DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.61617#0284
STREET SHRINES
Baiae, and Misenum. This ancient structure drew from the
same springs, and followed substantially the same route, as the
new aqueduct which since 1885 has been bringing water to
Naples. No inscription in regard to it has been found, and
there is no reference to it in ancient books. The remains —
of which the longest section, known as Ponti Rossi, ‘ Red
Bridges,’ may be seen near Naples — seem to indicate two
styles of construction, extensive repairs having been made after
the aqueduct had been partly destroyed; but up to the present
time it has not been possible to determine the period to which
they belong.
The water system of Pompeii goes back to the time before
the founding of the Roman colony. This is evident, not only
from the arrangements of the older baths, which contemplated
a freer use of water than could well have been provided
by cisterns, but also from the existence of three marble sup-
ports for fountain basins, which, as shown by their style of
workmanship, the use of Oscan letters as mason’s marks, and
their location in pre-Roman buildings — the temple of Apollo,
the Forum Triangulare, and the house of the Faun — belonged
to the earlier period. If we may ascribe the building of the
great aqueduct to the time of peace and prosperity in Campania
between the Second Punic War and the Social War, and sup-
pose that Pompeii, joining with other towns in its construc-
tion, was supplied by a branch from it, we have a simple and
highly probable solution of the problem. Nothing in the char-
acter of the masonry requires us to assign the aqueduct to a
later date.
The shrines along the streets, with few exceptions, were
dedicated to the guardian deities presiding over thoroughfares,
particularly the gods of street crossings, Lares Compitales. The
worship of these divinities in Rome was reorganized by Augustus
and placed in charge of the precinct wardens, vicorum magistriy
who were to see that the worship of his guardian spirit, Genius,
was associated with that of the Lares at each shrine. The
arrangements at the Capital were naturally followed by the
colonies and other cities under Roman rule.
Baiae, and Misenum. This ancient structure drew from the
same springs, and followed substantially the same route, as the
new aqueduct which since 1885 has been bringing water to
Naples. No inscription in regard to it has been found, and
there is no reference to it in ancient books. The remains —
of which the longest section, known as Ponti Rossi, ‘ Red
Bridges,’ may be seen near Naples — seem to indicate two
styles of construction, extensive repairs having been made after
the aqueduct had been partly destroyed; but up to the present
time it has not been possible to determine the period to which
they belong.
The water system of Pompeii goes back to the time before
the founding of the Roman colony. This is evident, not only
from the arrangements of the older baths, which contemplated
a freer use of water than could well have been provided
by cisterns, but also from the existence of three marble sup-
ports for fountain basins, which, as shown by their style of
workmanship, the use of Oscan letters as mason’s marks, and
their location in pre-Roman buildings — the temple of Apollo,
the Forum Triangulare, and the house of the Faun — belonged
to the earlier period. If we may ascribe the building of the
great aqueduct to the time of peace and prosperity in Campania
between the Second Punic War and the Social War, and sup-
pose that Pompeii, joining with other towns in its construc-
tion, was supplied by a branch from it, we have a simple and
highly probable solution of the problem. Nothing in the char-
acter of the masonry requires us to assign the aqueduct to a
later date.
The shrines along the streets, with few exceptions, were
dedicated to the guardian deities presiding over thoroughfares,
particularly the gods of street crossings, Lares Compitales. The
worship of these divinities in Rome was reorganized by Augustus
and placed in charge of the precinct wardens, vicorum magistriy
who were to see that the worship of his guardian spirit, Genius,
was associated with that of the Lares at each shrine. The
arrangements at the Capital were naturally followed by the
colonies and other cities under Roman rule.