Chap. 9.3 ACCOUNT OP COUNTEIES, ETC. 203 



who state the very greatest number, having three ^ gates and 

 no more. When the Vespasians were emperors" 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' under the 

 guardianship of the Lares. If a straight line is drawn 

 from the mile-column'' 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*. But if we 

 draw a straight line from the same mile-column to the very 

 last of the houses, including therein the Praetorian encamp- 

 ment, 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 



Home. Julius Modestos says that she reUeved men and cattle when 

 visited by the disease called " angina," or " quinsy," whence her name. 



^ The Cormental, the Roman, and the Pandanian or Satumian gates, 

 according to Varro. 



2 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 ' sedicuUe * or small chapels were erected in their 

 honour. Statues of these Uttle divinities were erected at the comer of 

 every street. It was probably this custom which first suggested the idea 

 of setting up images of the Virgin and Saints at the comers of the streets, 

 wliich are still to be seen in many Roman Catholic countries at the pre- 

 sent day. 



^ Tbis was a gilded colmnn erected by Augustus in the Forum, and 

 called " milliarium aureura ; " on it were inscribed the distances of the 

 principal points to wliich the " viae " or high-roads conducted. 



^ Supposing the circuit of the city to have been as he.says, 13f miles, he 

 must either make a great miscalculation here, or the text must be very cor- 

 rupt. The average diameter of the city would be in such case about 4^ miles, 

 the average length of each radius drawn from the mile-column 2^ miles, 

 and the total amount 83^ miles, whereas he makes it but 20f miles, 



