THE ATRIUM VESTZ. 

In size and extent the Atrium remained unchanged,’ except on the side 
towards the temple, where a small portion of the sacred area was included in 
the court. The level was raised 30 to 50 centimeters above that of the pre- 
ceding period, that is g7 to 100 centimeters above that of the republican 
building.? The rooms on the southwest* may have been, as later, 30 centi- 
meters higher than this. The new rooms on the north* were on the same 
level as the outer corridor upon which they opened.’ The rooms beyond 
the Atrium on the west,’ which had no direct connection with the other parts 
of the building, were at least 30 centimeters below its level, being but 70 
centimeters above that of the republican period. 
Plan and Arrangement of the Interior: The differentiation of the new 
walls of the Atrium from those of the preceding period is not difficult, since 
they are not only dissimilar in their mode of construction, but are structurally 
independent. ‘The determination of the relation which these new walls bear 
to each other is no less easy. That they are parts of a single structure is 
evident from their agreement in methods of construction as well as from 
their conformity to a general architectural plan. The unity which exists 
among them is, however, most clearly shown by the structural continuity 
by which they are marked.” The general level is consistent and that of the 
foundations is uniform throughout. 
In general plan the Atrium of the second period was a development 
rather than a mere restoration of that of Nero. The central court, or atrium, 
did not probably differ in length from that of the preceding period; its 
width was, however, somewhat increased by the pushing back of the wall 
on the north. Since the new wall varied slightly in direction from the older 
one, a difference arose in the width of the court at the two ends, which 
became much more marked after the extension of the court to the east.® 
On all sides of the new court there was added a colonnade, or portico, of 
about 4 meters in width.® Auer,’ who maintained that the colonnade 
consisted of but one story, in order to reconcile the height” of the columns, 
which can not have exceeded 5 or 6 meters, with that of the windows, held 
that the portico was covered by a slanting roof, which rested upon the 
entablature above the columns and was attached to the opposite wall below 
*Cf. plans A and B. 7 This structural continuity is most noticeable on 
2 The level of the colonnade is taken as the standard the southwest. It exists, however, through- 
for the period. See plate 11, fig. 1; wall on out. 
the right. 8 See p. 36. 
3 Plan B, 14-23. ®The colonnade on the north and east is 3.60 
4 Plan B, 2-7. meters wide and on the west 3.90 meters; 
5 If the hypocausts which remain in several of the on the south it varies from 4 to 4.15 meters. 
rooms are of a later period, the level of the The foundation wall of the colonnade at 
rooms was a half-meter lower than that of the east end of the court is seen below the 
the corridor. It is more probable, however, foundation of the octagonal structure on the 
that the hypocausts were built at the same left in plate 1v, fig. 1. 
time as the rooms. Auer, Der Tempel der Vesta, 4. 
® Plan B, 24-28. 11 See p. 23, n. 2. 
