DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42497#0104
Section VI. The Ccelian, added a.u.c. 147, b.c. c. 650.
The Coelianr is said by Terentius Varro to have been named after
Coelius Vibenna, a Tuscan leader, who with his band supported
Romulus against the King of Latium, and was with his followers
located on the Ccelian as a reward.
“ In a part of the Suburan district the chief hill is the Coelian, [so called] from
Ccelius Vibenna, a noble Tuscan general, who is said to have given aid with his
army to Romulus against the Latin King ; hence, after the death of Ccelius, because
these Tuscans held too strong a position, and were not without suspicion, they were
removed to the lower ground, and the street was called from them Vicus Tuscuss.”
“From a leader who came from Etruria, and whose name was Ccelius; the
hill on which he settled is called the Ccelian to this day
This hill is said by Livy and some writers to have been added
to the city by Tullus Hostilius, who resided on it himself to en-
courage others to do so, b.c. 650 ; by Strabo and other writers the
addition is attributed to Ancus Marcius.
“Meanwhile, from the destruction of Alba, Rome received a considerable aug-
mentation, the number of citizens was doubled, the Coelian mount was added
to the city ; and in order to induce others to fix their habitations there, Tullus
chose that situation for his palace, where, from thenceforth, he resided u. ”
‘ ‘ And that none might be without a place to dwell in, he included within the
fortifications of the city the Coelian hill x. ”
“Ancus Marcius, when he took in the Coelian hill and the Aventine, separated
as they were from each other, and from the other fortifications of the city, acted
from necessity in adding them. For neither was it expedient to leave such strong
hills without the wall to serve as positions for attacking the city to any that wished
it, nor was he able to complete the whole wall as far as the QuirinalC”
The name of the Coelian Hill is applied sometimes to the ground
extending eastward as far as the wall of the Empire, and is made to
include both the Lateran and the Sessorium. The Lateran is, how-
ever, separated from it by a valley and a foss, which has most pro-
bably been cut at some very early period. It was not included in the
Wall of the Kings, but was a detached fortress by the side of the city.
There is another distinct foss between the high ground of the Late-
ran and that of the Sessorium, but across it there is an agger or bank
r The ancient name of the hill was
Querqual, from its being covered with
oaks, as that of the Aventine was Mur-
cus, from its having been covered with
myrtles.
s “In Suburanse regionis parte prin-
ceps est Ccelius mons, a Coelio Vibenno
Tusco duce nobili, qui cum sua manu
dicitur Romulo venisse auxilio contra
Tatium regem : hinc post Ccelii mor-
tem, quod nimis munita loca tenerent
neque sine suspicione essent, deducti
dicuntur in planum. Ab eis dictus vicus
Tuscus” (Terentius Varro, lib. v. §46.)
1 Dionys., lib. ii. c. 36.
u Livii Hist., lib. i. c. 30.
x Dionys., lib. iii. c. I.
y Strabonis Geogr., iii. 7.
The Coelianr is said by Terentius Varro to have been named after
Coelius Vibenna, a Tuscan leader, who with his band supported
Romulus against the King of Latium, and was with his followers
located on the Ccelian as a reward.
“ In a part of the Suburan district the chief hill is the Coelian, [so called] from
Ccelius Vibenna, a noble Tuscan general, who is said to have given aid with his
army to Romulus against the Latin King ; hence, after the death of Ccelius, because
these Tuscans held too strong a position, and were not without suspicion, they were
removed to the lower ground, and the street was called from them Vicus Tuscuss.”
“From a leader who came from Etruria, and whose name was Ccelius; the
hill on which he settled is called the Ccelian to this day
This hill is said by Livy and some writers to have been added
to the city by Tullus Hostilius, who resided on it himself to en-
courage others to do so, b.c. 650 ; by Strabo and other writers the
addition is attributed to Ancus Marcius.
“Meanwhile, from the destruction of Alba, Rome received a considerable aug-
mentation, the number of citizens was doubled, the Coelian mount was added
to the city ; and in order to induce others to fix their habitations there, Tullus
chose that situation for his palace, where, from thenceforth, he resided u. ”
‘ ‘ And that none might be without a place to dwell in, he included within the
fortifications of the city the Coelian hill x. ”
“Ancus Marcius, when he took in the Coelian hill and the Aventine, separated
as they were from each other, and from the other fortifications of the city, acted
from necessity in adding them. For neither was it expedient to leave such strong
hills without the wall to serve as positions for attacking the city to any that wished
it, nor was he able to complete the whole wall as far as the QuirinalC”
The name of the Coelian Hill is applied sometimes to the ground
extending eastward as far as the wall of the Empire, and is made to
include both the Lateran and the Sessorium. The Lateran is, how-
ever, separated from it by a valley and a foss, which has most pro-
bably been cut at some very early period. It was not included in the
Wall of the Kings, but was a detached fortress by the side of the city.
There is another distinct foss between the high ground of the Late-
ran and that of the Sessorium, but across it there is an agger or bank
r The ancient name of the hill was
Querqual, from its being covered with
oaks, as that of the Aventine was Mur-
cus, from its having been covered with
myrtles.
s “In Suburanse regionis parte prin-
ceps est Ccelius mons, a Coelio Vibenno
Tusco duce nobili, qui cum sua manu
dicitur Romulo venisse auxilio contra
Tatium regem : hinc post Ccelii mor-
tem, quod nimis munita loca tenerent
neque sine suspicione essent, deducti
dicuntur in planum. Ab eis dictus vicus
Tuscus” (Terentius Varro, lib. v. §46.)
1 Dionys., lib. ii. c. 36.
u Livii Hist., lib. i. c. 30.
x Dionys., lib. iii. c. I.
y Strabonis Geogr., iii. 7.