[ 640 ] 
The column, mentioned in Letter I. is of red 
granite, and was dug up (together with its pedeftal) 
by Clement XI. out of the ruins on Monte Citorio, 
A. D. 1705. Innocent XII. intended to have let it 
up ; but the great damage it had fuftered in clearing 
the rubbilh from it, hindered that defign from being 
effected. 
In 174.5, Benedict XIV. removed it from the 
Piazza di Monte Citorio to its prefent iituation on the 
fame hill, and alfo caufed the pedeftal, that belonged 
to it, to be ereded where it now hands, being the 
fpot deligned for it by his predecellors, mentioned 
above. 
The relievi on the fides of the pedeftal refer to 
the apotheofis of Antoninus Pius; as the inlcription 
ftiews, that the column was ereded to the memory 
of that emperor by M. Aurelius (ftiled in this, as in 
fome other antient monuments *, Antoninus) and 
L. Verus, his adopted fons, and alfociates in the go- 
vernment. 
Letterll. infcript.2. 1 . 2. — SERVOS. PVBLICVS.] 
i. e. One of thole officers, who were to atteft the fign- 
ing of all public inftrurnents — Cen fores extemplo jam 
atrium libertatis afeenderunt , et ibi fi gnat is tabelhs 
public is, claufoque tabulario , et dimijjis Jervis publicis , 
negarunt fe prius quidquam negotii publici gefturos , 
quam judicium populi de Je jacium ejjet. Liv. Hift. 
1 . xliii. c. 16. A. U. 584. Vid. Marcell. Donat, in 
loc. 
* Vid. Bianchini apud Vafi delle A'agnif. di Rcma, lib. ii. 
p. I3> 
