who state the very greatest number, having three[1] gates and no more. When the Vespasians were emperors[2] and censors, in the year from its building 826, the circumference of the walls which surrounded it was thirteen miles and two-fifths. Surrounding as it does the Seven Hills, the city is divided into fourteen districts, with 265 cross-roads[3] under the guardianship of the Lares. If a straight line is drawn from the mile-column[4] placed at the entrance of the Forum, to each of the gates, which are at present thirty-seven in number (taking care to count only once the twelve double gates, and to omit the seven old ones, which no longer exist), the result will be [taking them altogether], a straight line of twenty miles and 765 paces[5]. But if we draw a straight line from the same mile-column to the very last of the houses, including therein the Prætorian encampment, and follow throughout the line of all the streets, the result will then be something more than seventy miles. Add to these calculations the height of the houses, and then a person may form a fair idea of this city, and will certainly be obliged to admit that there is not a place throughout the whole world that for size can be compared to it. On the
- ↑ The Carmental, the Roman, and the Pandanian or Saturnian gates, according to Varro.
- ↑ Titus was saluted Imperator after the siege of Jerusalem, and was associated with his father Vespasian in the government. They also acted together as Censors.
- ↑ The Lares Compitales presided over the divisions of the city, which were marked by the compita or points where two or more streets crossed each other, and where 'ædiculæ' or small chapels were erected in their honour. Statues of these little divinities were erected at the corner of every street. It was probably this custom which first suggested the idea of setting up images of the Virgin and Saints at the corners of the streets, which are still to be seen in many Roman Catholic countries at the present day.
- ↑ This was a gilded column erected by Augustus in the Forum, and called "milliarium aureum;" on it were inscribed the distances of the principal points to which the "viæ" or high-roads conducted.
- ↑ Supposing the circuit of the city to have been as he says, 13⅖ miles, he must either make a great miscalculation here, or the text must be very corrupt. The average diameter of the city would be in such case about 4½ miles, the average length of each radius drawn from the mile-column 2¼ miles, and the total amount 83¼ miles, whereas he makes it but 20¾ miles,
Rome. Julius Modestus says that she relieved men and cattle when visited by the disease called "angina,” or "quinsy," whence her name.
