[ 335 1 
they were confecrated to the Dii Manes. And as 
temples and altars, dedicated by public authority to 
the Dii Super i, were ftiled loca facra (i) j hence, as 
Aggenus Urbicus obferves : Sacrum proprie Dei eft, 
religiofum hotninum (2). 
It is well known, that by the laws of the Twelve 
tables burials were prohibited within the city of Rome. 
The words of the law are thefe : Hominem mortuum 
in urbe ne Jepelito , neve urito (3). The like prohi- 
bition was afterwards extended to the provinces, by 
the emperors Hadrian (4), Antoninus Pius (5), and 
others (6). There were indeed fome exceptions to 
this law, in favour of particular perfons, which do 
not come under our prefent conlideration. The Ro - 
mans therefore commonly placed their fepulchers, 
either near the common roads, or within their own 
poffelTions, or in fome place alloted for that pur- 
pofe by authority. Inftances of the firft fort are to 
be met with in Gruter , and other writers upon this 
fubjedt And the reafon of it is afligned by Varro , 
who fais : Monimenta in fepulchris ideo fecundum vi- 
am funt , quo praetereunteis admoneant , et fefuijfe , et 
illos ejfe mortaleis (7). As to private or family fepul- 
chers, a very full and ample account of them has been 
given by the late Roger Gale efquire, a worthy mem- 
(1) Fejlus in voce Religiofus. Injlit. § 8. ubt fupra , 
(2) De controverf. agror. pag. 61. edit . Goef. 
(3) Tab. x. L. l.princ. 
(4) L. 3. § 5. D. de fepul. violat. 
( 5 ) Jut. Capitol invit. 
(6) L. 12. C. de religiof et fumpt.fun , 
(7) De L L. Lib. y. 
