DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.53553#0107
89
The high state of preservation of this temple, is, like that
of many others in Italy, to be solely attributed to the fortu-
nate circumstance of its having- been converted into a church
in the very infancy of Christianity. The ecclesiastical annals
of Pozziioli record an uninterrupted series of bishops from
Patrobas, a cotemporary of St. Paul (who mentions him in
the sixteenth chapter of his epistle to the Romans), to the
present day. That apostle likewise bears testimony of the
faith and hospitality of this town in the 28th chapter of Acts,
v. 13, where he says, “ And from thence (Syracuse) we
fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium ; and after one day
the south wind blew, and we came next day to Puteoli,
where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them
seven days, and so went towards Rome.”
From hence we proceeded to view the antiquities which
no longer lie within the walls of Pozzuoli, but are situated
on the hill behind the town. On crossing the square, I ob-
served a marble pedestal, enriched with a variety of figures
in alto-relievo ; but so much defaced, as not to admit of even
a guess at its former destination, except that, from its shape
and size, it appeared to have once supported an equestrian
statue. We again passed by the majestic columns of the
temple of Serapis, described in a former letter ; and, in our
progress up the hill, through several well cultivated farms,
abounding with ruins of minor interest, arrived at the tem-
pie of Diana. Of this structure, the shell only, which is of
brick-work, remains at present. The figure is an oblong,
rounded off at one extremity. Some of the arches in the
walls are still perfect, and of a bold construction : but the
interior space of the temple is now cultivated. Another set
of ruins near to these, was shewn, under the name of the tem-
ple of Neptune ; a description of which, my dear T. would
probably prove as uninteresting to you as the sight of it ap-
peared to me,.
N The
The high state of preservation of this temple, is, like that
of many others in Italy, to be solely attributed to the fortu-
nate circumstance of its having- been converted into a church
in the very infancy of Christianity. The ecclesiastical annals
of Pozziioli record an uninterrupted series of bishops from
Patrobas, a cotemporary of St. Paul (who mentions him in
the sixteenth chapter of his epistle to the Romans), to the
present day. That apostle likewise bears testimony of the
faith and hospitality of this town in the 28th chapter of Acts,
v. 13, where he says, “ And from thence (Syracuse) we
fetched a compass, and came to Rhegium ; and after one day
the south wind blew, and we came next day to Puteoli,
where we found brethren, and were desired to tarry with them
seven days, and so went towards Rome.”
From hence we proceeded to view the antiquities which
no longer lie within the walls of Pozzuoli, but are situated
on the hill behind the town. On crossing the square, I ob-
served a marble pedestal, enriched with a variety of figures
in alto-relievo ; but so much defaced, as not to admit of even
a guess at its former destination, except that, from its shape
and size, it appeared to have once supported an equestrian
statue. We again passed by the majestic columns of the
temple of Serapis, described in a former letter ; and, in our
progress up the hill, through several well cultivated farms,
abounding with ruins of minor interest, arrived at the tem-
pie of Diana. Of this structure, the shell only, which is of
brick-work, remains at present. The figure is an oblong,
rounded off at one extremity. Some of the arches in the
walls are still perfect, and of a bold construction : but the
interior space of the temple is now cultivated. Another set
of ruins near to these, was shewn, under the name of the tem-
ple of Neptune ; a description of which, my dear T. would
probably prove as uninteresting to you as the sight of it ap-
peared to me,.
N The