VOL. L.] PHILOSOPHICAL TRANSACTIONS. 107 



before us, it may be observed that the worship of Serapis, to whom it is supposed 

 to have been consecrated, was not introduced at Rome till towards the end of the 

 republic ; and then tolerated in the suburbs only. However, at length he was 

 allowed to have temples erected to him within the precincts of the city ; chiefly 

 by the authority of Vespasian, who was thought to have restored a blind man 

 to his sight at Alexandria by the aid and direction of this deity. And on this 

 account he continued to be held in high veneration by Titus and Domitian, the 

 sons of that emperor, as appears by their stamping his image on the reverse of 

 their coins. Now as it is reasonable to suppose that the other cities of Italy 

 followed the example of the metropolis in this instance, as we find they did in 

 others of a similar nature, we may with some probability place the foundation 

 of this temple at Pozzuoli somewhere within the period above assigned. 



As for the particular state of this building, it is situated on the west side of 

 the town, near to, and on a level with the beach, (fig. J , pi. 4.) Its grand 

 entrance is towards the south, and seems to have been a vestibule supported by 

 4 columns. This introduces you into a spacious portico, or corridor, which was 

 designed to defend such as assembled here to worship from the injuries of the 

 weather ; as also to afford a commodious passage into a range of rooms of dif- 

 ferent dimensions, disposed on all the 4 sides of the court. These chambers 

 seem designed for preparing the sacrifices, lodging the priests, and keeping their 

 vestments ; as also the fuel, stores, and other things requisite for the service of 

 the temple : not to omit the convenience of purifying both the priests and the 

 worshippers by bathing or washing. This last destination is countenanced, with 

 regard to the chamber on the north-west and that on the north-east corner, by 

 the row of stone seats, which still remains on each of the sides of the former. 

 These seats have a gutter, or channel running along at the foot of them on the 

 floor ; and are likewise perforated with holes of a proper size, with funnels 

 passing from them below. On these benches probably the persons to be puri- 

 fied placed themselves, that the water might be let out upon them from pipes ; 

 or administered in vases or ewers by the attendants, and afterwards be carried off 

 by the passages above-mentioned.* 



One more particular concerning the apartment in the north-west angle of the 

 temple, is, that when it was cleared of its rubbish, there was found in a niche in 

 one of its sides a male and female figure naked, and in the most flagrant act of 

 natural lewdness. It is now in a private room in the palace at Portici, nor can 

 be seen without the king's special permission. In the same place probably may 



* Mess. Cochin and Bellicard seem to think this room was intended for another purpose, by their 

 calling the funnels under the holes in the seats of it, conduits des fosses d'aisance. Which of the 

 two hypotheses is to be preferred, is submitted to the judgment of the learnedj or rather, whether both 

 of them may not be admitted, as in nowise incompatible together. 



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