10 



ROME (MODERN CITY). 



cu> (q. v.), one of the most beautiful was the 

 .!: milian, on the northerly side of the Forum Rom- 

 anum, built by Paulus JEnrilius. We will also 

 mention the Basilica Caii, or Lucii, on the Esqui- 

 line hill, the splendid Basilica Julia, on <he south- 

 ern side of the Forum Roman urn, built by Julius 

 Caesar, and the Basilica Portia, which was the 

 oldest, and was built by Cato the Censor. Of the 

 public baths, some of which equalled in extent 

 large palaces, and were ornamented with still 

 greater splendour, there have been enumerated 

 about twenty-two warm, and 856 cold, besides 

 880 private baths. Maecenas and Agrippa founded 

 the first public baths, which were afterwards sur- 

 passed by those of Caraealla, and these, in their 

 turn, by those of Dioclesian, vestiges of which re- 

 main till this day. Rome was likewise rich in 

 magnificent gardens. The gardens of Lucullus, 

 in the ninth region, hold the first rank; after these 

 the gardens of Asinius Pollio, Julius Caesar, Mae- 

 cenas, Heliogabalus, &c. Of the triumphal arches, 

 the most celebrated are, that of Constantine, the 

 ruins of which are yet seen ; that of Drusus, in the 

 Appian Way, of which the modern gate of St Se- 

 bastian is said to have been built ; that of Galli- 

 enus, and those of Severus and Titus, which are 

 yt in good preservation ; the former in the Forum, 

 and the latter in the Vicus Sandalarius. Among 

 the columns, the most beautiful was Trajan's pil- 

 lar, 1 18 feet in height, still standing. Instead of 

 the statue of that emperor, which it formerly bore, 

 Sixtus V. placed upon it a statue of St Peter, in 

 bronze, twenty-three feet in height. The bass- 

 reliefs, with which it is ornamented, represent the 

 exploits of Trajan, and contain about 2500 half 

 and whole human figures. A flight of stairs, with- 

 in the pillar, leads to its summit. The columna 

 rostrata, which Duillius erected in commemoration 

 of his victory over the Carthaginian fleet, and the 

 pillars of Antoninus and Aurelian, are still standing. 

 The sewers (cloacce*), by means of which the filth 

 and superfluous water of the city were conveyed 

 into the Tiber, are among the most remarkable 

 architectural works of ancient Rome; they are 

 subterranean canals, of from ten to sixteen feet in 

 height, and from twelve to fourteen in width, and, 

 although constructed in the earliest ages of the 

 city, are of such an indestructible solidity, that 

 several earthquakes have but slightly injured them; 

 and some parts of them are in perfect preservation. 

 (Concerning the aqueducts of Rome, of which 

 about twenty have been enumerated, see Aqueduct.') 

 Among the magnificent sepulchral monuments, the 

 mausoleum of Augustus and the Septizonium of 

 Septimius Severus surpassed all others in splendour. 

 This city was also rich in splendid private build- 

 ings, and in the treasures of art, with which not 

 only the public places and streets, but likewise 

 the residences and gardens of the principal citi- 

 zens, were ornamented, and of which but compa- 

 ratively few vestiges have survived the ravages 

 of time. See Burton's Antiquities of Rome (Ox- 

 ford, 1821); Nardini's Roma Antica (Nibby's 

 edition, with annotations, plans, &c., Rome, 

 i 820, 4 vols., 8vo.); Venuti's Descrizione topo- 

 (jraphica dclle Antichita di Roma (3d edition, with 

 Piali's notes, Rome, 1824, 2 vols. quarto, .with 

 seventy, two engravings). 



Modern Home; the capital of the States of the 

 Church, the residence of the pope, and for cen- 

 turies the capital of Christendom, at present the 

 capital of the world of the arts (41 53' 45" N. 



lat.; 12 28' E. Ion.) It is about thirteen miles 

 in circuit, and is divided by the Tiber into two 

 parts. The churches, palaces, villas, squares, 

 streets, fountains, aqueducts, antiquities, ruins, 

 in short, every thing proclaims the ancient ma- 

 jesty and present greatness of the city. Among 

 the churches, St Peter's is the most conspicuous, 

 and is, perhaps, the most beautiful building in the 

 world. Bramante began it; Sangcillo and Peruz/i 

 succeeded him; but Michael Angelo, who erected 

 its immense dome, which is 450 feet high to the 

 top of the cross, designed the greatest part. 

 Many other architects were afterwards employed 

 upon it ; Maderno finished the front and the two 

 towers. The erection of this edifice, from 15UG 

 to 1614, cost 45,000,000 Roman crowns. Before 

 we arrive at this beautiful temple, the eye is 

 attracted by the beautiful square in front of it, 

 surrounded by a magnificent colonade by Bernini, 

 and ornamented by an ^Egyptian obelisk, together 

 with two splendid fountains. Upon entering the 

 vestibule, Giotti's mosaic, la Navicella, is seen. 

 Under the portico, opposite the great door, is 

 Bernini's great bass-relief representing Christ 

 commanding Peter to feed his sheep; and at the 

 ends of the portico are the equestrian statues of 

 Constantine by Bernini, and of Charlemagne by 

 Cornachini. The union of these master works 

 has an indescribable effect. The harmony and 

 proportion which prevail in the interior of this 

 august temple are such, that, immense as it is, 

 the eye distinguishes all the parts without con- 

 fusion or difficulty. When each object is minutely 

 examined, we are astonished at its magnitude, so 

 much more considerable than appears at first sight. 

 The immense canopy of the high altar, supported 

 by four bronze pillars of 120 feet in height, parti- 

 cularly attracts the attention. The dome is the 

 boldest work of modern architecture. The cross 

 thereon is 450 feet above the pavement. The 

 lantern affords the most beautiful prospect of the 

 city and the surrounding country. The splendid 

 mosaics, tombs, paintings, frescoes, works in 

 marble, gilded bronze and stucco, the new 

 sacristy, a beautiful piece of architecture, but not 

 in unison with the rest, deserve separate consider- 

 ation. The two most beautiful churches in Rome 

 next to St Peter's are the St John's of the Lateran, 

 and the Santa Maria Maggiore. The former, built 

 by Constantine the Great, is the parochial church 

 of the pope ; it therefore takes precedence of all 

 others, and is called Omnium urbis et orbis eccle- 

 siarum mater et caput (the head and mother of all 

 churches of the city and the world.) In it is 

 celebrated the coronation of the popes. It con- 

 tains several pillars of granite, verde antico, and 

 gilt bronze; the twelve apostles by Rusconi and 

 Legros ; and the beautiful chapel of Corsini, which 

 is unequalled in its proportions, built by Alexander 

 Galilei. The altar-piece is a mosaic from a paint- 

 ing of Guido, and the beautiful porphyry sarco- 

 phagus, which is under the statue of Clement 

 XII., was found in the Pantheon, and is supposed 

 to have contained the ashes of M. Agrippa. The, 

 nave of the church of Santa Maria Maggiore is 

 supported by forty Ionic pillars of Grecian marble, 

 which were taken from a temple of Juno Lucina: 

 the ceiling was gilded with the first gold brought 

 from Peru. We are here struck with admiration 

 at the mosaics; the high altar, consisting of an 

 antique porphyry sarcophagus; the chapel of 

 Sixtus V.. built from the designs of Fontana, and 



