DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.785#0489
384 TARQUINII.—The City. [chap. xix.
to be considered Etruscan. In fact, where the outline of
a city is almost determined by nature, the original line of
wall at the verge of the clhT may well have been preserved
in all ages, and how often soever the upper portions may
have been renewed, it is highly improbable that the foun-
dations would ever have been disturbed. There seem
to have been many gates. The sites of some are very
discernible—especially in that part nearest Corneto.
The principal remains within the walls are evidently
Roman. Just under the Arx to the west are traces of
Baths, excavated in 1829. Little is now to be seen, but
when opened there were painted walls, broken statues and
columns, long Latin inscriptions, beautiful mosaics,3 and
other remains which told of
" What time the Rorname Empire bore the raine
Of all the world and florisht most in might."
Traces of other buildings have been discovered—a nym-
pJifBum, temples, reservoirs—in fact, every excavation
brings some ruin to light, for the entire surface of the
hill is a thick stratum of debris; but as such excava-
tions, however valuable to science, are seldom lucrative to
the speculator, we cannot expect many discoveries to be
made.4
A very remarkable relic on the site of the city is a
3 Some of the de-rices in the mosaics CXX. 1 ; cf. II. p. 225. For notices
were singular. The inscriptions, which of the excavations on the site of Tar-
were also in the pavement, were much quinii, see Bull. Inst. 1829, p. 197 ; 1830,
worn by the feet, showing that the Baths pp. 72,238; 1831, p. 4 ; 1835, p. 27.
had been in use for many years. They 4 Micali (Ant. Pop. Ital. II. p. 222)
are preserved in the Palazzo Brusehi mentions a large cloaca, similar in con-
at Corneto—vi supra, page 279. A stniction to the Cloaca Maxima, at the
singular capital of a column having an foot of the hill of Tarquinii. I sought
Etruscan inscription on its abacus— it in vain; nor is it mentioned by any but
Panzai or Panzni—was found here in himself. He may possibly mean the
1830. It was of peperino. It is deli- half-buried arch, of which a woodcut is
neated by Micali, Ant. Pop. Ital. tav. given at the head of this chapter.
to be considered Etruscan. In fact, where the outline of
a city is almost determined by nature, the original line of
wall at the verge of the clhT may well have been preserved
in all ages, and how often soever the upper portions may
have been renewed, it is highly improbable that the foun-
dations would ever have been disturbed. There seem
to have been many gates. The sites of some are very
discernible—especially in that part nearest Corneto.
The principal remains within the walls are evidently
Roman. Just under the Arx to the west are traces of
Baths, excavated in 1829. Little is now to be seen, but
when opened there were painted walls, broken statues and
columns, long Latin inscriptions, beautiful mosaics,3 and
other remains which told of
" What time the Rorname Empire bore the raine
Of all the world and florisht most in might."
Traces of other buildings have been discovered—a nym-
pJifBum, temples, reservoirs—in fact, every excavation
brings some ruin to light, for the entire surface of the
hill is a thick stratum of debris; but as such excava-
tions, however valuable to science, are seldom lucrative to
the speculator, we cannot expect many discoveries to be
made.4
A very remarkable relic on the site of the city is a
3 Some of the de-rices in the mosaics CXX. 1 ; cf. II. p. 225. For notices
were singular. The inscriptions, which of the excavations on the site of Tar-
were also in the pavement, were much quinii, see Bull. Inst. 1829, p. 197 ; 1830,
worn by the feet, showing that the Baths pp. 72,238; 1831, p. 4 ; 1835, p. 27.
had been in use for many years. They 4 Micali (Ant. Pop. Ital. II. p. 222)
are preserved in the Palazzo Brusehi mentions a large cloaca, similar in con-
at Corneto—vi supra, page 279. A stniction to the Cloaca Maxima, at the
singular capital of a column having an foot of the hill of Tarquinii. I sought
Etruscan inscription on its abacus— it in vain; nor is it mentioned by any but
Panzai or Panzni—was found here in himself. He may possibly mean the
1830. It was of peperino. It is deli- half-buried arch, of which a woodcut is
neated by Micali, Ant. Pop. Ital. tav. given at the head of this chapter.