCH OF GALLIENUS. 5. The ARCH OF CONSTANTINE.
There were two famous MAUSOLEA, that of Augustus, now in ruins, and that
of Hadrian, which, stripped of its ornaments, is now the Castle of San
Angelo.
The COLUMNS commemorating persons or events were numerous. The most
remarkable of these were erected for naval victories, and called
COLUMNAE ROSTRATAE. The one of Duilius, in honor of the victory at Mylae
(261 B. C.), still stands. It has three ship-beaks attached to each
side. Columns were built in honor of several Emperors. That of Trajan is
perhaps best known.
The COLUMNA MILLIARIA was a milestone set up by Augustus in the Forum,
from which all distances on the different public roads were measured. It
was called _Milliarium Aureum_, or the golden milestone.