DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.42497#0234
134
The Later Fortifications.
[CHAP. II.
“ The Goths not being able to invest the whole wall with their army, by form-
ing five lines of circumvallation blockaded the space of five gates, extending from
the Flaminian to that which is called the Preenestine Gate. But, as all these lines
had been formed on this side the river Tiber, the barbarians feared lest the enemy
by destroying the bridge, which is called the Milvian, might render all the country
beyond the Tiber as far as the sea inaccessible to them, and thus they might feel
only in a slight degree the evils that attend a siege. They therefore staked out
a seventh line on the other side of the river, in the fields of Nero, that the bridge
might be in the midst of their encampment1.”
One of the fortified camps of the Goths was so close to this gate
that Belisarius thought it necessary to block up the gate entirely
during the siege. This camp must have been on the elevated
ridge on the west or left-hand side of the road in going into this
gate, and the scarped cliffs of an early fortification are distinctly
visible from the road at intervals between the houses. It is, as
usual, considered as a natural cliff only, but it has evidently been
scarped. Being intended for temporary use only, no wall was built
against it.
In part of the wall east of the Palace of Sylla, the work of Beli-
sarius is plainly visible, and may be recognised by the rough con-
crete stonework which was usual at his period. Other parts of this
wall with its towers were repaired by Nicolas V. in 1451, as appears
by his inscription on the nineteenth tower; by Paul II., a.d. 1470,
and Julius III., a.d. 1554, as appears by their arms and inscrip-
tions; and by Gregory XV., a.d. 1622.
3. “From the closed Pincian Gate to the Salarian Gate—22 towers, 246 mer-
lons, 17 pairs of corbels, 200 large external windows, 160 small.”
A large part of the northern wall of the city had been much
damaged in the sieges by the Goths already referred to in the
historical notices. It seems to have been constantly repaired after-
wards by the Popes before mentioned, so that here also the de-
scription cannot well be verified, although some portions of the
wall in this part are remarkably perfect, especially two or three of
the fine tall square towers with their battlement and cornice, one
only of which appears to be quite original and unaltered. Other
parts of the wall between these two gates, and some of the towers,
however, have been repaired in after times by Leo IV., and his
work may be known by the peculiar alternation of brick and stone.
Only seventeen towers are now visible in this part.
The actual structure of the Pincian Gate is said to be one of
the three gatehouses rebuilt by the Exarchs of Ravenna, in the time
1 Procopius de Bello Gothico, lib; i. c. 19.
The Later Fortifications.
[CHAP. II.
“ The Goths not being able to invest the whole wall with their army, by form-
ing five lines of circumvallation blockaded the space of five gates, extending from
the Flaminian to that which is called the Preenestine Gate. But, as all these lines
had been formed on this side the river Tiber, the barbarians feared lest the enemy
by destroying the bridge, which is called the Milvian, might render all the country
beyond the Tiber as far as the sea inaccessible to them, and thus they might feel
only in a slight degree the evils that attend a siege. They therefore staked out
a seventh line on the other side of the river, in the fields of Nero, that the bridge
might be in the midst of their encampment1.”
One of the fortified camps of the Goths was so close to this gate
that Belisarius thought it necessary to block up the gate entirely
during the siege. This camp must have been on the elevated
ridge on the west or left-hand side of the road in going into this
gate, and the scarped cliffs of an early fortification are distinctly
visible from the road at intervals between the houses. It is, as
usual, considered as a natural cliff only, but it has evidently been
scarped. Being intended for temporary use only, no wall was built
against it.
In part of the wall east of the Palace of Sylla, the work of Beli-
sarius is plainly visible, and may be recognised by the rough con-
crete stonework which was usual at his period. Other parts of this
wall with its towers were repaired by Nicolas V. in 1451, as appears
by his inscription on the nineteenth tower; by Paul II., a.d. 1470,
and Julius III., a.d. 1554, as appears by their arms and inscrip-
tions; and by Gregory XV., a.d. 1622.
3. “From the closed Pincian Gate to the Salarian Gate—22 towers, 246 mer-
lons, 17 pairs of corbels, 200 large external windows, 160 small.”
A large part of the northern wall of the city had been much
damaged in the sieges by the Goths already referred to in the
historical notices. It seems to have been constantly repaired after-
wards by the Popes before mentioned, so that here also the de-
scription cannot well be verified, although some portions of the
wall in this part are remarkably perfect, especially two or three of
the fine tall square towers with their battlement and cornice, one
only of which appears to be quite original and unaltered. Other
parts of the wall between these two gates, and some of the towers,
however, have been repaired in after times by Leo IV., and his
work may be known by the peculiar alternation of brick and stone.
Only seventeen towers are now visible in this part.
The actual structure of the Pincian Gate is said to be one of
the three gatehouses rebuilt by the Exarchs of Ravenna, in the time
1 Procopius de Bello Gothico, lib; i. c. 19.