Buildings of the City.
231
vn.
(or senate-houses), Casfra (or barracks), palaces, Xorfi (publie or private
gardens, adorned with works of art), mausoleums, columns, and obelisks,
Of these, some of the most remarkable were: (1) the Zorum Romanum (the
chief of the Fora, known simply as the Aorum). This was an irregular
quadrangle below the Capitoline Hill, adorned and surrounded with temples,
Basilice, and statues, and containing the Aostra (or platform from which
the orators addressed the people) and the so-called ‘Temple of Janus,”
{2) The Campus Martius (or ** Plain of Mars,” whence the Champ de
Mars, in Paris), an open space outside the city walls, in the bend of the
river Tiber, It was the place of gymnastic exercise and military training
for the Roman youth, a review-ground for troops, and place of assembly for
elections of officials and the Census of the citizens. It contained the famous
Pantheon (still used as a Christian church), a vast circular building, with
a dome, and splendid portico of Corinthian pillars. It was a temple of
Mars and Venus (though the name implies dedication to ‘all the gods”),
and was consecrated to Christianity about A.D. 609. (3) The Capitolium
(cap-i-to'li-um), or 7emple of Jupiter, on the Capitoline Hill, to which it
gave its name. This was the finest religious edifice in Rome, as rebuilt by
the Emperor Domitian (A.D.
81-96), after being burned down
for the third time in Rome’s
history. There were three sepa-
rate shrines in the temple—
those of _/wpiter (in the centre),
Juno and Minerva (one on each
side). (4) The Circus Maximus
(or simply, the Circaes), a build-
ing with seats for 385,000 spec-
tators, (5) The Colosseum (col-
os-s&um) (the name being said
to come from a colossal statue
of the Emperor Nero which
stood by), or Mavian Amphi-
Yicatre, which would seat nearly
90,000 spectators, and covered
about six acres of ground, Its
extensive remains, still existing,
were long a quarry for the erec-
tion of modern edifices, Crue)
Äights of gladiators and wild
beasts were the chief delights
provided for Roman taste at this
structure, (6) The Zherme Dio-
cletiani, which contained baths
that could be used by 3000 men
at once, (7) The Arch of Titus,
built in honour of his conquest of Judrea, and still existing in the state
shown by the annexed cut. (8) The C/oa’ca Maxima, a huge stone sewer,
(ormed by a triple arch, dating from the regal times of Rome, and still
existing perfect in its original form. (9) The Column of Trajan in the
Forum, still standing, 117 feet in height, adormed with a spiral band of
sculpture, representing the Emperor Trajan’s wars,
