DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.5541#0119
Chap, vi.]
RUINS OF HADRIANI.
91
wooded hill on our left, which supplied the ancient town
of Hadriani with marble for its public buildings, we came
to the ruins we were in search of. We first reached what
appeared to be the ancient gateway, though no other traces
of the walls of the town were to be seen. It consisted of
three arches, that in the centre being somewhat larger than
the others, and the architecture not of a good style. A
little farther on we found the remains of a large and
massive building, the character of which could not be
mistaken, and which, together with the foundations of
buildings and fragments of architectural sculpture by which
it was surrounded, distinctly marked the site of an ancient
city, which, from the resemblance of the modern name of
the district, could be no other than Hadriani.
Many attempts have been made to clear the sloping ground
of these fragments, for the purpose of cultivation. Broken
columns and large blocks of cornices, beautifully executed,
have been thus heaped together round the larger masses of
ruins, which are overgrown with vegetation. But the large
edifice mentioned above appears to have been a gymnasium;
the foundations are visible all round, and prove it to have
been a parallelogram, measuring 88 paces by 65. But,
with the exception of the greater part of the S.W. side,
the wall does not stand more than three or four feet above
the ground, and even that is much concealed by underwood.
To the S.W., however, it is nearly thirty feet high, and is
seen by the traveller at a considerable distance. It is beau-
tifully built, in straight courses of white marble, varying in
height from one to four feet. The thickness of the wall
itself is only three feet; which, as it is built without cement,
is a proof of the care with which the blocks must have been
smoothed and fitted. The foundations of interior walls are
also visible, as well as several small apartments or cellse;
also, near the centre of the space, a large block of marble,
nearly four feet square, with two holes drilled in it, like
sockets for the pivot of a door.
Besides this building are the foundations of two others,
RUINS OF HADRIANI.
91
wooded hill on our left, which supplied the ancient town
of Hadriani with marble for its public buildings, we came
to the ruins we were in search of. We first reached what
appeared to be the ancient gateway, though no other traces
of the walls of the town were to be seen. It consisted of
three arches, that in the centre being somewhat larger than
the others, and the architecture not of a good style. A
little farther on we found the remains of a large and
massive building, the character of which could not be
mistaken, and which, together with the foundations of
buildings and fragments of architectural sculpture by which
it was surrounded, distinctly marked the site of an ancient
city, which, from the resemblance of the modern name of
the district, could be no other than Hadriani.
Many attempts have been made to clear the sloping ground
of these fragments, for the purpose of cultivation. Broken
columns and large blocks of cornices, beautifully executed,
have been thus heaped together round the larger masses of
ruins, which are overgrown with vegetation. But the large
edifice mentioned above appears to have been a gymnasium;
the foundations are visible all round, and prove it to have
been a parallelogram, measuring 88 paces by 65. But,
with the exception of the greater part of the S.W. side,
the wall does not stand more than three or four feet above
the ground, and even that is much concealed by underwood.
To the S.W., however, it is nearly thirty feet high, and is
seen by the traveller at a considerable distance. It is beau-
tifully built, in straight courses of white marble, varying in
height from one to four feet. The thickness of the wall
itself is only three feet; which, as it is built without cement,
is a proof of the care with which the blocks must have been
smoothed and fitted. The foundations of interior walls are
also visible, as well as several small apartments or cellse;
also, near the centre of the space, a large block of marble,
nearly four feet square, with two holes drilled in it, like
sockets for the pivot of a door.
Besides this building are the foundations of two others,